Fungi encompass, in addition to classically well-studied lineages, an ever-expanding diversity of poorly known lineages including zoosporic chytrid-like parasites. Here, we formally describe Amoeboradix gromovi gen. et sp. nov. comprising a set of closely related strains of chytrid-like parasites of the yellow-green alga Tribonema gayanum unusually endowed with amoeboid zoospores. Morphological and ultrastructural features of A. gromovi observed by light and transmission electron microscopy recall previous descriptions of Rhizophydium anatropum. A. gromovi exhibits one of the longest kinetosomes known in eukaryotes, composed of microtubular singlets or doublets. To carry out molecular phylogenetic analysis and validate the identification of different life cycle stages, we amplified 18S rRNA genes from three A. gromovi strains infecting T. gayanum cultures, single sporangia and single zoospores. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of 18S+28S rRNA concatenated genes of the type strain revealed that A. gromovi is closely related to the recently described species Sanchytrium tribonematis, another parasite of Tribonema that had been tentatively classified within Monoblepharidomycetes. However, our phylogenetic analysis with an extended taxon sampling did not show any particular affinity of Amoeboradix and Sanchytrium with described fungal taxa. Therefore, Amoeboradix gromovi and Sanchytrium tribonematis likely represent a new divergent taxon that remains incertae sedis within Fungi.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)122-140
Number of pages19
JournalProtist
Volume169
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Feb 2018

    Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology

    Research areas

  • amoeboid zoospore, kinetosome., life cycle, molecular phylogeny, Parasites of algae, ultrastructure

ID: 35947326