Spirostomum

Spirostomum
Spirostomum ambiguum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Diaphoretickes
Clade: SAR
Clade: Alveolata
Phylum: Ciliophora
Class: Heterotrichea
Family: Spirostomidae
Genus: Spirostomum
Ehrenberg, 1833
Species[1][2][3][4]

Spirostomum is a genus of ciliated protists in the class Heterotrichea. It is known for being very contractile.[5] Having been first identified by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg in 1834, further research has identified eight additional true morphospecies.[6][7][1] This bacterivore genus mainly lives in the sediment deposits at the bottom of various aquatic habitats, and members possess rquA genes that could be responsible for their ability to survive in these hypoxic and anoxic environments.[2][3][4][8] They are identifiable by their relatively (to other ciliates) large tubular/flat vermiform bodies.[5][6][1] Their life cycle consists of a growth stage, in which they mature, and asexual and sexual reproduction stages.[6] Some species are model organisms for studies on human pathogenic bacteria, while others are sensitive and accurate bioindicators for toxic substances.[2]

  1. ^ a b c d Boscaro, V.; Carducci, D.; Barbieri, G.; Senra, M.V.X.; Andreoli, I.; Erra, F.; Petroni, G.; Verni, F.; Fokin, S.I. (2014). “Focusing on genera to improve species identification: revised systematics of the ciliate Spirostomum”. Protist 165: 527-541. doi: 10.1016/j.protis.2014.05.004
  2. ^ a b c Shazib, S.U.A.; Vd’acny, P.; Slovak, M.; Gentekaki, E.; Shin, M.K. (2019). “Deciphering phylogenetic relationships and delimiting species boundaries using a Bayesian coalescent approach in protists: A case study of the ciliate genus Spirostomum (Ciliophora, Heterotrichea)”. Scientific Reports 9: 16360. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-52722-4
  3. ^ a b Mukhtar, I.; Wu, S.; Wei, S.; Chen, R.; Cheng, Y.; Liang, C.; Chen, J. (2021). “Transcriptome profiling revealed multiple rquA genes in the species of Spirostomum (Protozoa: Ciliophora: Heterotrichea)”. Frontiers of Microbiology 11: 1-15. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.574285
  4. ^ a b Hines, H.N.; Onsbring, H.; Ettema, E.J.G.; Esteban, G.F. (2018). “Molecular investigation of the ciliate Spirostomum semivirescens, with first transcriptome and new geographical records”. Protist 169: 875-886. doi: 10.1016/j.protis.2018.08.001
  5. ^ a b Fernandes, N.M.; da Silva Neto, I.D. (2013). “Morphology and 18S rDNA gene sequence of Spirostomum minus and Spirostomum teres (Ciliophora: Heterotrichea) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil”. Zoologia 30: 72-79. doi: 10.1590/S1984-46702013000100009  
  6. ^ a b c Bishop, A. (1923). “Some observations upon Spirostomum ambiguum (Ehrenberg)”. Journal of Cell Science 267: 391-434. doi: 10.1242/jcs.s2-67.267.391
  7. ^ Fokin, S. (2004). “A brief history of ciliate studies (late XVII the first third of the XX century)”. Protistology 3: 283-296.
  8. ^ Spencer, M.; Warren, P.H. (1996). “The effects of habitat size and productivity on food web structure in small aquatic microcosms”. Oikos 75: 419-430. doi: 10.2307/3545882