Research Seminar: Organelle evolution and function: from photosynthesis to parasitism

Dr. Ross Waller, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge

Tuesday 11th October, 1.00 p.m., Stacey Lecture Theatre 1

 

Unicellular eukaryotic diversity encompasses a wide and seemingly disparate array of cell forms, functions and lifestyles, spanning phototrophs that drive global carbon capture and food webs, to parasites that plunder and cause disease. Eukaryotic molecular phylogenomics are increasingly resolving the relationships amongst these diverse phyla, illuminating surprising evolutionary alliances. The Alveolata supergroup, for example, unites dinoflagellate algae (phototrophs, coral symbionts), apicomplexan parasites (e.g. malaria causative agent) and ciliates (environmental micro-predators). These relationships provide opportunity to examine and reassess the evolution and function of key cell traits and features employed in these different circumstances. Plastid organelles in alveolates show multiple examples of endosymbiotic gain and loss, as well as change of function such as loss of photosynthesis in parasites. Examination of these events across alveolate diversity enables new understanding of the processes that drive plastid evolution. Similarly, a common cell pellicular cytoskeleton shared across Alveolata has been instrumental in developing the different lifestyles adopted by these disparate phyla. Identification of common elements of this pellicle is enabling new understanding of the molecular architecture and function of the invasion machinery of apicomplexan parasites.