Higher-Level Taxonomy & Evolution Codexery

Microsporidia

Spore-forming parasitic fungi with the smallest eukaryotic genomes.

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They are among the smallest eukaryotes, with spores varying from 1–12 μm and the smallest known nuclear eukaryotic genomes.[1][2] Microsporidia are unicellular fungi that form spores and are obligate eukaryotic parasites.[3] Within their spores, a coiled polar tube and anchoring disc form a unique extrusion apparatus.[3]

Quick Facts

Field
Mycology, Parasitology
Known for
Obligate intracellular parasites with a unique polar tube infection mechanism; smallest eukaryotic genomes
Species named
About 1500
Estimated species
Probably more than one million
Spore size range
1–12 μm

Facts from the source article.

Key facts and history

The name Microsporidium was established by Balbiani in 1884 and is also used as a catchall genus for incertae sedis members.[4] Although previously classified as protozoans or protists, current understanding places microsporidia as fungi or as a sister group sharing a common ancestor with true fungi.[3] The International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants has explicitly excluded Microsporidia from its provisions since 2012.[5][6] Of the estimated more than one million species, approximately 1500 have been formally named.[7]

Following infection, microsporidia affect hosts in diverse ways and can invade all organs and tissues.[8] In insects, microsporidian parasitism can lead to parasitic castration, gigantism, or alteration of the host's sex.[8]

What the research sources say

The 2012 Melbourne Code of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants explicitly excludes Microsporidia from its provisions.[5] A 2022 book titled "Microsporidia" was published by Springer International Publishing AG.[9] A 2009 book titled "Natural history of host-parasite interactions" was published by Academic.[10]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Microsporidia" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Microsporidia: Current Advances in Biology", Springer International Publishing, 2022, p. 6, 182; Didier, "Microsporidiosis: an emerging and opportunistic infection in humans and animals", Acta Trop, Apr 2005, p. 61–76; "Microsporidia: Current Advances in Biology", Springer International Publishing, 2022, p. 3 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Microsporidia" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Corradi, "Latest Progress in Microsporidian Genome Research", Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 2013, p. 309–312 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Microsporidia" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Franzen, C. (2005). How do Microsporidia invade cells?. Folia Parasitologica, 52(1–2), 36–40. doi.org/10.14411/fp.2005.005; Hibbett, "A higher level phylogenetic classification of the Fungi", Mycological Research, 2007, p. 509–47; Silar, "Protistes Eucaryotes: Origine, Evolution et Biologie des Microbes Eucaryotes", HAL, 2016, p. 462; Franzen, C. (2005). How do Microsporidia invade cells?. Folia Parasitologica, 52(1–2), 36–40. doi.org/10.14411/fp.2005.005 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Microsporidia" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Balbiani, G. 1884. Les Psorospermies des Articulés ou Microsporidies, pp. 150-168, 184. In: Leçons sur les sporozoaires. Paris: Doin, .; Hoffman, G. (1999). Parasites of North American Freshwater Fishes, 2nd edn, University of California Press, Berkeley, California, USA, p. 89, . (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. "International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants: Melbourne Code (2012): Premeable", www.iapt-taxon.org. facts only, no text reused. iapt-taxon.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Microsporidia" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Evidence from small-subunit ribosomal RNA sequences for a fungal origin of Microsporidia", Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, September 2005, p. 606–22; "Loss of the flagellum happened only once in the fungal lineage: phylogenetic structure of Kingdom Fungi inferred from RNA polymerase II subunit genes", BMC Evolutionary Biology, 2006, p. 74; "Assessing the microsporidia-fungi relationship: Combined phylogenetic analysis of eight genes", Gene, June 2006, p. 103–9; "Microsporidia evolved from ancestral sexual fungi", Current Biology, en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Microsporidia" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Hawksworth, "The magnitude of fungal diversity: The 1.5 million spices estimate revisited", Mycological Research, 2001, p. 1422 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Microsporidia" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Ronny Larsson, Lund University (Department of Cell and Organism Biology) Cytology and taxonomy of the microsporidia 2004. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  9. Open Library record, ISBN 9783030933050 ("Microsporidia"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
  10. Open Library record, ISBN 9780123747877 ("Natural history of host-parasite interactions"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Microsporidia (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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