Multiple metabolic roles for the nonphotosynthetic plastid of the green alga Prototheca wickerhamii.

The non-photosynthetic, pathogenic green alga Helicosporidium sp. has retained a modified, functional plastid genome.

A fragment of the Helicosporidium sp. (Chlorophyta: Trebouxiophyceae) plastid genome has been sequenced. The genome architecture was compared to that of both a non-photosynthetic relative (Prototheca wickerhamii) and a photosynthetic relative (Chlorella vulgaris). Comparative genomic analysis indicated that Helicosporidium and Prototheca are closely related genera. The analyses also revealed th...

Auxenochlorella protothecoides and Prototheca wickerhamii plastid genome sequences give insight into the origins of non-photosynthetic algae

The forfeiting of photosynthetic capabilities has occurred independently many times throughout eukaryotic evolution. But almost all non-photosynthetic plants and algae still retain a colorless plastid and an associated genome, which performs fundamental processes apart from photosynthesis. Unfortunately, little is known about the forces leading to photosynthetic loss; this is largely because th...

Erratum: Auxenochlorella protothecoides and Prototheca wickerhamii plastid genome sequences give insight into the origins of non-photosynthetic algae.

The Mitochondrial Genome of the Entomoparasitic Green Alga Helicosporidium

BACKGROUND Helicosporidia are achlorophyllous, non-photosynthetic protists that are obligate parasites of invertebrates. Highly specialized, these pathogens feature an unusual cyst stage that dehisces inside the infected organism and releases a filamentous cell displaying surface projections, which will penetrate the host gut wall and eventually reproduce in the hemolymph. Long classified as in...

Prototheca wickerhamii Cutaneous and Systemic Infections

Prototheca wickerhamii, an environmental alga, rarely causes human infections. We present a case of Prototheca wickerhamii cutaneous and systemic infections in an 85-year-old male with adrenal insufficiency. This organism was identified by morphological features and microbiological tests. The patient was successfully treated with ketoconazole.