The Choanoflagellates: Heterotrophic Nanoflagellates and Sister Group of the Metazoa

King, Nicole; Young, Susan L.; Abedin, Monika; Carr, Martin; Leadbeater, B. S. C.

doi:10.1101/pdb.emo116

Cited by 26 publications

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“…Nonetheless, there are multiple alternative hypotheses [3], including the formal possibility that multicellularity in the progenitor of animals occurred through cell aggregation, with embryogenesis by cell division being secondarily derived. The closest known relatives of animals, choanoflagellates, are emerging as a model system for testing specific hypotheses about animal origins [4–7]. Studying colony formation in choanoflagellates may provide a context for reconstructing the evolution of animal multicellularity.…”

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Multicellular development in a choanoflagellate

2010

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Little is known about how the first animals evolved from their single celled ancestors. Over 120 years ago, Haeckel proposed that animals evolved through "repeated self-division of [a] primary cell,"[1] an idea supported by the observation that all animals develop from a single cell (the zygote) through successive rounds of cell division [2]. Nonetheless, there are multiple alternative hypotheses [3], including the formal possibility that multicellularity in the progenitor of animals occurred through cell aggregation, with embryogenesis by cell division being secondarily derived. The closest known relatives of animals, choanoflagellates, are emerging as a model system for testing specific hypotheses about animal origins [4–7]. Studying colony formation in choanoflagellates may provide a context for reconstructing the evolution of animal multicellularity. We find that the transition from single cells to multicelled colonies in the choanoflagellate Salpingoeca rosetta occurs by cell division, with sister cells remaining stably attached.

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Multicellular development in a choanoflagellate

2010

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“…For a more extensive discussion on the background, husbandry, and potential uses of this species, see The Choanoflagellates: Heterotrophic Nanoflagellates and Sister Group of the Metazoa (King et al 2009a). For alternative media (e.g., for freshwater choanoflagellate species), see Isolation of Single Choanoflagellate Cells from Field Samples and Establishment of Clonal Cultures (King et al 2009b).…”

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Starting and Maintaining Monosiga brevicollis Cultures

King

Young²,

Abedin³

et al. 2009

Cold Spring Harb Protoc

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INTRODUCTIONChoanoflagellates are heterotrophic nanoflagellates: small, colorless protozoa that are present in marine and freshwater environments as well as in hydrated soils. Because they are the closest living relatives of the metazoa, the study of their cell biology and genomes promises to provide new insights into metazoan ancestry and origins. Most, if not all, choanoflagellates are heterotrophs that prey on bacteria. Thus, all choanoflagellate media provide nutrition for bacteria, which are in turn consumed by the choanoflagellates. If a culture is axenic or has low bacterial content, it can be supplemented with a specific bacterial strain that has been grown separately. On the other hand, if a culture already contains a well-established flora of bacteria, it can be cocultured with the choanoflagellate isolate. In either case, it is common to enrich the medium with an organic extract, such as liver extract, cereal grass infusion, or a mixture of proteose peptone and yeast extract. This protocol describes how to start cultures of the marine choanoflagellate species, Monosiga brevicollis, from frozen stocks. These cultures can then be maintained and expanded in preparation for DNA or RNA isolation or cell biological assays.

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“…The existence of colonial choanoflagellates has made choanoflagellates an organism of choice for testing hypotheses about multicellularity in general and the origin of animals in particular Carr et al 2008;King et al 2009). The existence of colonial choanoflagellates has made choanoflagellates an organism of choice for testing hypotheses about multicellularity in general and the origin of animals in particular Carr et al 2008;King et al 2009).…”

Section: Choanoflagellate Multicellularitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary Transitions to Multicellular Life

Sharpe¹,

Solé²,

Sebé-Pedrós³

et al. 2015

Advances in Marine Genomics

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This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made.Printed on acid-free paper Springer Netherlands is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com) ForewordAs a young child growing up in Florida, I would set out on "treasure hunts" to look for fossils. The discovery of a Megalodon tooth or a mysterious fossilized bone would inspire thoughts about the lives of long-extinct creatures in a world before humans. And while my musings started with the fossils I could find and hold, with time I became curious about organisms and events from increasingly ancient times. How did tetrapods evolve? What about their ancestors, early aquatic vertebrates? How did developmental patterning evolve in the first bilaterians? And before that? What did the first animals look like? And from what did they evolve?How animals evolved from their single celled ancestors is one of the great mysteries in evolution and was likely set in motion by the origin of multicellularity. A remarkable process, one so striking that it is considered one of only eight "Major Transitions" in evolutionary history (Maynard Smith, John; Szathmáry, Eörs (1995). The Major Transitions in Evolution. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-850294-X), the transition to multicellularity occurred not just once, but repeatedly in diverse lineages. From relatively inconspicuous beginnings-sister cells that remained attached following division rather than going it alone-evolved the many multicellular life forms that fill our visible world today: brown algae, red algae, green algae, land plants, fungi, and animals.Despite the inherent interest surrounding the origins of multicellularity, relatively little is known about when, how, and why multicellularity evolved in each lineage. The potential barriers to reconstructing ancient transitions to multicellularity are diverse. For most multicellular lineages, the transition to multicellularity occurred hundreds of millions of years ago. The unicellular progenitors of...

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The Choanoflagellates: Heterotrophic Nanoflagellates and Sister Group of the Metazoa

Cited by 26 publications

References 17 publications

Multicellular development in a choanoflagellate

Multicellular development in a choanoflagellate

Starting and Maintaining Monosiga brevicollis Cultures

Evolutionary Transitions to Multicellular Life

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