Department of

Long-term functional kleptoplasty in benthic foraminifera

Foraminifera are highly diverse rhizarian protists, with some lineages having developed the ability to retain chloroplasts from algal prey (kleptoplasty). Recently, we revealed the evolutionary relationship between kleptoplasty and algal symbiosis in the benthic foraminifera Hauerina diversa. In this study, we explored fundamental aspects of host-kleptoplast interactions. The photosynthetic rates of H. diversa show the sequestered kleptoplast activity under a wide range of light intensities with no signs of photoinhibition. This lack of photoinhibition response may be attributed to the loss of key elements responsible for this process during the acquisition of kleptoplasts. Our study demonstrates the stability and notably extended retention of kleptoplasty in H. diversa, evidenced by its plastid retention under conditions of heterotrophic feeding deprivation for 50 days. The host-kleptoplast interactions suggest that H. diversa is highly committed to this partnership and that this kleptoplasty species likely relies on similar kleptoplast/alga maintenance mechanisms as symbiont-bearing foraminifera.

Kostas Kampourakis is the 2024 winner of the Friend of Darwin award

Honored with Prestigious Award: Kostas Kampourakis Receives "Friend of Darwin 2024"

Understanding Architecture And Evolutionary Patterns In Haplolepidous Peristomes (Dicranidae, Bryophyta) Using Histology And Micro-Morphology

25.07.2023 14:00, Salle de conférence (Museum of Natural History)

Mathilde Ruche (Michelle Price's group).
hosted by: Michelle Price.