Single-cell transcriptomics reveals lateral transfers of multiple functional genes from prokaryotes to free-living ciliated protists in detrital food webs.
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| Format: | Artículo científico |
| Sprache: | en |
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Marine life science & technology
2026
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| _version_ | 1868266044098871297 |
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| author | Zhang, Qianqian Gentekaki, Eleni Leger, Michelle M Zou, Songbao Zhang, Gong-Ao-Te Omar, Atef Fu, Yingjun Gong, Jun |
| author_facet | Zhang, Qianqian Gentekaki, Eleni Leger, Michelle M Zou, Songbao Zhang, Gong-Ao-Te Omar, Atef Fu, Yingjun Gong, Jun Zhang, Qianqian Gentekaki, Eleni Leger, Michelle M Zou, Songbao Zhang, Gong-Ao-Te Omar, Atef Fu, Yingjun Gong, Jun |
| collection | PubMed - marine biology |
| contents | Single-cell transcriptomics reveals lateral transfers of multiple functional genes from prokaryotes to free-living ciliated protists in detrital food webs. Zhang, Qianqian Gentekaki, Eleni Leger, Michelle M Zou, Songbao Zhang, Gong-Ao-Te Omar, Atef Fu, Yingjun Gong, Jun Lateral gene transfer (LGT) is a key driver of evolutionary innovation, underlying protists' lifestyles and interactions in anaerobic environments. Yet, its significance in free-living protists remains underexplored. Here, we address this gap by presenting the first single-cell transcriptomes of and genome-wide LGT screens across 36 omics datasets from nine anaerobic APM ciliates (classes Armophorea, Muranotrichea, and Parablepharismea)-a group in soil/sediment environments. Through phylogenetic analyses and validation testing, we identified 63 candidate prokaryotic LGT genes preferentially enriched in APM ciliates. Among these, 19 form interconnected pathways for degrading complex organics (polysaccharides, amino sugars); their high diversity and completeness are rarely seen in reported protist LGTs. A rare fused gene () and two novel genes (, ) were exclusively identified in APM ciliates, with their potential as the first evidence of LGT-mediated carbon metabolite retention and ammonia assimilation in phagotrophic protists inferred. Notably, 27 LGTs (including , , and ) trace to candidate phyla radiation (CPR) bacteria or described prokaryotes, marking the first CPR-to-eukaryote LGT documentation. Collectively, these 63 LGTs are predicted to enhance nutrient utilization (complex organics, other carbon metabolites, inorganic elements), bioenergetic efficiency, and stress resistance (heavy metals, oxygen), facilitating soil/sediment adaptation. Overall, our results highlight lateral prokaryotic gene acquisition may be key for free-living anaerobic ciliates' adaptation to new environments, shedding light on protists' evolutionary dynamics and ecological roles. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-026-00382-5. |
| format | Artículo científico |
| id | pubmed_42186547 |
| institution | PubMed |
| language | en |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publisher | Marine life science & technology |
| record_format | pubmed |
| spellingShingle | Single-cell transcriptomics reveals lateral transfers of multiple functional genes from prokaryotes to free-living ciliated protists in detrital food webs. Zhang, Qianqian Gentekaki, Eleni Leger, Michelle M Zou, Songbao Zhang, Gong-Ao-Te Omar, Atef Fu, Yingjun Gong, Jun Single-cell transcriptomics reveals lateral transfers of multiple functional genes from prokaryotes to free-living ciliated protists in detrital food webs. Zhang, Qianqian Gentekaki, Eleni Leger, Michelle M Zou, Songbao Zhang, Gong-Ao-Te Omar, Atef Fu, Yingjun Gong, Jun Lateral gene transfer (LGT) is a key driver of evolutionary innovation, underlying protists' lifestyles and interactions in anaerobic environments. Yet, its significance in free-living protists remains underexplored. Here, we address this gap by presenting the first single-cell transcriptomes of and genome-wide LGT screens across 36 omics datasets from nine anaerobic APM ciliates (classes Armophorea, Muranotrichea, and Parablepharismea)-a group in soil/sediment environments. Through phylogenetic analyses and validation testing, we identified 63 candidate prokaryotic LGT genes preferentially enriched in APM ciliates. Among these, 19 form interconnected pathways for degrading complex organics (polysaccharides, amino sugars); their high diversity and completeness are rarely seen in reported protist LGTs. A rare fused gene () and two novel genes (, ) were exclusively identified in APM ciliates, with their potential as the first evidence of LGT-mediated carbon metabolite retention and ammonia assimilation in phagotrophic protists inferred. Notably, 27 LGTs (including , , and ) trace to candidate phyla radiation (CPR) bacteria or described prokaryotes, marking the first CPR-to-eukaryote LGT documentation. Collectively, these 63 LGTs are predicted to enhance nutrient utilization (complex organics, other carbon metabolites, inorganic elements), bioenergetic efficiency, and stress resistance (heavy metals, oxygen), facilitating soil/sediment adaptation. Overall, our results highlight lateral prokaryotic gene acquisition may be key for free-living anaerobic ciliates' adaptation to new environments, shedding light on protists' evolutionary dynamics and ecological roles. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-026-00382-5. |
| title | Single-cell transcriptomics reveals lateral transfers of multiple functional genes from prokaryotes to free-living ciliated protists in detrital food webs. |
| url | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42186547/ |