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Microbial Genomics logo Microbial Genomics

Volume 10, Issue 7

Giants’ cooperation: a draft genome of the giant ciliate suggests its ecological role in the capybara’s digestive metabolism Open Access

Abstract

Several hundred ciliate species live in animals’ guts as a part of their microbiome. Among them, (Trichostomatia, Pycnotrichidae), the largest described ciliate, is found exclusively associated with (capybara), the largest known rodent reaching up to 90 kg. Here, we present the sequence, structural and functional annotation of this giant microeukaryote macronuclear genome and discuss its phylogenetic placement. The 85 Mb genome is highly AT rich (GC content 25.71 %) and encodes a total of 11 397 protein-coding genes, of which 2793 could have their functions predicted with automated functional assignments. Functional annotation showed that can digest recalcitrant structural carbohydrates, non-structural carbohydrates, and microbial cell walls, suggesting a role in diet metabolization and in microbial population control in the capybara’s intestine. Moreover, the phylogenetic placement of provides insights on the origins of gigantism in the subclass Trichostomatia.

  • Received:
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Keyword(s): caviomorph rodents , endosymbiotic ciliates , genomics and Trichostomatia
Funding
This study was supported by the:
  • Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (Award 2019/17077-2)
    • Principle Award Recipient: MarcusVinicius Xavier Senra
  • Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (Award 2022/00538-0)
    • Principle Award Recipient: MillkeJasmine Arminini Morales
  • Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (Award 2020/10682-5)
    • Principle Award Recipient: FrancianeCedrola
  • Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (Award 2020/11027-0)
    • Principle Award Recipient: VeraNisaka Solferini
© 2024 The Authors
  • This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. This article was made open access via a Publish and Read agreement between the Microbiology Society and the corresponding author’s institution.
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2024-07-02
2025-06-21
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Giants’ cooperation: a draft genome of the giant ciliate Muniziella cunhai suggests its ecological role in the capybara’s digestive metabolism
M Gen 10, 001263 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1099/mgen.0.001263
/content/journal/mgen/10.1099/mgen.0.001263
/content/journal/mgen/10.1099/mgen.0.001263
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