@article {Worden2009, title = {Green evolution and dynamic adaptations revealed by genomes of the marine picoeukaryotes Micromonas}, journal = {Science}, volume = {324}, year = {2009}, note = {tex.mendeley-tags: RCC299,RCC827}, pages = {268{\textendash}272}, abstract = {The photosynthetic picoeukaryote Micromonas thrives from tropical to polar marine ecosystems and belongs to an anciently diverged sister clade to land plants. We sequenced genomes from two Micromonas isolates (22 Mb, CCMP1545; 21 Mb, RCC299) and the results improve understanding of their ecology and green-lineage evolution. Despite high 18S rDNA sequence identity, only 90\% of their predicted genes were shared. Novel intronic repeat elements in CCMP1545, otherwise found only in metagenomic data, and unique riboswitch arrangements emphasized their independent evolutionary paths. Phylogenomic profiles revealed putative ancestral features, but also indicated selection/acquisition processes are actively shaping a {\textquoteleft}unique{\textquoteright} gene pool in each differently than {\textquoteleft}core{\textquoteright} genes. Current climate-change trajectories are predicted to produce conditions favoring picophytoplankton, making Micromonas potential indicators of biological change in ocean ecosystems.}, keywords = {rcc, RCC299, RCC827, SBR$_\textrmP$hyto$_\textrmD$PO, SBR$_\textrmP$hyto$_\textrmE$PPO}, doi = {10.1126/science.1167222}, author = {Worden, A Z and Lee, J.- H and Mock, T and Rouz{\'e}, P and Simmons, M P and Aerts, A L and Allen, A E and Cuvelier, M L and Derelle, E and Everett, M V and Foulon, E and Grimwood, J and Gundlach, H and Henrissat, B and Napoli, C and McDonald, S M and Parker, M S and Rombauts, S and Salamov, A and Von Dassow, P and Badger, J H and Coutinho, P M and Demir, E and Dubchak, I and Gentemann, C and Eikrem, W and Gready, J E and John, U and Lanier, W and Lindquist, E A and Lucas, S and Mayer, K F X and Moreau, H and Not, F and Otillar, R and Panaud, O and Pangilinan, J and Paulsen, I and Piegu, B and Poliakov, A and Robbens, S and Schmutz, J and Toulza, E and Wyss, T and Zelensky, A and Zhou, K and Armbrust, E V and Bhattacharya, D and Goodenough, U W and Van de Peer, Y and Grigoriev, I V} } @article {Worden2006, title = {Picoeukaryote diversity in coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean}, journal = {Aquatic Microbial Ecology}, volume = {43}, number = {2}, year = {2006}, note = {tex.mendeley-tags: Micromonas,RCC,rcc}, pages = {165{\textendash}175}, abstract = {The extraordinary molecular phylogenetic diversity of picoeukaryotes and their contributions to marine processes have been highlighted recently. Herein, picoeukaryotic diversity in the coastal Pacific Ocean is characterized for the first time, Close to full length small subunit ribosomal RNA (ssu rRNA) gene amplicons were cloned and sequenced from size fractionated samples ({\textexclamdown} 2 mu m) taken between September 2000 and October 2001. Sequences belonging to the order Mamiellales were abundant, with Micromonas pusilla-like sequences in all 5 libraries (4 operational taxonomic units, OTUs, at {\textquestiondown}= 99\% sequence similarity), Ostreococcus in 4 (1 OTU) and Bathycoccus in 2 (1 OTU). Phylogenetic reconstruction showed distinct Micromonas clades at this site (although not for other Mamiellales), supporting the idea that the designation M pusilla harbors cryptic species. In combination with picophytoplankton dynamics previously reported for the same period, the data indicates that picoplanktonic primary production at this site is likely to be dominated by prasinophytes. Furthermore, a Micromonas-clade with no cultured representatives was identified bearing highest identity to Sargasso Sea shotgun clone sequences. Comparison of the Pacific sequences with the shotgun clones showed Ostreococcus and Micromonas at 1 Sargasso site with elevated chlorophyll (chl) levels, but not at other Sargasso sites. Other Pacific clones were primarily Novel Alveolate Group II, which were highly diverse based on OTU analyses. Novel Alveolate Group 1, Ciliophora, Cercozoa-like and stramenopile sequences were also retrieved. Although picoeukaryotic diversity has been characterized in only 1 other Pacific Ocean sample (equatorial Pacific), most stramenopile and alveolate sequences corresponded to previously identified phylogenetic clades from studies conducted in other oceans and for which no cultured representatives exist.}, keywords = {18s rdna sequences, 18S rRNA, community structure, diversity, english-channel, eukaryotic picoplankton, global dispersal, Micromonas, north-atlantic, phylogenetic analysis, picoeukaryotes, picophytoplankton, picoplankton, prasinophytes, pusilla, rcc, RIBOSOMAL-RNA GENE, sargasso sea, small subunit, vibrio-cholerae}, doi = {10.3354/ame043165}, author = {Worden, A Z} } @article {Six2005a, title = {New insights into the nature and phylogeny of prasinophyte antenna proteins: Ostreococcus tauri, a case study}, journal = {Molecular Biology and Evolution}, volume = {22}, number = {11}, year = {2005}, note = {tex.mendeley-tags: RCC113,RCC114,RCC745: RCC417}, pages = {2217{\textendash}2230}, abstract = {The basal position of the Mamiellales (Prasinophyceae) within the green lineage makes these unicellular organisms key to elucidating early stages in the evolution of chlorophyll a/b{\textendash}binding light-harvesting complexes (LHCs). Here, we unveil the complete and unexpected diversity of Lhc proteins in Ostreococcus tauri, a member of the Mamiellales order, based on results from complete genome sequencing. Like Mantoniella squamata, O. tauri possesses a number of genes encoding an unusual prasinophyte-specific Lhc protein type herein designated "Lhcp". Biochemical characterization of the complexes revealed that these polypeptides, which bind chlorophylls a, b, and a chlorophyll c{\textendash}like pigment (Mg-2,4-divinyl-phaeoporphyrin a5 monomethyl ester) as well as a number of unusual carotenoids, are likely predominant. They are retrieved to some extent in both reaction center I (RCI){\textendash} and RCII-enriched fractions, suggesting a possible association to both photosystems. However, in sharp contrast to previous reports on LHCs of M. squamata, O. tauri also possesses other LHC subpopulations, including LHCI proteins (encoded by five distinct Lhca genes) and the minor LHCII polypeptides, CP26 and CP29. Using an antibody against plant Lhca2, we unambiguously show that LHCI proteins are present not only in O. tauri, in which they are likely associated to RCI, but also in other Mamiellales, including M. squamata. With the exception of Lhcp genes, all the identified Lhc genes are present in single copy only. Overall, the discovery of LHCI proteins in these prasinophytes, combined with the lack of the major LHCII polypeptides found in higher plants or other green algae, supports the hypothesis that the latter proteins appeared subsequent to LHCI proteins. The major LHC of prasinophytes might have arisen prior to the LHCII of other chlorophyll a/b{\textendash}containing organisms, possibly by divergence of a LHCI gene precursor. However, the discovery in O. tauri of CP26-like proteins, phylogenetically placed at the base of the major LHCII protein clades, yields new insight to the origin of these antenna proteins, which have evolved separately in higher plants and green algae. Its diverse but numerically limited suite of Lhc genes renders O. tauri an exceptional model system for future research on the evolution and function of LHC components.}, keywords = {rcc, RCC113, RCC114, RCC417, RCC745, SBR$_\textrmP$hyto$_\textrmD$PO}, doi = {10.1093/molbev/msi220}, author = {Six, C and Worden, A Z and Rodriguez, F and Moreau, H and Partensky, F} }