Meeting Abstract
Despite their photosynthetic roots, apicomplexans are highly successful parasites, infecting every major metazoan lineage. They are primarily intracellular parasites that form tissue cysts or target blood cells, however, species in the genus Nephromyces are endosymbionts, inhabiting all members of the tunicate family Molgulidae. Specifically, Nephromyces inhabits the renal sac, an organ unique to the Molgulidae. The renal sac contains high levels of urate, but its function is currently unknown. Adding to the complexity of this biological system are the bacterial endosymbionts within Nephromyces species, which introduce additional metabolic capacity. We have performed preliminary sequencing of the Nephromyces genome to determine the metabolic pathways that enabled Nephromyces to become an endosymbiont. The metabolic capabilities of both Nephromyces and its bacterial endosymbiont will be discussed with a focus on purine and carbon metabolism.
