Abstract
Apicomplexans are a large group of protists, including several species of major medical importance, and evolved from free-living photosynthetic ancestors. The discovery of corallicolids, photosymbiosis-derived coral-infecting parasites, provides a model system for studying the transition from phototrophy to parasitism. Here we review the endosymbiotic origins of apicomplexans and discuss the implications of corallicolid biology for understanding this major evolutionary transition.
Type
Publication
Integrative and Comparative Biology
Javier del Campo
Group Leader
My research aims at understanding the global diversity and distribution of eukaryotic and prokaryotic microbes employing curated phylogenetic frameworks focusing on novel environmental taxa.