Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Microbial Biology for FY-2000

Atkins, Michael S, Yosemite West CA

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Microbial Biology for 2000. The research and training plan is in the area of Systematic Biology and is entitled "Study of Ancyromonas as a Possible Ancestor to All Metazoa, Fungi, and Choanoflagellates". Preliminary analysis of 18S rDNA sequences from the flagellate genus Ancyromonas suggests it is descended from the specific common ancestor of multicellular metazoa and fungi. Additional phylogenetically-informative genes from species of Ancyromonas are being sequenced and analyzed to determine if there is an extant unicellular ancestor to this group. Morphology and ultrastructure of Ancyromonas species also are being studied and compared with metazoan and fungal species to determine the extent of shared characteristics suggestive of common ancestry. Fluorescent in-situ probe hybridization (FISH) technology is used to look for undiscovered species of this globally-distributed genus in an effort to find and culture unique species for this and future study.