The Bacterial Diversity Lurking in Protist Cell Cultures

Laboratory cultures of heterotrophic protists are often xenic, meaning that the culture contains more than one microbial organism. In this study, we analyzed genome-assembly data from four marine protist flagellates—the malawimonad Imasa heleensis, undescribed mantamonad strain SRT-306, discobid Ophirina amphinema, and cryptist Palpitomonas bilix—specifically to search for genomes cocultured bacteria. As no external bacteria have been added stock cultures, it is probable came original water samples which were isolated. At least some these consumed as a food source by protists, all obligate heterotrophs. From separate metagenomic de novo assemblies mixed identified 28 scaffolds, BUSCO analyses suggest represent complete or near-complete bacterial genomes. These scaffolds range in length 3,139,436 6,090,282 bp encode 2873 5666 genes. Only eight corresponded entries NCBI genome database, 20 putatively novel species. Our findings highlight like these, discarded overlooked, can be and/or