Scientific article
Review
OA Policy
English

Fragmented rRNAs and lineage-specific RNA-binding proteins define myzozoan mitoribosomes

First online date2026-05-30
Abstract

Myzozoa, a clade of alveolate protists including Apicomplexa, Chromerida, Perkinsozoa, and dinoflagellates, possesses the most reduced mitochondrial genomes among eukaryotes. Apicomplexan parasites, such as Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium spp., retain mitochondrial genomes encoding only three proteins and highly fragmented rRNAs. Despite this reduction, recent structural studies show that T. gondii mitoribosome incorporates lineage-specific RNA-binding proteins as integral components to maintain a functional complex composed of over 50 rRNA fragments. The conservation of rRNA fragmentation and protein repertoire observed among Apicomplexa suggests a shared evolution within the phylum. This radical divergence from all other currently investigated cytoplasmic and mitochondrial ribosomes highlights evolutionary plasticity and common ancestry, providing a model for studying mitochondrial evolution and potential antiparasitic drug discovery.

Keywords
  • Apicomplexa
  • Myzozoa
  • Plasmodium falciparum
  • Toxoplasma gondii
  • Fragmented mitochondrial rRNA
  • Mitoribosome
Citation (ISO format)
WANG, Chaoyue et al. Fragmented rRNAs and lineage-specific RNA-binding proteins define myzozoan mitoribosomes. In: Trends in parasitology, 2026. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2026.05.008
Main files (1)
Article (Published version)
Secondary files (2)
Supplemental data
accessLevelPublic
Supplemental data
accessLevelPublic
Identifiers
Journal ISSN1471-4922
12views
58downloads

Technical informations

Creation30/05/2026 19:39:11
First validation01/06/2026 09:26:52
Update01/06/2026 09:26:52
Status update01/06/2026 09:26:52
Last indexation01/06/2026 09:26:53
All rights reserved by Archive ouverte UNIGE and the University of GenevaunigeBlack