Euglena
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Euglena is a common flagellate protist, typical of the euglenids, and commonly found in nutrient-rich freshwater, with a few marine species. The cells vary in length from around 20 to 300 μm, and are typically cylindrical, oval, or spindle-shaped with a single emergent flagellum. There are usually many bright green chloroplasts, although some species are colorless. If sunlight is not avalible, it can absorb nutrients from decayed organic material. Euglena is a mobile eukaryotic cell that moves using flagella.
The name comes from the Greek words εὔ (eu) and γλήνη (glēnē), meaning good eyeball, referring to their light-sensitive eyespots used to direct themselves towards light. Over 1000 species of Euglena have been described. Marin et al. (2003) revised the genus so that it forms a monophyletic group, moving several species with rigid pellicles to the genus Lepocinclis and including several species without chloroplasts, formerly classified as Astasia and Khawkinea.
See also: euglenids
[edit] References
- Marin B, Palm A, Klingberg M, Melkonian M (2003). "Phylogeny and taxonomic revision of plastid-containing euglenophytes based on SSU rDNA sequence comparisons and synapomorphic signatures in the SSU rRNA secondary structure." Protist 154(1):99–145.
- Miller K, Levine J, (2002). "Biology." Euglenophytes page 506
[edit] External links
- Euglena
- Prostist Images: Euglena
- Euglena at Droplet - Microscopy of the Protozoa
- Pictures of Euglena gracilis
- Effect of Light Intensity on the Lipid Composition of Euglena gracilis
- Mitochondrial trans-2-Enoyl-CoA Reductase of Wax Ester Fermentation from Euglena gracilis Defines a New Family of Enzymes Involved in Lipid Synthesis
- Aliphatic Chains of Esterified Lipids in Isolated Eyespots of Euglena gracilis var. bacillaris1 (pdf)
- Nature, intracellular distribution and formation of terpenoid quinones in Euglena gracilis. (pdf)
- Tryptophan Synthetase in Euglena gracilis Strain G (pdf)
- Lipid Metabolism of Manganese-deficient Algae: I. Effect of Manganese Deficiency on the Greening and the Lipid Composition of Euglena Gracilis Z. (pdf)
- A hydroxy fatty acid dehydrogenase in Euglena gracilis (pdf)
- Comparative studies of biosynthesis of galactolipids in Euglena gracilis strain Z (pdf)
