The Molecular Mechanisms for Infection and Phenotypic Changes of the Host in Procaryote–Eukaryote and Eukaryote-Eukaryote Endosymbioses
A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology and Immunology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 2132
Special Issue Editor
Interests: endosymbiosis in bacteria-ciliate and algae-ciliate; differentiation of macro- and micronucleus in ciliate Paramecium; effects of environmental radiation induced by nuclear powerplant accident to Paramecium
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Endosymbiosis is a primary process in eukaryote evolution and can be observed in protists, insects and vertebrates. Recent studies show that this phenomenon has occurred several times before and has yielded a wide diversity of eukaryotic cells. Despite the importance of this phenomenon, however, molecular mechanisms responsible for it within procaryote–eukaryote (primary endosymbiosis) and eukaryote–eukaryote (secondary endosymbiosis) are not so well known. To provide an explanation for this phenomenon, experiments for the recreation of endosymbiosis between symbionts isolated from symbiont-bearing host cells (or free-living cells with symbiotic capacity) and symbiont host cells are indispensable.
Thus, the aim of this Special Issue is twofold: to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the initiation of endosymbiosis and to contribute to the development of technologies to create useful organisms by artificially inducing endosymbiosis. We invite articles and reviews that provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the following phenomena.
- How does the symbiont invade the host cell and avoid digestion by the host's lysosomal enzymes?
- How can the symbiont grow in synchrony with the host cell?
- Is horizontal gene transfer from the symbiont to the host still taking place today? If so, when and how?
- How does the host maintain endosymbionts and acquire new phenotypes to adapt to its environment?
Dr. Masahiro Fujishima
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- molecular mechanisms in primary and secondary endosymbiosis
- invasion into host cells
- avoidance or resistance to host lysosomal enzymes
- intracellular migration within host cells
- localization of endosymbiont to specific sites in host cells
- horizontal gene transfer from the host
- substances exchanged between the endosymbiont and the host
- benefits of the host by endosymbiosis
- effects of endosymbiosis on host phenotype
- enhanced host adaptation to the environment
- kleptoplasty and karyoklepty
- artificial induction of new combinations of endosymbioses
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