Decoding the Nature of the Peritrich Stalk: A Distinctive Organelle in a Large Group of Ciliated Unicellular Eukaryotes

Abstract

Ciliates represent a diverse assemblage of ancient single-celled eukaryotes characterized by diverse morphological features. Among certain sessilid peritrich ciliates, an exceptional morphological structure known as the stalk has been documented since the pioneering work of Antonie van Leeuwenhoek in the 17th century. This study conducts a comparative genomic analysis of three sessile peritrich species—Epistylis sp., Vorticella campanula, and Zoothamnium arbuscula—and two free-swimming species, Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium tetraurelia, within the class Oligohymenophorea. We find that carbohydrate-related components are consistently associated with diverse stalk substructures. Evidence suggests that the branched stalks of colonial E. hentscheli are supported by chitin-based ring-like structures. Through proteomic analysis of the Epistylis stalk, we found peritrich-specific genes, including coiled-coil domain-containing (CCDC) proteins and epidermal growth factor-like (EGF-like) proteins, as key stalk components. CCDC proteins are part of the stalk sheath, and their N-glycosylation may enhance adhesion between the cell body and stalk through lectin interactions. This study sheds light on the genetic innovations behind the stalk in peritrichs, which support their sessile and colonial lifestyles, and identifies peritrich-specific CCDC proteins as potential targets for disrupting the attachment of sessilids to aquaculture animals, addressing issues related to epibiotic burden.