Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41612313›Full record

ArticleBMC biology2026

Energy metabolism and adaptation to hypoxia in the non-photosynthetic green alga Leontynka.

Pia Corre, Jana Pilátová, Tomáš Bílý, Eliška Zadrobílková, Ivan Čepička, Marie Vancová, Martin Lohr, Oliver D Caspari, Marek Eliáš, Tomáš Pánek

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Pia CorreDepartment of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.ORCID 0009-0004-9038-9220
Jana PilátováInstitute of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.ORCID 0000-0001-9630-3089
Tomáš BílýLaboratory of Electron Microscopy, Biology Center and Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Budweis, Czech Republic.ORCID 0000-0003-1450-1693
Eliška ZadrobílkováDepartment of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.ORCID 0009-0007-4587-9396
Ivan ČepičkaDepartment of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.ORCID 0000-0002-4322-0754
Marie VancováLaboratory of Electron Microscopy, Biology Center and Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Budweis, Czech Republic.ORCID 0000-0003-0678-8268
Martin LohrInstitute of Molecular Physiology, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-4335-9887
Oliver D CaspariInstitute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8235-0503
Marek EliášDepartment of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.ORCID 0000-0003-0066-6542
Tomáš PánekDepartment of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. panek3@natur.cuni.cz.ORCID 0000-0002-1738-8430

Funding

Grantová Agentura České Republiky, Czechia 23-06203SGrantová Agentura, Univerzita Karlova, Czechia 118222
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLeontynka is a non-photosynthetic lineage of the order Chlamydomonadales (Chlorophyta). Although many Chlamydomonadales members encode components of the anaerobic energy metabolism, studies focused on Chlamydomonadales algae thriving in hypoxia and not prospering in oxic conditions are missing. Using a combination of experimental approaches, comparative genomics, and advanced in silico protein localization analyses, we employed Leontynka as a model to investigate the evolution of anaerobiosis in Chlamydomonadales.

resultsLeontynka spp. accumulate a wide range of storage forms, enabling them to cope with nutritional stresses. Their mitochondria contain well-developed cristae mediating a conventional aerobic energy metabolism. Moreover, colocalization of a Raman signal for cytochromes with the position of mitochondria in the cell indicates that oxidative phosphorylation is an important route of energy metabolism in the alga. Interestingly, Leontynka spp. concentrate enzymes potentially involved in oxygen-independent ATP synthesis within the plastid, which lost the ability to produce ATP using proton gradient generated by membrane complexes that exploit redox reactions. We analyzed the composition of prokaryotic communities co-isolated with Leontynka spp. and hypothesize that their preference for hypoxic/microoxic conditions is facilitated by metabolic interactions with certain microaerophilic and anaerobic bacteria.

conclusionsThis study represents the first comprehensive analysis of microaerophilic Chlamydomonadales algae. Having retained several ancestral enzymes of the anaerobic energy metabolism, Leontynka represents a unique vantage point for understanding the evolution of the hydrogen production machinery and adaptations to low oxygen in Chlamydomonadales (and core chlorophytes in general). Our findings suggest that the plastid of non-photosynthetic Leontynka follows a similar evolutionary path as mitochondria when adapting to anaerobiosis and parallels the transition of a mitochondrion into a hydrogenosome.

Indexed as

Adaptation, PhysiologicalChlorophytaEnergy MetabolismOxygenAnaerobiosisMitochondriaOxygenAnaerobiosisCarotenoidsChlamydomonadalesCristaeEnergy metabolismEvolutionLeontynka elongataLeontynka pallidaLeucoplastMitochondrion

Identifiers

PMID41612313
PMCPMC12924338

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.