Question

What unusual cellular characteristic does N. locustae share with the protist Mixotricha paradoxa, the organism discussed in the article “A Russian Doll of Symbiosis?”

Article link: http://eukaryoticmicrobe.blogspot.com/2011/12/russian-doll-of-symbiosis.html

Answer 1

Nosema locustae is a microsporidium fungus. They are popularly used as a biological agent to control the population of grasshoppers. These fungal spores have spirochaetes on their cell surface and intracellular bacteria associated with them. The membranes binding the cellular inclusions and the nuclear envelope are trilaminar.

Mixotricha is a large polymastigote flagellate protista. It lives in the gut of the termite Mastotermes darwiniensis. It has 4 flagella which steer it forwards. The cell surface is covered with many thousands of spirochaetes which cause the flagella to move by coordinated undulations. The cytoplasm many vacuoles, dictyosomes and rough-surfaced membranes. The unique feature is that all membranes, including the nuclear envelope are triple layered unlike the normal double-layered membranes. The rough-surfaced membranes are always associated with intracellular bacteria which are in a symbiotic relationship.

So, both the organisms are endoparasites of insects and other animals. They both have spirochaetes on their cell surface and are associated with intracellular bacteria. They both have trilaminar membranes binding the cytoplasmic organelles.