The RAB family GTPase Rab1A from Plasmodium falciparum defines a unique paralog shared by chromalveolates and rhizaria

Abstract

We identified a unique, derived RAB1 paralog, orthologous to the Plasmodium Rab1A, that occurs in stramenopiles, alveolates, and Rhizaria, represented by the chlorarachniophyte Gymnochlora stellata. This finding is consistent with the recently documented existence of a major eukaryotic clade ("SAR") comprising these three lineages.

Keywords

• Chlorarachniophyta
• Cryptophyta
• eukaryotic cell
• evolution
• membrane trafficking
• phylogeny