Amoeba proteus

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Classification

Domain; Eukaryota,

Kingdom; Amoebozoa,

Phylum; Tubulinea,

Class; Loboda,

Order; Tubulinea,

family; Amoebidae,

Genus; Amoeba,

Species; Proteus,

[Others may be used. Use NCBI link to find]

Species

NCBI: Taxonomy

Amoeba proteus

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Description and Significance

Amoeba proteus gets its name through two Greek words. Amoeba meaning change and proteus meaning Sea God. The Greek meaning describes this microbe as a Sea God that changes shape. The reason for its changing shape is because of the pseudopodia, which are common in eukaryotic microbes. It is can also be classified as unicellular, colorless, or transparent. The average size of an Amoeba proteus varies around from .2 to .3 mm in diameter but larger forms have been found measuring up to .5 mm in diameter which is visible to the eye.

Amoeba proteus prefers to habitat unpolluted clean pounds of highly oxygenated fresh water. It is found in large food webbed ecosystems that contain lots of algae and plants. Since it hates light it will take cover under anything that gives off shade, usually lilly pads.

Catching the Amoeba proteus is fairly easy because of its attraction to wheat products. Leaving a jar full of rice that has been cooked for around 1 min will attract this microbe and even create a reproducing environment for it. With just a few days lots of Amoeba proteus will be caught in your jar.

Culturing this microbe is also simple. It can be done by emulating a pound environment with leaves, fresh clean water, mud and a few wheat grains will create a suitable environment for it to live it. Amoeba has been obtained in a laboratory in a variety of forms such as organic ooze from decaying vegetation and on the lower surface of lilly pads.

Genome Structure

Describe the size and content of the genome. How many chromosomes? Circular or linear? Other interesting features? What is known about its sequence?

The genome for Amoeba proteus is very large with over 290 billion base pairs in its genome. 34% of these base pairs are considered to be GC. Its length is 3,869 nt and it is circular with three proteins. The amoeba proteus is considered a polyploidy because of it has more than 500 chromosomes in a single nucleus. Here is an example of what a polyploidy looks like.

PolyploidyLogo.png

Cell Structure, Metabolism and Life Cycle

Interesting features of cell structure; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces.


Ecology and Pathogenesis

Habitat; symbiosis; biogeochemical significance; contributions to environment.
If relevant, how does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.

References

[Sample reference] Takai, K., Sugai, A., Itoh, T., and Horikoshi, K. "Palaeococcus ferrophilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a barophilic, hyperthermophilic archaeon from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 2000. Volume 50. p. 489-500.

Author

Page authored by _____, student of Prof. Jay Lennon at Michigan State University.

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