Article with IF > 8: The protist cultural renaissance
Abstract: Protists are key players in the biosphere. Here, we provide a perspective on integrating protist culturing with omics approaches, imaging, and high-throughput single-cell manipulation strategies, concluding with actions required for a successful return of the golden age of protist culturing.
del Campo J., Carlos-Oliveira M., Čepička I., Hehenberger E., Horák A., Karnkowska A., Kolísko M., Lara E., Lukeš J., Pánek T., Piwosz K., Richter D.J., Škaloud P., Sutak R., Tachezy J., Hampl V. 2024: The protist cultural renaissance. Trends in Microbiology 32: 128–131. [IF = 15.9] DOI:10.1016/j.tim.2023.11.010
A consortium of European protistologists brings attention to cultivation of free-living and parasitic protists, a methodological approach that is largely in disuse. They claim that it is an integral part of further progress in mapping the hidden diversity that concerns especially flagellates heterotrophs. It is also a plea for funding agencies to support this line of research, as its important contribution to general molecular and cell biology is well documented.
