Hyperamoeba

Page updated 4/9/03

Ultrastructural studies (Zaman et al, 1999; Walker et al, 2001) have concluded that Hyperamoeba belongs to the eumycetozoan group of slime moulds, and this has recently been supported by SSUrDNA gene sequence analysis which shows that Hyperamoeba is related to Physarum (Peglar et al, 2003; Walker et al, 2003).  Hyperamoeba has been isolated from human faeces (Zaman et al, 1999) but it is not certain if this amoeba is pathogenic to humans. 

Karpov, S.A., & Mylnikov, A.P. (1997). "Ultrasructure of the colourless flagellate Hyperamoeba flagellata with special reference to the flagellar apparatus." Eur.J.Parasitol. 33, 349-355.

Peglar, M. T., Amaral Zettler, L. A., Anderson, O. R., Nerad, T. A., Gillevet, P. M., Mullen, T. E., Frasca Jr, S., Silverman, J. D., O'Kelly, C. J. & Sogin, M. L. (2003) Two new small-subunit ribosomal RNA gene lineages within the subclass Gymnamoebia. J.Eukaryot.Microbiol. 50, 224-232.

Walker, G., Simpson, A. G. B., Edgcomb, V., Sogin, M. L. & Patterson, D. J. (2001) Ultrastructural identies of Mastigamoeba punctachora, Mastigamoeba simplex and Mastigella commutans and assessment of hypotheses of relatedness of the pelobionts (Protista). Eur.J.Protistol. 37, 25-49.

Walker, G., Silberman, J.D., Karpov, S.A., Preisfeld, A., Foster, P., Frolov, A.O., Novozhilov, Y. & Sogin, M.L. (2003). An ultrastructural and molecular study of Hyperamoeba dachnaya, n. sp., and its relationship to the mycetozoan slime moulds. Eur.J.Protistol., 39, 319-.

Zaman, V., Zaki, M., Howe, J., Ng, M., Leipe, D.D., Sogin, M.L. & Siberman, J.D. (1999). Hyperamoeba isolated from Human feces: Description and phylogenetic affinity. Eur.J.Protistology. 35, 197-207.