Fig. 2

Phylogenetic analysis of ESCRTs in Fornicata. A Phylogenetic analyses of the ESCRTIII/IIIA SNF7 families in Fornicata. Identified ESCRTIII/IIIA SNF7 components from the basal Carpediemonas membranifera as a landmark representative for Fornicata were subject to phylogenetic classification. Two of the identified SNF7 sequences from Carpediemonas membranifera clustered clearly with VPS60 whereas the remainder neither strongly grouped with VPS20 or VPS32 and therefore were determined to be VPS20L proteins in all tree topologies. Carpediemonas membranifera was also determined to have VPS2, VPS24, and VP46 with strong backbone clade support for two paralogs of VPS24 (1.0/100/100) and three paralogs of VPS46 (1.0/100/100). B A Fornicata-specific tree with well characterized Discoba and metamonad representatives. Monocercomonoides exilis, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Naegleria gruberi as well as newly characterized sequences from Carpediemonas membranifera were used to classify SNF7 components in all CLOs and diplomonads. Similar to Carpediemonas, no clear grouping of SNF7 sequences from CLOs within the VPS20 or VPS32 clade was observed and therefore was also classified as VPS20L. Only sequences from Giardia AWB, ADH, and EP15 formed a group within this clade and therefore were also determined to be VPS20L. VPS2 family proteins identified in the diplomonads grouped with both VPS24 and VPS46 with duplication event pointing in Giardia sp. VPS46 yielding two paralogues, VPS46A and VPS46B. An additional set of SNF7 family proteins from Giardia AWB, ADH, and EP15 grouped with excavate and CLO VPS24 proteins therefore were determined to be VPS24-like proteins. However, an additional set of SNF7 proteins from all Giardia lineages formed a separate sister clade and therefore also termed to be VPS24. Trees were rooted between the VPS20/32/60 and VPS2/24/46 as previously determined by [21]