Single-celled microorganisms were the first forms of life that developed on Earth approximately ~3.2 billion years ago, firstly as prokaryotic forms and then evolved into eukaryotic cells between 1.4–2.0 billion years ago (Cavalier-Smith 2006; Schopf

Cilia are highly conserved organelles present in almost all types of eukaryotic cells, and defects in cilia structure and/or function are related to many human genetic disorders. Single-celled ciliated protists, which possess diverse types of cilia, are

Ciliated protists represent a morphologically and genetically distinct group of single-celled eukaryotes which can reproduce asexually and sexually. Morphogenesis occurs in both asexual and sexual modes of reproduction which is of interest for researchers

As a model organism in studies of cell and environmental biology, the free-living and cosmopolitan ciliated protist Euplotes vannus has more than ten mating types (sexes) and shows strong resistance to environmental stresses. However, the molecular basis

As a model organism for studies of cell and environmental biology, the free-living and cosmopolitan ciliate Euplotes vannus shows intriguing features like dual genome architecture (i.e. separate germline and somatic nuclei in each cell/organism), "gene-sized"