Prasinoderma coloniale forms loose, sticky colonies, unlike its solitary cousin P. singularis, the cells are spherical and non-flagellated. it is also shaped in a coccoid-like shape.[4]
Genomic features
Prasinoderma coloniale has an unusually high guanine-cytosine content of 69.8%.[5] It also has a low rate of mutations through their genes.[5] Their mitochondrial genome spans 54,546 bp and contains two trans-splicedgroup I introns in the large subunit rRNA gene, which is a rare feature among eukaryotes.[6]
History
It was discovered in the year 1996 by researchers T.Hasegawa and M. Chihara. It was first described as a new pelagic coccoid prasinophyte.[citation needed] In 2020, a study revealed that P. coloniale belonged to a separate phylum of green plants, the phylum diverged before the split between Chlorophyta and Streptophyta, making it extremely important for early plant evolution.[1]
Significance
Research has found that P. coloniale has unique adaptations for nutrient poor environments and has a rare form of C4 like photosynthesis and carbon-concentrating mechanisms.[1]
