Conjugation (or mating) of ciliates is a unique phenomenon among living beings. They have sex not for reproduction or pleasure — they seek to increase genetic variation. Scientists from St Petersburg ...

Ciliate protozoa possess the remarkable ability to reproduce through both asexual and sexual means. Their distinctive sexual process involves conjugation and autogamy, and they wield a secret weapon: ...

Ciliates represent a diverse and ecologically significant group of microbial eukaryotes whose evolutionary relationships and species diversity continue to captivate researchers worldwide. Recent ...

Ciliates are minute, single-celled organisms with several nuclei, and are abundant in freshwater, the oceans and soil. The name “ciliate” comes from 'cilia', tiny hair-like structures, which cover ...

In a study published in Current Biology on August 14, Prof. Miao Wei's team at the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Prof. Zhang Jianzhi's team at the University ...

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American (I'm pretty sure every ...

Microscopic ciliates can increase the mobility of poisonous tar substances, PAHs, by up to 100-fold according to a new study. The results open new possibilities for cleaning soil that is contaminated ...

Even bacteria have enemies -- in water, for example, single-celled ciliates preferably feed on microbes. The microbes protect themselves against predators by employing a variety of tricks, which the ...

Focus: The systematics and diversity of free-living ciliates, particularly marine and brackish forms in costal waters We are focusing our research on the systematics and diversity of free-living ...