diplomonády

Diplomonads are a group of flagellated excavate protists. They are characterized by their peculiar bilaterally symmetrical morphology and the presence of two equal-sized nuclei. Each of their typically eight flagella arises from basal bodies, and they possess complex, mitosome-derived organelles that are remnants of mitochondria. These mitosomes are involved in iron-sulfur cluster assembly. Diplomonads are found in anaerobic or microaerobic environments, often as parasites in the intestines of vertebrates or in freshwater habitats. Their life cycles can be complex, involving both free-living and parasitic stages. A well-known example is Giardia intestinalis (also known as Giardia lamblia or Giardia duodenalis), which causes giardiasis, an intestinal infection in humans and other mammals. Unlike many other eukaryotes, diplomonads lack typical mitochondria and instead rely on anaerobic metabolic pathways. Their small genome and unique cellular organization have made them subjects of considerable interest in evolutionary biology and parasitology. The evolutionary placement of diplomonads within the eukaryotic tree has been a subject of ongoing debate, though they are generally classified within the Excavata.