unicellular, colorless algae, mitochondria completely sequenced. Prototheca wickerhamii

Prototheca is a genus of unicellular, colorless and heterotrophic alga. It is found in manure, sewage, soil and water. They grow rapidly in high humidity It is placed in the same order as Chlorella because of its morphological and ultrastructural resemblance to the green photosynthetic members of this order. One species of Prototheca is a human and animal pathogen. P. wickerhamii is found in soil. They are round and lack flagella. Mitochondrial DNA of this species has been sequenced. Sequence analysis suggests that it is related to higher plant mtDNA more than to mtDNA of chlorophyte alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.