Diplomonads are a group of mitochondrion-lacking, binucleated flagellates found in anaerobic or micro-aerophilic environments. Most research on diplomonads has focused on Giardia, which is a major cause of water-borne enteric disease in humans and other animals. The first diplomonad to have its genome sequenced was a Giardia isolate (WB) and the 11.7 million basepair genome is compact in structure and content with simplified basic cellular machineries and metabolism. Currently the genomes of several other Giardia isolates and diplomonads (the fish pathogens Spironucleus vortens and S. salmonicida) are being sequenced.
from Anaerobic Parasitic Protozoa: Genomics and Molecular Biology
Further reading:Labels: Binucleated flagellates, Diplomonads, Giardia, Giardia lamblia, Spironucleus, Spironucleus salmonicida, Spironucleus vortens, Water-borne enteric disease