Abstract
Many species of echinoderms, in all five extant classes, contain subcuticular bacterial symbionts (SCB). The role of these extracellular symbionts and the nature of the relationship remain unclear. We have sequenced 16S rRNA genes from symbionts to determine their phylogenetic affinities. Symbionts of an ophiuroid, Ophiactis balli, appear closely related to bacteria within the alpha group of the class Proteobacteria, including intracellular endosymbionts and pathogens. SCB are clearly of separate origin from other documented major groups of marine symbiotic bacteria.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (226.9 KB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Cameron R. A., Holland N. D. Electron microscopy of extracellular materials during the development of a sea star, Patiria miniata (Echinodermata: Asteroidea). Cell Tissue Res. 1983;234(1):193–200. doi: 10.1007/BF00217412. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Cavanaugh C. M., Gardiner S. L., Jones M. L., Jannasch H. W., Waterbury J. B. Prokaryotic Cells in the Hydrothermal Vent Tube Worm Riftia pachyptila Jones: Possible Chemoautotrophic Symbionts. Science. 1981 Jul 17;213(4505):340–342. doi: 10.1126/science.213.4505.340. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Dubilier N., Giere O., Distel D. L., Cavanaugh C. M. Characterization of chemoautotrophic bacterial symbionts in a gutless marine worm Oligochaeta, Annelida) by phylogenetic 16S rRNA sequence analysis and in situ hybridization. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1995 Jun;61(6):2346–2350. doi: 10.1128/aem.61.6.2346-2350.1995. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Haygood M. G., Distel D. L. Bioluminescent symbionts of flashlight fishes and deep-sea anglerfishes form unique lineages related to the genus Vibrio. Nature. 1993 May 13;363(6425):154–156. doi: 10.1038/363154a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lesser Michael P., Blakemore Richard P. Description of a Novel Symbiotic Bacterium from the Brittle Star, Amphipholis squamata. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1990 Aug;56(8):2436–2440. doi: 10.1128/aem.56.8.2436-2440.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Polz M. F., Distel D. L., Zarda B., Amann R., Felbeck H., Ott J. A., Cavanaugh C. M. Phylogenetic analysis of a highly specific association between ectosymbiotic, sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and a marine nematode. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1994 Dec;60(12):4461–4467. doi: 10.1128/aem.60.12.4461-4467.1994. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Thompson J. D., Higgins D. G., Gibson T. J. CLUSTAL W: improving the sensitivity of progressive multiple sequence alignment through sequence weighting, position-specific gap penalties and weight matrix choice. Nucleic Acids Res. 1994 Nov 11;22(22):4673–4680. doi: 10.1093/nar/22.22.4673. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Weisburg W. G., Barns S. M., Pelletier D. A., Lane D. J. 16S ribosomal DNA amplification for phylogenetic study. J Bacteriol. 1991 Jan;173(2):697–703. doi: 10.1128/jb.173.2.697-703.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Woese C. R. Bacterial evolution. Microbiol Rev. 1987 Jun;51(2):221–271. doi: 10.1128/mr.51.2.221-271.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]