Association of Actinomycete-Like Bacteria with Soil-Feeding Termites (Termitidae, Termitinae)

Bignell, David E.; Oskarsson, H.; Anderson, J. M.

doi:10.1128/aem.37.2.339-342.1979

Cited by 44 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…A specific ecological niche where actinomycetes may have a role in lignocellulose degradation is as symbionts in the gut of higher termites. Direct observation of filamentous microorganisms in situ suggested that actinomycetes were not simply transitory but had formed a stable association [59]. More recently, cellulolytic actinomycetes have been isolated from the hindgut of four different termites [27].…”

Section: Ecological Rolementioning

confidence: 99%

Lignocellulose-degrading actinomycetes

McCarthy

1987

FEMS Microbiology Letters

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Section: Ecological Rolementioning

confidence: 99%

Lignocellulose-degrading actinomycetes

McCarthy

1987

FEMS Microbiology Letters

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“…Termite guts contained actinomycetes species similar to those in the microfloral layers of general soil profile. This might be because of the C. lacteus' ability to use soil to construct large mounds in the eastern and south eastern parts of Australia (Hill 1942) and actinomycetes might be part of soil feeding termite nourishment as they constitute significant component of soil organic matter rather than having gut specific occurrence with functional roles (Bignell et al 1979;Anklin-Muhlemann et al 1995). However, detection of phage resistant actinomycetes which grew despite the polyvalent phage treatment (Figs 1-3 Figure 4 Phylogenetic tree of 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained from termite gut associated Microbispora species (USC-360), compared against sequences obtained from public databases.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Filamentous prokaryotic organisms, putatively actinobacteria, have been frequently described in termite guts since the detection of Micromonospora species by Hungate (1946) and Sebald and Prévot (1962). Bignell and co-workers since the late 1970s cultured large numbers of streptomycetes (Bignell et al 1979) followed by other successful culturing attempts for Arthrobacter, Aureobacterium, Cellulosimicrobium, Cellulomonas, Kocuria, Microbacterium, Micrococcus, Rhodococcus and Nocardia species (Kuhnigk et al 1994;Schäfer et al 1996;Kuhnigk and König 1997;Bakalidou et al 2002;Wenzel et al 2002). Although microscopical evidence suggests that actinobacterial clusters are not simply accidental occupants of the intestinal lumen, but intimately associated with the absorptive epithelia (König and Varma 2006;; still information on these organisms in culture is incomplete.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of phage battery to investigate the actinofloral layers of termite gut microflora

Kurtböke¹,

French²

2007

J Appl Microbiol

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Aims: The termite gut microbiota can include a variety of micro‐organisms from the three domains: Bacteria, Archaea and Eucarya. The bacterial groups from the gut systems are mainly affiliated to the proteobacteria, the Gram‐positive groups Bacterioiodes/Flavobacterium branch and the spirochetes, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. However, culture independent molecular studies have revealed that the majority of these microbial gut symbionts have not yet been cultured, including actinobacterial clusters associated with termite guts. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to selectively isolate the actinofloral layers of gut associated microflora of the Coptotermes lacteus (Froggatt) species located at the Sunshine Coast Region of Queensland, Australia to increase our knowledge on the diversity of actinobacterial taxa present in the termite guts. Methods and Results: Actinofloral layers associated with the guts of the wood‐eating subterranean termite C. lacteus were investigated by exploiting the phage susceptibility of different gut associated bacteria which impede the growth of actinomycetes on isolation plates. These unwanted microbial taxa were removed by exposing the gut contents to polyvalent bacteriophages specifically targeting different background bacterial taxa and after their removal from the isolation plates previously undetected and novel actinomycetes were successfully cultured from the gut samples. Conclusions: Use of bacteriophages as a means of selective pressure successfully revealed the presence of novel actinomycete species within the guts of C. lacteus. Significance and Impact of the Study: Molecular ecology has undoubtedly revealed the fascinating diversity of micro‐organisms, which cannot be cultured. However, these advances in the field still have not provided the ability to detect and isolate micro‐organisms effectively from their ecological niches. Accordingly, studies like the one described here have importance in increasing the chances of uncultured taxa to be isolated to complement molecular microbial ecological efforts towards the establishment of an understanding on the diversity of termite gut microflora.

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“…Two kinds of organism predominate: slender filaments of finite length, putatively spirochaetes, immediately adjacent to the epithelium and larger filaments of indeterminate length which are most abundant at a greater distance from the epithelium. The latter group in some cases form a sheath around the food bolus, occupying part of the ectoperitrophic space; their precise affiliation is unknown but we have argued elsewhere that they may be classified as actinomycetes (Bignell, Oskarsson & Anderson, 1979;1980b). Thus in contrast to some previous suggestions (e.g.…”

Section: Associated Microorganismsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Structure, microbial associations and function of the so‐called “mixed segment” of the gut in two soil‐feeding termites, Procubitermes aburiensis and Cubitermes severus (Termitidae, Termitinae)

et al. 1983

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With 8 plates and 6 figures in the text)The morphology, histology and ultrastructure of the mesenteric and proctodaeal components of the mixed segment are described in detail, together with the disposition of the associated gut musculature, the patterns of peristalsis and the streaming movements of soil particles in the gut lumen. The mesenteric epithelium is characterized by very extensive basal infoldings which are associated with a large population of mitochondria, but evidence of significant protein synthesis and secretion is lacking. It is proposed that this tissue is a transporting epithelium whose major function is the secretion of a copious, K+ -rich fluid into the intestinal lumen to inigate the hindgut (proctodaeum) and that alkaline hydrolysis of humic fractions by this fluid is an essential component of digestion.Malpighian tubules are present, but do not participate in fluid excretion. Since the hindguts of soil-feeding termites are exceptionally voluminous and elongated and the major symbiotic micro-organisms occupy fixed positions by virtue of their attachment to the lining cuticle, it is argued that flushing is necessary to sustain microbial activity and for the recovery of end-products by the host. A survey of the protodaeal epithelium suggests that the anterior colon (P4a) is the most likely site of fluid reabsorption and that the wall ofthe hindgut anterior to this site is impermeable. The greater degree of ultrastructural differentiation of the mixed segment of Cubitermes severus and its more complete morphological separation from the midgut suggests that this species is a more advanced soil-feeder than Procubitermes aburiensis.

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Association of Actinomycete-Like Bacteria with Soil-Feeding Termites (Termitidae, Termitinae)

Abstract: Electron microscopy of the hindgut showed that actinomycete-like bacteria were the principal microbial associates of two African species of soil-feeding termites. Elongated cuticular spines provided attachment.

Cited by 44 publications

References 5 publications

Lignocellulose-degrading actinomycetes

Lignocellulose-degrading actinomycetes

Use of phage battery to investigate the actinofloral layers of termite gut microflora

Structure, microbial associations and function of the so‐called “mixed segment” of the gut in two soil‐feeding termites, Procubitermes aburiensis and Cubitermes severus (Termitidae, Termitinae)

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