Cysts and symbionts of Staurojoenina assimilis Kirby from Neotermes

Dolan, Michael F.; Wier, Andrew M.; Melnitsky, Hannah; Whiteside, Jessica H.; Margulis, Lynn

doi:10.1016/j.ejop.2004.01.005

Cited by 21 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 11 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Thus, Nucleococcus might have a life stage outside the host nucleus, as do the alphaproteobacterial intranuclear symbionts of paramecia (Fujishima and Kodama, 2012). Indeed, Dolan et al (2004) observed that cocci, morphologically resembling Nucleococcus, were released from a hypertrophied nucleus of Staurojoenina assimilis, although we did not observe such hypertrophy or rupture of infected nuclei of T. agilis and also did not find N. trichonymphae or N. kirbyi outside T. agilis cells.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 36%

“…Nucleococcus-like intranuclear cocci with the characteristic electron-dense and lucent regions (Figure 4) could be observed in many published TEM images in previous studies. The host protists that harbored Nucleococcus-like intranuclear symbionts were parabasalids, including Joenia annecteus, Pachyjoenia howa, Placojoenia sinaica, Spironympha kofoidi, Spirotrichonympha minor, Stephanonympha neulumbium and the above-mentioned Staurojoenina assimilis (Radek et al, 1992;Radek and Hausmann, 1994;Rö sel et al, 1996;Radek, 1997;Dolan et al, 2004;Bordereau, 2005, 2006). Intranuclear bacterial symbionts with cell morphologies distinct from Nucleococcus were also observed on TEM images of parabasalids, such as Caduceia versatilis, Joenia annecteus, Metadevescovina sp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Intranuclear verrucomicrobial symbionts and evidence of lateral gene transfer to the host protist in the termite gut

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In 1944, Harold Kirby described microorganisms living within nuclei of the protists Trichonympha in guts of termites; however, their taxonomic assignment remains to be accomplished. Here, we identified intranuclear symbionts of Trichonympha agilis in the gut of the termite Reticulitermes speratus. We isolated single nuclei of T. agilis, performed whole-genome amplification, and obtained bacterial 16S rRNA genes by PCR. Unexpectedly, however, all of the analyzed clones were from pseudogenes of 16S rRNA with large deletions and numerous sequence variations even within a single-nucleus sample. Authentic 16S rRNA gene sequences were finally recovered by digesting the nuclear DNA; these pseudogenes were present on the host Trichonympha genome. The authentic sequences represented two distinct bacterial species belonging to the phylum Verrucomicrobia, and the pseudogenes have originated from each of the two species. Fluorescence in situ hybridization confirmed that both species are specifically localized, and occasionally co-localized, within nuclei of T. agilis. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that they are distorted cocci with characteristic electron-dense and lucent regions, which resemble the intranuclear symbionts illustrated by Kirby. For these symbionts, we propose a novel genus and species, 'Candidatus Nucleococcus trichonymphae' and 'Candidatus Nucleococcus kirbyi'. These formed a termite-specific cluster with database sequences, other members of which were also detected within nuclei of various gut protists, including both parabasalids and oxymonads. We suggest that this group is widely distributed as intranuclear symbionts of diverse protists in termite guts and that they might have affected the evolution of the host genome through lateral gene transfer.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 36%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intranuclear verrucomicrobial symbionts and evidence of lateral gene transfer to the host protist in the termite gut

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In extant termites, mature protist cysts are rarely formed [26,27] and never in alates since the flagellates are transferred to nest mates and hatchlings by proctodeal trophallaxis (intrastadial and intergenerational transfer). However it has been hypothesized that the distant ancestor of termites passed flagellate cysts to nest mates and hatchlings by coprophagy [6,7,27-30].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Telford SR Jr: Hemoparasites of the Reptilia. Color Atlas and Text

Poinar

2009

Parasites Vectors

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Identification of protozoans and bacteria within the digestive systems of termites is rarely achieved on the basis of solely gross morphology. Regardless, the remains in coprolites from La Rioja are reminiscent of the protozoan and bacterial cysts and filaments previously found in the guts and feces of extant and fossil termites, including kalotermitids (Margulis et al 1990(Margulis et al , 1998Wier et al 2002;Dolan et al 2004;Poinar 2009). Moreover, the abundance of possible protist cysts in some of the coprolites from La Rioja may be related to a hypothesized mode of gut-microbiota transmission by coprophagy between termites (Poinar 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Silicified Termite Coprolites in Mesquite-Like Wood from the Miocene of La Rioja, Argentina

Massini

Pujana

2013

International Journal of Plant Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. Coprolite-filled borings in fragments of nondecayed wood showing affinity with the mesquite-like morphogenus Prosopisinoxylon Martinez are described from Miocene strata from La Rioja, northwestern Argentina. Borings are excavated in the secondary xylem and contain numerous cylindrical coprolites with a characteristic hexagonal shape in cross section. Coprolites are rather inconspicuous and visible only through the exposed ends of the borings. The concealed occurrence of the coprolites inside the borings, the nondecayed state of the mesquite-like wood, and the overall morphology of the fossils suggest dry-wood members of the termite family (Kalotermitidae) as a probable producer. This is the first fossil record of termites from northwestern Argentina and is among the few known from South America, thereby expanding their paleobiogeographic range. The presence of dry-wood termites in the studied deposits is consistent with a forested environment set in an arid tropical to subtropical climate. In this setting termites probably had a significant role in the recycling of organic matter. Their association with mesquite-like wood suggests that the current relationship between termites and members of this genus in modern ecosystems dates back to at least the Late Miocene.

show abstract

Cysts and symbionts of Staurojoenina assimilis Kirby from Neotermes

Cited by 21 publications

References 11 publications

Intranuclear verrucomicrobial symbionts and evidence of lateral gene transfer to the host protist in the termite gut

Intranuclear verrucomicrobial symbionts and evidence of lateral gene transfer to the host protist in the termite gut

Telford SR Jr: Hemoparasites of the Reptilia. Color Atlas and Text

Silicified Termite Coprolites in Mesquite-Like Wood from the Miocene of La Rioja, Argentina

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About