Draft Genome Sequence and Annotation of the Obligate Bacterial Endosymbiont
            <i>Caedibacter taeniospiralis</i>
            , Causative Agent of the Killer Phenotype in
            <i>Paramecium tetraurelia</i>

Zaburannyi, Nestor; Grosser, Katrin; Gasparoni, Gilles; Müller, Rolf; Schrallhammer, Martina; Simón, Martín

doi:10.1128/genomea.01418-17

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 13 publications

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“…Modified expression of kinases and cell cycle regulatory genes could assist in increasing the host population density. As the genome of C. taeniospiralis ( Zaburannyi et al. 2018 ) encodes various transporters, the cytoplasmic symbiont might profit even more directly from the up-regulated metabolism of its host by importing additionally available metabolites.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

More than the “Killer Trait”: Infection with the Bacterial Endosymbiont Caedibacter taeniospiralis Causes Transcriptomic Modulation in Paramecium Host

Grosser

Ramasamy

Amirabad

et al. 2018

Genome Biology and Evolution

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Endosymbiosis is a widespread phenomenon and hosts of bacterial endosymbionts can be found all-over the eukaryotic tree of life. Likely, this evolutionary success is connected to the altered phenotype arising from a symbiotic association. The potential variety of symbiont’s contributions to new characteristics or abilities of host organisms are largely unstudied. Addressing this aspect, we focused on an obligate bacterial endosymbiont that confers an intraspecific killer phenotype to its host. The symbiosis between Paramecium tetraurelia and Caedibacter taeniospiralis, living in the host’s cytoplasm, enables the infected paramecia to release Caedibacter symbionts, which can simultaneously produce a peculiar protein structure and a toxin. The ingestion of bacteria that harbor both components leads to the death of symbiont-free congeners. Thus, the symbiosis provides Caedibacter-infected cells a competitive advantage, the “killer trait.” We characterized the adaptive gene expression patterns in symbiont-harboring Paramecium as a second symbiosis-derived aspect next to the killer phenotype. Comparative transcriptomics of infected P. tetraurelia and genetically identical symbiont-free cells confirmed altered gene expression in the symbiont-bearing line. Our results show up-regulation of specific metabolic and heat shock genes whereas down-regulated genes were involved in signaling pathways and cell cycle regulation. Functional analyses to validate the transcriptomics results demonstrated that the symbiont increases host density hence providing a fitness advantage. Comparative transcriptomics shows gene expression modulation of a ciliate caused by its bacterial endosymbiont thus revealing new adaptive advantages of the symbiosis. Caedibacter taeniospiralis apparently increases its host fitness via manipulation of metabolic pathways and cell cycle control.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

More than the “Killer Trait”: Infection with the Bacterial Endosymbiont Caedibacter taeniospiralis Causes Transcriptomic Modulation in Paramecium Host

Grosser

Ramasamy

Amirabad

et al. 2018

Genome Biology and Evolution

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Phylogenetic relationships among endosymbiotic R-body producer: Bacteria providing their host the killer trait

Schrallhammer

Castelli

Petroni

2018

Systematic and Applied Microbiology

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Dual-Seq reveals genome and transcriptome of Caedibacter taeniospiralis, obligate endosymbiont of Paramecium

Pirritano

Zaburannyi

Grosser

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Interest in host-symbiont interactions is continuously increasing, not only due to the growing recognition of the importance of microbiomes. Starting with the detection and description of novel symbionts, attention moves to the molecular consequences and innovations of symbioses. However, molecular analysis requires genomic data which is difficult to obtain from obligate intracellular and uncultivated bacteria. We report the identification of the Caedibacter genome, an obligate symbiont of the ciliate Paramecium. The infection does not only confer the host with the ability to kill other cells but also renders them immune against this effect. We obtained the C. taeniospiralis genome and transcriptome by dual-Seq of DNA and RNA from infected paramecia. Comparison of codon usage and expression level indicates that genes necessary for a specific trait of this symbiosis, i.e. the delivery of an unknown toxin, result from horizontal gene transfer hinting to the relevance of DNA transfer for acquiring new characters. Prediction of secreted proteins of Caedibacter as major agents of contact with the host implies, next to several toxin candidates, a rather uncharacterized secretome which appears to be highly adapted to this symbiosis. Our data provides new insights into the molecular establishment and evolution of this obligate symbiosis and for the pathway characterization of toxicity and immunity.

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Draft Genome Sequence and Annotation of the Obligate Bacterial Endosymbiont Caedibacter taeniospiralis , Causative Agent of the Killer Phenotype in Paramecium tetraurelia

Cited by 3 publications

References 13 publications

More than the “Killer Trait”: Infection with the Bacterial Endosymbiont Caedibacter taeniospiralis Causes Transcriptomic Modulation in Paramecium Host

More than the “Killer Trait”: Infection with the Bacterial Endosymbiont Caedibacter taeniospiralis Causes Transcriptomic Modulation in Paramecium Host

Phylogenetic relationships among endosymbiotic R-body producer: Bacteria providing their host the killer trait

Dual-Seq reveals genome and transcriptome of Caedibacter taeniospiralis, obligate endosymbiont of Paramecium

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