The ecology and phylogeny of cyanobacterial symbionts in sponges

Usher, Kayley M.

doi:10.1111/j.1439-0485.2008.00245.x

Cited by 104 publications

(100 citation statements)

References 88 publications

(208 reference statements)

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“…Because specific symbiont groups, like cyanobacteria, are dominant members of the microbial C and N transfer in sponge-microbe symbioses CJ Freeman et al consortium within many sponge species and are hypothesized to confer carbon and possibly nitrogen to the host (Taylor et al, 2007a;Usher, 2008;Freeman and Thacker, 2011), we hypothesized that variability in nutrient assimilation and transfer among host species might be driven by the abundance of photosymbionts within these hosts. As expected, photosymbiont abundance, as measured by chl a, varied widely across species (GLM: Po0.001, F ¼ 237.3; Figure 3).…”

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confidence: 99%

Quality or quantity: is nutrient transfer driven more by symbiont identity and productivity than by symbiont abundance?

et al. 2013

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By forming symbiotic interactions with microbes, many animals and plants gain access to the products of novel metabolic pathways. We investigated the transfer of symbiont-derived carbon and nitrogen to the sponges Aplysina cauliformis, Aplysina fulva, Chondrilla caribensis, Neopetrosia subtriangularis and Xestospongia bocatorensis, all of which host abundant microbial populations, and Niphates erecta, which hosts a sparse symbiont community. We incubated sponges in light and dark bottles containing seawater spiked with 13 C-and 15 N-enriched inorganic compounds and then measured 13 C and 15 N enrichment in the microbial (nutrient assimilation) and sponge (nutrient transfer) fractions. Surprisingly, although most sponges hosting abundant microbial communities were more enriched in 13 C than N. erecta, only N. subtriangularis was more enriched in 15 N than N. erecta. Although photosymbiont abundance varied substantially across species, 13 C and 15 N enrichment was not significantly correlated with photosymbiont abundance. Enrichment was significantly correlated with the ratio of gross productivity to respiration (P:R), which varied across host species and symbiont phylotype. Because irradiance impacts P:R ratios, we also incubated A. cauliformis in 13 C-enriched seawater under different irradiances to determine whether symbiont carbon fixation and transfer are dependent on irradiance. Carbon fixation and transfer to the sponge host occurred in all treatments, but was greatest at higher irradiances and was significantly correlated with P:R ratios. Taken together, these results demonstrate that nutrient transfer from microbial symbionts to host sponges is influenced more by host-symbiont identities and P:R ratios than by symbiont abundance.

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Quality or quantity: is nutrient transfer driven more by symbiont identity and productivity than by symbiont abundance?

et al. 2013

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“…These sponges are common members of coastal benthic communities in the Mediterranean Sea and harbor diverse, host-specific communities of bacterial and cyanobacterial symbionts (15,17,46,63). Replicate individuals of each sponge species were tagged in situ and sampled quarterly for 1.5 years to monitor their bacterial symbiont communities, using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and clone library analyses of bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences.…”

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confidence: 99%

Stability of Sponge-Associated Bacteria over Large Seasonal Shifts in Temperature and Irradiance

Erwin

Pita

López‐Legentil

et al. 2012

Appl Environ Microbiol

165

158

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bComplex microbiomes reside in marine sponges and consist of diverse microbial taxa, including functional guilds that may contribute to host metabolism and coastal marine nutrient cycles. Our understanding of these symbiotic systems is based primarily on static accounts of sponge microbiota, while their temporal dynamics across seasonal cycles remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated temporal variation in bacterial symbionts of three sympatric sponges (Ircinia spp.) over 1.5 years in the northwestern (NW) Mediterranean Sea, using replicated terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and clone library analyses of bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences. Bacterial symbionts in Ircinia spp. exhibited host species-specific structure and remarkable stability throughout the monitoring period, despite large fluctuations in temperature and irradiance. In contrast, seawater bacteria exhibited clear seasonal shifts in community structure, indicating that different ecological constraints act on free-living and on symbiotic marine bacteria. Symbiont profiles were dominated by persistent, sponge-specific bacterial taxa, notably affiliated with phylogenetic lineages capable of photosynthesis, nitrite oxidation, and sulfate reduction. Variability in the sponge microbiota was restricted to rare symbionts and occurred most prominently in warmer seasons, coincident with elevated thermal regimes. Seasonal stability of the sponge microbiota supports the hypothesis of host-specific, stable associations between bacteria and sponges. Further, the core symbiont profiles revealed in this study provide an empirical baseline for diagnosing abnormal shifts in symbiont communities. Considering that these sponges have suffered recent, episodic mass mortalities related to thermal stresses, this study contributes to the development of model sponge-microbe symbioses for assessing the link between symbiont fluctuations and host health. Sponges are sessile invertebrates that form a species-rich phylum at the base of the metazoan tree of life (Ͼ8,500 valid species [65]). Renowned for their efficient filter-feeding capabilities and bioactive secondary metabolite production, sponges have important ecological and biotechnological relevance as major players in marine nutrient cycles (11,12,26) and the most prolific producers of marine natural products (Ͼ6,600 secondary metabolites [16]). The discovery and characterization of diverse microbial symbionts inhabiting the sponge body have prompted the adoption of the holobiont concept, thereby incorporating microbial symbionts in the study of sponge ecology and evolution (55). The resulting field of sponge microbiology has grown rapidly in the past 2 decades (59) and revealed a tight ecological link between host health and symbiont composition. Indeed, sponge-associated microbes have been implicated in host metabolism and growth (20,22,75), chemical defense production (21), and susceptibility to biotic (e.g., disease) and abiotic (e.g., temperature stress) stressors (33,66,72).The remarkable...

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“…Cyanobacteria, the photosynthetic symbionts, are common among temperate and tropical coral reef sponges (Usher 2008 ) apart from zooxanthellae and fi lamentous algae (Carballo and Vila 2004 ). Symbiotic cyanobacteria provide a range of specialized services for the host's survival and growth, including photosynthesis, nitrogen fi xation (Wilkinson and Fay 1979 ), UV protection (Proteau et al 1993 ;Shick and Dunlap 2002 ), and antifeedants (Cox et al 2005 ).…”

Section: Spongesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial Symbionts of Plants

Thajuddin

Muralitharan

Dhanasekaran

et al. 2015

Plant Biology and Biotechnology

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Plants in nature always grow with soil microorganisms, and some become intimately associated with plants to form mutualistic symbiosis. Examples of such symbiotic microorganisms include mycorrhizal fungi, cyanobacteria, and N 2 -fi xing prokaryotes, especially rhizobia. Looser symbiotic associations involve bacteria and soil microfauna within the rhizosphere. Their metabolic activities increase nutrient availability. All of these symbioses may affect rates of growth and eventually reproduction of plants compared with growth in the absence of such associations. A symbiotic association is therefore a potential selection pressure that can infl uence the evolutionary success of vascular plants and hence the composition of plant communities. Application of associative bacteria for sustainable agriculture holds immense potential. These bacteria are known to enhance growth and yield of plants by fi xing atmospheric nitrogen, solubilization of phosphate, production of phytohormones and siderophores, possession of antagonistic activity, as well as reducing the level of stress ethylene in host plants. This review provides examples of associations and interactions between microorganisms and plants. The cyanobacterial association with various plants such as bryophyte, pteridophyte, gymnosperm, and angiosperm was illustrated. It also describes the actinorhizae, Frankia and Rhizobium , interaction with plants and their applications.

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The ecology and phylogeny of cyanobacterial symbionts in sponges

Cited by 104 publications

References 88 publications

Quality or quantity: is nutrient transfer driven more by symbiont identity and productivity than by symbiont abundance?

Quality or quantity: is nutrient transfer driven more by symbiont identity and productivity than by symbiont abundance?

Stability of Sponge-Associated Bacteria over Large Seasonal Shifts in Temperature and Irradiance

Microbial Symbionts of Plants

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