Unusual Symbiotic Cyanobacteria Association in the Genetically Diverse Intertidal Marine Sponge Hymeniacidon perlevis (Demospongiae, Halichondrida)

Abstract

Cyanobacteria represent one of the most common members of the sponge-associated bacterial community and are abundant symbionts of coral reef ecosystems. In this study we used Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and molecular techniques (16S rRNA gene marker) to characterize the spatial distribution of cyanobionts in the widely dispersed marine intertidal sponge Hymeniacidon perlevis along the coast of Portugal (Atlantic Ocean). We described new sponge associated cyanobacterial morphotypes (Xenococcus-like) and we further observed Acaryochloris sp. as a sponge symbiont, previously only reported in association with ascidians. Besides these two unique cyanobacteria, H. perlevis predominantly harbored Synechococcus sp. and uncultured marine cyanobacteria. Our study supports the hypothesis that the community of sponge cyanobionts varies irrespective of the geographical location and is likely influenced by seasonal fluctuations. The observed multiple cyanobacterial association among sponges of the same host species over a large distance may be attributed to horizontal transfer of symbionts. This may explain the absence of a co-evolutionary pattern between the sponge host and its symbionts. Finally, in spite of the short geographic sampling distance covered, we observed an unexpected high intra-specific genetic diversity in H. perlevis using the mitochondrial genes ATP6 (π = 0.00177), COI (π = 0.00241) and intergenic spacer SP1 (π = 0.00277) relative to the levels of genetic variation of marine sponges elsewhere. Our study suggests that genotypic variation among the sponge host H. perlevis and the associated symbiotic cyanobacteria diversity may be larger than previously recognized.

Silicon consumption in two shallow-water sponges with contrasting biological features

“…The taxonomic species limits of Hymeniacidon spp. are currently hard to be delineated with any accuracy, having their species high “intraspecific” genetic variability and being their natural distributional ranges accidentally intermixed world‐wide by aquaculture global trading (Hoshino et al ; Alex et al ; Fuller and Hughey ).…”

Pyrosequencing Characterization of the Microbiota from Atlantic Intertidal Marine Sponges Reveals High Microbial Diversity and the Lack of Co-Occurrence Patterns

“…Planctomycetes and Cyanobacteria were also detected frequently in the sponge samples recovered from the intertidal region. Various studies have shown the association of photosynthetic bacteria and their benefits to sponges [ 15 ] inhabiting both in tropical [ 24 ] and temperate conditions [ 4 , 66 , 67 ]. It is evident that the majority of the sponges studied here (10 out of 12) harbored cyanobacteria (1.9%, including chloroplast; Fig 2 ).…”

Bacterial Diversity Associated with Cinachyra cavernosa and Haliclona pigmentifera, Cohabiting Sponges in the Coral Reef Ecosystem of Gulf of Mannar, Southeast Coast of India

“…pigmentifera were represented by a single OTU and its sequence had high similarity with a cyanobacterial clone in reef water. Cyanobacteria have been reported from many sponges including Haliclona sp and are known to provide a range of specialized services for host’s survival and growth, including photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, UV protection and antifedants [ 55 ]. Also cyanobionts contribute up to 80% of sponge’s carbon budget through photosynthesis or phagocytosis and digestion of symbiotic microbes [ 55 ].…”