Identification and in situ Detection of Two Lineages of Bacteroidales Ectosymbionts Associated with a Termite Gut Protist, Oxymonas sp.

Noda, Shohei; Kawai, Masatoshi; Nakajima, Hideaki; Kudo, Toshiaki; Ohkuma, Moriya

doi:10.1264/jsme2.21.16

Cited by 23 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Interactions via the exchange of metabolites between the "Synergistes" ectosymbionts and the host Caduceia protist, as well as between the "Synergistes" and Bacteroidales ectosymbionts, remain to be clarified. Bacteroidales ectosymbionts have been commonly and abundantly found in association with diverse protist species from the guts of various termite species and a cockroach (17,26,27,34). Since Bacteroidales ectosymbionts, though members of a lineage distinct from that identified in the present study, have also been found on M. paradoxa cells that harbor spirochetal motility symbionts (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 50%

The Motility Symbiont of the Termite Gut FlagellateCaduceia versatilisIs a Member of the “Synergistes” Group

Hongoh

Sato

Dolan

et al. 2007

Appl Environ Microbiol

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The flagellate Caduceia versatilis in the gut of the termite Cryptotermes cavifrons reportedly propels itself not by its own flagella but solely by the flagella of ectosymbiotic bacteria. Previous microscopic observations have revealed that the motility symbionts are flagellated rods partially embedded in the host cell surface and that, together with a fusiform type of ectosymbiotic bacteria without flagella, they cover almost the entire surface. To identify these ectosymbionts, we conducted 16S rRNA clone analyses of bacteria physically associated with the Caduceia cells. Two phylotypes were found to predominate in the clone library and were phylogenetically affiliated with the "Synergistes" phylum and the order Bacteroidales in the Bacteroidetes phylum. Probes specifically targeting 16S rRNAs of the respective phylotypes were designed, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed. As a result, the "Synergistes" phylotype was identified as the motility symbiont; the Bacteroidales phylotype was the fusiform ectobiont. The "Synergistes" phylotype was a member of a cluster comprising exclusively uncultured clones from the guts of various termite species. Interestingly, four other phylotypes in this cluster, including the one sharing 95% sequence identity with the motility symbiont, were identified as nonectosymbiotic, or free-living, gut bacteria by FISH. We thus suggest that the motility ectosymbiont has evolved from a free-living gut bacterium within this termite-specific cluster. Based on these molecular and previous morphological data, we here propose a novel genus and species, "Candidatus Tammella caduceiae," for this unique motility ectosymbiont of Caducaia versatilis.Termites harbor complex gut microbiota, which comprises unicellular eukaryotes, bacteria, and archaea. The majority of the symbiotic flagellates in termite guts are characterized by both their cellulolytic activity and an abundance of prokaryotic symbionts within and/or attached to the outsides of their cell bodies. Whereas the ecological roles that these physically associated symbionts fulfill for their host protists are mostly unknown, that of ectosymbionts of the flagellate Caduceia versatilis (family Devescovinidae, order Cristamonadida, phylum Parabasalia) in the gut of the termite Cryptotermes cavifrons was clearly demonstrated by Tamm in 1982; the ectosymbiotic bacteria confer motility on the host Caduceia protists with their flagella (36). Although the host protists possess their own flagella, their rapid gliding movement is provided solely by the flagellated ectosymbiotic bacteria and never by their own flagella. This arrangement is comparable to the only other known example of motility symbiosis between prokaryotes and eukaryotic hosts, that is, between the devescovinid flagellate Mixotricha paradoxa in the gut of the termite Mastotermes darwiniensis and its ectosymbiotic spirochetes (6,19,41).Detailed microscopic observations have revealed that the motility ectosymbionts of C. versatilis are uniform rod-shaped bacteria...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 50%

The Motility Symbiont of the Termite Gut FlagellateCaduceia versatilisIs a Member of the “Synergistes” Group

Hongoh

Sato

Dolan

et al. 2007

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…The cellular association of bacteria and protists is a prominent feature of gut microbiota in lower termites. [35][36][37] The endo-and ectosymbiotic bacteria of gut protists comprise diverse taxonomic groups: Treponema, [38][39][40][41] ''Endomicrobia,'' [42][43][44] Bacteroidales, 28,40,[45][46][47][48][49][50][51] Deltaproteobacteria, 52) Mycoplasmatales, 53) and Synergistetes. 28) Among these, Treponema and Bacteroidales are the most frequently observed ectosymbionts of gut protists.…”

Section: In Situ Localization Of Termite Gut Bacteriamentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity and Genomes of Uncultured Microbial Symbionts in the Termite Gut

Hongoh

2010

Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry

158

129

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“…One unique characteristic of the termite-gut community is its highly structured nature. Specific associations of various prokaryotes such as methanogenic archaea 3,20) , spirochetes 6,13,21) , Bacteroidales members [10][11][12]21) , and the candidate phylum Termite Group 1 of bacteria 17) , with the cells of gut protists are frequently observed.…”

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Identification of Endosymbiotic Methanogen and Ectosymbiotic Spirochetes of Gut Protists of the Termite Coptotermes formosanus

et al. 2008

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Prokaryotic associations with gut protists of the termite Coptotermes formosanus were investigated based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. An endosymbiotic methanogen of Spirotrichonympha leidyi phylogenetically grouped with endosymbionts of other gut protists in the genus Methanobrevibacter, seemed to be unrelated to the host protist phylogeny. Three different lineages of ectosymbiotic spirochetes in the genus Treponema were identified in single cells of Holomastigotoides mirabile, indicating their simultaneous occurrence. Although these symbionts represented mere minor populations in the gut, their phylogenetic assignments suggest a common symbiotic relationship involving H2 metabolism.

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Identification and in situ Detection of Two Lineages of Bacteroidales Ectosymbionts Associated with a Termite Gut Protist, Oxymonas sp.

Cited by 23 publications

References 24 publications

The Motility Symbiont of the Termite Gut FlagellateCaduceia versatilisIs a Member of the “Synergistes” Group

The Motility Symbiont of the Termite Gut FlagellateCaduceia versatilisIs a Member of the “Synergistes” Group

Diversity and Genomes of Uncultured Microbial Symbionts in the Termite Gut

Identification of Endosymbiotic Methanogen and Ectosymbiotic Spirochetes of Gut Protists of the Termite Coptotermes formosanus

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