Verminephrobacter eiseniae gen. nov., sp. nov., a nephridial symbiont of the earthworm Eisenia foetida (Savigny)

Genomic Insights into Xylella fastidiosa Interactions with Plant and Insect Hosts

“…Sequence comparisons indicate that extensive regions (*75 %) the 25 kb IncP-1 plasmids of X. fastidiosa are most closely related to an IncP-1 plasmid (pVEIS01) from the earthworm symbiont Verminephrobacter eiseniae (Pinel et al 2008). IncP-1 plasmids initiate DNA replication through a plasmid-encoded protein (TrfA), which binds to iterative elements of the vegetative origin of replication (oriV) (Mei et al 1995).…”

Verminephrobacter eiseniae type IV pili and flagella are required to colonize earthworm nephridia

“…Bacterial strains and culture conditions Although a genome sequence is available for V. eiseniae strain EF01-2, the strain EF05-2r (99.9% 16S rRNA sequence identity to EF01-2) was used for genetic studies because it lacks the extrachromosomal plasmid (pVEIS01), has a shorter generation time (Pinel et al, 2008) and a spontaneous rifampicin-resistant variant was available (EF05-2r). V. eiseniae EF05-2r was maintained on Acidovorax complex media (ACM) at 28 1C (Pinel et al, 2008).…”

“…and a Microbacteriaceae member . Of these, only V. eiseniae can now be routinely maintained in culture independent of the host (Pinel et al, 2008). There is strong evidence for evolutionary longevity of the Verminephrobacter-earthworm association (Lund et al, 2010), including a process of vertical transmission, direct passage of symbionts from parent to offspring (Davidson and Stahl, 2006).…”

“…The genome sequence of V. eiseniae EF01-2 contains all genes necessary for twitching and flagellar motility guided by chemotaxis (Pinel, 2009). Under the microscope, cells were observed spinning as if tethered on a glass slide, and single polar flagella were evident by transmission electron microscope (Pinel et al, 2008). In this paper, we describe application of genetic methods for study of mechanisms used by V. eiseniae to colonize embryos of the earthworm E. fetida.…”

“…Earthworms in the Lumbricidae harbor bacterial symbionts belonging to the Verminephrobacter genus in their nephridia, kidney-like osmoregulatory organs (Knop, 1926;Pinel et al, 2008;Lund et al, 2010). Distinct from the gut, nephridia are attached two per segment on either side of the gut.…”