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Evidence for chemoautotrophic symbiosis in a Mediterranean cold seep clam (Bivalvia: Lucinidae): comparative sequence analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA, APS reductase and RubisCO genes.
- Source :
- FEMS Microbiology Ecology; Jan2007, Vol. 59 Issue 1, p64-70, 7p
- Publication Year :
- 2007
-
Abstract
- Symbioses between lucinid clams (Bivalvia: Lucinidae) and autotrophic sulphide-oxidizing bacteria have mainly been studied in shallow coastal species, and information regarding deep-sea species is scarce. Here we study the symbiosis of a clam, resembling Lucinoma kazani, which was recently collected in sediment cores from new cold-seep sites in the vicinity of the Nile deep-sea fan, eastern Mediterranean, at depths ranging from 507 to 1691 m. A dominant bacterial phylotype, related to the sulphide-oxidizing symbiont of Lucinoma aequizonata, was identified in gill tissue by comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. A second phylotype, related to spirochete sequences, was identified twice in a library of 94 clones. Comparative analyses of gene sequences encoding the APS reductase α subunit and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase support the hypothesis that the dominant symbiont can perform sulphide oxidation and autotrophy. Transmission electron micrographs of gills confirmed the dominance of sulphide-oxidizing bacteria, which display typical vacuoles, and δ<superscript>13</superscript>C values measured in gill and foot tissue further support the hypothesis for a chemoautotrophic-sourced host carbon nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- CHEMOAUTOTROPHIC bacteria
BACTERIAL diversity
BIVALVES
LUCINIDAE
CLAMS
SYMBIOSIS
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 01686496
- Volume :
- 59
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- FEMS Microbiology Ecology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 23415137
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00194.x