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Gile GH. Protist symbionts of termites: diversity, distribution, and coevolution. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:622-652. [PMID: 38105542 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The symbiosis between termites and their hindgut protists is mutually obligate and vertically inherited. It was established by the late Jurassic in the cockroach ancestors of termites as they transitioned to wood feeding. Since then, protist symbionts have been transmitted from host generation to host generation by proctodeal trophallaxis (anal feeding). The protists belong to multiple lineages within the eukaryotic superphylum Metamonada. Most of these lineages have evolved large cells with complex morphology, unlike the non-termite-associated Metamonada. The species richness and taxonomic composition of symbiotic protist communities varies widely across termite lineages, especially within the deep-branching clade Teletisoptera. In general, closely related termites tend to harbour closely related protists, and deep-branching termites tend to harbour deep-branching protists, reflecting their broad-scale co-diversification. A closer view, however, reveals a complex distribution of protist lineages across hosts. Some protist taxa are common, some are rare, some are widespread, and some are restricted to a single host family or genus. Some protist taxa can be found in only a few, distantly related, host species. Thus, the long history of co-diversification in this symbiosis has been complicated by lineage-specific loss of symbionts, transfer of symbionts from one host lineage to another, and by independent diversification of the symbionts relative to their hosts. This review aims to introduce the biology of this important symbiosis and serve as a gateway to the diversity and systematics literature for both termites and protists. A searchable database with all termite-protist occurrence records and taxonomic references is provided as a supplementary file to encourage and facilitate new research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian H Gile
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
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2
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Kaneko M, Omori T, Igai K, Mabuchi T, Sakai-Tazawa M, Nishihara A, Kihara K, Yoshimura T, Ohkuma M, Hongoh Y. Facultative endosymbiosis between cellulolytic protists and methanogenic archaea in the gut of the Formosan termite Coptotermes formosanus. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae097. [PMID: 39081362 PMCID: PMC11287868 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Anaerobic protists frequently harbour methanogenic archaea, which apparently contribute to the hosts' fermentative metabolism by consuming excess H2. However, the ecological properties of endosymbiotic methanogens remain elusive in many cases. Here we investigated the ecology and genome of the endosymbiotic methanogen of the Cononympha protists in the hindgut of the termite Coptotermes formosanus. Microscopic and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing analyses revealed that a single species, designated here "Candidatus Methanobrevibacter cononymphae", is associated with both Cononympha leidyi and Cononympha koidzumii and that its infection rate in Cononympha cells varied from 0.0% to 99.8% among termite colonies. Fine-scale network analysis indicated that multiple 16S rRNA sequence variants coexisted within a single host cell and that identical variants were present in both Cononympha species and also on the gut wall. Thus, "Ca. Methanobrevibacter cononymphae" is a facultative endosymbiont, transmitted vertically with frequent exchanges with the gut environment. Indeed, transmission electron microscopy showed escape or uptake of methanogens from/by a Cononympha cell. The genome of "Ca. Methanobrevibacter cononymphae" showed features consistent with its facultative lifestyle: i.e., the genome size (2.7 Mbp) comparable to those of free-living relatives; the pseudogenization of the formate dehydrogenase gene fdhA, unnecessary within the non-formate-producing host cell; the dependence on abundant acetate in the host cell as an essential carbon source; and the presence of a catalase gene, required for colonization on the microoxic gut wall. Our study revealed a versatile endosymbiosis between the methanogen and protists, which may be a strategy responding to changing conditions in the termite gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Kaneko
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Tatsuki Omori
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Katsura Igai
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Takako Mabuchi
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Miho Sakai-Tazawa
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Arisa Nishihara
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0074, Japan
| | - Kumiko Kihara
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
- Department of Biological and Chemical Systems Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Kumamoto College, Yatsushiro, Kumamoto 866-8501, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Yoshimura
- Innovative Humano-habitability Laboratory, Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Moriya Ohkuma
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0074, Japan
| | - Yuichi Hongoh
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0074, Japan
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3
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Dukes HE, Tinker KA, Ottesen EA. Disentangling hindgut metabolism in the American cockroach through single-cell genomics and metatranscriptomics. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1156809. [PMID: 37323917 PMCID: PMC10266427 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1156809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Omnivorous cockroaches host a complex hindgut microbiota comprised of insect-specific lineages related to those found in mammalian omnivores. Many of these organisms have few cultured representatives, thereby limiting our ability to infer the functional capabilities of these microbes. Here we present a unique reference set of 96 high-quality single cell-amplified genomes (SAGs) from bacterial and archaeal cockroach gut symbionts. We additionally generated cockroach hindgut metagenomic and metatranscriptomic sequence libraries and mapped them to our SAGs. By combining these datasets, we are able to perform an in-depth phylogenetic and functional analysis to evaluate the abundance and activities of the taxa in vivo. Recovered lineages include key genera within Bacteroidota, including polysaccharide-degrading taxa from the genera Bacteroides, Dysgonomonas, and Parabacteroides, as well as a group of unclassified insect-associated Bacteroidales. We also recovered a phylogenetically diverse set of Firmicutes exhibiting a wide range of metabolic capabilities, including-but not limited to-polysaccharide and polypeptide degradation. Other functional groups exhibiting high relative activity in the metatranscriptomic dataset include multiple putative sulfate reducers belonging to families in the Desulfobacterota phylum and two groups of methanogenic archaea. Together, this work provides a valuable reference set with new insights into the functional specializations of insect gut symbionts and frames future studies of cockroach hindgut metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen E. Dukes
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Kara A. Tinker
- National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Coolen S, van der Molen MR, Welte CU. The secret life of insect-associated microbes and how they shape insect-plant interactions. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2022; 98:6643329. [PMID: 35830517 PMCID: PMC9409087 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects are associated with a plethora of different microbes of which we are only starting to understand their role in shaping insect–plant interactions. Besides directly benefitting from symbiotic microbial metabolism, insects obtain and transmit microbes within their environment, making them ideal vectors and potential beneficiaries of plant diseases and microbes that alter plant defenses. To prevent damage, plants elicit stress-specific defenses to ward off insects and their microbiota. However, both insects and microbes harbor a wealth of adaptations that allow them to circumvent effective plant defense activation. In the past decades, it has become apparent that the enormous diversity and metabolic potential of insect-associated microbes may play a far more important role in shaping insect–plant interactions than previously anticipated. The latter may have implications for the development of sustainable pest control strategies. Therefore, this review sheds light on the current knowledge on multitrophic insect–microbe–plant interactions in a rapidly expanding field of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Coolen
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Magda Rogowska- van der Molen
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelia U Welte
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Methanogenesis in the Digestive Tracts of the Tropical Millipedes Archispirostreptus gigas (Diplopoda, Spirostreptidae) and Epibolus pulchripes (Diplopoda, Pachybolidae). Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0061421. [PMID: 34020937 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00614-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Methanogens represent the final decomposition step in anaerobic degradation of organic matter, occurring in the digestive tracts of various invertebrates. However, factors determining their community structure and activity in distinct gut sections are still debated. In this study, we focused on the tropical millipede species Archispirostreptus gigas (Diplopoda, Spirostreptidae) and Epibolus pulchripes (Diplopoda, Pachybolidae), which release considerable amounts of methane. We aimed to characterize relationships between physicochemical parameters, methane production rates, and methanogen community structure in the two major gut sections, midgut and hindgut. Microsensor measurements revealed that both sections were strictly anoxic, with reducing conditions prevailing in both millipedes. Hydrogen concentration peaked in the anterior hindgut of E. pulchripes. In both species, the intestinal pH was significantly higher in the hindgut than in the midgut. An accumulation of acetate and formate in the gut indicated bacterial fermentation activities in the digestive tracts of both species. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes showed a prevalence of Methanobrevibacter spp. (Methanobacteriales), accompanied by a small fraction of so-far-unclassified "Methanomethylophilaceae" (Methanomassiliicoccales), in both species, which suggests that methanogenesis is mostly hydrogenotrophic. We conclude that anoxic conditions, negative redox potential, and bacterial production of hydrogen and formate promote gut colonization by methanogens. The higher activities of methanogens in the hindgut are explained by the higher pH of this compartment and their association with ciliates, which are restricted to this compartment and present an additional source of methanogenic substrates. IMPORTANCE Methane (CH4) is the second most important atmospheric greenhouse gas after CO2 and is believed to account for 17% of global warming. Methanogens are a diverse group of archaea and can be found in various anoxic habitats, including digestive tracts of plant-feeding animals. Termites, cockroaches, the larvae of scarab beetles, and millipedes are the only arthropods known to host methanogens and emit large amounts of methane. Millipedes are ranked as the third most important detritivores after termites and earthworms, and they are considered keystone species in many terrestrial ecosystems. Both methane-producing and non-methane-emitting species of millipedes have been observed, but what limits their methanogenic potential is not known. In the present study, we show that physicochemical gut conditions and the distribution of symbiotic ciliates are important factors determining CH4 emission in millipedes. We also found close similarities to other methane-emitting arthropods, which might be associated with their similar plant-feeding habits.
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Husnik F, Tashyreva D, Boscaro V, George EE, Lukeš J, Keeling PJ. Bacterial and archaeal symbioses with protists. Curr Biol 2021; 31:R862-R877. [PMID: 34256922 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.05.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Most of the genetic, cellular, and biochemical diversity of life rests within single-celled organisms - the prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea) and microbial eukaryotes (protists). Very close interactions, or symbioses, between protists and prokaryotes are ubiquitous, ecologically significant, and date back at least two billion years ago to the origin of mitochondria. However, most of our knowledge about the evolution and functions of eukaryotic symbioses comes from the study of animal hosts, which represent only a small subset of eukaryotic diversity. Here, we take a broad view of bacterial and archaeal symbioses with protist hosts, focusing on their evolution, ecology, and cell biology, and also explore what functions (if any) the symbionts provide to their hosts. With the immense diversity of protist symbioses starting to come into focus, we can now begin to see how these systems will impact symbiosis theory more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Husnik
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan; Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Daria Tashyreva
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vittorio Boscaro
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Emma E George
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Patrick J Keeling
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
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Arango RA, Schoville SD, Currie CR, Carlos-Shanley C. Experimental Warming Reduces Survival, Cold Tolerance, and Gut Prokaryotic Diversity of the Eastern Subterranean Termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar). Front Microbiol 2021; 12:632715. [PMID: 34079527 PMCID: PMC8166220 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.632715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the effects of environmental disturbances on insects is crucial in predicting the impact of climate change on their distribution, abundance, and ecology. As microbial symbionts are known to play an integral role in a diversity of functions within the insect host, research examining how organisms adapt to environmental fluctuations should include their associated microbiota. In this study, subterranean termites [Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar)] were exposed to three different temperature treatments characterized as low (15°C), medium (27°C), and high (35°C). Results suggested that pre-exposure to cold allowed termites to stay active longer in decreasing temperatures but caused termites to freeze at higher temperatures. High temperature exposure had the most deleterious effects on termites with a significant reduction in termite survival as well as reduced ability to withstand cold stress. The microbial community of high temperature exposed termites also showed a reduction in bacterial richness and decreased relative abundance of Spirochaetes, Elusimicrobia, and methanogenic Euryarchaeota. Our results indicate a potential link between gut bacterial symbionts and termite's physiological response to environmental changes and highlight the need to consider microbial symbionts in studies relating to insect thermosensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Arango
- USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Sean D. Schoville
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Cameron R. Currie
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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8
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Stevens KM, Swadling JB, Hocher A, Bang C, Gribaldo S, Schmitz RA, Warnecke T. Histone variants in archaea and the evolution of combinatorial chromatin complexity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:33384-33395. [PMID: 33288720 PMCID: PMC7776873 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2007056117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleosomes in eukaryotes act as platforms for the dynamic integration of epigenetic information. Posttranslational modifications are reversibly added or removed and core histones exchanged for paralogous variants, in concert with changing demands on transcription and genome accessibility. Histones are also common in archaea. Their role in genome regulation, however, and the capacity of individual paralogs to assemble into histone-DNA complexes with distinct properties remain poorly understood. Here, we combine structural modeling with phylogenetic analysis to shed light on archaeal histone paralogs, their evolutionary history, and capacity to generate combinatorial chromatin states through hetero-oligomeric assembly. Focusing on the human commensal Methanosphaera stadtmanae as a model archaeal system, we show that the heteromeric complexes that can be assembled from its seven histone paralogs vary substantially in DNA binding affinity and tetramer stability. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we go on to identify unique paralogs in M. stadtmanae and Methanobrevibacter smithii that are characterized by unstable interfaces between dimers. We propose that these paralogs act as capstones that prevent stable tetramer formation and extension into longer oligomers characteristic of model archaeal histones. Importantly, we provide evidence from phylogeny and genome architecture that these capstones, as well as other paralogs in the Methanobacteriales, have been maintained for hundreds of millions of years following ancient duplication events. Taken together, our findings indicate that at least some archaeal histone paralogs have evolved to play distinct and conserved functional roles, reminiscent of eukaryotic histone variants. We conclude that combinatorially complex histone-based chromatin is not restricted to eukaryotes and likely predates their emergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Stevens
- Molecular Systems Group, Quantitative Biology Section, Medical Research Council London Institute of Medical Sciences, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - Jacob B Swadling
- Molecular Systems Group, Quantitative Biology Section, Medical Research Council London Institute of Medical Sciences, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - Antoine Hocher
- Molecular Systems Group, Quantitative Biology Section, Medical Research Council London Institute of Medical Sciences, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - Corinna Bang
- Institute for General Microbiology, University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Simonetta Gribaldo
- Department of Microbiology, Unit "Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial Cell," Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Ruth A Schmitz
- Institute for General Microbiology, University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Tobias Warnecke
- Molecular Systems Group, Quantitative Biology Section, Medical Research Council London Institute of Medical Sciences, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom;
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
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Abstract
Microorganisms that reside within or transmit through arthropod reproductive tissues have profound impacts on host reproduction, health and evolution. In this Review, we discuss select principles of the biology of microorganisms in arthropod reproductive tissues, including bacteria, viruses, protists and fungi. We review models of specific symbionts, routes of transmission, and the physiological and evolutionary outcomes for both hosts and microorganisms. We also identify areas in need of continuing research, to answer the fundamental questions that remain in fields within and beyond arthropod-microorganism associations. New opportunities for research in this area will drive a broader understanding of major concepts as well as the biodiversity, mechanisms and translational applications of microorganisms that interact with host reproductive tissues.
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Tashyreva D, Prokopchuk G, Votýpka J, Yabuki A, Horák A, Lukeš J. Life Cycle, Ultrastructure, and Phylogeny of New Diplonemids and Their Endosymbiotic Bacteria. mBio 2018; 9:e02447-17. [PMID: 29511084 PMCID: PMC5845003 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02447-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Diplonemids represent a hyperdiverse and abundant yet poorly studied group of marine protists. Here we describe two new members of the genus Diplonema (Diplonemea, Euglenozoa), Diplonema japonicum sp. nov. and Diplonema aggregatum sp. nov., based on life cycle, morphology, and 18S rRNA gene sequences. Along with euglenozoan apomorphies, they contain several unique features. Their life cycle is complex, consisting of a trophic stage that is, following the depletion of nutrients, transformed into a sessile stage and subsequently into a swimming stage. The latter two stages are characterized by the presence of tubular extrusomes and the emergence of a paraflagellar rod, the supportive structure of the flagellum, which is prominently lacking in the trophic stage. These two stages also differ dramatically in motility and flagellar size. Both diplonemid species host endosymbiotic bacteria that are closely related to each other and constitute a novel branch within Holosporales, for which a new genus, "Candidatus Cytomitobacter" gen. nov., has been established. Remarkably, the number of endosymbionts in the cytoplasm varies significantly, as does their localization within the cell, where they seem to penetrate the mitochondrion, a rare occurrence.IMPORTANCE We describe the morphology, behavior, and life cycle of two new Diplonema species that established a relationship with two Holospora-like bacteria in the first report of an endosymbiosis in diplonemids. Both endosymbionts reside in the cytoplasm and the mitochondrion, which establishes an extremely rare case. Within their life cycle, the diplonemids undergo transformation from a trophic to a sessile and eventually a highly motile swimming stage. These stages differ in several features, such as the presence or absence of tubular extrusomes and a paraflagellar rod, along with the length of the flagella. These morphological and behavioral interstage differences possibly reflect distinct functions in dispersion and invasion of the host and/or prey and may provide novel insight into the virtually unknown function of diplonemids in the oceanic ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Tashyreva
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Galina Prokopchuk
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Jan Votýpka
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
- Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Akinori Yabuki
- Department of Marine Diversity, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Aleš Horák
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
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12
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Brune A. Methanogens in the Digestive Tract of Termites. (ENDO)SYMBIOTIC METHANOGENIC ARCHAEA 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-98836-8_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
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13
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Peterson BF, Scharf ME. Lower Termite Associations with Microbes: Synergy, Protection, and Interplay. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:422. [PMID: 27092110 PMCID: PMC4824777 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Lower-termites are one of the best studied symbiotic systems in insects. Their ability to feed on a nitrogen-poor, wood-based diet with help from symbiotic microbes has been under investigation for almost a century. A unique microbial consortium living in the guts of lower termites is essential for wood-feeding. Host and symbiont cellulolytic enzymes synergize each other in the termite gut to increase digestive efficiency. Because of their critical role in digestion, gut microbiota are driving forces in all aspects of termite biology. Social living also comes with risks for termites. The combination of group living and a microbe-rich habitat makes termites potentially vulnerable to pathogenic infections. However, the use of entomopathogens for termite control has been largely unsuccessful. One mechanism for this failure may be symbiotic collaboration; i.e., one of the very reasons termites have thrived in the first place. Symbiont contributions are thought to neutralize fungal spores as they pass through the termite gut. Also, when the symbiont community is disrupted pathogen susceptibility increases. These recent discoveries have shed light on novel interactions for symbiotic microbes both within the termite host and with pathogenic invaders. Lower termite biology is therefore tightly linked to symbiotic associations and their resulting physiological collaborations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael E Scharf
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN, USA
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Ohkuma M, Noda S, Hattori S, Iida T, Yuki M, Starns D, Inoue JI, Darby AC, Hongoh Y. Acetogenesis from H2 plus CO2 and nitrogen fixation by an endosymbiotic spirochete of a termite-gut cellulolytic protist. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:10224-30. [PMID: 25979941 PMCID: PMC4547241 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1423979112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Symbiotic associations of cellulolytic eukaryotic protists and diverse bacteria are common in the gut microbial communities of termites. Besides cellulose degradation by the gut protists, reductive acetogenesis from H2 plus CO2 and nitrogen fixation by gut bacteria play crucial roles in the host termites' nutrition by contributing to the energy demand of termites and supplying nitrogen poor in their diet, respectively. Fractionation of these activities and the identification of key genes from the gut community of the wood-feeding termite Hodotermopsis sjoestedti revealed that substantial activities in the gut--nearly 60% of reductive acetogenesis and almost exclusively for nitrogen fixation--were uniquely attributed to the endosymbiotic bacteria of the cellulolytic protist in the genus Eucomonympha. The rod-shaped endosymbionts were surprisingly identified as a spirochete species in the genus Treponema, which usually exhibits a characteristic spiral morphology. The endosymbionts likely use H2 produced by the protist for these dual functions. Although H2 is known to inhibit nitrogen fixation in some bacteria, it seemed to rather stimulate this important mutualistic process. In addition, the single-cell genome analyses revealed the endosymbiont's potentials of the utilization of sugars for its energy requirement, and of the biosynthesis of valuable nutrients such as amino acids from the fixed nitrogen. These metabolic interactions are suitable for the dual functions of the endosymbiont and reconcile its substantial contributions in the gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moriya Ohkuma
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms/Microbe Division, RIKEN BioResource Center, and Biomass Research Platform Team, RIKEN Biomass Engineering Program Cooperation Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Ibaraki 305-0074, Japan;
| | - Satoko Noda
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms/Microbe Division, RIKEN BioResource Center, and Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Satoshi Hattori
- Department of Food, Life, and Environmental Sciences, Yamagata University, Yamagata 997-8555, Japan
| | - Toshiya Iida
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms/Microbe Division, RIKEN BioResource Center, and
| | - Masahiro Yuki
- Biomass Research Platform Team, RIKEN Biomass Engineering Program Cooperation Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Ibaraki 305-0074, Japan
| | - David Starns
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms/Microbe Division, RIKEN BioResource Center, and Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, United Kingdom; and
| | - Jun-ichi Inoue
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms/Microbe Division, RIKEN BioResource Center, and
| | - Alistair C Darby
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, United Kingdom; and
| | - Yuichi Hongoh
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms/Microbe Division, RIKEN BioResource Center, and Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
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15
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Abdul Rahman N, Parks DH, Willner DL, Engelbrektson AL, Goffredi SK, Warnecke F, Scheffrahn RH, Hugenholtz P. A molecular survey of Australian and North American termite genera indicates that vertical inheritance is the primary force shaping termite gut microbiomes. MICROBIOME 2015; 3:5. [PMID: 25830022 PMCID: PMC4379614 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-015-0067-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2014] [Accepted: 01/02/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Termites and their microbial gut symbionts are major recyclers of lignocellulosic biomass. This important symbiosis is obligate but relatively open and more complex in comparison to other well-known insect symbioses such as the strict vertical transmission of Buchnera in aphids. The relative roles of vertical inheritance and environmental factors such as diet in shaping the termite gut microbiome are not well understood. RESULTS The gut microbiomes of 66 specimens representing seven higher and nine lower termite genera collected in Australia and North America were profiled by small subunit (SSU) rRNA amplicon pyrosequencing. These represent the first reported culture-independent gut microbiome data for three higher termite genera: Tenuirostritermes, Drepanotermes, and Gnathamitermes; and two lower termite genera: Marginitermes and Porotermes. Consistent with previous studies, bacteria comprise the largest fraction of termite gut symbionts, of which 11 phylotypes (6 Treponema, 1 Desulfarculus-like, 1 Desulfovibrio, 1 Anaerovorax-like, 1 Sporobacter-like, and 1 Pirellula-like) were widespread occurring in ≥50% of collected specimens. Archaea are generally considered to comprise only a minority of the termite gut microbiota (<3%); however, archaeal relative abundance was substantially higher and variable in a number of specimens including Macrognathotermes, Coptotermes, Schedorhinotermes, Porotermes, and Mastotermes (representing up to 54% of amplicon reads). A ciliate related to Clevelandella was detected in low abundance in Gnathamitermes indicating that protists were either reacquired after protists loss in higher termites or persisted in low numbers across this transition. Phylogenetic analyses of the bacterial communities indicate that vertical inheritance is the primary force shaping termite gut microbiota. The effect of diet is secondary and appears to influence the relative abundance, but not membership, of the gut communities. CONCLUSIONS Vertical inheritance is the primary force shaping the termite gut microbiome indicating that species are successfully and faithfully passed from one generation to the next via trophallaxis or coprophagy. Changes in relative abundance can occur on shorter time scales and appear to be an adaptive mechanism for dietary fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurdyana Abdul Rahman
- />Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland Australia
| | - Donovan H Parks
- />Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland Australia
| | - Dana L Willner
- />Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland Australia
- />Current address: Department of Statistics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL USA
| | - Anna L Engelbrektson
- />DOE Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, CA USA
- />Current address: Energy Biosciences Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA USA
| | | | - Falk Warnecke
- />DOE Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, CA USA
- />Jena School for Microbial Communication (JSMC) and Microbial Ecology Group, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Rudolf H Scheffrahn
- />Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL USA
| | - Philip Hugenholtz
- />Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland Australia
- />DOE Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, CA USA
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16
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Shi Y, Huang Z, Han S, Fan S, Yang H. Phylogenetic diversity of Archaea in the intestinal tract of termites from different lineages. J Basic Microbiol 2015; 55:1021-8. [DOI: 10.1002/jobm.201400678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 01/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Shi
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology; Institute of Entomology; School of Life Sciences; Central China Normal University; Wuhan P.R. China
| | - Zhou Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology; Institute of Entomology; School of Life Sciences; Central China Normal University; Wuhan P.R. China
| | - Shuai Han
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology; Institute of Entomology; School of Life Sciences; Central China Normal University; Wuhan P.R. China
| | - Shuo Fan
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology; Institute of Entomology; School of Life Sciences; Central China Normal University; Wuhan P.R. China
| | - Hong Yang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology; Institute of Entomology; School of Life Sciences; Central China Normal University; Wuhan P.R. China
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17
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Microbial community structure in the gut of the New Zealand insect Auckland tree weta (Hemideina thoracica). Arch Microbiol 2015; 197:603-12. [DOI: 10.1007/s00203-015-1094-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Revised: 02/08/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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18
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Šustr V, Chroňáková A, Semanová S, Tajovský K, Šimek M. Methane production and methanogenic Archaea in the digestive tracts of millipedes (Diplopoda). PLoS One 2014; 9:e102659. [PMID: 25028969 PMCID: PMC4100924 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Accepted: 06/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Methane production by intestinal methanogenic Archaea and their community structure were compared among phylogenetic lineages of millipedes. Tropical and temperate millipedes of 35 species and 17 families were investigated. Species that emitted methane were mostly in the juliform orders Julida, Spirobolida, and Spirostreptida. The irregular phylogenetic distribution of methane production correlated with the presence of the methanogen-specific mcrA gene. The study brings the first detailed survey of methanogens’ diversity in the digestive tract of millipedes. Sequences related to Methanosarcinales, Methanobacteriales, Methanomicrobiales and some unclassified Archaea were detected using molecular profiling (DGGE). The differences in substrate preferences of the main lineages of methanogenic Archaea found in different millipede orders indicate that the composition of methanogen communities may reflect the differences in available substrates for methanogenesis or the presence of symbiotic protozoa in the digestive tract. We conclude that differences in methane production in the millipede gut reflect differences in the activity and proliferation of intestinal methanogens rather than an absolute inability of some millipede taxa to host methanogens. This inference was supported by the general presence of methanogenic activity in millipede faecal pellets and the presence of the 16S rRNA gene of methanogens in all tested taxa in the two main groups of millipedes, the Helminthophora and the Pentazonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimír Šustr
- Institute of Soil Biology, Biology Centre AS CR, v.v.i., České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
| | - Alica Chroňáková
- Institute of Soil Biology, Biology Centre AS CR, v.v.i., České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Stanislava Semanová
- Institute of Soil Biology, Biology Centre AS CR, v.v.i., České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Tajovský
- Institute of Soil Biology, Biology Centre AS CR, v.v.i., České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslav Šimek
- Institute of Soil Biology, Biology Centre AS CR, v.v.i., České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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19
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König H, Li L, Fröhlich J. The cellulolytic system of the termite gut. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2013; 97:7943-62. [PMID: 23900801 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-013-5119-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2013] [Revised: 07/09/2013] [Accepted: 07/10/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The demand for the usage of natural renewable polymeric material is increasing in order to satisfy the future needs for energy and chemical precursors. Important steps in the hydrolysis of polymeric material and bioconversion can be performed by microorganisms. Over about 150 million years, termites have optimized their intestinal polysaccharide-degrading symbiosis. In the ecosystem of the "termite gut," polysaccharides are degraded from lignocellulose, such as cellulose and hemicelluloses, in 1 day, while lignin is only weakly attacked. The understanding of the principles of cellulose degradation in this natural polymer-degrading ecosystem could be helpful for the improvement of the biotechnological hydrolysis and conversion of cellulose, e.g., in the case of biogas production from natural renewable plant material in biogas plants. This review focuses on the present knowledge of the cellulose degradation in the termite gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helmut König
- Institute of Microbiology and Wine Research, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, 55099, Mainz, Germany.
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20
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Boucias DG, Cai Y, Sun Y, Lietze VU, Sen R, Raychoudhury R, Scharf ME. The hindgut lumen prokaryotic microbiota of the termiteReticulitermes flavipesand its responses to dietary lignocellulose composition. Mol Ecol 2013; 22:1836-53. [PMID: 23379767 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2012] [Revised: 12/12/2012] [Accepted: 12/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Drion G. Boucias
- Department of Entomology and Nematology; University of Florida; Gainesville FL 32610-3622 USA
| | - Yunpeng Cai
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology; Chinese Academy of Science; Shenzhen China
| | - Yijun Sun
- Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research; University of Florida; Gainesville FL 32610-3622 USA
| | - Verena-Ulrike Lietze
- Department of Entomology and Nematology; University of Florida; Gainesville FL 32610-3622 USA
| | - Ruchira Sen
- Department of Entomology; Purdue University; West Lafayette IN 47907-2089 USA
| | | | - Michael E. Scharf
- Department of Entomology; Purdue University; West Lafayette IN 47907-2089 USA
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21
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Tamschick S, Radek R. Colonization of termite hindgut walls by oxymonad flagellates and prokaryotes in Incisitermes tabogae, I. marginipennis and Reticulitermes flavipes. Eur J Protistol 2012; 49:1-14. [PMID: 22841421 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2012.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2012] [Revised: 06/22/2012] [Accepted: 06/27/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
We studied the colonization of the paunch wall of three lower termites, Reticulitermes flavipes, Incisitermes tabogae, and Incisitermes marginipennis, by light and electron microscopy. In addition to various prokaryotes, oxymonad flagellates were attached to the wall of the paunch in all three species. The prokaryotic layer found in R. flavipes is relatively thin, since most organisms are attached laterally. Large members of the flagellate genus Pyrsonympha protrude into the gut lumen. The prokaryotes are very abundant on the gut wall in I. tabogae and I. marginipennis, forming a thick carpet of mostly vertically attached rods and wavy spirochetes. The adhering oxymonads are relatively small and almost hidden in the thick bacterial biofilm. Three small morphotypes were seen in I. tabogae; two possessing a short rostellum and one amoeboid. The only oxymonad found in I. tabogae so far, Oxymonas clevelandi, is not identical to any of the present oxymonads. I. marginipennis contains a mid-sized oxymonad with ectobiotic spirochetes, probably identical to Oxymonas hubbardi, and a tiny unknown morphotype. The spatial organization of the pro- and eukaryotic microorganisms on the gut wall of the three termites is described and discussed concerning oxygen stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Tamschick
- Free University of Berlin, Institute of Biology/Zoology, Königin-Luise-Str. 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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22
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Archaeal symbionts and parasites. Curr Opin Microbiol 2011; 14:364-70. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2011.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2011] [Revised: 04/20/2011] [Accepted: 04/28/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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23
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Kumar S, Dagar SS, Mohanty AK, Sirohi SK, Puniya M, Kuhad RC, Sangu KPS, Griffith GW, Puniya AK. Enumeration of methanogens with a focus on fluorescence in situ hybridization. Naturwissenschaften 2011; 98:457-72. [PMID: 21475941 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-011-0791-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2010] [Revised: 03/19/2011] [Accepted: 03/20/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Methanogens, the members of domain Archaea are potent contributors in global warming. Being confined to the strict anaerobic environment, their direct cultivation as pure culture is quite difficult. Therefore, a range of culture-independent methods have been developed to investigate their numbers, substrate uptake patterns, and identification in complex microbial communities. Unlike other approaches, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is not only used for faster quantification and accurate identification but also to reveal the physiological properties and spatiotemporal dynamics of methanogens in their natural environment. Aside from the methodological aspects and application of FISH, this review also focuses on culture-dependent and -independent techniques employed in enumerating methanogens along with associated problems. In addition, the combination of FISH with micro-autoradiography that could also be an important tool in investigating the activities of methanogens is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Kumar
- Dairy Microbiology Division, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal 132001, India
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24
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Hongoh Y. Toward the functional analysis of uncultivable, symbiotic microorganisms in the termite gut. Cell Mol Life Sci 2011; 68:1311-25. [PMID: 21365277 PMCID: PMC11114660 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-011-0648-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2011] [Revised: 02/15/2011] [Accepted: 02/15/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Termites thrive on dead plant matters with the aid of microorganisms resident in their gut. The gut microbiota comprises protists (single-celled eukaryotes), bacteria, and archaea, most of which are unique to the termite gut ecosystem. Although this symbiosis has long been intriguing researchers of both basic and applied sciences, its detailed mechanism remains unclear due to the enormous complexity and the unculturability of the microbiota. In the effort to overcome the difficulty, recent advances in omics, such as metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and metaproteomics have gradually unveiled the black box of this symbiotic system. Genomics targeting a single species of the unculturable microbial members has also provided a great progress in the understanding of the symbiotic interrelationships among the gut microorganisms. In this review, the symbiotic system organized by wood-feeding termites and their gut microorganisms is outlined, focusing on the recent achievement in omics studies of this multilayered symbiotic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Hongoh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
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25
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Chaffron S, Rehrauer H, Pernthaler J, von Mering C. A global network of coexisting microbes from environmental and whole-genome sequence data. Genome Res 2010; 20:947-59. [PMID: 20458099 DOI: 10.1101/gr.104521.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 293] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Microbes are the most abundant and diverse organisms on Earth. In contrast to macroscopic organisms, their environmental preferences and ecological interdependencies remain difficult to assess, requiring laborious molecular surveys at diverse sampling sites. Here, we present a global meta-analysis of previously sampled microbial lineages in the environment. We grouped publicly available 16S ribosomal RNA sequences into operational taxonomic units at various levels of resolution and systematically searched these for co-occurrence across environments. Naturally occurring microbes, indeed, exhibited numerous, significant interlineage associations. These ranged from relatively specific groupings encompassing only a few lineages, to larger assemblages of microbes with shared habitat preferences. Many of the coexisting lineages were phylogenetically closely related, but a significant number of distant associations were observed as well. The increased availability of completely sequenced genomes allowed us, for the first time, to search for genomic correlates of such ecological associations. Genomes from coexisting microbes tended to be more similar than expected by chance, both with respect to pathway content and genome size, and outliers from these trends are discussed. We hypothesize that groupings of lineages are often ancient, and that they may have significantly impacted on genome evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Chaffron
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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26
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Husseneder C. Symbiosis in subterranean termites: a review of insights from molecular studies. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2010; 39:378-388. [PMID: 20388266 DOI: 10.1603/en09006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The symbiotic relationship of termites and their eukaryotic and prokaryotic gut microbiota is a focal point of research because of the important roles symbionts play in termite nutrition. The use of molecular methods has recently provided valuable insights into the species diversity and the roles of microorganisms in the guts of termites. This paper provides a review of the current knowledge of symbiont species inventories, genome analysis, and gene expression in the guts of subterranean termites. Particular emphasis is given to the termite genera Reticulitermes and Coptotermes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), because they contain pest species of global impact in their native and invasive range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Husseneder
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, 404 Life Sciences Bldg, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
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27
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Payne R, Gauci V, Charman DJ. The impact of simulated sulfate deposition on peatland testate amoebae. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2010; 59:76-83. [PMID: 19562246 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-009-9552-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2009] [Accepted: 06/06/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Peatlands subjected to sulfate deposition have been shown to produce less methane, believed to be due to competitive exclusion of methanogenic archaea by sulfate-reducing bacteria. Here, we address whether sulfate deposition produces impacts on a higher microbial group, the testate amoebae. Sodium sulfate was applied to experimental plots on a Scottish peatland and samples extracted after a period of more than 10 years. Impacts on testate amoebae were tested using redundancy analysis and Mann-Whitney tests. Results showed statistically significant impacts on amoebae communities particularly noted by decreased abundance of Trinema lineare, Corythion dubium, and Euglypha rotunda. As the species most reduced in abundance are all small bacterivores we suggest that our results support the hypothesis of a shift in dominant prokaryotes, although other explanations are possible. Our results demonstrate the sensitivity of peatland microbial communities to sulfate deposition and suggest sulfate may be a potentially important secondary control on testate amoebae communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Payne
- Geography, School of Environment and Development, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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28
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Termite Gut Flagellates and Their Methanogenic and Eubacterial Symbionts. (ENDO)SYMBIOTIC METHANOGENIC ARCHAEA 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-13615-3_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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29
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Brune A. Methanogens in the Digestive Tract of Termites. (ENDO)SYMBIOTIC METHANOGENIC ARCHAEA 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-13615-3_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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30
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Noda S, Hongoh Y, Sato T, Ohkuma M. Complex coevolutionary history of symbiotic Bacteroidales bacteria of various protists in the gut of termites. BMC Evol Biol 2009; 9:158. [PMID: 19586555 PMCID: PMC2717939 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-9-158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2008] [Accepted: 07/09/2009] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The microbial community in the gut of termites is responsible for the efficient decomposition of recalcitrant lignocellulose. Prominent features of this community are its complexity and the associations of prokaryotes with the cells of cellulolytic flagellated protists. Bacteria in the order Bacteroidales are involved in associations with a wide variety of gut protist species as either intracellular endosymbionts or surface-attached ectosymbionts. In particular, ectosymbionts exhibit distinct morphological patterns of the associations. Therefore, these Bacteroidales symbionts provide an opportunity to investigate not only the coevolutionary relationships with the host protists and their morphological evolution but also how symbiotic associations between prokaryotes and eukaryotes occur and evolve within a complex symbiotic community. Results Molecular phylogeny of 31 taxa of Bacteroidales symbionts from 17 protist genera in 10 families was examined based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. Their localization, morphology, and specificity were also examined by fluorescent in situ hybridizations. Although a monophyletic grouping of the ectosymbionts occurred in three related protist families, the symbionts of different protist genera were usually dispersed among several phylogenetic clusters unique to termite-gut bacteria. Similar morphologies of the associations occurred in multiple lineages of the symbionts. Nevertheless, the symbionts of congeneric protist species were closely related to one another, and in most cases, each host species harbored a unique Bacteroidales species. The endosymbionts were distantly related to the ectosymbionts examined so far. Conclusion The coevolutionary history of gut protists and their associated Bacteroidales symbionts is complex. We suggest multiple independent acquisitions of the Bacteroidales symbionts by different protist genera from a pool of diverse bacteria in the gut community. In this sense, the gut could serve as a reservoir of diverse bacteria for associations with the protist cells. The similar morphologies are considered a result of evolutionary convergence. Despite the complicated evolutionary history, the host-symbiont relationships are mutually specific, suggesting their cospeciations at the protist genus level with only occasional replacements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoko Noda
- Ecomolecular Biorecycling Science Research Team, RIKEN Advanced Science Institute, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
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31
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Ohkuma M. Symbioses of flagellates and prokaryotes in the gut of lower termites. Trends Microbiol 2008; 16:345-52. [PMID: 18513972 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2008.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2008] [Revised: 04/15/2008] [Accepted: 04/15/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The microbial community in the gut of phylogenetically lower termites, comprising both flagellated protists and prokaryotes, has fascinated many scientists because of the symbiotic relationships that are responsible for the efficient degradation of lignocellulose. However, the complex nature of this microbial community and the formidable unculturability of most members have hampered detailed microbial studies. Comprehensive phylogenetic descriptions of the community members in the past decade still provide little information about their functions because the community contains diverse novel microbial species. Recent advances in molecular approaches have shed new light on species-specific spatial distributions, particularly the cellular associations of flagellated protists and prokaryotes, their functional interactions and coevolutionary relationships. These advances have gradually unveiled how this symbiotic complex functions to efficiently utilize lignocellulose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moriya Ohkuma
- Ecomolecular Biorecycling Science Research Team, RIKEN, Hirosawa 2-1, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
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32
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Complete genome of the uncultured Termite Group 1 bacteria in a single host protist cell. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008; 105:5555-60. [PMID: 18391199 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0801389105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Termites harbor a symbiotic gut microbial community that is responsible for their ability to thrive on recalcitrant plant matter. The community comprises diverse microorganisms, most of which are as yet uncultivable; the detailed symbiotic mechanism remains unclear. Here, we present the first complete genome sequence of a termite gut symbiont-an uncultured bacterium named Rs-D17 belonging to the candidate phylum Termite Group 1 (TG1). TG1 is a dominant group in termite guts, found as intracellular symbionts of various cellulolytic protists, without any physiological information. To acquire the complete genome sequence, we collected Rs-D17 cells from only a single host protist cell to minimize their genomic variation and performed isothermal whole-genome amplification. This strategy enabled us to reconstruct a circular chromosome (1,125,857 bp) encoding 761 putative protein-coding genes. The genome additionally contains 121 pseudogenes assigned to categories, such as cell wall biosynthesis, regulators, transporters, and defense mechanisms. Despite its apparent reductive evolution, the ability to synthesize 15 amino acids and various cofactors is retained, some of these genes having been duplicated. Considering that diverse termite-gut protists harbor TG1 bacteria, we suggest that this bacterial group plays a key role in the gut symbiotic system by stably supplying essential nitrogenous compounds deficient in lignocelluloses to their host protists and the termites. Our results provide a breakthrough to clarify the functions of and the interactions among the individual members of this multilayered symbiotic complex.
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Radek R, Nitsch G. Ectobiotic spirochetes of flagellates from the termite Mastotermes darwiniensis: attachment and cyst formation. Eur J Protistol 2007; 43:281-94. [PMID: 17764914 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2007.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2007] [Revised: 05/24/2007] [Accepted: 06/02/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The association of the gut flagellates Mixotricha paradoxa and Deltotrichonympha sp. from the termite Mastotermes darwiniensis with ectobiotic spirochetes and bacterial rods is investigated with light and electron microscopy. Treatment with different chemicals disturbing molecular interactions and use of the freeze-fracture and freeze-etch technique show that hydrophobic interactions and integral membrane proteins seem to be involved in the firm attachment at the contact sites. Application of antibiotics reduces the number of ectobionts and leads to a disintegration of the cortical attachment systems. As a result Mixotricha becomes spherical and immotile. In both flagellates the antibiotics have a further effect: they lead to a transformation of some of the spirochetes into cystic bodies. Cyst formation of ectobiotic spirochetes is here reported for the first time. Starvation has a similar but less dramatic influence than antibiotics. The cysts contain protoplasmic cylinders in the periphery and sometimes larger central bodies. Production of dormant cystic forms may be a survival mechanism under hostile conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renate Radek
- Institute of Biology/Zoology, Free University of Berlin, Königin-Luise-Str 1-3, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
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Pester M, Brune A. Hydrogen is the central free intermediate during lignocellulose degradation by termite gut symbionts. ISME JOURNAL 2007; 1:551-65. [DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2007.62] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Noda S, Kitade O, Inoue T, Kawai M, Kanuka M, Hiroshima K, Hongoh Y, Constantino R, Uys V, Zhong J, Kudo T, Ohkuma M. Cospeciation in the triplex symbiosis of termite gut protists (Pseudotrichonympha spp.), their hosts, and their bacterial endosymbionts. Mol Ecol 2007; 16:1257-66. [PMID: 17391411 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2006.03219.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
A number of cophylogenetic relationships between two organisms namely a host and a symbiont or parasite have been studied to date; however, organismal interactions in nature usually involve multiple members. Here, we investigated the cospeciation of a triplex symbiotic system comprising a hierarchy of three organisms -- termites of the family Rhinotermitidae, cellulolytic protists of the genus Pseudotrichonympha in the guts of these termites, and intracellular bacterial symbionts of the protists. The molecular phylogeny was inferred based on two mitochondrial genes for the termites and nuclear small-subunit rRNA genes for the protists and their endosymbionts, and these were compared. Although intestinal microorganisms are generally considered to have looser associations with the host than intracellular symbionts, the Pseudotrichonympha protists showed almost complete codivergence with the host termites, probably due to strict transmissions by proctodeal trophallaxis or coprophagy based on the social behaviour of the termites. Except for one case, the endosymbiotic bacteria of the protists formed a monophyletic lineage in the order Bacteroidales, and the branching pattern was almost identical to those of the protists and the termites. However, some non-codivergent evolutionary events were evident. The members of this triplex symbiotic system appear to have cospeciated during their evolution with minor exceptions; the evolutionary relationships were probably established by termite sociality and the complex microbial community in the gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Noda
- Environmental Molecular Biology Laboratory, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan.
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Ohkuma M, Sato T, Noda S, Ui S, Kudo T, Hongoh Y. The candidate phylum 'Termite Group 1' of bacteria: phylogenetic diversity, distribution, and endosymbiont members of various gut flagellated protists. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2007; 60:467-76. [PMID: 17391329 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2007.00311.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The candidate phylum 'Termite Group 1' (TG1) of bacteria, which is abundant in termite guts but has no culturable representative, was investigated with respect to the in situ localization, distribution, and diversity. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses and FISH in termite guts, a number of lineages of TG1 members were identified as endosymbionts of a variety of gut flagellated protists from the orders Trichonymphida, Cristamonadida, and Oxymonadida that are mostly unique to termites. However, the survey in various environments using specific PCR primers revealed that TG1 members were also present in termites, a cockroach, and the bovine rumen that typically lack these protist orders. Most of the TG1 members from gut flagellates, termites, cockroaches, and the rumen formed a monophyletic subcluster that showed a shallow branching pattern in the phylogenetic tree, suggesting their recent diversification. Although endosymbionts of the same protist genera tended to be closely related, the endosymbiont lineages were often independent of the higher level classifications of their host protist and were dispersed in the phylogenetic tree. It appears that their cospeciation is not the sole rule for the diversification of TG1 members of endosymbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moriya Ohkuma
- Environmental Molecular Biology Laboratory, RIKEN, Saitama, Japan.
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Babendreier D, Joller D, Romeis J, Bigler F, Widmer F. Bacterial community structures in honeybee intestines and their response to two insecticidal proteins. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2007; 59:600-10. [PMID: 17381517 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00249.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, the effects of the Bt-toxin Cry1Ab and a soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI) on intestinal bacterial communities of adult honeybees (Apis mellifera) were investigated. It was hypothesized that changes in intestinal bacterial communities of honeybees may represent a sensitive indicator for altered intestinal physiology. Honeybees were fed in a laboratory set-up with maize pollen from the Bt-transgenic cultivar MON810 or from the non-transgenic near isoline. Purified Cry1Ab (0.0014% w/v) and SBTI (0.1% or 1% w/v) represented supplementary treatments. For comparison, free-flying honeybees from two locations in Switzerland were analysed. PCR-amplification of bacterial 16S rRNA gene fragments and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses revealed a total of 17 distinct terminal restriction fragments (T-RFs), which were highly consistent between laboratory-reared and free-flying honeybees. The T-RFs were affiliated to Alpha-, Beta-, and Gammaproteobacteria, to Firmicutes, and to Bacteriodetes. Neither Bt-maize pollen nor high concentrations of Cry1Ab significantly affected bacterial communities in honeybee intestines. Only the high concentration of SBTI significantly reduced the number of T-RFs detected in honeybee midguts, a concentration that also increases bee mortality. Therefore, total bacterial community structures may not be a sensitive indicator for providing evidence for the impact of insecticidal proteins on honeybees at sublethal levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Babendreier
- Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon Research Station ART, Zürich, Switzerland.
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Pester M, Tholen A, Friedrich MW, Brune A. Methane oxidation in termite hindguts: absence of evidence and evidence of absence. Appl Environ Microbiol 2007; 73:2024-8. [PMID: 17261514 PMCID: PMC1828819 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02190-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A steep oxygen gradient and the presence of methane render the hindgut internal periphery of termites a potential habitat for aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria. However, methane emissions of various termites increased, if at all, only slightly when termites were exposed to an anoxic (nitrogen) atmosphere, and (14)CH(4) added to the air headspace over live termites was not converted to (14)CO(2). Evidence for the absence of methane oxidation in living termites was corroborated by the failure to detect pmoA, the marker gene for particulate methane monooxygenase, in hindgut DNA extracts of all termites investigated. This adds robustness to our concept of the degradation network in the termite hindgut and eliminates the gut itself as a potential sink of this important greenhouse gas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Pester
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
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Purdy KJ. The Distribution and Diversity of Euryarchaeota in Termite Guts. ADVANCES IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2007; 62:63-80. [PMID: 17869602 DOI: 10.1016/s0065-2164(07)62003-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J Purdy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 1AL, United Kingdom
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Nakamura K, Terada T, Sekiguchi Y, Shinzato N, Meng XY, Enoki M, Kamagata Y. Application of pseudomurein endoisopeptidase to fluorescence in situ hybridization of methanogens within the family Methanobacteriaceae. Appl Environ Microbiol 2006; 72:6907-13. [PMID: 16950902 PMCID: PMC1636154 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01499-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In situ detection of methanogens within the family Methanobacteriaceae is sometimes known to be unsuccessful due to the difficulty in permeability of oligonucleotide probes. Pseudomurein endoisopeptidase (Pei), a lytic enzyme that specifically acts on their cell walls, was applied prior to 16S rRNA-targeting fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). For this purpose, pure cultured methanogens within this family, Methanobacterium bryantii, Methanobrevibacter ruminantium, Methanosphaera stadtmanae, and Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus together with a Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus-containing syntrophic acetate-oxidizing coculture, endosymbiotic Methanobrevibacter methanogens within an anaerobic ciliate, and an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) granule were examined. Even without the Pei treatment, Methanobacterium bryantii and Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus cells are relatively well hybridized with oligonucleotide probes. However, almost none of the cells of Methanobrevibacter ruminantium, Methanosphaera stadtmanae, cocultured Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus, and the endosymbiotic methanogens and the cells within UASB granule were hybridized. Pei treatment was able to increase the probe hybridization ratio in every specimen, particularly in the specimen that had shown little hybridization. Interestingly, the hybridizing signal intensity of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus cells in coculture with an acetate-oxidizing H(2)-producing syntroph was significantly improved by Pei pretreatment, whereas the probe was well hybridized with the cells of pure culture of the same strain. We found that the difference is attributed to the differences in cell wall thicknesses between the two culture conditions. These results indicate that Pei treatment is effective for FISH analysis of methanogens that show impermeability to the probe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Nakamura
- Institute for Biological Resources and Functions, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
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Skillman LC, Evans PN, Strömpl C, Joblin KN. 16S rDNA directed PCR primers and detection of methanogens in the bovine rumen. Lett Appl Microbiol 2006; 42:222-8. [PMID: 16478508 DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-765x.2005.01833.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To assess the diversity of ruminal methanogens in a grazing cow, and develop PCR primers targeting the predominant methanogens. METHODS AND RESULTS DNA was extracted from rumen contents collected from a cow grazing pasture. Archaeal 16S rRNA genes were amplified by PCR using two pairs of archaea-specific primers, and clone libraries prepared. Selected clones were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that for one primer pair, most sequences clustered with Methanobrevibacter spp. whereas with the other primer pair most clustered with Methanosphaera stadtmanae. One sequence belonged to the Crenarcheota. PCR primers were designed to detect Msp. stadtmanae and differentiate between Mbb. ruminantium and Mbb. smithii and successfully tested. CONCLUSIONS The ruminal methanogens included Mbb. ruminantium, Mbb. smithii, Mbb. thaueri and methanogens similar to Msp.stadtmanae. The study showed that apparent methanogen diversity can be affected by selectivity from the archaea-specific primers used to create clone libraries. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY This study revealed a greater diversity of ruminal methanogens in grazing cows than previously recognized. It also shows the need for care in interpreting methanogen diversity using PCR-based analyses. The new PCR primers will enable more information to be obtained on Msp. stadtmanae and Methanobrevibacter spp. in the rumen.
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Affiliation(s)
- L C Skillman
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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Noda S, Iida T, Kitade O, Nakajima H, Kudo T, Ohkuma M. Endosymbiotic Bacteroidales bacteria of the flagellated protist Pseudotrichonympha grassii in the gut of the termite Coptotermes formosanus. Appl Environ Microbiol 2006; 71:8811-7. [PMID: 16332877 PMCID: PMC1317455 DOI: 10.1128/aem.71.12.8811-8817.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A unique lineage of bacteria belonging to the order Bacteroidales was identified as an intracellular endosymbiont of the protist Pseudotrichonympha grassii (Parabasalia, Hypermastigea) in the gut of the termite Coptotermes formosanus. We identified the 16S rRNA, gyrB, elongation factor Tu, and groEL gene sequences in the endosymbiont and detected a very low level of sequence divergence (<0.9% of the nucleotides) in the endosymbiont population within and among protist cells. The Bacteroidales endosymbiont sequence was affiliated with a cluster comprising only sequences from termite gut bacteria and was not closely related to sequences identified for members of the Bacteroidales attached to the cell surfaces of other gut protists. Transmission electron microscopy showed that there were numerous rod-shaped bacteria in the cytoplasm of the host protist, and we detected the endosymbiont by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with an oligonucleotide probe specific for the 16S rRNA gene identified. Quantification of the abundance of the Bacteroidales endosymbiont by sequence-specific cleavage of rRNA with RNase H and FISH cell counting revealed, surprisingly, that the endosymbiont accounted for 82% of the total bacterial rRNA and 71% of the total bacterial cells in the gut community. The genetically nearly homogeneous endosymbionts of Pseudotrichonympha were very abundant in the gut symbiotic community of the termite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoko Noda
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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Brune A, Stingl U. Prokaryotic symbionts of termite gut flagellates: phylogenetic and metabolic implications of a tripartite symbiosis. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR AND SUBCELLULAR BIOLOGY 2006; 41:39-60. [PMID: 16623388 DOI: 10.1007/3-540-28221-1_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Brune
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
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Nakajima H, Hongoh Y, Usami R, Kudo T, Ohkuma M. Spatial distribution of bacterial phylotypes in the gut of the termite Reticulitermes speratus and the bacterial community colonizing the gut epithelium. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2005; 54:247-55. [PMID: 16332323 DOI: 10.1016/j.femsec.2005.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2005] [Revised: 02/23/2005] [Accepted: 03/30/2005] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial community colonizing the gut wall of the termite Reticulitermes speratus was characterized without cultivation. Analysis of 16S rRNA genes after fractionation of the gut revealed that the bacterial composition on the gut wall was diverse and significantly different from that able to move unconfined in the gut fluid or physically associated with the gut protists. Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were dominant on the gut wall, but Spirochaetes and the Termite group 1 phylum, abundant in the gut lumen, were relatively rare. A sequence-specific probe enabled the in situ detection of a rod-shaped Actinobacteria member, abundantly colonizing the gut paunch epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideaki Nakajima
- Environmental Molecular Biology Laboratory, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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Hongoh Y, Deevong P, Inoue T, Moriya S, Trakulnaleamsai S, Ohkuma M, Vongkaluang C, Noparatnaraporn N, Kudo T. Intra- and interspecific comparisons of bacterial diversity and community structure support coevolution of gut microbiota and termite host. Appl Environ Microbiol 2005; 71:6590-9. [PMID: 16269686 PMCID: PMC1287746 DOI: 10.1128/aem.71.11.6590-6599.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 208] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the bacterial gut microbiota from 32 colonies of wood-feeding termites, comprising four Microcerotermes species (Termitidae) and four Reticulitermes species (Rhinotermitidae), using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and clonal analysis of 16S rRNA. The obtained molecular community profiles were compared statistically between individuals, colonies, locations, and species of termites. Both analyses revealed that the bacterial community structure was remarkably similar within each termite genus, with small but significant differences between sampling sites and/or termite species. In contrast, considerable differences were found between the two termite genera. Only one bacterial phylotype (defined with 97% sequence identity) was shared between the two termite genera, while 18% and 50% of the phylotypes were shared between two congeneric species in the genera Microcerotermes and Reticulitermes, respectively. Nevertheless, a phylogenetic analysis of 228 phylotypes from Microcerotermes spp. and 367 phylotypes from Reticulitermes spp. with other termite gut clones available in public databases demonstrated the monophyly of many phylotypes from distantly related termites. The monophyletic "termite clusters" comprised of phylotypes from more than one termite species were distributed among 15 bacterial phyla, including the novel candidate phyla TG2 and TG3. These termite clusters accounted for 95% of the 960 clones analyzed in this study. Moreover, the clusters in 12 phyla comprised phylotypes from more than one termite (sub)family, accounting for 75% of the analyzed clones. Our results suggest that the majority of gut bacteria are not allochthonous but are specific symbionts that have coevolved with termites and that their community structure is basically consistent within a genus of termites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Hongoh
- International Cooperative Research Project, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
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Stingl U, Radek R, Yang H, Brune A. "Endomicrobia": cytoplasmic symbionts of termite gut protozoa form a separate phylum of prokaryotes. Appl Environ Microbiol 2005; 71:1473-9. [PMID: 15746350 PMCID: PMC1065190 DOI: 10.1128/aem.71.3.1473-1479.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Lignocellulose digestion by wood-feeding termites depends on the mutualistic interaction of unusual, flagellate protists located in their hindgut. Most of the flagellates harbor numerous prokaryotic endosymbionts of so-far-unknown identity and function. Using a full-cycle molecular approach, we show here that the endosymbionts of the larger gut flagellates of Reticulitermes santonensis belong to the so-called termite group 1 (TG-1) bacteria, a group of clones previously obtained exclusively from gut homogenates of Reticulitermes speratus that are only distantly related to other bacteria and are considered a novel bacterial phylum based on their 16S rRNA gene sequences. Fluorescence in situ hybridization with specifically designed oligonucleotide probes confirmed that TG-1 bacteria are indeed located within the flagellate cells and demonstrated that Trichonympha agilis (Hypermastigida) and Pyrsonympha vertens (Oxymonadida) harbor phylogenetically distinct populations of symbionts (<95% sequence similarity). Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the symbionts are small, spindle-shaped cells (0.6 microm in length and 0.3 microm in diameter) surrounded by two membranes and located within the cytoplasm of their hosts. The symbionts of the two flagellates are described as candidate species in the candidate genus "Endomicrobium." Moreover, we provide evidence that the members of the TG-1 phylum, for which we propose the candidate name "Endomicrobia," are phylogenetically extremely diverse and are present in and also restricted to the guts of all lower termites and wood-feeding cockroaches of the genus Cryptocercus, the only insects that are in an exclusive, obligately mutualistic association with such unique cellulose-fermenting protists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Stingl
- Fachbereich Biologie, Universität Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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Brugerolle G, Bordereau C. Pachyjoenia howa, a new symbiotic parabasalid joeniid flagellate of the termite Postelectrotermes howa. Eur J Protistol 2005. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2004.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Hackstein JHP. Eukaryotic Fe-hydrogenases – old eukaryotic heritage or adaptive acquisitions? Biochem Soc Trans 2005; 33:47-50. [PMID: 15667261 DOI: 10.1042/bst0330047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
All eukaryotes seem to possess proteins that most probably evolved from an ancestral Fe-hydrogenase. These proteins, known as NARF or Nar, do not produce hydrogen. Notably, a small group of rather unrelated unicellular anaerobes and a few algae possess Fe-hydrogenases, which produce hydrogen. In most, but not all organisms, hydrogen production occurs in membrane-bounded organelles, i.e. hydrogenosomes or plastids. Whereas plastids are monophyletic, hydrogenosomes evolved repeatedly and independently from mitochondria or mitochondria-like organelles. A systematic analysis of the various hydrogenosomes and their hydrogenases will contribute to an understanding of the evolution of the eukaryotic cell, and provide clues to the evolutionary origin(s) of the Fe-hydrogenase.
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Affiliation(s)
- J H P Hackstein
- Department of Evolutionary Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Hackstein JHP, Yarlett N. Hydrogenosomes and symbiosis. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR AND SUBCELLULAR BIOLOGY 2005; 41:117-42. [PMID: 16623392 DOI: 10.1007/3-540-28221-1_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Johannes H P Hackstein
- Department of Evolutionary Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 1, NL 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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