Intranuclear verrucomicrobial symbionts and evidence of lateral gene transfer to the host protist in the termite gut

The ISME Journal
Tomoyuki SatoYuichi Hongoh

Abstract

In 1944, Harold Kirby described microorganisms living within nuclei of the protists Trichonympha in guts of termites; however, their taxonomic assignment remains to be accomplished. Here, we identified intranuclear symbionts of Trichonympha agilis in the gut of the termite Reticulitermes speratus. We isolated single nuclei of T. agilis, performed whole-genome amplification, and obtained bacterial 16S rRNA genes by PCR. Unexpectedly, however, all of the analyzed clones were from pseudogenes of 16S rRNA with large deletions and numerous sequence variations even within a single-nucleus sample. Authentic 16S rRNA gene sequences were finally recovered by digesting the nuclear DNA; these pseudogenes were present on the host Trichonympha genome. The authentic sequences represented two distinct bacterial species belonging to the phylum Verrucomicrobia, and the pseudogenes have originated from each of the two species. Fluorescence in situ hybridization confirmed that both species are specifically localized, and occasionally co-localized, within nuclei of T. agilis. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that they are distorted cocci with characteristic electron-dense and lucent regions, which resemble the intranuclear symbionts illus...Continue Reading

References

Sep 1, 1997·Nucleic Acids Research·S F AltschulD J Lipman
Feb 8, 2000·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·G PetroniG Rosati
Feb 27, 2004·Nucleic Acids Research·Wolfgang LudwigKarl-Heinz Schleifer
Jul 21, 2004·International Review of Cytology·Sergei I Fokin
Aug 6, 2004·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Bradley S StevensonJohn A Breznak
Mar 5, 2005·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Ulrich StinglAndreas Brune
Jun 28, 2005·Nucleic Acids Research·Nicholas R Markham, Michael Zuker
Mar 21, 2006·European Journal of Cell Biology·Amel Mettouchi, Guerrino Meneguzzi
Aug 7, 2007·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Yuichi HongohMoriya Ohkuma
Sep 7, 2007·Environmental Microbiology·Yuichi HongohMoriya Ohkuma
Oct 30, 2007·Journal of Invertebrate Pathology·J D ArneodoE Boudon-Padieu
Apr 9, 2008·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Yuichi HongohMoriya Ohkuma
Jul 24, 2008·Environmental Microbiology·Alexander LoyMatthias Horn
Feb 20, 2009·Environmental Microbiology·Frank U ZielinskiNicole Dubilier
Mar 17, 2009·BMC Biology·Naruo Nikoh, Atsushi Nakabachi
Jun 10, 2010·Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry·Yuichi Hongoh
Feb 22, 2011·Current Biology : CB·Kimberly A Pollard, Daniel T Blumstein
Mar 3, 2011·Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS·Yuichi Hongoh
Dec 14, 2011·European Journal of Protistology·Masahiro Fujishima, Yuuki Kodama
Aug 1, 2010·Environmental Microbiology Reports·Wakako Ikeda-OhtsuboAndreas Brune

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jul 22, 2015·Annual Review of Microbiology·Andreas Brune, Carsten Dietrich
Feb 15, 2015·Trends in Cell Biology·Frederik Schulz, Matthias Horn
Feb 12, 2015·PloS One·Kaoru KawafuneHisayoshi Nozaki
Jul 1, 2020·International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology·Aharon OrenMartha E Trujillo
Sep 13, 2015·Genome Biology and Evolution·Amanda M V BrownDee R Denver
Dec 17, 2020·Microorganisms·Richard GuillonneauMaëlle Molmeret
Jun 16, 2021·The ISME Journal·Flávia P FrancoMarcio C Silva-Filho
Jun 19, 2021·Frontiers in Microbiology·Timothy J WilliamsRicardo Cavicchioli
Jul 15, 2021·Current Biology : CB·Filip HusnikPatrick J Keeling

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.