Keeping it in the family: coevolution of latrunculid sponges and their dominant bacterial symbionts
- Matcher, Gwynneth F, Waterworth, Samantha C, Walmsley, Tara A, Matsatsa, Tendayi, Parker-Nance, Shirley, Davies-Coleman, Michael T, Dorrington, Rosemary A
- Authors: Matcher, Gwynneth F , Waterworth, Samantha C , Walmsley, Tara A , Matsatsa, Tendayi , Parker-Nance, Shirley , Davies-Coleman, Michael T , Dorrington, Rosemary A
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/65603 , vital:28818 , https://doi.org/10.1002/mbo3.417
- Description: publisher version , The Latrunculiidae are a family of cold water sponges known for their production of bioactive pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloids. Previously it was shown that the bacterial community associated with a Tsitsikamma sponge species comprises unusual bacterial taxa and is dominated by a novel Betaproteobacterium. Here, we have characterized the bacterial communities associated with six latrunculid species representing three genera (Tsitsikamma, Cyclacanthia, and Latrunculia) as well as a Mycale species, collected from Algoa Bay on the South African southeast coast. The bacterial communities of all seven sponge species were dominated by a single Betaproteobacterium operational taxonomic unit (OTU0.03), while a second OTU0.03 was dominant in the Mycale sp. The Betaproteobacteria OTUs from the different latrunculid sponges are closely related and their phylogenetic relationship follows that of their hosts. We propose that the latrunculid Betaproteobacteria OTUs are members of a specialized group of sponge symbionts that may have coevolved with their hosts. A single dominant Spirochaetae OTU0.03 was present in the Tsitsikamma and Cyclacanthia sponge species, but absent from the Latrunculia and Mycale sponges. This study sheds new light on the interactions between latrunculid sponges and their bacterial communities and may point to the potential involvement of dominant symbionts in the biosynthesis of the bioactive secondary metabolites. , This research was supported by a SARChI grant from the South African National Research Foundation (NRF, GUN: 87583) and the Rhodes University Sandisa Imbewu Programme. S. C. W. was supported by an NRF Innovation PhD Scholarship and a Rhodes University Henderson PhD Scholarship. T. A. W. was supported by PhD Fellowships from the NRF and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
- Full Text:
- Authors: Matcher, Gwynneth F , Waterworth, Samantha C , Walmsley, Tara A , Matsatsa, Tendayi , Parker-Nance, Shirley , Davies-Coleman, Michael T , Dorrington, Rosemary A
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/65603 , vital:28818 , https://doi.org/10.1002/mbo3.417
- Description: publisher version , The Latrunculiidae are a family of cold water sponges known for their production of bioactive pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloids. Previously it was shown that the bacterial community associated with a Tsitsikamma sponge species comprises unusual bacterial taxa and is dominated by a novel Betaproteobacterium. Here, we have characterized the bacterial communities associated with six latrunculid species representing three genera (Tsitsikamma, Cyclacanthia, and Latrunculia) as well as a Mycale species, collected from Algoa Bay on the South African southeast coast. The bacterial communities of all seven sponge species were dominated by a single Betaproteobacterium operational taxonomic unit (OTU0.03), while a second OTU0.03 was dominant in the Mycale sp. The Betaproteobacteria OTUs from the different latrunculid sponges are closely related and their phylogenetic relationship follows that of their hosts. We propose that the latrunculid Betaproteobacteria OTUs are members of a specialized group of sponge symbionts that may have coevolved with their hosts. A single dominant Spirochaetae OTU0.03 was present in the Tsitsikamma and Cyclacanthia sponge species, but absent from the Latrunculia and Mycale sponges. This study sheds new light on the interactions between latrunculid sponges and their bacterial communities and may point to the potential involvement of dominant symbionts in the biosynthesis of the bioactive secondary metabolites. , This research was supported by a SARChI grant from the South African National Research Foundation (NRF, GUN: 87583) and the Rhodes University Sandisa Imbewu Programme. S. C. W. was supported by an NRF Innovation PhD Scholarship and a Rhodes University Henderson PhD Scholarship. T. A. W. was supported by PhD Fellowships from the NRF and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
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Tufa stromatolite ecosystems on the South African south coast
- Perissinotto, Renzo, Bornman, Tommy G, Steyn, Paul-Pierre, Miranda, Nelson A F, Dorrington, Rosemary A, Matcher, Gwynneth F, Strydom, Nadine A, Peer, Nasreen
- Authors: Perissinotto, Renzo , Bornman, Tommy G , Steyn, Paul-Pierre , Miranda, Nelson A F , Dorrington, Rosemary A , Matcher, Gwynneth F , Strydom, Nadine A , Peer, Nasreen
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6490 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1014585 , http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/sajs.2014/20140011
- Description: Following the first description of living marine stromatolites along the South African east coast, new investigations along the south coast have revealed the occurrence of extensive fields of actively calcifying stromatolites. These stromatolites have been recorded at regular distances along a 200-km stretch of coastline, from Cape Recife in the east to the Storms River mouth in the west, with the highest density found between Schoenmakerskop and the Maitland River mouth. All active stromatolites are associated with freshwater seepage streams flowing from the dune cordon, which form rimstone dams and other accretions capable of retaining water in the supratidal platform. Resulting pools can reach a maximum depth of about 1 m and constitute a unique ecosystem in which freshwater and marine organisms alternate their dominance in response to vertical mixing and the balance between freshwater versus marine inflow. Although the factors controlling stromatolite growth are yet to be determined, nitrogen appears to be supplied mainly via the dune seeps. The epibenthic algal community within stromatolite pools is generally co-dominated by cyanobacteria and chlorophytes, with minimal diatom contribution.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Perissinotto, Renzo , Bornman, Tommy G , Steyn, Paul-Pierre , Miranda, Nelson A F , Dorrington, Rosemary A , Matcher, Gwynneth F , Strydom, Nadine A , Peer, Nasreen
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6490 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1014585 , http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/sajs.2014/20140011
- Description: Following the first description of living marine stromatolites along the South African east coast, new investigations along the south coast have revealed the occurrence of extensive fields of actively calcifying stromatolites. These stromatolites have been recorded at regular distances along a 200-km stretch of coastline, from Cape Recife in the east to the Storms River mouth in the west, with the highest density found between Schoenmakerskop and the Maitland River mouth. All active stromatolites are associated with freshwater seepage streams flowing from the dune cordon, which form rimstone dams and other accretions capable of retaining water in the supratidal platform. Resulting pools can reach a maximum depth of about 1 m and constitute a unique ecosystem in which freshwater and marine organisms alternate their dominance in response to vertical mixing and the balance between freshwater versus marine inflow. Although the factors controlling stromatolite growth are yet to be determined, nitrogen appears to be supplied mainly via the dune seeps. The epibenthic algal community within stromatolite pools is generally co-dominated by cyanobacteria and chlorophytes, with minimal diatom contribution.
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A broad host range reporter plasmid for the analysis of divergent promoter regions
- Jiwaji, Meesbah, Matcher, Gwynneth F, Dorrington, Rosemary A
- Authors: Jiwaji, Meesbah , Matcher, Gwynneth F , Dorrington, Rosemary A
- Date: 2008
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6476 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006164 , http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?pid=S0038-23532008000400013&script=sci_arttext
- Description: Although many vectors exist for Escherichia coli and closely related species, there are few broad host range vectors that can be conjugated into a large variety of Gram-negative bacteria. We have constructed a broad host range vector, pMJ445, that facilitates the analysis of divergent promoters in Gram-negative bacteria. The vector was validated using two intergenic regions derived from gene clusters involved in hydantoin hydrolysis, from the environmental isolates Pseudomonas putida and Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The DNA sequences analysed were capable of activating expression of the reporter enzymes, β-glucuronidase and β-galactosidase, present on pMJ445, indicating the presence of divergent promoters in the sequences selected. In addition, we demonstrated that pMJ445 can be applied to gene regulation studies.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Jiwaji, Meesbah , Matcher, Gwynneth F , Dorrington, Rosemary A
- Date: 2008
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6476 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006164 , http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?pid=S0038-23532008000400013&script=sci_arttext
- Description: Although many vectors exist for Escherichia coli and closely related species, there are few broad host range vectors that can be conjugated into a large variety of Gram-negative bacteria. We have constructed a broad host range vector, pMJ445, that facilitates the analysis of divergent promoters in Gram-negative bacteria. The vector was validated using two intergenic regions derived from gene clusters involved in hydantoin hydrolysis, from the environmental isolates Pseudomonas putida and Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The DNA sequences analysed were capable of activating expression of the reporter enzymes, β-glucuronidase and β-galactosidase, present on pMJ445, indicating the presence of divergent promoters in the sequences selected. In addition, we demonstrated that pMJ445 can be applied to gene regulation studies.
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