Open AccessSpatial distribution of bacterial phylotypes in the gut of the termite Reticulitermes speratus and the bacterial community colonizing the gut epithelium
Author(s) -
Nakajima Hideaki,
Hongoh Yuichi,
Usami Ron,
Kudo Toshiaki,
Ohkuma Moriya
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1016/j.femsec.2005.03.010
Subject(s) - biology , firmicutes , bacteroidetes , actinobacteria , phylotype , hindgut , reticulitermes , gut flora , verrucomicrobia , microbiology and biotechnology , bacterial phyla , proteobacteria , 16s ribosomal rna , zoology , rhinotermitidae , botany , bacteria , midgut , genetics , larva , immunology
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.