Open AccessBacteria associated with Artemia spp. along the salinity gradient of the solar salterns at Eilat (Israel)
Author(s) -
Tkavc Rok,
Ausec Luka,
Oren Aharon,
GundeCimerman Nina
Publication year - 2011
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 - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2011.01112.x
Subject(s) - biology , halomonas , firmicutes , proteobacteria , bacteroidetes , halophile , zoology , actinobacteria , aquaculture , ecology , botany , brine shrimp , bacteria , fishery , 16s ribosomal rna , fish <actinopterygii> , genetics
The crustacean genus Artemia naturally inhabits various saline and hypersaline environments and is the most frequently laboratory‐hatched animal for live feed in mari‐ and aquaculture. Because of its high economic importance, Artemia –bacteria interactions were so far studied mostly in laboratory strains. In this study, we focused our attention on the Artemia ‐associated microbiota in its natural environment in the solar salterns of Eilat, Israel. We applied a culture‐independent method (clone libraries) to investigate the bacterial community structure associated with Artemia in five evaporation ponds with salinities from slightly above seawater (5%) to the point of saturation (32%), in two different developmental stages: in nauplii and in the intestine of adult animals. Bacteria found in naupliar and adult stages were classified within the Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Cyanobacteria . The halophilic proteobacterial genera Halomonas spp. and Salinivibrio spp. dominated the Artemia microbiota in both stages in all ponds. We also analysed a clone library of entire adult animals, revealing a novel bacterial phylogenetic lineage. This is the first molecular study of bacteria associated with two developmental stages of Artemia along a salinity gradient.