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Candidatus Desulfovibrio trichonymphae, a novel intracellular symbiont of the flagellate Trichonympha agilis in termite gut
Author(s) -
Sato Tomoyuki,
Hongoh Yuichi,
Noda Satoko,
Hattori Satoshi,
Ui Sadaharu,
Ohkuma Moriya
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.954
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1462-2920
pISSN - 1462-2912
DOI - 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2008.01827.x
Subject(s) - biology , candidatus , microbiology and biotechnology , phylotype , 16s ribosomal rna , bacteria , desulfovibrio , flagellate , gene , genetics , botany
Summary Rs‐N31, a 16S rRNA phylotype affiliated with the genus Desulfovibrio , has frequently been detected from the gut of the wood‐feeding termite Reticulitermes speratus . In this study, we designed a probe specifically targeting phylotype Rs‐N31 and performed fluorescence in situ hybridization to identify the corresponding cells. The signals were detected exclusively inside the cells of the flagellate Trichonympha agilis , which simultaneously harbours another intracellular bacterium belonging to the candidate phylum Termite Group 1 (TG1). The detected cells were coccoid or short rods and specifically localized in the cortical layer of mainly, the anterior part of the flagellate cell. Approximately 1800 cells were contained in a single host cell, accounting for, in total, 2% of the whole prokaryotic gut microbiota. The genes dsrAB and apsA for sulfate reduction and a gene‐encoding H 2 ‐uptake hydrogenase, both possessing a high sequence identity with those of known desulfovibrios, were obtained by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from the host cells isolated using a micromanipulator, and their expression was verified by reverse‐transcription PCR. Thus, we suggest that this endosymbiont acts as a sink for the hydrogen generated by both the flagellates and possibly TG1 symbionts. For this uncultured bacterium, we propose a novel species, ‘ Candidatus Desulfovibrio trichonymphae’.