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Characterization of R‐body genetic determinants in Caedibacter caryophilus a symbiont of Paramecium caudatum : preliminary results
Author(s) -
SCHRALLHAMMER MARTINA,
GÖRTZ HANSDIETER,
LUDWIG WOLFGANG,
SCHLEIFER KARLHEINZ,
PETRONI GIULIO
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of eukaryotic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 1066-5234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.2005.05202003_6_14.x
Subject(s) - biology , paramecium caudatum , extrachromosomal dna , plasmid , flagellate , gammaproteobacteria , percoll , genetics , minicircle , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , paramecium , alphaproteobacteria , endosymbiosis , 16s ribosomal rna , botany , plastid , chloroplast , in vitro
Refractile inclusion bodies, called R‐bodies were observed within the cells of some bacterial strains. They are protein ribbons, which are typically coiled into cylindrical structures. They are produced by members of the genus Caedibacter , gram‐negative rod‐shaped endosymbionts of paramecia and e.g. the free‐living bacteria Hydrogenophaga taeniospiralis and Acidovorax avenae . The phylogenetic relationship even between the members of the genus Caedibacter is quite low: C. taeniospiralis belongs to the Gammaproteobacteria and is related to Francisella tularensis , C. caryophilus is affiliated with the Alphaproteobacteria and clusters with the obligate endosymbiont Holospora . In the case of C. taeniospiralis 51, the genetic determinants of R‐body synthesis are located on a plasmid, whereas in other strains like 7 and 562 it looks like phage particles are involved in their production. In the present study, we investigated C. caryophilus , endosymbiont of Paramecium caudatum . Separation of C. caryophilus cells was performed by Percoll ™ density gradient centrifugation. The isolated DNA was separated by pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis and it was possible to visualize several bands referring to one or more extrachromosomal elements. A small gene library of these extrachromosomal elements was constructed and we already identified transposition‐related genes; interestingly, similar genes were reported also on the plasmid of C. taeniospiralis 51.