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Molecular techniques reveal wide phyletic diversity of heterotrophic microbes associated with Discodermia spp. (Porifera: Demospongiae)

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Date Issued:
1999
Title: Molecular techniques reveal wide phyletic diversity of heterotrophic microbes associated with Discodermia spp. (Porifera: Demospongiae).
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Name(s): Lopez, Jose V.
McCarthy, Peter J.
Janda, Kathleen E.
Willoughby, Robin
Pomponi, Shirley A.
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Article
Date Issued: 1999
Publisher: Queensland Museum
Place of Publication: Brisbane, Australia
Physical Form: pdf
Extent: 17 p.
Language(s): English
Identifier: FA00007312 (IID)
Note(s): Sponges are well known to harbor large numbers of heterotrophic microbes within their mesohyl. Studies to determine the diversity of these associated microbes have been attempted for only a few shallow water species. We cultured various microorganisms from several species of Discodermia collected from deep water using the 'Johnson-Sea-Link' manned submersibles, and characterised them by standard microbiological identification methods. Characterisation of a small proportion (ca. 10%) of the total and potential eubacterial isolate collection with molecular systematics techniques revealed a wide diversity of microbes. Phylogenetic analyses of 32 small subunit (SSU) 16S-like rRNA gene sequences from different micorbes indicated high levels of taxonomic diversity assoiated with this genus of sponge. For example, bacteria from at least five cubacterial subdivisions - gamma, alpha, beta, Cytophaga and Gram positive - were isolated from the mesohyl of Discodermia. Several strains were unidentifiable from current sequence databases. No overlap was found between sequences of 24 isolates and 8 sequences obtained by PCR and cloning directly from sponge samples. The abundance and diversity of microbes associated with sponges such as Discodermia suggest that they may play important roles in marine microbial ecology, dispersal and evolution.
Florida Atlantic University. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute contribution 1276
This manuscript is an author version with the final publication available and may be cited as: Lopez, J. V., McCarthy, P. J., Janda, K. E., Willoughby, R., & Pomponi, S. A. (1999). Molecular techniques reveal wide phyletic diversity of heterotrophic microbes associated with Discodermia spp. (Porifera: Demospongiae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 44, 329-341.
Subject(s): Porifera
Demospongiae
Microbial diversity
Genes, rRNA
Symbiosis
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00007312
Host Institution: FAU