Symbiont succession during embryonic development of the European medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana

Rita V M Rio; Michele Maltz; Benjamin McCormick; Alexander Reiss; Joerg Graf

doi:10.1128/AEM.01129-09

Symbiont succession during embryonic development of the European medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2009 Nov;75(21):6890-5. doi: 10.1128/AEM.01129-09. Epub 2009 Jul 31.

Authors

Rita V M Rio¹, Michele Maltz, Benjamin McCormick, Alexander Reiss, Joerg Graf

Affiliation

¹ West Virginia University, Department of Biology, 53 Campus Dr. 5106 LSB, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA. rita.rio@mail.wvu.edu

Abstract

The European medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana, harbors simple microbial communities in the digestive tract and bladder. The colonization history, infection frequency, and growth dynamics of symbionts through host embryogenesis are described using diagnostic PCR and quantitative PCR. Symbiont species displayed diversity in temporal establishment and proliferation through leech development.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Animals
Bacteria / classification*
Bacteria / isolation & purification*
Biodiversity*
DNA, Bacterial / genetics
DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
Gastrointestinal Tract / microbiology*
Leeches / growth & development*
Leeches / microbiology*
Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics

Substances

DNA, Bacterial
DNA, Ribosomal
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S