Association of rhizobia with a marine polychaete

Environ Microbiol Rep. 2013 Aug;5(4):492-8. doi: 10.1111/1758-2229.12043. Epub 2013 Mar 18.

Abstract

We report the presence of Mesorhizobium, a genus best known for its nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with terrestrial legumes, associated with the marine polychaete Meganerilla bactericola (Annelida: Nerillidae). Abundant epibionts were previously described as coating the exterior of M. bactericola, which is found within the anoxic sulfide-oxidizing microbial mats of the Santa Barbara Basin, California, USA. 16S rRNA investigation of the bacterial community associated with this polychaete discovered the presence of bacteria belonging to Mesorhizobium. We identified these bacteria using phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA and three additional functional genes, nifH, atpD and recA, and group-specific fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aquatic Organisms / microbiology*
  • California
  • Cluster Analysis
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal / chemistry
  • DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Mesorhizobium / classification*
  • Mesorhizobium / genetics
  • Mesorhizobium / isolation & purification*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oxidoreductases / genetics
  • Phylogeny
  • Polychaeta / microbiology*
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Rec A Recombinases / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Transcription Factors / genetics

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA, Ribosomal
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • Transcription Factors
  • Oxidoreductases
  • nitrogenase reductase
  • Rec A Recombinases

Associated data

  • GENBANK/KC521436
  • GENBANK/KC521437
  • GENBANK/KC521438
  • GENBANK/KC521439