The enigmatic genome of an obligate ancient Spiroplasma symbiont in a hadal holothurian.

This study presents the genome of endosymbiotic spiroplasmas in the gut of sea cucumber captured in the Mariana trench. The extreme reduction of the genome and loss of essential metabolic pathways strongly support its endosymbiotic life mode. Moreover, a considerable part of the genome was occupied by CRISPR/Cas system to provide immunity against viruses and antimicrobial toxin-coding genes for degradation of microbes. This novel species of Spiroplasma is probably an important protective symbiont for the sea cucumbers in the hadal zone. PMID: 29054873 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Applied and Environmental Microbiology - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: Appl Environ Microbiol Source Type: research