Acquisition of a novel sulfur-oxidizing symbiont in the gutless marine worm Inanidrilus exumae.

This study, thus, highlights the remarkable plasticity of both animals and bacteria in establishing beneficial associations: the phallodriline hosts were able to acquire and maintain symbionts from two very different lineages of bacteria, while sulfur-oxidizing bacteria from two very distantly related lineages were able to independently establish symbiotic relationships with phallodriline hosts.
PMID: 29330187 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Applied and Environmental Microbiology - January 12, 2018 Category: Microbiology Authors: Bergin C, Wentrup C, Brewig N, Blazejak A, Erséus C, Giere O, Schmid M, De Wit P, Dubilier N Tags: Appl Environ Microbiol Source Type: research