Endozoicomonas coralli

From Microbial Ecology and Evolution Lab Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Taxonomic Classification

Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Proteobacteria
Class: Gamma Proteobacteria
Order: Oceanospirillales
Family: Hahellaceae
Genus: Endozoicomonas
Species: E. coralli

Introduction

Endozoicomonas coralli (LN879492) is a rod-shaped, gram-negative bacteria that was discovered in 2019 in Acropora coral off the coast of Southern Taiwan. The bacterium is a member of the Gamma Proteobacteria class known to have more genera than any phylum besides Firmicutes [1], and the Oceanospirillales order, known for its helical cellular structure of some members [2], but not E. coralli. Being a member of the Hahellaceae family, it requires NaCl for growth and thus thrives in saltwater [3]. E. coralli specifically grows in the range of 1-4% NaCl with an optimal of 3%. It is a part of the ''Endozoicomonas'' genus, characterized in 2007 after isolation from a sea slug. Interestingly, many of the species in this genus use amino acids as their only carbon source [4]. E. coralli grows in milky white colonies from 0.5 to 2 millimeters in diameter, reaching this size after 72 hour incubation at 30°C, their optimal temperature. The cells themselves range from 1 to 2 micrometers in length [5]. E. coralli was distinguished from other species in the Endozoicomonas genus by the amino acids it specifically uses for sources of carbon and was named on the basis of its discovery in coral [6].

Genome

The 16S rRNA gene of the Acr-12 strain of E. coralli was sequenced in 2019 and was found to be 1450 nucleotides in length, with a guanine-cytosine (G-C) content of 49.6%, with all genomic information uploaded to GenBank [7]. Analysis of the 16S sequence revealed E. coralli’s closest related species to be E. acroporae with 98.7% identical sequences [8]. Though this may cause skepticism in E. coralli’s identity as a novel species rather than a part of or a subspecies of E. acroporae, however, with a DNA-DNA hybridization value of about 27.9% (well under the cutoff of 70%), these species have different enough DNA sequences to distinguish them as different species. E. coralli was also closest related to the species identified in the Endozoicomonas genus, including the pioneer species of the genus, E. elysicola [9].

Energetics

E. coralli is a chemoorganoheterotroph, indicating it does not fix its own carbon for energy. Like its fellow Endozoicomonas genus members, it uses organic compounds as its source of carbon, including isomers of amino acids. E. coralli specifically uses adonitol, L-fucose, D-mannitol, and L-histidine as its source of carbon, whereas other Endozoicomonas members use L-alanine and L-serine to name a few. These differing sources of carbon distinguish between E. coralli and the rest of the Endozoicomonas genus [10]. E. coralli executes aerobic respiration, being found in coral in the ocean, to acquire ATP. This is assisted by its production of the quinone Q-9 [11]. Quinones are used in the electron transport chain as a source of redox potential, and differential quinones have been used to distinguish between bacterial species being such a vital part of aerobic metabolism [12].

Ecological Implications

E. coralli resides in Acropora coral, so it is not unreasonable to assume it has a role in the coral’s health. Though the specifics of E. coralli’s interactions with Acropora have not been studied, microbial interactions with coral have been thought to shield coral from harmful bacteria by taking up surface area, nitrogen fixing, and recycling nutrients for the coral as well as its inhabitants [13]. Ongoing studies have been occurring, in hopes to save the coral from ocean acidification and global warming, but it is beneficial to think about the optimal environment for the microbes and how disturbing them could impact more than the microbial community, more than the coral, and even more than the oceanic environment. E. coralli has been found to thrive in warm environments at neutral pHs, with an optimal growth temperature of 30°C and an optimal pH of 7. The ranges for growth, however, are slim. E. coralli’s maximum temperature for growth is 35°C, and its minimum pH for growth is 6 [14]. These values are extremely relevant given the increase in ocean acidification and rising temperatures. Further research is needed in the area of microbe-coral interaction to understand the impacts of climate change and ways in which microbial benefits could be exploited to better take care of coral reefs and the ecosystems and biodiversity they cultivate.

References

  1. ↑ Williams, K.P., Gillespie, J.J., Sobral, B.W.S., Nordberg, E.K., Snyder, E.E., Shallom, J.M., and Dickerman, A.W. (2010). Phylogeny of Gammaproteobacteria. J. Bacteriol. 192, 2305–2314.
  2. ↑ Garrity, G.M., Bell, J.A., and Lilburn, T. (2015). Oceanospirillales ord. nov. In Bergey’s Manual of Systematics of Archaea and Bacteria, (American Cancer Society), pp. 1–1.
  3. ↑ (2015). Hahella. In Bergey’s Manual of Systematics of Archaea and Bacteria, (American Cancer Society), pp. 1–2.
  4. ↑ Kurahashi, M., and Yokota, A. (2007). Endozoicomonas elysicola gen. nov., sp. nov., a gamma-proteobacterium isolated from the sea slug Elysia ornata. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 30, 202–206.
  5. ↑ Chen, W.-M., Lin, K.-R., and Sheu, S.-Y. (2019). Endozoicomonas coralli sp. nov., isolated from the coral Acropora sp. Arch. Microbiol. 201, 531–538.
  6. ↑ Chen, W.-M., Lin, K.-R., and Sheu, S.-Y. (2019). Endozoicomonas coralli sp. nov., isolated from the coral Acropora sp. Arch. Microbiol. 201, 531–538.
  7. ↑ Chen, W.-M., Lin, K.-R., and Sheu, S.-Y. (2019). Endozoicomonas coralli sp. nov., isolated from the coral Acropora sp. Arch. Microbiol. 201, 531–538.
  8. ↑ Chen, W.-M., Lin, K.-R., and Sheu, S.-Y. (2019). Endozoicomonas coralli sp. nov., isolated from the coral Acropora sp. Arch. Microbiol. 201, 531–538.
  9. ↑ Chen, W.-M., Lin, K.-R., and Sheu, S.-Y. (2019). Endozoicomonas coralli sp. nov., isolated from the coral Acropora sp. Arch. Microbiol. 201, 531–538.
  10. ↑ Chen, W.-M., Lin, K.-R., and Sheu, S.-Y. (2019). Endozoicomonas coralli sp. nov., isolated from the coral Acropora sp. Arch. Microbiol. 201, 531–538.
  11. ↑ Chen, W.-M., Lin, K.-R., and Sheu, S.-Y. (2019). Endozoicomonas coralli sp. nov., isolated from the coral Acropora sp. Arch. Microbiol. 201, 531–538.
  12. ↑ Chen, W.-M., Lin, K.-R., and Sheu, S.-Y. (2019). Endozoicomonas coralli sp. nov., isolated from the coral Acropora sp. Arch. Microbiol. 201, 531–538.
  13. ↑ Goldsmith, D.B., Kellogg, C.A., Morrison, C.L., Gray, M.A., Stone, R.P., Waller, R.G., Brooke, S.D., and Ross, S.W. (2018). Comparison of microbiomes of cold-water corals Primnoa pacifica and Primnoa resedaeformis, with possible link between microbiome composition and host genotype. Sci. Rep. 8, 12383.
  14. ↑ Chen, W.-M., Lin, K.-R., and Sheu, S.-Y. (2019). Endozoicomonas coralli sp. nov., isolated from the coral Acropora sp. Arch. Microbiol. 201, 531–538.
Retrieved from "http://microbes.sites.haverford.edu/MEE_wiki/index.php?title=Endozoicomonas_coralli&oldid=1590"