Hot Paper - Cultivation of gut microorganisms of the marine ascidian Halocynthia roretzi reveals their potential roles in the environmental adaptation of their host

Cultivation of gut microorganisms of the marine ascidian Halocynthia roretzi reveals their potential roles in the environmental adaptation of their host

海洋海鞘 Halocynthia roretzi 肠道微生物的培养揭示了它们在宿主环境适应中的潜在作用
海洋ホヤHalocynthiaroretziの腸内微生物の培養は、宿主の環境適応におけるそれらの潜在的な役割を明らかにします
해양 ascidian Halocynthia roretzi의 장내 미생물 배양은 숙주의 환경 적응에서 잠재적 역할을 밝힙니다
El cultivo de microorganismos intestinales de la ascidia marina Halocynthia roretzi revela su papel potencial en la adaptación ambiental de su huésped
La culture de micro-organismes intestinaux de l'ascidie marine Halocynthia roretzi révèle leurs rôles potentiels dans l'adaptation environnementale de leur hôte
Культивирование кишечных микроорганизмов морской асцидии Halocynthia roretzi раскрывает их потенциальную роль в адаптации хозяина к окружающей среде

Yang Yang 杨阳 ¹, Yuting Zhu ¹, Haiming Liu ¹, Jiankai Wei 隗健凯 ¹, Haiyan Yu 于海燕 ¹, Bo Dong 董波 ¹ ² ³

¹ Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
中国青岛中国海洋大学海洋生命学院海洋生物遗传与育种教育部重点实验室
² Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, 266237, China
中国青岛海洋生物学与生物技术实验室青岛海洋科学与技术试点国家实验室
³ Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
中国青岛中国海洋大学海洋生物多样性与进化研究所

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s42995-022-00131-4

http://mlst.ouc.edu.cn/en/article/doi/10.1007/s42995-022-00131-4

Marine Life Science & Technology, 26 April 2022

Abstract

It has long been known that abundant symbiotic bacteria exist in the tunic and gut of marine ascidians, and that these play crucial roles in host development, physiological metabolism, and environmental adaptation. However, the identity, roles and functions of these symbiotic bacteria are known for only a few strains.

In this study, we isolated and cultivated 263 strains of microorganisms from the intestine of the marine ascidian Halocynthia roretzi through a combination of aerobic and anaerobic culture approaches. Most cultivated species, both aerobic and anaerobic, from ascidian stool samples belonged to the genus Bacillus based on 16S rDNA sequencing identification and phylogenetic assays. The distribution of cultured bacteria varied with seasonal changes in environmental conditions.

To explore the functions of cultured bacteria, we screened out a strain of Serratia sp. whose extracts showed high antibacterial activity against aquatic pathogens. These findings revealed the potential roles of gut microorganisms in ascidian defense and environmental adaptation, thus providing insights into the interaction and co-evolution between gut bacteria and their hosts.

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