Membrane Vesicles Can Contribute to Cellulose Degradation by Teredinibacter turnerae, a Cultivable Intracellular Endosymbiont of Shipworms.

Teredinibacter turnerae is a cultivable cellulolytic Gammaproteobacterium (Cellvibrionaceae) that commonly occurs as an intracellular endosymbiont in the gills of wood-eating bivalves of the family Teredinidae (shipworms). The genome of T. turnerae encodes a broad range of enzymes that deconstruct cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin and contribute to wood (lignocellulose) digestion in the shipworm gut.

Closing the genome of T7902 by long-read nanopore sequencing.

We present the complete closed circular genome sequence derived from the Oxford Nanopore sequencing of the shipworm endosymbiont, T7902 (DSM 15152, ATCC 39867), originally isolated from the shipworm, (1). This sequence will aid in the comparative genomics of shipworm endosymbionts and the understanding of the host-symbiont evolution.

Complete genome sequences of two new strains of the shipworm endosymbiont, .

We present the complete genome sequences of two strains of , SR01903 and SR02026, shipworm endosymbionts isolated from the gills of and , respectively, and derived from Oxford Nanopore sequencing. These sequences will aid in the comparative genomics of shipworm endosymbionts and understanding of host-symbiont selection.

Closing the genome of T7902 by long-read nanopore sequencing.

We present the complete closed circular genome sequence derived from Oxford Nanopore sequencing of the shipworm endosymbiont T7902 (DSM 15152, ATCC 39867), originally isolated from the shipworm (1). This sequence will aid in the comparative genomics of shipworm endosymbionts and the understanding of host-symbiont evolution.

Membrane vesicles can contribute to cellulose degradation by , a cultivable intracellular endosymbiont of shipworms.

is a cultivable cellulolytic Gammaproteobacterium (Cellvibrionaceae) that commonly occurs as an intracellular endosymbiont in the gills of wood-eating bivalves of the family Teredinidae (shipworms). The genome of encodes a broad range of enzymes that deconstruct cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin and contribute to wood (lignocellulose) digestion in the shipworm gut. However, the mechanisms by which secretes lignocellulolytic enzymes are incompletely understood.

The dilution effect behind the scenes: testing the underlying assumptions of its mechanisms through quantifying the long-term dynamics and effects of a pathogen in multiple host species.

Disentangling the mechanisms that mediate the relationships between species diversity and disease risk has both theoretical and applied implications. We employed a model system of rodents and their pathogens, in which an extreme negative diversity-disease relationship was demonstrated, to test the assumptions underlying three mechanisms that may explain this field pattern. Through quantifying the long-term dynamics and effects of the pathogen in its three host species, we estimated the between-host differences in pathogen spreading and transmission potentials, and host recovery potential and vulnerability to infection.

Endosymbionts of Fleas Occur in All Females but Rarely in Males and Do Not Show Evidence of Obligatory Relationships, Fitness Effects, or Sex-Distorting Manipulations.

The widespread temporal and spatial persistence of endosymbionts in arthropod host populations, despite potential conflicts with their hosts and fluctuating environmental conditions, is puzzling. Here, we disentangled three main mechanisms that are commonly proposed to explain such persistence, namely, obligatory relationships, in which the host is fully dependent on its endosymbiont, fitness advantages conferred by the endosymbiont, and reproductive manipulations imposed by the endosymbiont. Our model system reflects an extreme case, in which the endosymbiont persists in all female flea hosts but rarely in male ones.

Untangling the knots: Co-infection and diversity of Bartonella from wild gerbils and their associated fleas.

Based on molecular data, previous studies have suggested a high overall diversity and co-infection rates of Bartonella bacteria in wild rodents and their fleas. However, partial genetic characterization of uncultured co-infecting bacteria limited sound conclusions concerning intra- and inter-specific diversity of the circulating Bartonella. To overcome this limitation, Bartonella infections of wild populations of two sympatric gerbil species and their fleas were explored by multiple isolations of Bartonella organisms.

Wolbachia's role in mediating its flea's reproductive success differs according to flea origin.

Endosymbionts-microbes that live within and engage in prolonged and intimate associations with their hosts-are gaining recognition for their direct impact on plant and animal reproduction. Here we used the overlooked Wolbachia-flea system to explore the possibility that endosymbionts may also play a role as mediators in shaping the reproductive success of their hosts. We simultaneously quantified the Wolbachia density in field- and laboratory-originated fleas that fed and mated on rodents for either 5 or 10 days and assessed their body size and current reproductive success.