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Bacterial community profiles in low microbial abundance sponges
Emily C Giles1, Janine Kamke, Lucas Moitinho-Silva
1Division of Chemical & Life Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
FEMS Microbiology Ecology
|August 14, 2012
Summary
Microbial communities in low microbial abundance (LMA) sponges are less diverse and unique to each sponge, unlike high microbial abundance (HMA) sponges. This study investigated LMA sponge bacteria across different oceans.
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Microbial ecology
- Invertebrate zoology
Background:
- Sponges are classified as low microbial abundance (LMA) or high microbial abundance (HMA) based on associated microorganism levels.
- Previous research has primarily focused on the microbial communities of HMA sponges, leaving LMA sponges understudied.
- Understanding LMA sponge microbiomes is crucial for a comprehensive view of sponge-microbe interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the bacterial communities associated with LMA sponges from diverse geographic locations.
- To compare the microbial diversity and composition of LMA sponges with those of HMA sponges.
- To investigate potential patterns in LMA sponge bacterial communities, such as host specificity or biogeography.
Main Methods:
- Sampling of LMA sponges from the Red Sea, Caribbean, and South Pacific.
- Bacterial community profiling using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
- Analysis of microbial diversity, community structure (using operational taxonomic units and UniFrac), and identification of sponge-specific bacterial clusters.
Main Results:
- LMA sponges exhibited significantly lower bacterial phylum-level diversity compared to HMA sponges, with typically fewer than five phyla per sponge.
- Each investigated LMA sponge was dominated by a specific bacterial clade, primarily within Cyanobacteria or Proteobacteria.
- Bacterial communities showed low overall similarity among LMA sponges, and the number of sponge-specific bacterial clusters was notably low.
- No clear biogeographical or host-dependent distribution patterns were observed for the bacterial communities in LMA sponges.
Conclusions:
- Bacterial community profiles in LMA sponges are distinct from those in HMA sponges.
- Each LMA sponge harbors a unique bacterial community, suggesting a high degree of host specificity.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the ecological roles and interactions within these unique LMA sponge microbiomes.
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