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PubMed2001

A community of ants, fungi, and bacteria: a multilateral approach to studying symbiosis.

The ancient and highly evolved mutualism between fungus-growing ants and their fungi is a textbook example of symbiosis. The ants carefully tend the fungus, which serves as their main food source, and traditionally are believed to be so successful at fungal cultivation that they are able to maintain the fungus free of microbial pathogens. This assumption is surprising in light of theories on the evolution of parasitism, especially for those species of ants that have been clonally propagating their cultivars for millions of years. Recent work has established that, as theoretically predicted, the gardens of fungus-growing ants are host to a specialized, virulent, and highly evolved fungal pathogen in the genus Escovopsis. In addition, the ants have evolved a mutualistic association with filamentous bacteria (actinomycetes) that produce antibiotics that suppress the growth of Escovopsis. Thus, the attine symbiosis appears to be a coevolutionary "arms race" between the garden parasite Escovopsis on the one hand and the ant-fungus-actinomycete tripartite mutualism on the other. These recent findings indicate that microbes may be key components in the regulation of other symbiotic associations between higher organisms.

Actinomycetales↗
PubMed1984

Intracellular infection of aposymbiotic Hydra viridis by a foreign free-living Chlorella sp.: initiation of a stable symbiosis.

An aposymbiotic strain of Hydra viridis became infected with free-living Chlorella sp. A stable symbiosis formed that differed in its characteristics from other known Chlorella/Hydra symbioses. The algae reproduced and formed clusters in host endodermal cells, inside large vacuoles filled with an electron-dense substance. A few algae were found to be digested by the hydra, but the apparently uncontrolled reproduction rate of the algae more than compensated for this loss. Surplus algae were expelled into the coelenteron and eventually into the surrounding medium. The expelled algae were repeatedly re-engulfed by the hydra during its feeding, forming a process of continuous reinfection. We suggest that such repeated reinfection of the hydra by the expelled algae provides the host with an endless number of Chlorella from which it might in time select a suitable adapted, controllable symbiont. The present newly formed symbiosis might serve as a model for the study of evolution of algal endosymbioses.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Competition between Chlorellae in chimeric infections of Hydra viridis: the evolution of a stable symbiosis.

Aposymbiotic polyps of Hydra viridis were infected with one or two of the following strains of Chlorella: the native strain obtained from green H, viridis, and the originally non-symbiotic strains Fs and 211/8p cultured in vitro. Larvae of Artemia served as infecting vectors. Chimeric infections were obtained with two different Chlorella strains cohabiting in the same cells and polyps. In time, the chimeric infections disappeared and mixed populations of Hydra were formed with different strains of Chlorella in different polyps. We suggest that the Chlorella/Hydra symbiosis was initiated originally by an infection of preadapted hydra by preadapted chlorellae. Through intracellular interalgal competition and competition between dissimilar infected cells and polyps, the present-day stable symbiosis has evolved.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Friends or foes: Unraveling the tsetse fly-Spiroplasma symbiosis.

Tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) transmit African trypanosomes, the causative agents of human African and African animal trypanosomiases (HAT and AAT, respectively). These neglected tropical diseases impose significant public health and economic burdens across sub-Saharan Africa. Trypanosome transmission by tsetse flies is influenced by multiple factors, including host genetic background, ecological factors, and interactions with heritable microbial endosymbionts. Spiroplasma glossinidia has recently emerged as an important modulator of tsetse reproductive fitness and vector competence, making it a potential target for symbiont-based vector control strategies. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the tsetse-Spiroplasma symbiosis. We detail Spiroplasma's spatial and temporal infection dynamics in laboratory-reared and natural populations. Additionally, we highlight key aspects of the bacterium's genomics, phylogenetics, and physiological interactions with its tsetse host, including influences on host gene expression reproductive physiology, and vector competence. Finally, we discuss how the tsetse-Spiroplasma symbiosis could be harnessed to develop innovative, biological-based vector control and trypanosome transmission-blocking strategies, and we identify critical gaps that must be addressed to translate these findings into effective disease control interventions.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Mutualistic stability in the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis: exploring hypotheses of evolutionary cooperation.

The 450-million-year-old symbiosis between the majority of land plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is one of the most ancient, abundant, and ecologically important mutualisms on Earth. Yet, the evolutionary stability of mycorrhizal associations is still poorly understood, as it follows none of the constraints thought to stabilize cooperation in other well-known mutualisms. The capacity of both host and symbiont to simultaneously interact with several partners introduces a unique dilemma; detecting and punishing those exploiting the mutualism becomes increasingly difficult if these individuals can continue to access resources from alternative sources. Here, we explore four hypotheses to explain evolutionary cooperation in the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis: (1) pseudo-vertical transmission and spatial structuring of plant and fungal populations leading to local adaptation of partners; (2) luxury resource exchange in which plants trade surplus carbon for excess fungal nutrients; (3) partner choice allowing partners to associate with better cooperators; and (4) host and symbiont sanctions which actively reward good partners and punish less cooperative ones. We propose that mycorrhizal cooperation is promoted by an exchange of surplus resources between partners and enforced through sanctions by one or both partners. These mechanisms may allow plant and fungal genotypes to discriminate against individuals employing exploitative strategies, promoting patterns of partner choice. Together these selection pressures provide a framework for understanding the stabilization of mycorrhizal cooperation over evolutionary time.

Biological Evolution↗
PubMed2002

Nitrogen control of bacterial signal production in Rhizobium meliloti-alfalfa symbiosis.

Under nitrogen-depleted conditions nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria of the family Rhizobiaceae are able to induce symbiotic nodules on the roots of leguminous plants where bacteroids convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia. The presence of exogenous nitrogen source inhibits the development and the functioning of bacterium-plant symbiosis. Earlier experiments demonstrated that nitrate inhibited all stages of symbiotic interaction, affecting primarily the host functions. The investigation of the possible involvement of the microsymbiont in nitrogen regulation showed that two signalling steps were controlled by ammonium. The synthesis of the first bacterial signal, the Nod factor was repressed by ammonium. The nitrogen signal is conveyed to nodulation (nod) genes by the general nitrogen regulatory (ntr) system and by the nodD3-syrM self-amplifying system. The fine control also involves a negative regulatory factor, ntrR. When ntrR is mutated, more efficient nodule formation and nitrogen fixation is observed in symbiosis with alfalfa even in the presence of ammonium. The biosynthesis of the second bacterial signal succinoglycan is also controlled by ammonium. SyrM, a common regulatory factor for nod and exo gene expression, may contribute to the adjustment of the amount of succinoglycan and the ratio of its biologically active form.

Genes, Bacterial↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Functional activity of exoglycans from Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae 250a and its nitrogen-resistant mutant M-71 during the formation of legume-rhizobia symbiosis against a high-nitrogen background].

The functional activity of the exoglycan complex (EGC) polysaccharides from Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae 250a and its nitrogen-resistant mutant M-71 capable of inducing the formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules on pea roots against a high-nitrogen background (4.8 mM NO3-) was studied in vegetation tests. For this purpose, the bacterial inoculum washed free of its own exoglycans was supplemented with EGC of this or another strain grown in the presence of 6 or 20 mM nitrate. The best symbiotic characteristics (nodule number and nitrogenase activity, mass of the roots and aerial parts of plants) were recorded when the inoculum cells and exoglycans were obtained from strain M-71 grown in the presence of 20 mM nitrate. When the plants were inoculated with the cells (grown at 6 mM nitrate) + EGC (obtained at 6 mM nitrate) of this strain, the nodulation characteristics and the effectiveness of symbiosis decreased 1.5-2-fold. Partial recovery of the symbiotic potential of strain M-71 was observed when EGC (obtained at 20 mM nitrate) was substituted for its exoglycans (obtained at 6 mM nitrate). In the presence of exoglycans of the parent strain 250a (obtained at 6 or 20 mM nitrate), the mutant formed a substantially lesser number of nodules with a very low nitrogen-fixing activity. In turn, the mutant exoglycans synthesized in medium with either high or low nitrate nitrogen concentration did not recover the fix+ phenotype of strain 250a capable of forming symbiosis with pea plants only against a low-nitrogen background. When studying the relative content of high-molecular-weight exopolysaccharide components and low-molecular-weight glycans in the exoglycan complex, it was established that, in strain 250a (grown at 6 and 20 mM nitrate), as well as in its mutant M-71 (grown at 6 mM nitrate), exopolysaccharides prevailed, accounting for 72-75% of the sum of both types of glycopolymers, while low-molecular-weight glycans accounted for 25-28%. In contrast, in the EGC of strain M-71 obtained at 20 mM nitrate, which was the most active inducer of the formation of the symbiotrophic system by strain M-71 in the presence of a high mineral nitrogen concentration, low-molecular-weight glycans were the main component, accounting for 61% of total glycopolymers, while the polysaccharide content was 39%. Low-molecular-weight exoglycans are supposed to be involved in maintaining the physiological activity and the symbiotic status of rhizobia under unfavorable environmental conditions.

Culture Media↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Contribution of lectin sugar-binding peptides structure determines specificity of rhizobium-legume symbiosis in Galega orientalis and G. officinalis].

A significant heterogeneity between bacteria Rhizobium galegae bv. officinalis and R. galegae bv. orientalis forming the nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with Galega officinalis and G. orientalis, respectively, and not forming any single cross-inoculation group, was found by means of RAPD and RFEL methods. The high level of sequence similiraty between lectins of these plants indicates at their close relationship. However the sequences of lectin sugar binding peptides (SBP) of G. orientalis (TYCNPGWDPRDR) and G. officinalis (TFYNEEWDLVIKDEH) were highly diverged. Amino acids of SBP which are involved in linkage of Ca2+ and Mn2+ ions responsible for stabilization of spatial structure of carbohydrate-binding "pocket", keep their position in peptide. It suggests that lectins participate in Rhizobium-legume symbiosis and that carbohydrate-binding site plays a key role in this process.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

[Postpartum depression and the illusion of symbiosis].

Post-partum depression is an important clinical phenomenon that has been neglected in psychoanalytic research. The author's approach to the problem proceeds on the basis of the postulation of a cross-generational constellation, a specific, pathological relation between the mother and the daughter who has herself become a mother. This relation is termed the "illusion of symbiosis". The central factor here is the mother's fantasy that her baby can fulfill for her all the desires that she herself was denied in childhood by her own mother. In order to sustain this illusion of symbiosis, frustration and anger are split off and frequently projected onto the father, who thus becomes the object of those hostile fantasies. To elucidate this constellation, Halberstadt-Freud draws upon a highly suggestive and impressive case history.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Signal Transduction Pathways in Mycorrhizal Associations: Comparisons with the Rhizobium-Legume Symbiosis.

A number of genera of soil fungi interact with plant roots to establish symbiotic associations whereby phosphate acquired by the fungus is exchanged for fixed carbon from the plant. Recent progress in investigating these associations, designated as mycorrhizae (sing., mycorrhiza), has led to the identification of specific steps in the establishment of the symbiosis in which the fungus and the plant interact in response to various molecular signals. Some of these signals are conserved with those of the Rhizobium-legume nitrogen-fixing symbiosis, suggesting that the two plant-microbe interactions share a common signal transduction pathway. Nevertheless, only legume hosts nodulate in response to Rhizobium, whereas the vast majority of flowering plants establish mycorrhizal associations. The key questions for the future are: what are the signal molecules produced by mycorrhizal fungi and how are they perceived by the plant? Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

Cleaning symbiosis as an evolutionary game: To cheat or not to cheat?

Cleaning symbiosis is an apparently mutualistic relationship, occurring in diverse taxa, in which cleaners remove ectoparasites from the body of their clients. Here its evolution is explored with a simple game theory model in which both participants play against each other using either honest or cheating strategies. Honest clients pose for cleaners and have their ectoparasites removed, cheating clients eat the cleaners. Honest cleaners eat their clients' ectoparasites, cheating cleaners feed mainly on client tissues. The conditions that favour either strategy are obtained when the game is resolved: (i) the cost of being cleaned by a cheat and the proportion of cheats in the cleaner population determine the relative value of honesty in clients, and (ii) the advantages of being an honest cleaner depend on the relative fitness value of ectoparasites as food versus client tissues. A scenario for the origin of the cleaning symbiosis can also be derived from the model, in which the specialization of both participants need not be simultaneous. The model is based on the relationship between specialized cleaner fish and their client fish on coral reefs, but its conclusions are used in an examination of other cleaning associations. Copyright 1995 Academic Press Limited

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Symbiosis between methanogenic archaea and delta-proteobacteria as the origin of eukaryotes: the syntrophic hypothesis

We present a novel hypothesis for the origin of the eukaryotic cell, or eukaryogenesis, based on a metabolic symbiosis (syntrophy) between a methanogenic archaeon (methanobacterial-like) and a delta-proteobacterium (an ancestral sulfate-reducing myxobacterium). This syntrophic symbiosis was originally mediated by interspecies H2 transfer in anaerobic, possibly moderately thermophilic, environments. During eukaryogenesis, progressive cellular and genomic cointegration of both types of prokaryotic partners occurred. Initially, the establishment of permanent consortia, accompanied by extensive membrane development and close cell-cell interactions, led to a highly evolved symbiotic structure already endowed with some primitive eukaryotic features, such as a complex membrane system defining a protonuclear space (corresponding to the archaeal cytoplasm), and a protoplasmic region (derived from fusion of the surrounding bacterial cells). Simultaneously, bacterial-to-archaeal preferential gene transfer and eventual replacement took place. Bacterial genome extinction was thus accomplished by gradual transfer to the archaeal host, where genes adapted to a new genetic environment. Emerging eukaryotes would have inherited archaeal genome organization and dynamics and, consequently, most DNA-processing information systems. Conversely, primordial genes for social and developmental behavior would have been provided by the ancient myxobacterial symbiont. Metabolism would have been issued mainly from the versatile bacterial organotrophy, and progressively, methanogenesis was lost.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Bioremediation of cadmium contaminated soil using symbiosis between leguminous plant and recombinant rhizobia with the MTL4 and the PCS genes.

Cadmium contamination in rice grains is one of the important issues in Asian countries. We have developed a novel bio-remediation system based on the symbiosis between leguminous plant and genetically engineered rhizobia. We designed two types of recombinant rhizobia, carrying two genes, synthetic tetrameric metallothionein (MTL4) and cDNA encoding phytochelatin synthase from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtPCS). The MTL4 and AtPCS genes were transferred to Mesorhizobium huakuii subsp. rengei B3, which can infect and form nodules on Chinese milk vetch, Astragalus sinicus. The two genes were fused to the nolB or nifH promoter, which generated nodule specific expression of these genes in strain B3. The two recombinant strains, B3(pMPnolBMTL4nifHPCS) and B3::nifHMTL4(pMPnifHPCS), showed 25 and 12-fold increase in Cd concentration, in the free-living cells, respectively. When these recombinant strains established the symbiotic relationship with A. sinicus, the symbionts increased Cd accumulation in nodules by two-fold in hydroponic culture. The expression of the both MTL4 and AtPCS genes showed additive effect on cadmium accumulation in nodules. We also applied these recombinant bacteria to rice paddy soil polluted with Cd (1mgkg(-1) dry weight soil). The accumulation of Cd increased not only in nodules but also in the roots of A. sinicus infected by the recombinant rhizobia. The accumulation of Cd in the plant roots infected by B3(pMPnolBMTL4nifHPCS) achieved three-fold than that by the wild-type B3. After two months of cultivation of the symbiont, a maximum of 9% of Cd in paddy soil was removed. Thus, the symbiosis will be useful in phytoremediation for heavy metals.

Alphaproteobacteria↗
PubMed2004

Regulation of plant symbiosis receptor kinase through serine and threonine phosphorylation.

We studied the biochemical properties of a plant receptor-like kinase to gain insights into the regulatory mechanism of this largest class of plant kinases. SYMRK (symbiosis receptor kinase) is required for early signal transduction leading to plant root symbioses with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia and phosphate-acquiring arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Amino acid substitutions in positions critical for activity of other related kinases cause a nonsymbiotic plant phenotype, suggesting that SYMRK kinase activity is required for symbiosis. SYMRK is capable of intermolecular autophosphorylation. Nonphosphorylated SYMRK is less active than the phosphorylated version, suggesting the phosphorylation status of SYMRK determines its activity. Three Ser/Thr residues were identified as residues required for full kinase activation through targeted mutagenesis. Using quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis, two of these were confirmed to be phosphorylated in vitro. These crucial phosphorylation sites are conserved among various plant receptor-like kinases as well as animal Pelle/interleukin-1 receptor associated kinase. Despite the distinct domain architecture of receptor-like kinases versus Pelle/interleukin-1 receptor associated kinase, our results suggest the existence of conserved activation mechanisms.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Personality psychology's comeback and its emerging symbiosis with social psychology.

Psychology's early allegiance to behaviorism and experimental methods led many to disparage personality approaches throughout much of last century. Doubts about personality psychology's viability culminated in Mischel's assertion that measures of personality account for modest amounts of variance in behavior. In the years immediately following this critique, interest in personality research waned and many psychology departments dropped their training programs in personality. Throughout the past two decades, however, personality psychology has enjoyed a resurgence. The authors discuss several possible explanations for personality's comeback and then describe the emergence of a promising symbiosis between personality psychology and its sister discipline, social psychology. The article concludes by noting that although this emerging symbiosis is likely to continue bearing considerable theoretical fruit, the traditional distinction between personal, situational, and interactional determinants of behavior continues to be useful within appropriate contexts.

Humans↗
PubMed2002

Origin of eukaryotic cell nuclei by symbiosis of Archaea in Bacteria supported by the newly clarified origin of functional genes.

In the previous report, we demonstrated the origin of eukaryotic cell nuclei as the symbiosis of Archaea in Bacteria by the newly developed "Homology-Hit Analysis". In that case, we counted yeast Open Reading Frames (ORFs) showing the highest similarity to a bacterial ORF as orthologous ORFs (Orthologous ORFs were produced by speciation from a common ancestor, and have the highest similarity to each other.) by comparing whole ORFs of yeast with those of individual bacteria. However, we could not count all yeast ORFs showing the highest similarity to a bacterial ORF in functional categories of yeast. Therefore, the origin of ORFs in the functional categories of yeast could not be inferred strictly. Here, we have improved the method for detecting orthologous ORFs. In this method, we count the numbers of ORF with the highest similarity between individual yeast functional categories and individual bacteria as orthologous ORFs. By this method, it was possible to detect the correct orthologous ORFs and to infer the origins of the functional categories in eukaryotic cells. As a result, two categories, assembly of protein complexes and DNA repair were newly judged to be of Archaeal origin, while five categories, lipid (fatty-acid and isoprenoid) metabolism, protein folding and stabilization, signal transduction, organization of the plasma membrane and organization of the cytoplasm, were newly judged to be of Bacterial origin. On the other hand, the origins of two categories (meiosis and cellular import, which were determined in the previous analysis) could not be judged. It is considered that functional categories related to the nucleus have origins common to Archaea, while those related to the cytoplasm have origins common to Bacteria. From these data including the origin of plasma membrane, it was further clarified that cell nucleus originated by the symbiosis of Archaea in Bacteria.

Archaea↗
PubMed2000

Evolving together: the biology of symbiosis, part 1.

Symbioses, prolonged associations between organisms often widely separated phylogenetically, are more common in biology than we once thought and have been neglected as a phenomenon worthy of study on its own merits. Extending along a dynamic continuum from antagonistic to cooperative and often involving elements of both antagonism and mutualism, symbioses involve pathogens, commensals, and mutualists interacting in myriad ways over the evolutionary history of the involved "partners." In this first of 2 parts, some remarkable examples of symbiosis will be explored, from the coral-algal symbiosis and nitrogen fixation to the great diversity of dietary specializations enabled by the gastrointestinal microbiota of animals.

Journal Article↗