Gill-associated bacteria are homogeneously selected in amphibious mangrove crabs to sustain host intertidal adaptation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The transition from water to air is a key event in the evolution of many marine organisms to access new food sources, escape water hypoxia, and exploit the higher and temperature-independent oxygen concentration of air. Despite the importance of microorganisms in host adaptation, their contribution to overcoming the challenges posed by the lifestyle changes from water to land is not well understood. To address this, we examined how microbial association with a key multifunctional organ, the gill, is involved in the intertidal adaptation of fiddler crabs, a dual-breathing organism.

Results

Electron microscopy revealed a rod-shaped bacterial layer tightly connected to the gill lamellae of the five crab species sampled across a latitudinal gradient from the central R

SUBMITTER: Fusi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10463870 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature