Gill-associated ammonia oxidizers are widespread in teleost fish.

ABSTRACT: Recent advances in sequencing methods have greatly expanded the knowledge of teleost-associated microorganisms. While fish-gut microbiomes are comparatively well studied, less attention has gone toward other, external organ-microbiome associations. Gills are particularly interesting to investigate due to their functions in gas exchange, osmoregulation, and nitrogen excretion. We recently discovered a branchial symbiosis between nitrogen-cycling bacteria and teleosts (zebrafish and carp), in which ammonia-oxidizing Nitrosomonas and denitrifying bacteria together convert toxic ammonia excreted by the fish into harmless dinitrogen (N₂) gas. This symbiosis can function as a "natural biofilter" in fish gills and can potentially occur in all ammonotelic fish species, but it rem

SUBMITTER: Mes W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11537070 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature