Phylogenomics of Reichenowia parasitica, an alphaproteobacterial endosymbiont of the freshwater leech Placobdella parasitica.

ABSTRACT: Although several commensal alphaproteobacteria form close relationships with plant hosts where they aid in (e.g.,) nitrogen fixation and nodulation, only a few inhabit animal hosts. Among these, Reichenowia picta, R. ornata and R. parasitica, are currently the only known mutualistic, alphaproteobacterial endosymbionts to inhabit leeches. These bacteria are harbored in the epithelial cells of the mycetomal structures of their freshwater leech hosts, Placobdella spp., and these structures have no other obvious function than housing bacterial symbionts. However, the function of the bacterial symbionts has remained unclear. Here, we focused both on exploring the genomic makeup of R. parasitica and on performing a robust phylogenetic analysis, based on more data than previous hypotheses, to tes

SUBMITTER: Kvist S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3223239 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature