Host identity and symbiotic association affects the taxonomic and functional diversity of the clownfish-hosting sea anemone microbiome.

ABSTRACT: All eukaryotic life engages in symbioses with a diverse community of bacteria that are essential for performing basic life functions. In many cases, eukaryotic organisms form additional symbioses with other macroscopic eukaryotes. The tightly linked physical interactions that characterize many macroscopic symbioses create opportunities for microbial transfer, which likely affects the diversity and function of individual microbiomes, and may ultimately lead to microbiome convergence between distantly related taxa. Here, we sequence the microbiomes of five species of clownfish-hosting sea anemones that co-occur on coral reefs in the Maldives. We test the importance of evolutionary history, clownfish symbiont association, and habitat on the taxonomic and predicted functional diversity of the

SUBMITTER: Titus BM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7058955 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature