Freshwater sponge hosts and their green algae symbionts: a tractable model to understand intracellular symbiosis.

ABSTRACT: In many freshwater habitats, green algae form intracellular symbioses with a variety of heterotrophic host taxa including several species of freshwater sponge. These sponges perform important ecological roles in their habitats, and the poriferan:green algae partnerships offers unique opportunities to study the evolutionary origins and ecological persistence of endosymbioses. We examined the association between Ephydatia muelleri and its chlorophyte partner to identify features of host cellular and genetic responses to the presence of intracellular algal partners. Chlorella-like green algal symbionts were isolated from field-collected adult E. muelleri tissue harboring algae. The sponge-derived algae were successfully cultured and subsequently used to reinfect aposymbio

SUBMITTER: Hall C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7882143 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature