Microbes from Mum: symbiont transmission in the tropical reef sponge Ianthella basta.

ABSTRACT: Most marine sponge species harbour distinct communities of microorganisms which contribute to various aspects of their host's health and physiology. In addition to their key roles in nutrient transformations and chemical defence, these symbiotic microbes can shape sponge phenotype by mediating important developmental stages and influencing the environmental tolerance of the host. However, the characterisation of each microbial taxon throughout a sponge's life cycle remains challenging, with several sponge species hosting up to 3000 distinct microbial species. Ianthella basta, an abundant broadcast spawning species in the Indo-Pacific, is an emerging model for sponge symbiosis research as it harbours only three dominant symbionts: a Thaumarchaeotum, a Gammaproteobacterium, and an Alphaprote

SUBMITTER: Engelberts JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9723589 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature