Same tenant, completely different way of life: Symbionts adapt to their host

Back within the laboratory, Kück and her colleagues analyzed which genes the micro organism used inside every clam species. “Even though the bacteria were genetically almost identical, they behaved differently depending on their host,” Kück highlights.

Depending on the clam species they inhabited, the symbionts activated completely different metabolic pathways to course of carbon and sulfur in addition to to divide. In different phrases, the micro organism apparently “switch on” completely different features relying on their host.

“Our study shows that symbiosis is much more dynamic than previously thought,” concludes Kück. “Even when the bacterial partner is genetically the same, the clam can strongly influence how the symbiont behaves and functions.”

Hidden flexibility in marine symbioses

Seagrasses are crucial ecosystems. They are dwelling to many alternative an­im­als, professional­tect the coasts from erosion and assist to manage our local weather. Lucinid clams and their bacterial companions are vital members of seagrass ecosystems worldwide and assist to maintain them wholesome. Their symbiosis helps recycle vitamins and detoxify sulfide-rich sediments that might in any other case hurt the seagrass.

The new findings recommend that these symbiotic partnerships might allow carefully associated animals to coexist subsequent to one another by permitting them to “use” their shared symbionts in several methods. “The flexibility we observed may help explain how closely related species can share the same habitat. By shaping their microbial partners in different ways, hosts may create distinct ecological niches for themselves. This impressively demonstrates the power of symbiosis in promoting and maintaining biodiversity,” highlights Kück.