Carmen Rizzo
ABSTRACT Subject :
Exploring the diversity of bacterial communities living in the mucus and in association with the Antarctic sponges Mycale acerata and Dendrilla antarctica (Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea)
Tipe of Presentation: Oral
Topic: Marine biology and ecology
COAUTHORS :
Carmen Rizzo
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, National Institute of Biology, Dept Marine Biotechnology, Villa Pace, Contrada Porticatello 29, 98167 Messina, Italy; Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council, Spianata San Raineri 86, 98122 Messina
State : Italy
e-Mail : carmen.rizzo@szn.it
Maria Papale
Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council (CNR-ISP), Spianata San Raineri 86, 98122 Messina
State : Italia
e-Mail : maria.papale@cnr.it
Alessandro Ciro Rappazzo
Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council (CNR-ISP), Spianata San Raineri 86, 98122 Messina; Italy; 3Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University of Venice Ca’ Foscari, Venice, Italy
State : Italy
e-Mail : alessandro.rappazzo@unive.it
Maurizio Azzaro
Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council (CNR-ISP), Spianata San Raineri 86, 98122 Messina
State : Italy
e-Mail : maurizio.azzaro@cnr.it
Josè Paulo Da Silva
CCMAR - Centro de Ciências do Mar Universidade do Algarve Campus de Gambelas 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
State : Portugal
e-Mail : jpsilva@ualg.pt
Marco Bertolino
Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
State : Italy
e-Mail : marco.bertolino75@gmail.com
Gabriele Costa
Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
State : Italy
e-Mail : gabrielec1987@gmail.com
Angelina Lo Giudice
Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council (CNR-ISP), Spianata San Raineri 86, 98122 Messina
State : Italy
e-Mail : angelina.logiudice@cnr.it
Abstract Published : 15/02/2023 09:14:52
Download the Abstract
Marine sponges are in close contact with the surrounding environment. Being filtering organisms, they often accumulate the contaminants present in the water and sediments, but can also sequestrate the microorganisms from the water bodies, implementing an active selection of them to establish symbiotic association. Here because they are vulnerable to biological and chemical forms of pollution and have been proposed as sentinels and purifying components of waters. Microbe–invertebrate associations, commonly occurring in marine environment, play a fundamental role in the life of symbionts, even in hostile habitats, assuming a key importance for both ecological and evolutionary studies. The special dynamics occurring in the relationship organism-environment and host-symbiont are reflected for example in the isolation of heavy metal resistant bacteria from sponges living in metal-polluted environments. Current data related to the composition, host- and site-relatedness of the bacterial communities associated with Antarctic sponges are limited to few works, resulting in a still fragmented and incomplete knowledge. In this context, it is difficult to ascertain which microorganisms are intimately associated with the host as core microbiome symbionts, which are transients and consequently their possible role in the symbiosis relationship. Many marine invertebrates produce mucosal layers - whose role has not been fully clarified yet - generally constituted of high percentages of water, polysaccharide and protein mixtures. Several functions were attributed to such special layers, i.e. adhesion enhancement, water preservation, movement helping, heterotrophic feeding, and they are considered a survival strategy for sessile marine organisms, highly vulnerable to external disturbing factors or to infections. The present work was aimed at exploring the bacterial communities associated with the Antarctic sponges Mycale (Oxymycale) acerata (Kirkpatrick, 1907) and Dendrilla antarctica (Topsent, 1905) collected during the XXXIV Antarctic Expedition in the Thetys Bay (Terra Nova Bay; Ross Sea), and those present in their mucus layers. The inorganic content of the mucus and the presence of metals was estimated by MP-AES analysis. Total HCN content of dried samples was determined using an elemental analyser. The mucus samples evidenced a high amount of Na and Mg, but also presence of Ca, Fe, K, Se, V, trace of some heavy metals and other chemical elements. Data obtained highlighted the predominance of Proteobacteria, mainly affiliated to Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria, with some dissimilarities between the two sponge species, especially at genus level. The present study represents a meaningful contribute to the scant knowledge of the structure and biochemistry of Antarctic marine sponge mucus matrices and provides useful insights for biotechnological applications. Funding: this research was supported by the Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide (project PNR