Comparative proteomics of related symbiotic mussel species reveals high variability of host-symbiont interactions

ISME J. 2020 Feb;14(2):649-656. doi: 10.1038/s41396-019-0517-6. Epub 2019 Nov 4.

Abstract

Deep-sea Bathymodiolus mussels and their chemoautotrophic symbionts are well-studied representatives of mutualistic host-microbe associations. However, how host-symbiont interactions vary on the molecular level between related host and symbiont species remains unclear. Therefore, we compared the host and symbiont metaproteomes of Pacific B. thermophilus, hosting a thiotrophic symbiont, and Atlantic B. azoricus, containing two symbionts, a thiotroph and a methanotroph. We identified common strategies of metabolic support between hosts and symbionts, such as the oxidation of sulfide by the host, which provides a thiosulfate reservoir for the thiotrophic symbionts, and a cycling mechanism that could supply the host with symbiont-derived amino acids. However, expression levels of these processes differed substantially between both symbioses. Backed up by genomic comparisons, our results furthermore revealed an exceptionally large repertoire of attachment-related proteins in the B. thermophilus symbiont. These findings imply that host-microbe interactions can be quite variable, even between closely related systems.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / genetics
  • Amino Acids / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Bacteria / genetics*
  • Bacteria / metabolism*
  • Carbonic Anhydrases / metabolism
  • Chemoautotrophic Growth
  • Genome, Bacterial / genetics
  • Gills / metabolism
  • Host Microbial Interactions
  • Mytilidae / metabolism
  • Mytilidae / microbiology*
  • Proteomics
  • Symbiosis / genetics*
  • Symbiosis / physiology

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Carbonic Anhydrases