Which Endosymbiont Forms a Mutualism With Termites?

Termites have a symbiotic relationship with one or more endosymbionts. The bacteria in the microbial gut of the termite play an important role in the decomposition of lignocellulose. During the digestion of cellulose, the symbiont produces nutrition and energy for the host.

The symbionts in the termite gut include bacterial and protist species. The symbionts can be divided into three types, based on their morphological characteristics.

The protists in the termite gut are called flagellated protists. They have the ability to digest cellulose found in the cell walls of plants. These protists can also control the reproduction of the host. These protists are mainly found in the Kalotermitidae family. They are believed to have originated in the same common ancestor as the termites.

The chemolithotrophic bacterial endosymbionts are maintained within specialized cells of the tube worm host. Several species of this group have been cultured but have failed to reproduce.

The symbiotic relationship is beneficial to the host, allowing for the efficient breakdown of lignocellulose. This benefits the host’s carbon metabolism and nitrogen metabolism. However, it is not clear how this relationship evolved. The researchers believe that it probably formed through the interactions of the complex microbial communities in the termite gut.

The symbiotic relationship between Bacteroidales and termites is likely to have been facilitated by the phylogenetic relationships of the two genera. The researchers used mitochondrial and nuclear small subunit rRNA genes to reconstruct molecular phylogeny.

The study of the Bacteroidales sequences provides a window into the coevolutionary relationships of protists and bacteria. It also offers a chance to examine morphological evolution.

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