ORCID Profile
0000-0002-9480-1460
Current Organisation
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
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Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 24-08-2020
DOI: 10.1007/S10592-020-01305-2
Abstract: Establishment of adequate conservation areas represents a challenging but crucial task in the conservation of genetic ersity and biological variability. Anthropogenic pressures on marine ecosystems and organisms are steadily increasing. Whether and to what extent these pressures influence marine genetic bio ersity is only starting to be revealed. Using 16S rRNA gene licon sequencing, we analysed the microbial community structure of 33 in iduals of the habitat-forming glass sponge Vazella pourtalesii , as well as reference seawater, sediment, and biofilm s les. We assessed how two anthropogenic impacts, i.e. habitat destruction by trawling and artificial substrate provision (moorings made of composite plastic), correspond with in situ V. pourtalesii microbiome variability. In addition, we evaluated the role of two bottom fishery closures in preserving sponge-associated microbial ersity on the Scotian Shelf, Canada. Our results illustrate that V. pourtalesii sponges collected from protected sites within fishery closures contained distinct and taxonomically largely novel microbial communities. At the trawled site we recorded significant quantitative differences in distinct microbial phyla, such as a reduction in Nitrospinae in the four sponges from this site and the environmental references. In iduals of V. pourtalesii growing on the mooring were significantly enriched in Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia and Cyanobacteria in comparison to sponge in iduals growing on the natural seabed. Due to a concomitant enrichment of these taxa in the mooring biofilm, we propose that biofilms on artificial substrates may ‘prime’ sponge-associated microbial communities when small sponges settle on such substrates. These observations likely have relevant management implications when considering the increase of artificial substrates in the marine environment, e.g., marine litter, off-shore wind parks, and petroleum platforms.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-2022
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-09-2022
DOI: 10.1038/S41467-022-32684-4
Abstract: In the deep ocean symbioses between microbes and invertebrates are emerging as key drivers of ecosystem health and services. We present a large-scale analysis of microbial ersity in deep-sea sponges (Porifera) from scales of sponge in iduals to ocean basins, covering 52 locations, 1077 host in iduals translating into 169 sponge species (including understudied glass sponges), and 469 reference s les, collected anew during 21 ship-based expeditions. We demonstrate the impacts of the sponge microbial abundance status, geographic distance, sponge phylogeny, and the physical-biogeochemical environment as drivers of microbiome composition, in descending order of relevance. Our study further discloses that fundamental concepts of sponge microbiology apply robustly to sponges from the deep-sea across distances of ,000 km. Deep-sea sponge microbiomes are less complex, yet more heterogeneous, than their shallow-water counterparts. Our analysis underscores the uniqueness of each deep-sea sponge ground based on which we provide critical knowledge for conservation of these vulnerable ecosystems.
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Date: 25-08-2020
DOI: 10.1128/MSYSTEMS.00473-20
Abstract: We investigated the microbial community of V. pourtalesii that forms globally unique, monospecific sponge grounds under low-oxygen conditions on the Scotian Shelf, where it plays a key role in its vulnerable ecosystem. The microbial community was found to be concentrated within biomass patches and is dominated by small cells ( μm). MAG analyses showed consistently small genome sizes and low GC contents, which is unusual compared to known sponge symbionts. These properties, as well as the (facultatively) anaerobic metabolism and a high degree of interdependence between the dominant symbionts regarding amino acid and vitamin synthesis, are likely adaptations to the unique conditions within the syncytial tissue of their hexactinellid host and the low-oxygen environment.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-02-2022
DOI: 10.1038/S41467-022-28129-7
Abstract: The Central Arctic Ocean is one of the most oligotrophic oceans on Earth because of its sea-ice cover and short productive season. Nonetheless, across the peaks of extinct volcanic seamounts of the Langseth Ridge (87°N, 61°E), we observe a surprisingly dense benthic biomass. Bacteriosponges are the most abundant fauna within this community, with a mass of 460 g C m −2 and an estimated carbon demand of around 110 g C m −2 yr −1 , despite export fluxes from regional primary productivity only sufficient to provide % of this required carbon. Observed sponge distribution, bulk and compound-specific isotope data of fatty acids suggest that the sponge microbiome taps into refractory dissolved and particulate organic matter, including remnants of an extinct seep community. The metabolic profile of bacteriosponge fatty acids and expressed genes indicate that autotrophic symbionts contribute significantly to carbon assimilation. We suggest that this hotspot ecosystem is unique to the Central Arctic and associated with extinct seep biota, once fueled by degassing of the volcanic mounts.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-03-2018
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-11-2017
Abstract: Many marine sponges contain dense and erse communities of associated microorganisms. Members of the 'sponge-associated unclassified lineage' (SAUL) are frequently recorded from sponges, yet little is known about these bacteria. Here we investigated the distribution and phylogenetic status of SAUL. A meta-analysis of the available literature revealed the widespread distribution of this clade and its association with taxonomically varied sponge hosts. Phylogenetic analyses, conducted using both 16S rRNA gene-based phylogeny and concatenated marker protein sequences, revealed that SAUL is a sister clade of the candidate phylum 'Latescibacteria'. Furthermore, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of two draft genomes assembled from sponge metagenomes, revealing novel insights into the physiology of this symbiont. Metabolic reconstruction suggested that SAUL members are aerobic bacteria with facultative anaerobic metabolism, with the capacity to degrade multiple sponge- and algae-derived carbohydrates. We described for the first time in a sponge symbiont the putative genomic capacity to transport phosphate into the cell and to produce and store polyphosphate granules, presumably constituting a phosphate reservoir for the sponge host in deprivation periods. Our findings suggest that the lifestyle of SAUL is symbiotic with the host sponge, and identify symbiont factors which may facilitate the establishment and maintenance of this relationship.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-01-2021
DOI: 10.1038/S41396-020-00876-9
Abstract: Sponges underpin the productivity of coral reefs, yet few of their microbial symbionts have been functionally characterised. Here we present an analysis of ~1200 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) spanning seven sponge species and 25 microbial phyla. Compared to MAGs derived from reef seawater, sponge-associated MAGs were enriched in glycosyl hydrolases targeting components of sponge tissue, coral mucus and macroalgae, revealing a critical role for sponge symbionts in cycling reef organic matter. Further, visualisation of the distribution of these genes amongst symbiont taxa uncovered functional guilds for reef organic matter degradation. Genes for the utilisation of sialic acids and glycosaminoglycans present in sponge tissue were found in specific microbial lineages that also encoded genes for attachment to sponge-derived fibronectins and cadherins, suggesting these lineages can utilise specific structural elements of sponge tissue. Further, genes encoding CRISPR and restriction-modification systems used in defence against mobile genetic elements were enriched in sponge symbionts, along with eukaryote-like gene motifs thought to be involved in maintaining host association. Finally, we provide evidence that many of these sponge-enriched genes are laterally transferred between microbial taxa, suggesting they confer a selective advantage within the sponge niche and therefore play a critical role in host ecology and evolution.
Location: No location found
No related grants have been discovered for Beate Slaby.