Skip to content
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology
16S-rRNA-based analysis of bacterial diversity in the gut of fungus-cultivating termites (Microtermes and Odontotermes species)
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology, Volume 104, No. 5, Year 2013
Notification
URL copied to clipboard!
Description
The interaction between termites and their gut symbionts has continued to attract the curiosity of researchers over time. The aim of this study was to characterize and compare the bacterial diversity and community structure in the guts of three termites (Odontotermes somaliensis, Odontotermes sp. and Microtermes sp.) using 16S rRNA gene sequencing of clone libraries. Clone libraries were screened by restriction fragment length polymorphism and representative clones from O. somaliensis (100 out of 330 clones), Odontotermes sp. (100 out of 359 clones) and Microtermes sp. (96 out 336 clones) were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis indicated seven bacterial phyla were represented: Bacteroidetes, Spirochaetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Synergistetes, Planctomycetes and Actinobacteria. Sequences representing the phylum Bacteroidetes (>60 %) were the most abundant group in Odontotermes while those of Spirochaetes (29 %) and Firmicutes (23 %) were the abundant groups in Microtermes. The gut bacterial community structure within the two Odontotermes species investigated here was almost identical at the phylum level, but the Microtermes sp. had a unique bacterial community structure. Bacterial diversity was higher in Odontotermes than in Microtermes. The affiliation and clustering of the sequences, often with those from other termites' guts, indicate a majority of the gut bacteria are autochthonous having mutualistic relationships with their hosts. The findings underscore the presence of termite-specific bacterial lineages, the majority of which are still uncultured. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.
Authors & Co-Authors
Makonde, Huxley Mae
Germany, Braunschweig
Deutsche Sammlung Von Mikroorganismen Und Zellkulturen Gmbh
Kenya, Nairobi
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
Kenya, Mombasa
Technical University of Mombasa
Boga, Hamadi Iddi
Kenya, Nairobi
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
Osiemo, Z. B.
Kenya, Nairobi
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
Mwirichia, Romano
Kenya, Nairobi
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
Mackenzie, Lucy M.
United Kingdom, Liverpool
University of Liverpool
Göker, Markus
Germany, Braunschweig
Deutsche Sammlung Von Mikroorganismen Und Zellkulturen Gmbh
Klenk, Hans-Peter Peter
Germany, Braunschweig
Deutsche Sammlung Von Mikroorganismen Und Zellkulturen Gmbh
Statistics
Citations: 31
Authors: 7
Affiliations: 4
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1007/s10482-013-0001-7
ISSN:
00036072
e-ISSN:
15729699
Research Areas
Genetics And Genomics