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Culturable epibacteria of the marine sponge Ircinia fusca: Temporal variations and their possible role in the epibacterial defense of the host

DRS at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography

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Title Culturable epibacteria of the marine sponge Ircinia fusca: Temporal variations and their possible role in the epibacterial defense of the host
 
Creator Thakur, N.L.
Anil, A.C.
Muller, W.E.G.
 
Subject fouling organisms
temporal variations
hosts
antibiotics
bacteriology
environmental effects
intertidal environment
defense mechanism
resistence mechanism
Bacteria
Ircinia fusca
 
Description The influence of environmental changes on the epibacterial population of the marine sponge Ircinia fusca (Carter) was evaluated by using a bacterial culture-based approach. Sponge surface-associated bacteria were isolated, enumerated and cultured during 5 different collection periods. These bacteria were assessed for antibacterial activity against fouling bacteria and for auto-inhibition with their extracts, using the ecologically relevant agar plug method. Morphological studies of all culturable sponge-associated bacteria were carried out and the isolates with antibacterial potential were further identified using 16S rRNA gene sequences. It was found that the epibacterial population of the sponge is influenced by temporal changes in the environment. However, the bacterial strain belonging to the genus Bacillus, which displayed antibacterial activity against fouling bacteria, was found to be associated with the sponge in every collection period, indicating close association of this strain with the sponge I. fusca. The sponge seems to have selective control of the bacterial epibiosis on its surface. The antibacterial assay of sponge extract against its associated bacteria showed that the sponge promotes the growth of certain antibiotic producing strains of the genus Bacillus, which may indirectly help the sponge in governing epibacterial populations on its surface by deterring settlement of other microbes from the vicinity. In summary, this investigation explores the possible role of sponge surface-associated bacteria in the epibacterial defense of the host, by considering the temporal variations in the habitat.
 
Date 2008-07-02T04:51:45Z
2008-07-02T04:51:45Z
2004
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Vol.37; 295-304p.
http://drs.nio.org/drs/handle/2264/1107
 
Language en
 
Rights Copyright [2004]. It is tried to respect the rights of the copyright holders to the best of the knowledge. If it is brought to our notice that the rights are violated then the item would be withdrawn.
 
Publisher Inter-Research