First report of microbial symbionts in the digestive system of shipworms; wood boring mollusks

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ibiod.2024.105816
• Publication Date: 2024-06-05T11:07:39Z
• Authors: Barry Goodell; James Chambers; Doyle V. Ward; Cecelia Murphy; Eileen Black; Lucca Bonjy Kikut...; Gabriel Perez- Go...; J. Reuben Shipway

Shipworms, historically known for their destruction of wooden ships and coastal structures, play a key role in carbon nutrient cycling aquatic ecosystems. Despite extensive research, the exact mechanisms underlying ability to digest wood have remained elusive, particularly regarding degradation lignin, major component that resists breakdown. Here we employ combination microbial culture, metagenomics, FISH-probe microscopy analyses explore previously overlooked aspects digestive system. Specifically, identify presence bacterial symbionts within typhlosole, specialized structure main organ (cecum), challenging long-held belief shipworm foreguts are nearly sterile environments. The discovery Alteromonas species clusters typhlosole suggests symbiotic relationship may crucial digestion woody substrates, offering potential explanation shipworm's degrade lignocellulose without ligninases from host or gill symbionts. These findings provide insight into physiology defense shipworms, but also other related organisms might harbor This study opens new insights research ecological biotechnological applications shipworms gut symbionts, enhancing our understanding marine