Discovery of chemoautotrophic symbiosis in the giant shipworm Kuphus polythalamia (Bivalvia: Teredinidae) extends wooden-steps theory

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1620470114
• Publication Date: 2017-04-18T00:50:22Z
• Authors: Daniel L. Distel; Marvin A. Altamia; Zhenjian Lin; J. Reuben Shipway; Andrew Han; Imelda Forteza; Rowena Antemano; Ma. Gwen J. Peñaf...; Alison G. Tebo; Rande Dechavez; Julie Albano; Gary Rosenberg; Gisela P. Concepcion; Eric W. Schmidt; Margo G. Haygood
• Keywords: Chemosynthesis; Mytilidae

Significance Certain marine invertebrates harbor chemosynthetic bacterial symbionts, giving them the remarkable ability to consume inorganic chemicals such as hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) rather than organic matter food. These animals are found near geochemical (e.g., hydrothermal vents) or biological decaying wood large animal carcasses) sources of H S on seafloor. Although many symbioses have been discovered, little is known about how where they originated. Here, we demonstrate a new symbiosis in giant teredinid bivalve (shipworm) Kuphus polythalamia and show that this arose wood-eating ancestor via displacement ancestral cellulolytic symbionts by sulfur-oxidizing invaders. served an evolutionary stepping stone for dramatic transition from heterotrophy chemoautotrophy.