Global Distribution and Evolution of a Toxinogenic Burkholderia-Rhizopus Symbiosis

• DOI: 10.1128/aem.01765-08
• Publication Date: 2009-03-14T00:49:25Z
• Authors: Gerald Lackner; Nadine Möbius; Kirstin Scherlach; Laila P. Partida-...; Robert Winkler; Imke Schmitt; Christian Hertweck
• Keywords: DNA, Bacterial; 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; Burkholderia; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; Bacterial Toxins; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Symbiosis; Phylogeny; Rhizopus

ABSTRACT

Toxinogenic endobacteria were isolated from a collection of Rhizopus spp. representing highly diverse geographic origins and ecological niches. All endosymbionts belonged to the Burkholderia rhizoxinica complex according to matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight biotyping and multilocus sequence typing, suggesting a common ancestor. Comparison of host and symbiont phylogenies provides insights into possible cospeciation and horizontal-transmission events.