Bacteria-host relationships in the bivalve mollusc Loripes lucinalis.
Loripes lucinalis, a lucinid species found in reduced sediments, contains endosymbiotic bacteria within specialized gill cells which contribute to the bivalve's nutrition. An additional bivalve-bacteria association can be seen in the digestive gland where large inclusion bodies filled with rickettsia- or chlamydia-like organisms are observed in the duct and tubule cells. Despite indications of a possible energy parasitism on the part of these endocellular digestive gland bacteria, the digestive epithelium of the host is not significantly damaged by the infection suggesting that this is a generalized and normal bivalve-bacteria association in adults of this species.
Herry
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Laboratory of Marine Biology, University of Bretagne Occidentale, Brest, France.
Le Pennec
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Johnson
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D020561:Alphaproteobacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002693:Chlamydiaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004064:Digestive System / Q000382:microbiology; D005880:Gills / Q000382:microbiology; D013559:Symbiosis