title: Chemoautotrophic, sulfur-oxidizing symbiotic bacteria on marine nematodes: Morphological and biochemical characterization.
abstract: The marine, free-living Stilbonematinae (Nematoda: Desmodorida) inhabit the oxygen sulfide chemocline in marine sands. They are characterized by an association with ectosymbiotic bacteria. According to their ultrastructure the bacteria are Gram-negative and form morphologically uniform coats that cover the entire body surface of the worms. They are arranged in host-genus or host-species specific patterns: cocci form multilayered sheaths, rods, and crescent- or filament-shaped bacteria form monolayers. The detection of enzymes associated with sulfur metabolism and of ribulose-1,5 bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase, as well as elemental sulfur in the bacteria indicate a chemolithoautotrophic nature of the symbionts. Their reproductive patterns appear to optimize space utilization on the host surface: vertically standing rods divide by longitudinal fission, whereas other bacteria form non-septate filaments of up to 100 μm length.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Zoologie, Abteilung für Meeresbiologie und Ultrastrukturforschung, Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Polz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Felbeck
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nebelsick
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ott