Analysis of Hydrothermal Vent-Associated Symbionts by Ribosomal RNA Sequences | CU Experts

; Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequences were used to establish the phylogenetic affiliations of symbioses in which prokaryotes appear to confer sulfur-based chemoautotrophy on their invertebrate hosts. Two submarine hydrothermal vent animals, the vestimentiferan tube worm; Riftia pachyptila; and the clam; Calyptogena magnifica; , and a tidal-flat bivalve,; Solemya velum; , were inspected. 5S rRNA's were extracted from symbiont-bearing tissues, separated into unique forms, and their nucleotide sequences determined and related to other 5S rRNA's in a phylogenetic tree analysis. The prokaryotic symbionts are related to one another and affiliated with the same narrow phylogenetic grouping as; Escherichia coli; and; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; . The sequence comparisons suggest that; Riftia; is more closely related to the bivalves than their current taxonomic status would suggest.;

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