Prokaryotes: Symbioses: Mussels that live near a deep-sea vent Use the internet

Question

Prokaryotes: Symbioses: Mussels that live near a deep-sea vent

Use the internet to investigate mussels and prokaryote symbiotic relationship between in the world today. Please write a paragraph that explains the relationship and how it works, making sure that you address each of the following four questions:

What prokaryotic species might you find associated in a symbiotic relationship with this eukaryote? Does this prokaryote belong to Bacteria or Archaea?

For some examples, you might not be able to find one specific species. In these cases, provide the smallest group that you can. You should be able to narrow it down more than just "Bacteria" or "Archaea", however.

How do these prokaryotes affect the eukaryote? What benefits do the prokaryotes receive?

Is this a commensalistic, mutualistic or parasitic relationship? Explain.

Is there any broader ecological, environmental, or economic impact to this relationship? In other words, what might happen to these species, to other surrounding species, and/or to human activity if this relationship no longer occurred?

Please provide a link for the example. Be sure to list the link(s) you used to find this information, BUT WRITE YOUR RESPONSE IN YOUR OWN WORDS-- NO PLAGIARISM.

Explanation / Answer

1. Chemosynthetic bacteria are associated in a symbiotic relationship with deep-sea vent mussels (prokaryote). These bacteria obtain energy from exothermic oxidation of inorganic or simple organic compounds without need of light.

2. Deep-sea vent mussels use bacteria as their fuel-cells to harvest energy from hydrogen spewing out from the hydrothermal vents. Hydrothermal vents/black smokers releases smoke made up of particles containing high levels of sulphur minerals or sulfides. Chemosynthetic bacteria (sulfur-oxidizing gamma, epsilon, delta proteobacteria) utilize H2S from this black smokers and release H in that is consumed by the mussels for their metabolic activities. These proteobacteria belong to gram-negative bacteria such as Desulfovibrio, Desulfobacter, Desulfococcus

3. This symbiotic relationship is commensalistic as the bacteria utilizing energy for the mussels resides in them as their habitat.

4. The broader ecological benefit to this relationship is that this chemosynthetic bacteria start the food web for the entire deep sea water ecology as a result of this symbiosis.

ex- adipicola longissima occuring extracellularly in small mussels.

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