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Bacteriosomes in axenic plants: endophytes as stable endosymbionts

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Abstract

Observations of cells of axenic peach palm (Bactris gasipaes) microplants by light microscopy revealed movements of small particles within the cells. The phenomenon was characterized initially as Brownian movement, but electron microscopy revealed the presence of an intracellular bacterial community in these plants. Microscopy observations revealed the particular shapes of bacterial cells colonizing inner tissues of analyzed plants. Applying a molecular characterization by polymerase chain reaction and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, it was revealed the existence of bacterial rRNA within the plants. Sequencing of the rRNA identified three different phylogenetic groups; two bands had a high degree of similarity to sequences from Moraxella sp. and Brevibacillus sp., and a third sequence was similar to a non-cultivated cyanobacterium. The presence of those endosymbionts, called bacteriosomes, in axenic peach palm microplants raises the question of whether these stable endosymbionts were acquired in the process of evolution and how could they benefit the process of plants micropropagation.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Maria do Carmo Bittencourt-Oliveira (ESALQ-USP) by assistance in cyanobacteria cultivation. We are also grateful to Elliot Kitajima (NAP/MEPA/ESALQ/USP) by laboratory use in electronic microscopy analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. In Vitro Palm Consultoria, Estudo e Desenvolvimento Biológico Ltda, Rua Itajobi, 421, CEP 13432-000, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

    Cristina Vieira de Almeida

  2. Laboratório de Microbiologia Ambiental, Embrapa Meio Ambiente, Rod. SP340, km 127.5, Cx. Postal 69, 13820-000, Jaguariúna, São Paulo, Brazil

    Fernando Dini Andreote

  3. Departamento de Antibióticos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Rua Prof. Arthur de Sá, S/N-Cidade Universitária, CEP 50670-091, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

    Ricardo Yara

  4. Núcleo de Apoio a Pesquisa em Microscopia Eletrônica (NAP/MEPA), Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz” (ESALQ/USP), Av. Pádua Dias, 11, Cx. Postal 09, 13418-900 Piracicaba, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

    Francisco André Ossamu Tanaka

  5. Departamento de Genética, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz” (ESALQ/USP), Av. Pádua Dias, 11, Cx. Postal 83, 13418-900, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

    João Lúcio Azevedo

  6. Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz” (ESALQ/USP), Av. Pádua Dias, 11, Cx. Postal 83, 13418-900, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

    Marcílio de Almeida

Authors
  1. Cristina Vieira de Almeida
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  2. Fernando Dini Andreote
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  3. Ricardo Yara
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  4. Francisco André Ossamu Tanaka
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  5. João Lúcio Azevedo
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  6. Marcílio de Almeida
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Correspondence to Marcílio de Almeida.

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de Almeida, C.V., Andreote, F.D., Yara, R. et al. Bacteriosomes in axenic plants: endophytes as stable endosymbionts. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 25, 1757–1764 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-009-0073-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-009-0073-8

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