Sponge-associated bacteria mineralize arsenic and barium on intracellular vesicles

Ray Keren (), Boaz Mayzel, Adi Lavy, Iryna Polishchuk, Davide Levy, Sirine C. Fakra, Boaz Pokroy and Micha Ilan
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Ray Keren: George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University
Boaz Mayzel: George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University
Adi Lavy: George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University
Iryna Polishchuk: Faculty of Materials Engineering and the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology
Davide Levy: Faculty of Materials Engineering and the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology
Sirine C. Fakra: Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Boaz Pokroy: Faculty of Materials Engineering and the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology
Micha Ilan: George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Arsenic and barium are ubiquitous environmental toxins that accumulate in higher trophic-level organisms. Whereas metazoans have detoxifying organs to cope with toxic metals, sponges lack organs but harbour a symbiotic microbiome performing various functions. Here we examine the potential roles of microorganisms in arsenic and barium cycles in the sponge Theonella swinhoei, known to accumulate high levels of these metals. We show that a single sponge symbiotic bacterium, Entotheonella sp., constitutes the arsenic- and barium-accumulating entity within the host. These bacteria mineralize both arsenic and barium on intracellular vesicles. Our results indicate that Entotheonella sp. may act as a detoxifying organ for its host.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14393

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