Specificity of bacterial symbionts in Mediterranean and Great Barrier Reef sponges

Abstract

Bacteria were isolated from marine sponges from the Mediterranean and the Great Barrier Reef and characterized using numerical taxonomy techniques. A similar sponge-specific bacterial symbiont was found in 9 of 10 sponges examined from both geographic regions. This symbiont occurred in sponges of two classes and seven orders, and it probably has been associated with sponges over a long geological time scale. Another symbiont apparently specific to the spongeVerongia aerophoba was found. This sponge is yellow-orange, similar in color to the bacterial symbiont. These symbionts are two of a large mixed bacterial population present in many sponges.