Biomaterial Database

Nitrogen fixation and nitrogen transformations in marine symbioses. 2010

Cara L Fiore, and Jessica K Jarett, and Nathan D Olson, and Michael P Lesser

Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA.

Many marine organisms have coevolved symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in nitrogen limited environments such as coral reefs. In addition, some of these organisms also harbor microbes that carry out nitrification and denitrification. Prokaryotes involved in nitrogen fixation and other nitrogen transformations are symbionts in a range of eukaryotic hosts in the marine environment including shipworms, diatoms, corals and sponges. Molecular genetic approaches, and other analytical techniques, have provided exciting new insights into symbiont diversity and the relationship between host and symbiont. We review the current state of knowledge of these symbioses and highlight important avenues for future studies.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008954	Models, Biological	Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, DISEASE MODELS, ANIMAL is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.	Biological Model,Biological Models,Model, Biological,Models, Biologic,Biologic Model,Biologic Models,Model, Biologic
D008974	Mollusca	A phylum of the kingdom Metazoa. Mollusca have soft, unsegmented bodies with an anterior head, a dorsal visceral mass, and a ventral foot. Most are encased in a protective calcareous shell. It includes the classes GASTROPODA; BIVALVIA; CEPHALOPODA; Aplacophora; Scaphopoda; Polyplacophora; and Monoplacophora.	Molluscs,Mollusks,Mollusc,Molluscas,Mollusk
D009584	Nitrogen	An element with the atomic symbol N, atomic number 7, and atomic weight [14.00643; 14.00728]. Nitrogen exists as a diatomic gas and makes up about 78% of the earth's atmosphere by volume. It is a constituent of proteins and nucleic acids and found in all living cells.
D009586	Nitrogen Fixation	The process in certain BACTERIA; FUNGI; and CYANOBACTERIA converting free atmospheric NITROGEN to biologically usable forms of nitrogen, such as AMMONIA; NITRATES; and amino compounds.	Diazotrophy,Diazotrophic Activity,Dinitrogen Fixation,N2 Fixation,Activities, Diazotrophic,Activity, Diazotrophic,Diazotrophic Activities,Fixation, Dinitrogen,Fixation, N2,Fixation, Nitrogen
D011161	Porifera	The phylum of sponges which are sessile, suspension-feeding, multicellular animals that utilize flagellated cells called choanocytes to circulate water. Most are hermaphroditic. They are probably an early evolutionary side branch that gave rise to no other group of animals. Except for about 150 freshwater species, sponges are marine animals. They are a source of ALKALOIDS; STEROLS; and other complex molecules useful in medicine and biological research.	Demospongiae,Sponges (Zoology),Sponge (Zoology),Sponges,Poriferas,Sponge
D002245	Carbon Dioxide	A colorless, odorless gas that can be formed by the body and is necessary for the respiration cycle of plants and animals.	Carbonic Anhydride,Anhydride, Carbonic,Dioxide, Carbon
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001419	Bacteria	One of the three domains of life (the others being Eukarya and ARCHAEA), also called Eubacteria. They are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms which generally possess rigid cell walls, multiply by cell division, and exhibit three principal forms: round or coccal, rodlike or bacillary, and spiral or spirochetal. Bacteria can be classified by their response to OXYGEN: aerobic, anaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic; by the mode by which they obtain their energy: chemotrophy (via chemical reaction) or PHOTOTROPHY (via light reaction); for chemotrophs by their source of chemical energy: CHEMOLITHOTROPHY (from inorganic compounds) or chemoorganotrophy (from organic compounds); and by their source for CARBON; NITROGEN; etc.; HETEROTROPHY (from organic sources) or AUTOTROPHY (from CARBON DIOXIDE). They can also be classified by whether or not they stain (based on the structure of their CELL WALLS) with CRYSTAL VIOLET dye: gram-negative or gram-positive.	Eubacteria
D013559	Symbiosis	The relationship between two different species of organisms that are interdependent; each gains benefits from the other or a relationship between different species where both of the organisms in question benefit from the presence of the other.	Endosymbiosis,Commensalism,Mutualism
D017377	Diatoms	The common name for the phylum of microscopic unicellular STRAMENOPILES. Most are aquatic, being found in fresh, brackish, and salt water. Diatoms are noted for the symmetry and sculpturing of their siliceous cell walls. They account for 40% of PHYTOPLANKTON, but not all diatoms are planktonic.	Bacillariophyta,Bacillariophytas,Diatom