Chlorococcum amblystomatis explained

Chlorococcum amblystomatis, (previously Oophila amblystomatis), is a species of single-celled green algae known for its symbiotic relationship with the spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum. It grows symbiotically inside salamander eggs, primarily in the eggs of the spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum. It has also been reported in other salamander species, such as the Japanese black salamander, Hynobius nigrescens, which is endemic to Japan.^[1]

Taxonomy and etymology

C. amblystomatis was originally named in the genus Oophila. When placed in the genus Oophila, it was the only species.

Growth

C. amblystomatis cells invade and grow inside salamander egg capsules. Once inside, it metabolizes the carbon dioxide produced by the embryo and provides it with oxygen and sugar as a result of photosynthesis. This is an example of endosymbiosis.^[2] The relationship between some salamanders and some species of green algae, including C. amblystomatis, is only known example of an intracellular endosymbiont in vertebrates.^{[3] [4]} This symbiosis between C. amblystomatis and the salamander may exist beyond the oocyte and early embryonic stage. Chlorophyll autofluorescence observation and ribosomal DNA analysis suggest that this algal species has invaded embryonic salamander tissues and cells during development and may even be transmitted to the next generation.^[5]

Free-living C. amblystomatis have been reported growing in freshwater woodland ponds.^[6] They grow best at a water depth of 30cm (10inches) with the water temperature being and an air temperature of . Their optimal pH tolerance ranges from 6.26 to 6.46. Cells are motile via a flagellum. C. amblystomatis can reproduce sexually and asexually. 16S rRNA has been partially sequenced as well as the 18S rRNA for the plasmid, however whole genome sequencing has not been done.

See also

• Chlorogonium

Further reading

• Gilbert. P. W.. 1942. Observations on the eggs of Ambystoma maculatum with especial reference to the green algae found within the egg envelopes. Ecology. 23. 2. 215–227. 10.2307/1931088. 1931088.
• Kim. E.. Lin. Y.. Kerney. R.. Blumenberg. L.. Bishop. C.. 2014. Phylogenetic analysis of algal symbionts associated with four North American amphibian egg masses. PLoS ONE. 9. 11. e108915 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0108915. 4230919. 25393119. 2014PLoSO...9j8915K. free.
• Valls. J. H.. Mills. N. E.. 2007. Intermittent hypoxia in eggs of Ambystoma maculatum: embryonic development and egg capsule conductance. J. Exp. Biol.. 210. 14. 2430–2435. 10.1242/jeb.003541. 17601946. free.

External links

• Green Eggs and Jam: Adaptations That Help Spotted Salamanders Reproduce at Henderson State University.
• Ambystoma maculatum, the spotted salamander, at AmphibiaWeb.
• Image of salamander egg with algae at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

Notes and References

1. Muto . Kiyoaki . Nishikawa . Kanto . Kamikawa . Ryoma . Miyashita . Hideaki . 2017-04-04 . Symbiotic green algae in eggs of Hynobius nigrescens, an amphibian endemic to Japan . Phycological Research . en . 65 . 2 . 171–174 . 10.1111/pre.12173 . 1322-0829.
2. http://www.hsu.edu/content.aspx?id=5910 Nature Trivia, Spotted Salamander
3. Web site: Algae Living inside Salamanders Aren't Happy about the Situation. Frazer. J.. 2018-05-18. Scientific American. 2018-05-21.
4. Burns. J. A.. Zhang. H.. Hill. E.. Kim. E.. Kerney. R.. Transcriptome analysis illuminates the nature of the intracellular interaction in a vertebrate-algal symbiosis . eLife. 6 . e22054 . 2017. 10.7554/eLife.22054. 5413350. 28462779 . free .
5. Kerney . Ryan . etal . 2011 . Intracellular invasion of green algae in a salamander host . . 108 . 16 . 6497–6502 . 2011PNAS..108.6497K . 10.1073/pnas.1018259108 . 3080989 . 21464324 . free.
6. Lin . Yuan . C. D. Bishop . 2015 . Identification of free-living Oophila amblystomatis (Chlorophyceae) from Yellow Spotted Salamander and Wood Frog breeding habitat . Phycologia . 54 . 2 . 183–191 . 10.2216/14-076.1 . 83838616.