The biogeochemistry and ecology of anaerobic sponge microbes, and their role in spongemicrobe associations
Zusammenfassung der Projektergebnisse
Sponges are evolutionary ancient marine organisms, which may host high amounts of associated microbes ("bacteriosponges"). In this project, sponges were viewed as specialized microbial habitats. The aim was to understand the impact of anaerobic processes on the metabolic capacities of the sponge animal as a whole, including its microbial assemblages. An important result of the project is that tissue anoxia is rather the exception than the rule in many sponge species, but occurs frequently enough to make them attractive habitats for anaerobic microbes. The frequent switch between oxic and anoxic situations greatly influences physiological variety and community diversity of the sponge-microbe-system. Several microbial key processes and the phylogeny and spatial distribution of the involved microbes were successfully determined. As a most important result, we were able to quantify all processes ofthe microbial nitrogen cycle - nitrification, denitrification and anammox - in a sponge. Furthermore, all microbes involved in this complex nitrogen cycling were specified. This tight coupling of aerobic and anaerobic, autotrophic and heterotrophic processes enables extra carbon uptake and efficient nutrient recycling in the sponge-microbe system. Understanding the impact of these processes on the metabolic capacities of the sponge animal as a whole may help to overcome persistent difficulties in the biotechnological production of pharmacologically potent sponge metabolites.
Projektbezogene Publikationen (Auswahl)
- (2005) An anaerobic world in sponges. Geomicrobiology Joumal 22: 1-10
Hoffmann F, Larsen O, Thiel V, Rapp HT, Pape T, Michaelis W, Reitner J
- (2005) Oxygen dynamics in choanosomal sponge explants. Marine Biology Research 1: 160-163
Hoffmann F, Larsen O, Rapp HT, Osinga R
- (2006) Dense populations of Archaea associated with the hadromerid demosponge Tentorium semisuberites from Arctic deep waters. Polar Biology 29: 662-667
Pape T, Hoffmann F, Queric N-V, Juterzenka Kv, Reimer J, Michaelis W
- (2006) Monitoring microbial community composition by fluorescence in situ hybridisation during cultivation of the marine cold-water sponge Geodia barretti. Marine Biotechnology 8: 373-379
Hoffmann F, Rapp HT, Reitner J
- (2006) New trends in marine chemical ecology. Estuaries and Coasts 29: 531 - 551
lanora A, Boersma M, Casotti R, Fontana A, Harder J, Hoffmann F, Pavia H, Poulet SA, Toth G
- (2007) Oxygen distribution in Tentorium semisuberites and in its habitat in the Arctic deep sea. In: Custodio M, Lobo-Hajdu G, Hajdu E, Muricy G (eds) Porifera Research: Biodiversity, Innovation, Sustainability. Série Livros. Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, pp 379-382
Hoffmann F, Sauter E, Sachs O, Röy H, Klages M
- (2007) Oxygen dynamics and flow pattems of Dysidea avara (Porifera, Demospongiae). Journal of the Marine Biological Association ofthe United Kingdom. 86: 1677-1682
Schläppy M-L, Hoffmann F, Röy H, Wijffels RH, Mendola D, Sidri M, Beer Dd
- (2007) The reproductive cycle of Geodia barretti (Bowerbank, 1888)(Porifera, Astrophorida) in two Scandinavian Qords. In: Custódio M, Lobo-Hajdu G, Hajdu E, Muricy G (eds) Porifera Research: Biodiversity, Innovation, Sustainability. Série Livros. Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro: 613-620
Spetland F, Rapp HT, Hoffmann F, Tendal OS
- (2008) Oxygen dynamics and transport in the Mediterranean sponge Aplysina aerophoba. Marine Biology 153: 1257-1264
Hoffmann F, Röy H, Bayer K, Hentschel U, Pfannkuchen M, Brümmer F, Beer Dd
