Intracellular invasion of green algae in a salamander host
One article on PainSci cites Kerney 2011: Salamander and Regeneration Science
PainSci notes on Kerney 2011:
It’s not enough that salamanders have seemingly miraculous regenerative powers, without equal in vertebrates. Oh no, salamanders have to be more amazing still, by being the only vertebrates that are effectively photosynthetic, thanks to a deep symbiotic relationship with an algae, a proper endosymbiote. That is, the algae don’t just hang out around the salamander cells, but actually in them — and you can even see the algae, the only endosymbiote visible to the naked eye (you can see it in their eggs). Incredible.
Just how special are you, salamanders?!
original abstract †Abstracts here may not perfectly match originals, for a variety of technical and practical reasons. Some abstacts are truncated for my purposes here, if they are particularly long-winded and unhelpful. I occasionally add clarifying notes. And I make some minor corrections.
The association between embryos of the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) and green algae ({\textquotedblleft}Oophila amblystomatis{\textquotedblright} Lamber ex Printz) has been considered an ectosymbiotic mutualism. We show here, however, that this symbiosis is more intimate than previously reported. A combination of imaging and algal 18S rDNA amplification reveals algal invasion of embryonic salamander tissues and cells during development. Algal cells are detectable from embryonic and larval Stages 26{\textendash}44 through chlorophyll autofluorescence and algal 18S rDNA amplification. Algal cell ultrastructure indicates both degradation and putative encystment during the process of tissue and cellular invasion. Fewer algal cells were detected in later-stage larvae through FISH, suggesting that the decline in autofluorescent cells is primarily due to algal cell death within the host. However, early embryonic egg capsules also contained encysted algal cells on the inner capsule wall, and algal 18S rDNA was amplified from adult reproductive tracts, consistent with oviductal transmission of algae from one salamander generation to the next. The invasion of algae into salamander host tissues and cells represents a unique association between a vertebrate and a eukaryotic alga, with implications for research into cell{\textendash}cell recognition, possible exchange of metabolites or DNA, and potential congruence between host and symbiont population structures.
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Specifically regarding Kerney 2011:
This page is part of the PainScience BIBLIOGRAPHY, which contains plain language summaries of thousands of scientific papers & others sources. It’s like a highly specialized blog. A few highlights:
- Inciting events associated with lumbar disc herniation. Suri 2010 Spine J.
- Prediction of an extruded fragment in lumbar disc patients from clinical presentations. Pople 1994 Spine (Phila Pa 1976).
- Characteristics of patients with low back and leg pain seeking treatment in primary care: baseline results from the ATLAS cohort study. Konstantinou 2015 BMC Musculoskelet Disord.
- Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of universal school-based mindfulness training compared with normal school provision in reducing risk of mental health problems and promoting well-being in adolescence: the MYRIAD cluster randomised controlled trial. Kuyken 2022 Evid Based Ment Health.
- No long-term effects after a three-week open-label placebo treatment for chronic low back pain: a three-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. Kleine-Borgmann 2022 Pain.