@article {ISI:000339334700007,
	title = {{Symbiont-driven sulfur crystal formation in a thiotrophic symbiosis from deep-sea hydrocarbon seeps}},
	journal = {ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS},
	volume = {6},
	number = {4, SI},
	year = {2014},
	month = {aug},
	pages = {364{\textendash}372},
	type = {Article},
	abstract = {The siboglinid tubeworm Sclerolinum contortum symbiosis inhabits sulfidic sediments at deep-sea hydrocarbon seeps in the Gulf of Mexico. A single symbiont phylotype in the symbiont-housing organ is inferred from phylogenetic analyses of the 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (16S rRNA) gene and fluorescent in situ hybridization. The phylotype we studied here, and a previous study from an arctic hydrocarbon seep population, reveal identical 16S rRNA symbiont gene sequences. While sulfide is apparently the energy source for the symbionts (and ultimately the gutless host), both partners also have to cope with its toxicity. This study demonstrates abundant large sulfur crystals restricted to the trophosome area. Based on Raman microspectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis, these crystals have the same S8 sulfur configuration as the recently described small sulfur vesicles formed in the symbionts. The crystals reside adjacent to the symbionts in the trophosome. This suggests that their formation is either extra-or intracellular in symbionts. We propose that formation of these crystals provides both energy-storage compounds for the symbionts and serves the symbiosis by removing excess toxic sulfide from host tissues. This symbiont-mediated sulfide detoxification may have been crucial for the establishment of thiotrophic symbiosis and continues to remain an important function of the symbionts.},
	keywords = {ROV Jason (Remotely Operated Vehicle)},
	issn = {1758-2229},
	doi = {10.1111/1758-2229.12149},
	author = {Eichinger, Irmgard and Schmitz-Esser, Stephan and Schmid, Markus and Fisher, Charles R and Bright, Monika}
}
@article {ISI:000323108100003,
	title = {{Morphology, microanatomy and sequence data of Sclerolinum contortum (Siboglindae, Annelida) of the Gulf of Mexico}},
	journal = {ORGANISMS DIVERSITY {\&} EVOLUTION},
	volume = {13},
	number = {3},
	year = {2013},
	month = {sep},
	pages = {311{\textendash}329},
	type = {Article},
	abstract = {Sclerolinum is a small genus of Siboglinidae (Annelida) living in an obligate mutualistic association with thiotrophic bacteria as adults. Its taxonomic position, based on morphology, has been controversial; however, molecular data point to a sister taxa relationship with vestimentiferans. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and comparative morphology revealed that the studied population from deep-sea hydrocarbon seeps of the Gulf of Mexico belongs to Sclerolinum contortum known from the Arctic Sea. Since no anatomical and microanatomical studies have been published yet, we conducted such a study on S. contortum using serial sectioning and light and transmission electron microscopy. We show that the Sclerolinum body, divided into a head, trunk, and opisthosoma, is very similar to that of the vestimentiferans, and therefore we propose that the body regions are homologous in both taxa.},
	keywords = {ROV Jason (Remotely Operated Vehicle)},
	issn = {1439-6092},
	doi = {10.1007/s13127-012-0121-3},
	author = {Eichinger, Irmgard and Hourdez, Stephane and Bright, Monika}
}
@article {ISI:000290596200008,
	title = {{Organization and Microanatomy of the Sclerolinum contortum Trophosome (Polychaeta, Siboglinidae)}},
	journal = {BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN},
	volume = {220},
	number = {2},
	year = {2011},
	month = {apr},
	pages = {140{\textendash}153},
	type = {Article},
	abstract = {The trophosome-an organ especially evolved to accommodate symbiotic bacteria-is a key character of the polychaete family Siboglinidae. Astonishingly, the trophosomes vary in organization and origin between the different siboglinid taxa. The trophosome of the small genus Sclerolinum was nearly unknown until now. Here we investigated the trophosome of S. contortum from the Gulf of Mexico, using light and electron microscopy. We show that this organ derives from the visceral mesoderm and propose that the trophosome of the sister clade Vestimentifera and Sclerolinum is a homologous character. Like that of juvenile vestimentiferans, the trophosome of Sclerolinum trophosome is simply organized. This study reveals that the Sclerolinum trophosome exhibits two regions that differ in the organization of host tissue and the size and shape of the symbionts. We suggest that a specific cell cycle within the symbiont-housing organ is directed along the longitudinal body axis, with a region of proliferation anteriorly and a region of degradation posteriorly. Using Raman microspectroscopy we demonstrate that the endosymbionts of S. contortum from the Gulf of Mexico contain sulfur vesicles, and we argue for a chemoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing metabolism.},
	keywords = {ROV Jason (Remotely Operated Vehicle)},
	issn = {0006-3185},
	author = {Eichinger, Irmgard and Klepal, Waltraud and Schmid, Markus and Bright, Monika}
}
