Volume 61

Analyses of Mangrove Swamp Meiofauna of Guadeloupe (FWI) by Raman Microspectrometry: Detection of Sulphur-oxydizing Bacterial Symbiosis


Authors
Maurin, L.C., D. Himmel, J-L. Mansot, M.C.Z. Laurent, and O. Gros.
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Other Information


Date: November, 2008


Pages: 565-566


Event: Proceedings of the Sixty-First Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute


City: Gosier


Country: Guadeloupe

Abstract

Among various techniques permitting the detection of elemental sulphur, Raman microspectrometry can be used. Due to the high intensity of the sulphur S8 Raman bands, this technique a high sensitivity. In our case, it allows us to detect quickly the extracellular or intracellular presence of elemental sulphur compounds. Moreover, this technique can be used on living organisms (without preliminary fixation) preserving the molecular structure of the sulphur. In mangrove swamp (Guadeloupe) the sulphur speciation of meiofaune colonizing the sunken wood has been determinated by this technique. The description of Zoothamnium niveum (ciliates) as a model of sulphur-oxidizing bacterial symbiosis permits to compare spectra obtained by Raman microspectrometry on the different organisms collected from this ecosystem. The observation of elemental sulphur S8 on this biological model associated with electronic microscopy analyses such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations allows us to highlight the symbiotic sulphur-oxidizing association. The detection of sulphur by Raman microspectrometry was realized on ectosymbiotic organisms such as nematodes (Eubostrichus dianae), kamptozoans (Loxosomatoides sp.), and ciliates (Vorticella sp.) but also on a non-symbiotic nematode (undetermined species) used as negative model. This fast and easy technique can be considered as a powerful tool for preliminary assumption of sulphur-oxidizing symbiosis in meiofauna. This implement can be used without constraints for the organism size, the study can be realized on entire living (sessile or vagile) meiofaune organisms (< 1 mm).

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