Bacteria-ascidian symbiosis P2-Fuji. sea squirt metagenome

Freshly collected samples from the ascidian Lissoclinum patella were squeezed to release bacterial cells, predominantly belonging to the cyanobacterial symbiont Prochloron didemni. DNA was immediately processed and the isolated DNA combined with total DNA isolated from the whole L. patella sample (1:1 mass ratio). This study is the first large-scale, comparative metagenomic analysis of a marine animal group and explains the unusual primary and secondary metabolism of ascidians, which are important sources of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical lead compounds.