Here, the authors characterize the symbiotic relationship between Haliclona sponges and its intracellular symbiont. The symbiont has a highly streamlined genome, yet retains a plasmid with the biosynthetic gene cluster for production of the defence chemical renieramycin and lives within chemobacteriocytes for nutrient acquisition.
- Ma. Diarey Tianero
- Jared N. Balaich
- Mohamed S. Donia