Host-Microbe Interactions in the Chemosynthetic Riftia pachyptila Symbiosis

ABSTRACT The deep-sea tubeworm Riftia pachyptila lacks a digestive system but completely relies on bacterial endosymbionts for nutrition. Although the symbiont has been studied in detail on the molecular level, such analyses were unavailable for the animal host, because sequence information was lacking. To identify host-symbiont interaction mechanisms, we therefore sequenced the Riftia transcriptome, which served as a basis for comparative metaproteomic analyses of symbiont-containing versus symbiont-free tissues, both under energy-rich and energy-limited conditions. Our results suggest that metabolic interactions include nutrient allocation from symbiont to host by symbiont digestion and substrate transfer to the symbiont by abundant host proteins. We furthermore propose that Riftia maintains its symbiont by protecting the bacteria from oxidative damage while also exerting symbiont population control. Eukaryote-like symbiont proteins might facilitate intracellular symbiont persistence. Energy limitation apparently leads to reduced symbiont biomass and increased symbiont digestion. Our study provides unprecedented insights into host-microbe interactions that shape this highly efficient symbiosis. IMPORTANCE All animals are associated with microorganisms; hence, host-microbe interactions are of fundamental importance for life on earth. However, we know little about the molecular basis of these interactions. Therefore, we studied the deep-sea Riftia pachyptila symbiosis, a model association in which the tubeworm host is associated with only one phylotype of endosymbiotic bacteria and completely depends on this sulfur-oxidizing symbiont for nutrition. Using a metaproteomics approach, we identified both metabolic interaction processes, such as substrate transfer between the two partners, and interactions that serve to maintain the symbiotic balance, e.g., host efforts to control the symbiont population or symbiont strategies to modulate these host efforts. We suggest that these interactions are essential principles of mutualistic animal-microbe associations.

Combined S-curve feedrate profiling and input shaping for glass substrate transfer robot vibration suppression

Purpose The glass substrate transfer robot uses flexible arm and fork to transport the glass substrate which will generate vibration. To reduce the settling time and increase productivity, the authors proposed a vibration suppression method that integrated the continuous input shaping into the S-curve feedrate profiling. Design/methodology/approach The quasi-optimal S-curve feedrate profiling is achieved by the robot model. Then the outputs of the S-curve are shaped by the continuous input shaper, which can greatly lower the vibration and shorten the settling time. Findings The robot produces vibrations because of the flexibility of the belt system and the forks; the vibration of the robot is especially obvious in the acceleration and deceleration stage and the low-speed operation stage. Because the fork fingers are flexible, vibration at the end of the fork is enlarged. Originality/value The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by the comparative experiments conducted on a glass substrate transfer robot.