From: [email-masked] (Dan Distel)
Date: Fri, 20 Jan 1995 15:05:59 -0500

Hello Symbios@net subscribers.  My name is Dan Distel and I am a
recent assistant professor  at the University of Maine at Orono.  The
following is a blurb describing the research ongoing in my laboratory.  I
am very interested in contacting all parties who are currently studying
symbiont bearing members of any of the bivalve families mentioned below
(especially those who have access to specimens!!!).
        Research in my laboratory is centered on the physiology, ecology,
and evolution of symbiotic associations between bacteria and marine
bivalves.  These include endosymbioses which allow hydrothermal vent and
hydrocarbon seep bivalves to "eat"  hydrogen sulfide and methane (natural
gas), and  endosymbioses which allow other bivalve species to survive on a
diet composed entirely of wood.  We emphasize molecular approaches for
examining questions of host-symbiont interactions from both physiological
and evolutionary perspectives.  Areas of investigation include
host-symbiont recognition, coregulation, and coevolution, as well as the
mechanisms and consequences of symbiont transmission.
        Ongoing projects include:
        1) Investigation of host and symbiont co-speciation using
comparative molecular phylogenetic analysis.  This work involves sulfur and
methane oxidizing symbioses that occur in bivalves like those found at
deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps.  Members of the bivalve
families Mytilidae, Vesicomyidae, Solemyidae and the superfamily Lucinacea
and their respective symbionts are currently under investigation.  This
project is geared toward elucidating the origins and evolution of these
ancient symbiotic associations and assessing the effects of these symbioses
on the evolution of the symbiotic partners. Current investigations involve
comparative phylogenetic analysis of homologous genes and spacers of the
rRNA operons in hosts and symbionts.
        2) Investigation of the mechanisms of symbiont transfer and the
influence of the symbiosis on the development and physiology of the
symbiotic partners.  These investigations center on bacterial endosymbioses
found in the wood boring clams of the families Teredinidae (shipworms) and
Pholadidae (subfamily Xylopagainae).  Among our goals are to determine the
diversity that exists within these symbiont populations, to identify
biomarker sequences  specific for individual symbiont strains, and to track
uptake and transmission of symbionts by using in situ hybridization
techniques to detect and localize these specific biomarker sequences in the
animal tissues and/or the surrounding environment.
        Interested parties may contact me at the following address:

Daniel L. Distel, Ph.D.
University of Maine
Biochemistry, Microbiology,
and Molecular Biology Dept.
5735 Hitchner Hall
Orono, ME 04469-5735
Tel. 207-581-2824
Fax. 207-581-2801