Pathogenic bacterium Vibrio harveyi: an endosymbiont in the marine parasitic ciliate protozoan Cryptocaryon irritans

Vibrio harveyi, known as a pathogenic bacterium caused severe secondary bacterial infections of the large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea, was identified as an endosymbiont in the marine parasitic ciliate protozoan Cryptocaryon irritans. Meta 16S sequencing method was used to identify the bacterial flora in C. irritans, and V. harveyi was isolated via culture-dependent method. Vibrio harveyi was observed in cytoplasm of C. irritans at the stage of tomont both by transmission electron microscopy and by Fluorescence in situ hybridization; no signal, however, was detected in nucleus area. The relationship between V. harveyi and C. irritans and the role of endosymbiotic V. harveyi in C. irritans merit further investigation.