This Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences scholarly article reports that that free amino acids and peptides or proteins derived from a host organism (squid Euprymna scolopes) are a source of amino acids supporting the growth of bacterial symbiont Vibrio fischeri. It also describes a technique to sample the symbionts and their surrounding environment without contamination by host tissue components and, in combination with molecular genetic studies, allows the characterization of the nutritional conditions that support a cooperative animal-bacterial symbiosis. Links to the full-text version may require a subscription.
