1
|
Kehlet-Delgado H, Montoya AP, Jensen KT, Wendlandt CE, Dexheimer C, Roberts M, Torres Martínez L, Friesen ML, Griffitts JS, Porter SS. The evolutionary genomics of adaptation to stress in wild rhizobium bacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2311127121. [PMID: 38507447 PMCID: PMC10990125 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311127121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbiota comprise the bulk of life's diversity, yet we know little about how populations of microbes accumulate adaptive diversity across natural landscapes. Adaptation to stressful soil conditions in plants provides seminal examples of adaptation in response to natural selection via allelic substitution. For microbes symbiotic with plants however, horizontal gene transfer allows for adaptation via gene gain and loss, which could generate fundamentally different evolutionary dynamics. We use comparative genomics and genetics to elucidate the evolutionary mechanisms of adaptation to physiologically stressful serpentine soils in rhizobial bacteria in western North American grasslands. In vitro experiments demonstrate that the presence of a locus of major effect, the nre operon, is necessary and sufficient to confer adaptation to nickel, a heavy metal enriched to toxic levels in serpentine soil, and a major axis of environmental soil chemistry variation. We find discordance between inferred evolutionary histories of the core genome and nreAXY genes, which often reside in putative genomic islands. This suggests that the evolutionary history of this adaptive variant is marked by frequent losses, and/or gains via horizontal acquisition across divergent rhizobium clades. However, different nre alleles confer distinct levels of nickel resistance, suggesting allelic substitution could also play a role in rhizobium adaptation to serpentine soil. These results illustrate that the interplay between evolution via gene gain and loss and evolution via allelic substitution may underlie adaptation in wild soil microbiota. Both processes are important to consider for understanding adaptive diversity in microbes and improving stress-adapted microbial inocula for human use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kyson T. Jensen
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT84602
| | | | | | - Miles Roberts
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Vancouver, WA98686
| | | | - Maren L. Friesen
- Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA99164
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA99164
| | - Joel S. Griffitts
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT84602
| | - Stephanie S. Porter
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Vancouver, WA98686
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Van Cauwenberghe J, Simms EL. How might bacteriophages shape biological invasions? mBio 2023; 14:e0188623. [PMID: 37812005 PMCID: PMC10653932 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01886-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasions by eukaryotes dependent on environmentally acquired bacterial mutualists are often limited by the ability of bacterial partners to survive and establish free-living populations. Focusing on the model legume-rhizobium mutualism, we apply invasion biology hypotheses to explain how bacteriophages can impact the competitiveness of introduced bacterial mutualists. Predicting how phage-bacteria interactions affect invading eukaryotic hosts requires knowing the eco-evolutionary constraints of introduced and native microbial communities, as well as their differences in abundance and diversity. By synthesizing research from invasion biology, as well as bacterial, viral, and community ecology, we create a conceptual framework for understanding and predicting how phages can affect biological invasions through their effects on bacterial mutualists.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jannick Van Cauwenberghe
- Institute of Biodiversity, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Ellen L. Simms
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Xirocostas ZA, Ollerton J, Tamme R, Peco B, Lesieur V, Slavich E, Junker RR, Pärtel M, Raghu S, Uesugi A, Bonser SP, Chiarenza GM, Hovenden MJ, Moles AT. The great escape: patterns of enemy release are not explained by time, space or climate. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231022. [PMID: 37583319 PMCID: PMC10427826 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
When a plant is introduced to a new ecosystem it may escape from some of its coevolved herbivores. Reduced herbivore damage, and the ability of introduced plants to allocate resources from defence to growth and reproduction can increase the success of introduced species. This mechanism is known as enemy release and is known to occur in some species and situations, but not in others. Understanding the conditions under which enemy release is most likely to occur is important, as this will help us to identify which species and habitats may be most at risk of invasion. We compared in situ measurements of herbivory on 16 plant species at 12 locations within their native European and introduced Australian ranges to quantify their level of enemy release and understand the relationship between enemy release and time, space and climate. Overall, plants experienced approximately seven times more herbivore damage in their native range than in their introduced range. We found no evidence that enemy release was related to time since introduction, introduced range size, temperature, precipitation, humidity or elevation. From here, we can explore whether traits, such as leaf defences or phylogenetic relatedness to neighbouring plants, are stronger indicators of enemy release across species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zoe A. Xirocostas
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jeff Ollerton
- Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, People's Republic of China
- Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology, University of Northampton, Northampton, UK
| | - Riin Tamme
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, J. Liivi 2, 50409 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Begoña Peco
- Terrestrial Ecology Group (TEG), Department of Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Global Change, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Vincent Lesieur
- CSIRO European Laboratory, 830 Avenue du Campus Agropolis, 34980 Montferrier sur Lez, France
| | - Eve Slavich
- Stats Central, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, UNSW Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Robert R. Junker
- Evolutionary Ecology of Plants, Department of Biology, University of Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Meelis Pärtel
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, J. Liivi 2, 50409 Tartu, Estonia
| | - S. Raghu
- CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Akane Uesugi
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
- Biosciences and Food Technology Division, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia
| | - Stephen P. Bonser
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Giancarlo M. Chiarenza
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Mark J. Hovenden
- Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Angela T. Moles
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Moles AT, Dalrymple RL, Raghu S, Bonser SP, Ollerton J. Advancing the missed mutualist hypothesis, the under-appreciated twin of the enemy release hypothesis. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20220220. [PMID: 36259169 PMCID: PMC9579764 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduced species often benefit from escaping their enemies when they are transported to a new range, an idea commonly expressed as the enemy release hypothesis. However, species might shed mutualists as well as enemies when they colonize a new range. Loss of mutualists might reduce the success of introduced populations, or even cause failure to establish. We provide the first quantitative synthesis testing this natural but often overlooked parallel of the enemy release hypothesis, which is known as the missed mutualist hypothesis. Meta-analysis showed that plants interact with 1.9 times more mutualist species, and have 2.3 times more interactions with mutualists per unit time in their native range than in their introduced range. Species may mitigate the negative effects of missed mutualists. For instance, selection arising from missed mutualists could cause introduced species to evolve either to facilitate interactions with a new suite of species or to exist without mutualisms. Just as enemy release can allow introduced populations to redirect energy from defence to growth, potentially evolving increased competitive ability, species that shift to strategies without mutualists may be able to reallocate energy from mutualism toward increased competitive ability or seed production. The missed mutualist hypothesis advances understanding of the selective forces and filters that act on plant species in the early stages of introduction and establishment and thus could inform the management of introduced species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angela T. Moles
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Rhiannon L. Dalrymple
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - S. Raghu
- CSIRO, GPO Box 2583, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
| | - Stephen P. Bonser
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jeff Ollerton
- Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology, University of Northampton, Waterside Campus, Northampton NN1 5PH, UK,Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Warrington S, Ellis AG, Keet JH, Le Roux JJ. How does familiarity in rhizobial interactions impact the performance of invasive and native legumes? NEOBIOTA 2022. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.72.79620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Mutualisms can be disrupted when non-native plants are introduced into novel environments, potentially impacting their establishment success. Introduced species can reassemble mutualisms by forming novel associations with resident biota or by maintaining familiar associations when they are co-introduced with their mutualists. Invasive Australian Acacia species in South Africa have formed nitrogen-fixing rhizobium mutualisms using both pathways.
Here we examined the contributions of novel vs familiar rhizobial associations to the performance of Acacia saligna across different soils within South Africa’s Core Cape Subregion (CCR), and the concomitant impacts of exotic rhizobia on the endemic legume, Psoralea pinnata. We grew each legume with and without Australian Bradyrhizobium strains across various CCR soil types in a glasshouse. We identified root nodule rhizobium communities associating with seedlings grown in each treatment combination using next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques.
Our results show that different CCR soils affected growth performances of seedlings for both species while the addition of Australian bradyrhizobia affected growth performances of A. saligna, but not P. pinnata. NGS data revealed that each legume associated mostly with their familiar rhizobial partners, regardless of soil conditions or inoculum treatment. Acacia saligna predominantly associated with Australian bradyrhizobia, even when grown in soils without inoculum, while P. pinnata largely associated with native South African Mesorhizobium strains.
Our study suggests that exotic Australian bradyrhizobia are already present and widespread in pristine CCR soils, and that mutualist limitation is not an impediment to further acacia invasion in the region. The ability of P. pinnata to sanction Australian Bradyrhizobium strains suggests that this species may be a good candidate for restoration efforts following the removal of acacias in CCR habitats.
Collapse
|
6
|
Stephan P, Bramon Mora B, Alexander JM. Positive species interactions shape species' range limits. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Stephan
- Dept of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich Zürich Switzerland
| | | | - Jake M. Alexander
- Dept of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich Zürich Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wendlandt CE, Helliwell E, Roberts M, Nguyen KT, Friesen ML, von Wettberg E, Price P, Griffitts JS, Porter SS. Decreased coevolutionary potential and increased symbiont fecundity during the biological invasion of a legume-rhizobium mutualism. Evolution 2021; 75:731-747. [PMID: 33433925 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Although most invasive species engage in mutualism, we know little about how mutualism evolves as partners colonize novel environments. Selection on cooperation and standing genetic variation for mutualism traits may differ between a mutualism's invaded and native ranges, which could alter cooperation and coevolutionary dynamics. To test for such differences, we compare mutualism traits between invaded- and native-range host-symbiont genotype combinations of the weedy legume, Medicago polymorpha, and its nitrogen-fixing rhizobium symbiont, Ensifer medicae, which have coinvaded North America. We find that mutualism benefits for plants are indistinguishable between invaded- and native-range symbioses. However, rhizobia gain greater fitness from invaded-range mutualisms than from native-range mutualisms, and this enhancement of symbiont fecundity could increase the mutualism's spread by increasing symbiont availability during plant colonization. Furthermore, mutualism traits in invaded-range symbioses show lower genetic variance and a simpler partitioning of genetic variance between host and symbiont sources, compared to native-range symbioses. This suggests that biological invasion has reduced mutualists' potential to respond to coevolutionary selection. Additionally, rhizobia bearing a locus (hrrP) that can enhance symbiotic fitness have more exploitative phenotypes in invaded-range than in native-range symbioses. These findings highlight the impacts of biological invasion on the evolution of mutualistic interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Camille E Wendlandt
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington
| | - Emily Helliwell
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington
| | - Miles Roberts
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington
| | - Kyle T Nguyen
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington
| | - Maren L Friesen
- Department of Plant Pathology, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
| | - Eric von Wettberg
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Gund Institute for the Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Paul Price
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan
| | - Joel S Griffitts
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Stephanie S Porter
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington
| |
Collapse
|