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Biedrzycka A, Konopiński MK, Popiołek M, Zawiślak M, Bartoszewicz M, Kloch A. Non-MHC immunity genes do not affect parasite load in European invasive populations of common raccoon. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15696. [PMID: 37735177 PMCID: PMC10514260 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41721-1] [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: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the evolutionary mechanisms behind invasion success enables predicting which alien species and populations are the most predisposed to become invasive. Parasites may mediate the success of biological invasions through their effect on host fitness. The evolution of increased competitive ability (EICA) hypothesis assumes that escape from parasites during the invasion process allows introduced species to decrease investment in immunity and allocate resources to dispersal and reproduction. Consequently, the selective pressure of parasites on host species in the invasive range should be relaxed. We used the case of the raccoon Procyon lotor invasion in Europe to investigate the effect of gastrointestinal pathogen pressure on non-MHC immune genetic diversity of newly established invasive populations. Despite distinct differences in parasite prevalence between analysed populations, we detected only marginal associations between two analysed SNPs and infection intensity. We argue that the differences in parasite prevalence are better explained by detected earlier associations with specific MHC-DRB alleles. While the escape from native parasites seems to allow decreased investment in overall immunity, which relaxes selective pressure imposed on immune genes, a wide range of MHC variants maintained in the invasive range may protect from newly encountered parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Biedrzycka
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Maciej K Konopiński
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Marcin Popiołek
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/67, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Marlena Zawiślak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/67, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland
| | | | - Agnieszka Kloch
- Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-089, Warszawa, Poland
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Biedrzycka A, Popiołek M, Zalewski A. Host-parasite interactions in non-native invasive species are dependent on the levels of standing genetic variation at the immune locus. BMC Evol Biol 2020; 20:43. [PMID: 32299345 PMCID: PMC7164242 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-020-01610-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Parasites may mediate the success of biological invasions through their effect on host fitness and thus, on host population growth and stability. However, a release from the pressure of parasites is strongly related to the genetic differentiation of the host. In invasive host populations, the number of available genetic variants, allowing them to ‘fight’ the infection, are likely to be influenced by founder events and genetic drift. The level standing genetic variation of invasive populations may be crucial in successfully adapting to new environments and resisting diseases. We studied invasive populations of raccoon that experienced a random reduction in genetic diversity during the establishment and evaluated the relationship between host immune genetic diversity and intestinal parasites infection. Results We distinguished two different genetic clusters that are characterized by different sets of functionally relevant MHC-DRB alleles. Both clusters were characterized by considerably different allele-parasite associations and different levels of parasite infection. The specific resistance MHC-DRB alleles explained the lower prevalence of Digenea parasites. An increased infection intensity was related to the presence of two MHC-DRB alleles. One of these alleles significantly decreased in frequency over time, causing a decrease of Digenea abundance in raccoons in consecutive years. Conclusions Our findings suggest that intestinal parasites can exert selective pressure on an invasive host with lowered levels of immune genetic diversity and contribute to promoting local adaptation over time. The random genetic drift that created the two different genetic clusters in the invasive raccoon range imposed completely different MHC-parasite associations, strongly associated with the infection status of populations. Our findings underline the role of standing genetic variation in shaping host-parasite relationships and provide empirical support that functional genetic variation may be, at least partly, responsible for differences in the success of invasive populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Biedrzycka
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Marcin Popiołek
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/67, 51-148, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Andrzej Zalewski
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Stoczek 1, 17-230, Białowieża, Poland
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Biedrzycka A, Konopiński M, Hoffman E, Trujillo A, Zalewski A. Comparing raccoon major histocompatibility complex diversity in native and introduced ranges: Evidence for the importance of functional immune diversity for adaptation and survival in novel environments. Evol Appl 2020; 13:752-767. [PMID: 32211065 PMCID: PMC7086054 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The adaptive potential of invasive species is related to the genetic diversity of the invader, which is influenced by genetic drift and natural selection. Typically, the genetic diversity of invaders is studied with neutral genetic markers; however, the expectation of reduced diversity has not been consistently supported by empirical studies. Here, we describe and interpret genetic diversity at both neutral microsatellite loci and the immune-related MHC-DRB locus of native and invasive populations of raccoon to better understand of how drift and selection impact patterns of genetic diversity during the invasion process. We found that despite the loss of many MHC (major histocompatibility complex) alleles in comparison with native populations, functional MHC supertypes are preserved in the invasive region. In the native raccoon population, the number of supertypes within individuals was higher than expected under a neutral model. The high level of individual functional divergence may facilitate the adaptation to local conditions in the invasive range. In the invasive populations, we also detected increased population structure at microsatellites compared to the MHC locus, further suggesting that balancing selection is acting on adaptively important regions of the raccoon genome. Finally, we found that alleles known to exhibit resistance to rabies in the native range, Prlo-DRB*4, Prlo-DRB*16 and Prlo-DRB*102, were the most common alleles in the European populations, suggesting directional selection is acting on this locus. Our research shows empirical support for the importance of functional immune diversity for adaptation and survival in novel environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maciej Konopiński
- Institute of Nature ConservationPolish Academy of SciencesKrakówPoland
| | - Eric Hoffman
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Central FloridaOrlandoFLUSA
| | - Alexa Trujillo
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Central FloridaOrlandoFLUSA
| | - Andrzej Zalewski
- Mammal Research InstitutePolish Academy of SciencesBiałowieżaPoland
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Larsen PA, Matocq MD. Emerging genomic applications in mammalian ecology, evolution, and conservation. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyy184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Larsen
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Marjorie D Matocq
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science; Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
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Al-Warid HS, Belsare AV, Straka K, Gompper ME. Baylisascaris procyonis roundworm infection patterns in raccoons (Procyon lotor) from Missouri and Arkansas, USA. Helminthologia 2017. [DOI: 10.1515/helm-2017-0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Summary
Baylisascaris procyonis is a helminth parasite of raccoons Procyon lotor and represents a health concern in paratenic hosts, including humans and diverse domestic and wildlife species. In North America the helminth is expanding its geographic range. To better understand patterns of infection in the Ozark region of the USA, raccoons (n = 61) were collected in 2013-2014 from five counties in Missouri and Arkansas, USA and necropsied. We documented B. procyonis in all surveyed locations. The overall prevalence of B. procyonis was 44.3 % (95 % CI = 31.9 - 57.4) and was significantly higher in females than males. There were also significant differences in prevalence among raccoons sampled north and south of the Missouri River. Mean intensity was 9.9 (CI = 5.44 - 17.22), and parasites were highly aggregated among hosts such that approximately 20 % of hosts harbor 90 % of parasites. These levels of parasitism indicate that B. procyonis is common in the region and its impacts on paratenic hosts could be qualitatively similar to effects observed in other localities.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. S. Al-Warid
- School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, 302 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building , Columbia , MO 65211, USA
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, 405A Tucker Hall , Columbia , MO 65211, USA
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Baghdad Al-Jadriyah, Baghdad , Iraq
| | - A. V. Belsare
- School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, 302 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building , Columbia , MO 65211, USA
| | - K. Straka
- Missouri Department of Conservation, Resource Science Center, 3500 East Gans Road , Columbia , MO 65201, USA
| | - M. E. Gompper
- School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, 302 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building , Columbia , MO 65211, USA
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Santos PSC, Michler FU, Sommer S. Can MHC-assortative partner choice promote offspring diversity? A new combination of MHC-dependent behaviours among sexes in a highly successful invasive mammal. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:2392-2404. [PMID: 28141891 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Revised: 01/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Sexual selection involving genetically disassortative mate choice is one of several evolutionary processes that can maintain or enhance population genetic variability. Examples of reproductive systems in which choosers (generally females) select mates depending on their major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes have been reported for several vertebrate species. Notably, the role of MHC-dependent choice not in mating contexts, but in other kinds of social interactions such as in the establishment of complex social systems, has not yet drawn significant scientific interest and is virtually absent from the literature. We have investigated male and female MHC-dependent choice in an invasive population of North American raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Germany. Both male and female raccoons rely on olfaction for individual recognition. Males have an unusually complex social system in which older individuals choose unrelated younger ones to form stable male coalitions that defend territories and a monopoly over females. We have confirmed that females perform MHC-disassortative mate choice and that this behaviour fosters genetic diversity of offspring. We have also observed that males build coalitions by choosing male partners depending on their MHC, but in an assortative manner. This is the first observation of antagonistic MHC-dependent behaviours among sexes. We show that this is the only combination of MHC-dependent partner choice that leads to outbreeding. In the case of introduced raccoons, such behaviours can act together to promote the invasive potential of the species by increasing its adaptive genetic divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo S C Santos
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89069, Ulm, Germany
| | - Frank-Uwe Michler
- Institute of Forest Botany and Forest Zoology, Technical University of Dresden, Pienner Straße 7, 01737, Tharandt, Germany
| | - Simone Sommer
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89069, Ulm, Germany
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Santos PSC, Courtiol A, Heidel AJ, Höner OP, Heckmann I, Nagy M, Mayer F, Platzer M, Voigt CC, Sommer S. MHC-dependent mate choice is linked to a trace-amine-associated receptor gene in a mammal. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38490. [PMID: 27941813 PMCID: PMC5150237 DOI: 10.1038/srep38490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes play a pivotal role in vertebrate self/nonself recognition, parasite resistance and life history decisions. In evolutionary terms, the MHC’s exceptional diversity is likely maintained by sexual and pathogen-driven selection. Even though MHC-dependent mating preferences have been confirmed for many species, the sensory and genetic mechanisms underlying mate recognition remain cryptic. Since olfaction is crucial for social communication in vertebrates, variation in chemosensory receptor genes could explain MHC-dependent mating patterns. Here, we investigated whether female mate choice is based on MHC alleles and linked to variation in chemosensory trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) in the greater sac-winged bat (Saccopteryx bilineata). We sequenced several MHC and TAAR genes and related their variation to mating and paternity data. We found strong evidence for MHC class I-dependent female choice for genetically diverse and dissimilar males. We also detected a significant interaction between mate choice and the female TAAR3 genotype, with TAAR3-heterozygous females being more likely to choose MHC-diverse males. These results suggest that TAARs and olfactory cues may be key mediators in mammalian MHC-dependent mate choice. Our study may help identify the ligands involved in the chemical communication between potential mates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo S C Santos
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Alexandre Courtiol
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv), 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrew J Heidel
- Leibniz Institute on Age - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Oliver P Höner
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Berlin, Germany
| | - Ilja Heckmann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Berlin, Germany
| | - Martina Nagy
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity, Berlin, Germany
| | - Frieder Mayer
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias Platzer
- Leibniz Institute on Age - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian C Voigt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Sommer
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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