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Swanson K, Blakeslee AMH, Fowler AE, Roozbehi S, Field EK. Microbial communities are indicators of parasite infection status. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:3423-3434. [PMID: 37918974 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that microbiomes have been shaping the evolutionary pathways of macroorganisms for millennia and that these tiny symbionts can influence, and possibly even control, species interactions like host-parasite relationships. Yet, while studies have investigated host-parasites and microbiomes separately, little has been done to understand all three groups synergistically. Here, we collected infected and uninfected Eurypanopeus depressus crab hosts from a coastal North Carolina oyster reef three times over 4 months. Infected crabs demonstrated an external stage of the rhizocephalan parasite, Loxothylacus panopaei. Community analyses revealed that microbial richness and diversity were significantly different among tissue types (uninfected crab, infected crab, parasite externae and parasite larvae) and over time (summer and fall). Specifically, the microbial communities from parasite externae and larvae had similar microbiomes that were consistent through time. Infected crabs demonstrated microbial communities spanning those of their host and parasite, while uninfected crabs showed more distinctive communities with greater variability over time. Microbial communities were also found to be indicators of early-stage infections. Resolving the microbial community composition of a host and its parasite is an important step in understanding the microbiome's role in the host-parasite relationship and determining how this tripartite relationship impacts coevolutionary processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Swanson
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - April M H Blakeslee
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Amy E Fowler
- Environmental Science & Policy Department, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Sara Roozbehi
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Erin K Field
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
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Moore CS, Baillie CJ, Edmonds EA, Gittman RK, Blakeslee AMH. Parasites indicate trophic complexity and faunal succession in restored oyster reefs over a 22-year period. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2825. [PMID: 36843150 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Foundation species like the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) create complex habitats for organisms across multiple trophic levels. Historic declines in oyster abundance have prompted decades of restoration efforts. However, it remains unclear how long it takes for restored reefs to resemble the trophic complexity of natural reefs. We used a space-for-time approach to examine community succession of restored reefs ranging in age from 3 to 22 years old in coastal North Carolina, surveying both free-living taxa and parasite communities and comparing them to natural reefs that are decades old. Trophically transmitted parasites can serve as valuable biodiversity surrogates, sometimes providing greater information about a system or question than their free-living counterparts. We found that the diversity of free-living taxa was highly variable and did not differ among new (<10 years), old (20 years), and natural reefs. Conversely, parasite diversity increased with elapsed time after restoration, and parasite communities in older restored reefs resembled those found in natural reefs. Our study also revealed that oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau) act as a key host species capable of facilitating parasite transmission and trophic ascent in oyster reef food webs. Overall, our results suggest that trophic complexity in restored oyster reefs requires at least 8 years to resemble that found in natural reefs. This work adds to a growing body of evidence demonstrating how parasites can serve as biodiversity surrogates, proxies for the presence of additional taxa that are often difficult or impractical to sample. Given the multiplicity of links formed with their hosts, parasites offer a powerful tool for quantifying diversity and trophic complexity in environmental monitoring studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher S Moore
- Biology Department, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Emily A Edmonds
- Biology Department, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Rachel K Gittman
- Biology Department, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
- Coastal Studies Institute, East Carolina University, Wanchese, North Carolina, USA
| | - April M H Blakeslee
- Biology Department, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
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Walters EA, Bojko J, Crowley CE, Gandy RL, Martin CW, Shea CP, Bateman KS, Stentiford GD, Behringer DC. Salinity and temperature affect the symbiont profile and host condition of Florida USA blue crabs Callinectes sapidus. J Invertebr Pathol 2023; 198:107930. [PMID: 37148998 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2023.107930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Subtropical Florida blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, exhibit differing life history traits compared to their temperate counterparts, likely influencing symbiont infection dynamics. Little information exists for Florida C. sapidus symbiont profiles, their distribution among various habitats, and influence on crab condition. Using histopathology, genomics, and transmission electron microscopy, we describe the first symbiont profiles for Florida C. sapidus occupying freshwater to marine habitats. Twelve symbiont groups were identified from 409 crabs including ciliophorans, digenean, microsporidian, Haplosporidia, Hematodinium sp., Nematoda, filamentous bacteria, gregarine, Callinectes sapidus nudivirus, Octolasmis sp., Cambarincola sp., and putative microcell. Overall, 78% of C. sapidus were documented with one or more symbiont groups demonstrating high infection rates in wild populations. Environmental variables water temperature and salinity explained 48% of the variation in symbiont groups among Florida habitats, and salinity was positively correlated with C. sapidus symbiont diversity. This suggests freshwater C. sapidus possess fewer symbionts and represent healthier individuals compared to saltwater populations. Crab condition was examined using the reflex action mortality predictor (RAMP) to determine if reflex impairment could be linked to symbiont prevalence. Symbionts were found positively correlated with crab condition, and impaired crabs were more likely to host symbionts, demonstrating symbiont inclusion may boost predictive ability of the RAMP application. The microsporidian symbiont group had a particularly strong effect on C. sapidus reflex response, and impairment was on average 1.57 times higher compared to all other symbiont groups. Our findings demonstrate the importance of considering full symbiont profiles and their associations with a spatially and temporally variable environment to fully assess C. sapidus population health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin A Walters
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, USA.
| | - Jamie Bojko
- National Horizons Centre, Teesside University, Darlington, DL1 1HG, United Kingdom; School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, TS1 3BX, United Kingdom
| | - Claire E Crowley
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, USA
| | - Ryan L Gandy
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, USA
| | - Charles W Martin
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, University of South Alabama, 101 Bienville Blvd, Dauphin Island, Alabama, 36528
| | - Colin P Shea
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, USA
| | - Kelly S Bateman
- International Centre of Excellence for Aquatic Animal Health, Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), The Nothe, Dorset, United Kingdom
| | - Grant D Stentiford
- International Centre of Excellence for Aquatic Animal Health, Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), The Nothe, Dorset, United Kingdom
| | - Donald C Behringer
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA; Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32653, USA
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L E E CE, Downey K, Colby RS, Freire CA, Nichols S, Burgess MN, Judy KJ. Recognizing salinity threats in the climate crisis. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:441-460. [PMID: 35640911 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is causing habitat salinity to transform at unprecedented rates across the globe. While much of the research on climate change has focused on rapid shifts in temperature, far less attention has focused on the effects of changes in environmental salinity. Consequently, predictive studies on the physiological, evolutionary, and migratory responses of organisms and populations to the threats of salinity change are relatively lacking. This omission represents a major oversight, given that salinity is among the most important factors that define biogeographic boundaries in aquatic habitats. In this perspective, we briefly touch on responses of organisms and populations to rapid changes in salinity occurring on contemporary time scales. We then discuss factors that might confer resilience to certain taxa, enabling them to survive rapid salinity shifts. Next, we consider approaches for predicting how geographic distributions will shift in response to salinity change. Finally, we identify additional data that are needed to make better predictions in the future. Future studies on climate change should account for the multiple environmental factors that are rapidly changing, especially habitat salinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Eunmi L E E
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kala Downey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | - Rebecca Smith Colby
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Carolina A Freire
- Department of Physiology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Sarah Nichols
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Michael N Burgess
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Kathryn J Judy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
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Bojko J, McCoy KA, M H Blakeslee A. 'Candidatus Mellornella promiscua' n. gen. n. sp. (Alphaproteobacteria: Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae): an intracytoplasmic, hepatopancreatic, pathogen of the flatback mud crab, Eurypanopeus depressus. J Invertebr Pathol 2022; 190:107737. [PMID: 35247466 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2022.107737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens are a long-standing threat to the longevity and survival of crustacean hosts. Their presence and continuing emergence require close monitoring to understand their impact on fished, cultured, and wild crustacean populations. We describe a new bacterial pathogen belonging to the Anaplasmataceae family (Alphaproteobacteria: Rickettsiales), providing pathological, ultrastructural, phylogenetic, and genomic evidence to determine a candidate genus and species ('Candidatus Mellornella promiscua'). This bacterium was found to infect the mud crab, Eurypanopeus depressus, on the North Carolina coastline (USA) at a prevalence of 10.8%. 'Candidatus Mellornella promiscua' was often observed in co-infection with the rhizocephalan barnacle, Loxothylacus panopaei. The bacterium was only found in the hepatopancreas of the mud crab host, causing cytoplasmic hypertrophy, tubule necrosis, large plaques within the cytoplasm of the host cell, and an abundance of sex-pili. The circular genome of the bacterium is 1,013,119bp and encodes 939 genes in total. Phylogenetically, the new bacterium branches within the Anaplasmataceae. The genome is dissimilar from other described bacteria, with 16S gene similarity observed at a maximum of 85.3% to a Wolbachia endosymbiont. We explore this novel bacterial pathogen using genomic, phylogenetic, ultrastructural, and pathological methods, discussing these results in light of current bacterial taxonomy, similarity to other bacterial pathogens, and the potential impact upon the surrounding disease ecology of the host and benthic ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Bojko
- National Horizons Centre, Teesside University, Darlington, DL1 1HG, UK; School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, TS1 3BA, UK.
| | - Krista A McCoy
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie E. Lotterhos
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University Marine Science Center, Nahant, MA 01908, USA
| | - Molly Albecker
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University Marine Science Center, Nahant, MA 01908, USA
| | - Geoffrey C. Trussell
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University Marine Science Center, Nahant, MA 01908, USA
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