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Heimeier D, Garland EC, Eichenberger F, Garrigue C, Vella A, Baker CS, Carroll EL. A pan-cetacean MHC amplicon sequencing panel developed and evaluated in combination with genome assemblies. Mol Ecol Resour 2024; 24:e13955. [PMID: 38520161 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13955] [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: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a highly polymorphic gene family that is crucial in immunity, and its diversity can be effectively used as a fitness marker for populations. Despite this, MHC remains poorly characterised in non-model species (e.g., cetaceans: whales, dolphins and porpoises) as high gene copy number variation, especially in the fast-evolving class I region, makes analyses of genomic sequences difficult. To date, only small sections of class I and IIa genes have been used to assess functional diversity in cetacean populations. Here, we undertook a systematic characterisation of the MHC class I and IIa regions in available cetacean genomes. We extracted full-length gene sequences to design pan-cetacean primers that amplified the complete exon 2 from MHC class I and IIa genes in one combined sequencing panel. We validated this panel in 19 cetacean species and described 354 alleles for both classes. Furthermore, we identified likely assembly artefacts for many MHC class I assemblies based on the presence of class I genes in the amplicon data compared to missing genes from genomes. Finally, we investigated MHC diversity using the panel in 25 humpback and 30 southern right whales, including four paternity trios for humpback whales. This revealed copy-number variable class I haplotypes in humpback whales, which is likely a common phenomenon across cetaceans. These MHC alleles will form the basis for a cetacean branch of the Immuno-Polymorphism Database (IPD-MHC), a curated resource intended to aid in the systematic compilation of MHC alleles across several species, to support conservation initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea Heimeier
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland-Waipapa Taumata Rau, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ellen C Garland
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, Fife, UK
| | - Franca Eichenberger
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, Fife, UK
| | - Claire Garrigue
- UMR ENTROPIE, (IRD, Université de La Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, IFREMER, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Excellence-CORAIL), Nouméa, New Caledonia
- Opération Cétacés, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - Adriana Vella
- Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - C Scott Baker
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Emma L Carroll
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland-Waipapa Taumata Rau, Auckland, New Zealand
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2
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Pearman WS, Duffy GA, Gemmell NJ, Morales SE, Fraser CI. Long-distance movement dynamics shape host microbiome richness and turnover. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024; 100:fiae089. [PMID: 38857884 PMCID: PMC11212666 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae089] [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: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Host-associated microbial communities are shaped by host migratory movements. These movements can have contrasting impacts on microbiota, and understanding such patterns can provide insight into the ecological processes that contribute to community diversity. Furthermore, long-distance movements to new environments are anticipated to occur with increasing frequency due to host distribution shifts resulting from climate change. Understanding how hosts transport their microbiota with them could be of importance when examining biological invasions. Although microbial community shifts are well-documented, the underlying mechanisms that lead to the restructuring of these communities remain relatively unexplored. Using literature and ecological simulations, we develop a framework to elucidate the major factors that lead to community change. We group host movements into two types-regular (repeated/cyclical migratory movements, as found in many birds and mammals) and irregular (stochastic/infrequent movements that do not occur on a cyclical basis, as found in many insects and plants). Ecological simulations and prior research suggest that movement type and frequency, alongside environmental exposure (e.g. internal/external microbiota) are key considerations for understanding movement-associated community changes. From our framework, we derive a series of testable hypotheses, and suggest means to test them, to facilitate future research into host movement and microbial community dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- William S Pearman
- Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, 310 Castle St, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, 270 Great King Street, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, 720 Cumberland St, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Grant A Duffy
- Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, 310 Castle St, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Neil J Gemmell
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, 270 Great King Street, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Sergio E Morales
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, 720 Cumberland St, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Ceridwen I Fraser
- Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, 310 Castle St, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
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3
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Zhu Y, Ma R, Hu L, Yang H, Gong H, He K. Structure, variation and assembly of body-wide microbiomes in endangered crested ibis Nipponia nippon. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17238. [PMID: 38108198 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17238] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Limited knowledge of bird microbiome in the all-body niche hinders our understanding of host-microbial relationships and animal health. Here, we characterized the microbial composition of the crested ibis from 13 body sites, representing the cloaca, oral, feather and skin habitats, and explored assembly mechanism structuring the bacterial community of the four habitats respectively. The bacterial community characteristics were distinct among the four habitats. The skin harboured the highest alpha diversity and most diverse functions, followed by feather, oral and cloaca. Individual-specific features were observed when the skin and feathers were concentrated independently. Skin and feather samples of multiple body sites from the same individual were more similar than those from different individuals. Although a significant proportion of the microbiota in the host (85.7%-96.5%) was not derived from the environmental microbiome, as body sites became more exposed to the environment, the relative importance of neutral processes (random drift or dispersal) increased. Neutral processes were the most important contributor in shaping the feather microbiome communities (R2 = .859). A higher percentage of taxa (29.3%) on the skin were selected by hosts compared to taxa on other body habitats. This study demonstrated that niche speciation and partial neutral processes, rather than environmental sources, contribute to microbiome variation in the crested ibis. These results enhance our knowledge of baseline microbial diversity in birds and will aid health management in crested ibises in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhu
- Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Provincial Key Laboratory for Alpine Grassland Conservation and Utilization on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ruifeng Ma
- Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Provincial Key Laboratory for Alpine Grassland Conservation and Utilization on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Hu
- Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Provincial Key Laboratory for Alpine Grassland Conservation and Utilization on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Haiqiong Yang
- Emei Breeding Center for Crested Ibis, Emei, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Haizhou Gong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Ke He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China
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4
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Ferreira D, San‐Jose LM, Roulin A, Gaigher A, Fumagalli L. Limited associations between MHC diversity and reproductive success in a bird species with biparental care. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10950. [PMID: 38384825 PMCID: PMC10879840 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The selective pressure from pathogens on individuals can have direct consequences on reproduction. Genes from the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are central to the vertebrate adaptive immune system and pathogen resistance. In species with biparental care, each sex has distinct reproductive roles and levels of investment, and due to a trade-off with immunity, one can expect different selective regimes acting upon the MHC of each parent. Here, we addressed whether couples combine each other's variation at MHC loci to increase their breeding success. Specifically, we used a 23-year dataset from a barn owl population (Tyto alba) to understand how MHC class Iα and IIβ functional divergence and supertypes of each parent were associated with clutch size and fledging success. We did not detect associations between MHC diversity and supertypes with the clutch size or with the fledging success. In addition, to understand the relative contribution from the MHC of the genetic parents and the social parents, we analyzed the fledging success using only a cross-fostered dataset. We found several associations of weak-to-moderate effect sizes between the father's MHC and fledging success: (i) lower MHC-Iα divergence in the genetic father increases fledging success, which might improve paternal care during incubation, and (ii) one and two MHC-IIβ DAB2 supertypes in the social father decrease and increase, respectively, fledging success, which may affect the paternal care after hatching. Furthermore, fledging success increased when both parents did not carry MHC-IIβ DAB1 supertype 2, which could suggest conditional effects of this supertype. Although our study relied on a substantial dataset, we showed that the associations between MHC diversity and reproductive success remain scarce and of complex interpretation in the barn owl. Moreover, our results highlighted the need to incorporate more than one proxy of reproductive success and several MHC classes to capture more complex associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Ferreira
- Laboratory for Conservation Biology, Department of Ecology and Evolution, BiophoreUniversity of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Luis M. San‐Jose
- Laboratoire Évolution and Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174, CNRSUniversité Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, IRDToulouseFrance
| | - Alexandre Roulin
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, BiophoreUniversity of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Arnaud Gaigher
- CIBIO‐InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic ResourcesUniversity of PortoVairãoPortugal
- Research Unit for Evolutionary Immunogenomics, Department of BiologyUniversity of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Luca Fumagalli
- Laboratory for Conservation Biology, Department of Ecology and Evolution, BiophoreUniversity of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
- Swiss Human Institute of Forensic Taphonomy, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne‐GenevaLausanne University Hospital and University of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
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5
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Hotopp AM, Olsen BJ, Ishaq SL, Frey SD, Kovach AI, Kinnison MT, Gigliotti FN, Roeder MR, Cammen KM. Plumage microorganism communities of tidal marsh sparrows. iScience 2024; 27:108668. [PMID: 38230264 PMCID: PMC10790016 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Microorganism communities can shape host phenotype evolution but are often comprised of thousands of taxa with varied impact on hosts. Identification of taxa influencing host evolution relies on first describing microorganism communities and acquisition routes. Keratinolytic (keratin-degrading) microorganisms are hypothesized to be abundant in saltmarsh sediments and to contribute to plumage evolution in saltmarsh-adapted sparrows. Metabarcoding was used to describe plumage bacterial (16S rRNA) and fungal (ITS) communities in three sparrow species endemic to North America's Atlantic coast saltmarshes. Results describe limited within-species variability and moderate host species-level patterns in microorganism diversity and community composition. A small percentage of overall microorganism diversity was comprised of potentially keratinolytic microorganisms, warranting further functional studies. Distinctions between plumage and saltmarsh sediment bacteria, but not fungal, communities were detected, suggesting multiple bacterial acquisition routes and/or vertebrate host specialization. This research lays groundwork for future testing of causal links between microorganisms and avian host evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M. Hotopp
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Brian J. Olsen
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
- Maine Center for Genetics in the Environment, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Suzanne L. Ishaq
- School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Serita D. Frey
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Adrienne I. Kovach
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Michael T. Kinnison
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
- Maine Center for Genetics in the Environment, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Franco N. Gigliotti
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | | | - Kristina M. Cammen
- School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
- Maine Center for Genetics in the Environment, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
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6
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Cortazar-Chinarro M, Richter-Boix A, Rödin-Mörch P, Halvarsson P, Logue JB, Laurila A, Höglund J. Association between the skin microbiome and MHC class II diversity in an amphibian. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17198. [PMID: 37933583 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17198] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Microbiomes play an important role in determining the ecology and behaviour of their hosts. However, questions remain pertaining to how host genetics shape microbiomes, and how microbiome composition influences host fitness. We explored the effects of geography, evolutionary history and host genetics on the skin microbiome diversity and structure in a widespread amphibian. More specifically, we examined the association between bacterial diversity and composition and the major histocompatibility complex class II exon 2 diversity in 12 moor frog (Rana arvalis) populations belonging to two geographical clusters that show signatures of past and ongoing differential selection. We found that while bacterial alpha diversity did not differ between the two clusters, MHC alleles/supertypes and genetic diversity varied considerably depending on geography and evolutionary history. Bacterial alpha diversity was positively correlated with expected MHC heterozygosity and negatively with MHC nucleotide diversity. Furthermore, bacterial community composition showed significant variation between the two geographical clusters and between specific MHC alleles/supertypes. Our findings emphasize the importance of historical demographic events on hologenomic variation and provide new insights into how immunogenetic host variability and microbial diversity may jointly influence host fitness with consequences for disease susceptibility and population persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Cortazar-Chinarro
- Animal Ecology/Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- MEMEG/Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science 2020-2207, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - A Richter-Boix
- Department of Political and Social Science, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - P Rödin-Mörch
- Animal Ecology/Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - P Halvarsson
- Parasitology/Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - J B Logue
- Aquatic Ecology/Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- SLU University Library, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - A Laurila
- Animal Ecology/Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - J Höglund
- Animal Ecology/Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Ochoa-Sánchez M, Acuña Gomez EP, Moreno L, Moraga CA, Gaete K, Eguiarte LE, Souza V. Body site microbiota of Magellanic and king penguins inhabiting the Strait of Magellan follow species-specific patterns. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16290. [PMID: 37933257 PMCID: PMC10625763 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal hosts live in continuous interaction with bacterial partners, yet we still lack a clear understanding of the ecological drivers of animal-associated bacteria, particularly in seabirds. Here, we investigated the effect of body site in the structure and diversity of bacterial communities of two seabirds in the Strait of Magellan: the Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) and the king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus). We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to profile bacterial communities associated with body sites (chest, back, foot) of both penguins and the nest soil of Magellanic penguin. Taxonomic composition showed that Moraxellaceae family (specifically Psychrobacter) had the highest relative abundance across body sites in both penguin species, whereas Micrococacceae had the highest relative abundance in nest soil. We were able to detect a bacterial core among 90% of all samples, which consisted of Clostridium sensu stricto and Micrococcacea taxa. Further, the king penguin had its own bacterial core across its body sites, where Psychrobacter and Corynebacterium were the most prevalent taxa. Microbial alpha diversity across penguin body sites was similar in most comparisons, yet we found subtle differences between foot and chest body sites of king penguins. Body site microbiota composition differed across king penguin body sites, whereas it remained similar across Magellanic penguin body sites. Interestingly, all Magellanic penguin body site microbiota composition differed from nest soil microbiota. Finally, bacterial abundance in penguin body sites fit well under a neutral community model, particularly in the king penguin, highlighting the role of stochastic process and ecological drift in microbiota assembly of penguin body sites. Our results represent the first report of body site bacterial communities in seabirds specialized in subaquatic foraging. Thus, we believe it represents useful baseline information that could serve for long-term comparisons that use marine host microbiota to survey ocean health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Ochoa-Sánchez
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CDMX, Mexico
- Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego, Patagonia y Antártica (CEQUA), Punta Arenas, Chile
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | | | - Lucila Moreno
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Claudio A. Moraga
- Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego, Patagonia y Antártica (CEQUA), Punta Arenas, Chile
| | - Katherine Gaete
- Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego, Patagonia y Antártica (CEQUA), Punta Arenas, Chile
| | - Luis E. Eguiarte
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Valeria Souza
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CDMX, Mexico
- Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego, Patagonia y Antártica (CEQUA), Punta Arenas, Chile
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8
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Ochoa-Sánchez M, Acuña Gomez EP, Ramírez-Fenández L, Eguiarte LE, Souza V. Current knowledge of the Southern Hemisphere marine microbiome in eukaryotic hosts and the Strait of Magellan surface microbiome project. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15978. [PMID: 37810788 PMCID: PMC10557944 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Host-microbe interactions are ubiquitous and play important roles in host biology, ecology, and evolution. Yet, host-microbe research has focused on inland species, whereas marine hosts and their associated microbes remain largely unexplored, especially in developing countries in the Southern Hemisphere. Here, we review the current knowledge of marine host microbiomes in the Southern Hemisphere. Our results revealed important biases in marine host species sampling for studies conducted in the Southern Hemisphere, where sponges and marine mammals have received the greatest attention. Sponge-associated microbes vary greatly across geographic regions and species. Nevertheless, besides taxonomic heterogeneity, sponge microbiomes have functional consistency, whereas geography and aging are important drivers of marine mammal microbiomes. Seabird and macroalgal microbiomes in the Southern Hemisphere were also common. Most seabird microbiome has focused on feces, whereas macroalgal microbiome has focused on the epibiotic community. Important drivers of seabird fecal microbiome are aging, sex, and species-specific factors. In contrast, host-derived deterministic factors drive the macroalgal epibiotic microbiome, in a process known as "microbial gardening". In turn, marine invertebrates (especially crustaceans) and fish microbiomes have received less attention in the Southern Hemisphere. In general, the predominant approach to study host marine microbiomes has been the sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Interestingly, there are some marine holobiont studies (i.e., studies that simultaneously analyze host (e.g., genomics, transcriptomics) and microbiome (e.g., 16S rRNA gene, metagenome) traits), but only in some marine invertebrates and macroalgae from Africa and Australia. Finally, we introduce an ongoing project on the surface microbiome of key species in the Strait of Magellan. This is an international project that will provide novel microbiome information of several species in the Strait of Magellan. In the short-term, the project will improve our knowledge about microbial diversity in the region, while long-term potential benefits include the use of these data to assess host-microbial responses to the Anthropocene derived climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Ochoa-Sánchez
- Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego, Patagonia y Antártica (CEQUA), Punta Arenas, Chile
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | | | - Lia Ramírez-Fenández
- Facultad de Recursos Naturales Renovables, Universidad Arturo Prat, Iquique, Chile
- Centro de Desarrollo de Biotecnología Industrial y Bioproductos, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Luis E. Eguiarte
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Valeria Souza
- Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego, Patagonia y Antártica (CEQUA), Punta Arenas, Chile
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
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9
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Marzal A, Magallanes S, Garcia-Longoria L. Stimuli Followed by Avian Malaria Vectors in Host-Seeking Behaviour. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:726. [PMID: 35625454 PMCID: PMC9138572 DOI: 10.3390/biology11050726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Vector-borne infectious diseases (e.g., malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever) result from a parasite transmitted to humans and other animals by blood-feeding arthropods. They are major contributors to the global disease burden, as they account for nearly a fifth of all infectious diseases worldwide. The interaction between vectors and their hosts plays a key role driving vector-borne disease transmission. Therefore, identifying factors governing host selection by blood-feeding insects is essential to understand the transmission dynamics of vector-borne diseases. Here, we review published information on the physical and chemical stimuli (acoustic, visual, olfactory, moisture and thermal cues) used by mosquitoes and other haemosporidian vectors to detect their vertebrate hosts. We mainly focus on studies on avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites since this animal model has historically provided important advances in our understanding on ecological and evolutionary process ruling vector-borne disease dynamics and transmission. We also present relevant studies analysing the capacity of feather and skin symbiotic bacteria in the production of volatile compounds with vector attractant properties. Furthermore, we review the role of uropygial secretions and symbiotic bacteria in bird-insect vector interactions. In addition, we present investigations examining the alterations induced by haemosporidian parasites on their arthropod vector and vertebrate host to enhance parasite transmission. Finally, we propose future lines of research for designing successful vector control strategies and for infectious disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Marzal
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, Avenida de Elvas s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain;
- Grupo de Investigación y Sostenibilidad Ambiental, Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal, Lima 15007, Peru
| | - Sergio Magallanes
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), Avda, Américo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain;
| | - Luz Garcia-Longoria
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, Avenida de Elvas s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain;
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10
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Bracamonte SE, Hofmann MJ, Lozano-Martín C, Eizaguirre C, Barluenga M. Divergent and non-parallel evolution of MHC IIB in the Neotropical Midas cichlid species complex. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:41. [PMID: 35365100 PMCID: PMC8974093 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-01997-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Ecological diversification is the result of divergent natural selection by contrasting habitat characteristics that favours the evolution of distinct phenotypes. This process can happen in sympatry and in allopatry. Habitat-specific parasite communities have the potential to drive diversification among host populations by imposing selective pressures on their host's immune system. In particular, the hyperdiverse genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are implicated in parasite-mediated host divergence. Here, we studied the extent of divergence at MHC, and discuss how it may have contributed to the Nicaraguan Midas cichlid species complex diversification, one of the most convincing examples of rapid sympatric parallel speciation. Results We genotyped the MHC IIB for individuals from six sympatric Midas cichlid assemblages, each containing species that have adapted to exploit similar habitats. We recovered large allelic and functional diversity within the species complex. While most alleles were rare, functional groups of alleles (supertypes) were common, suggesting that they are key to survival and that they were maintained during colonization and subsequent radiations. We identified lake-specific and habitat-specific signatures for both allelic and functional diversity, but no clear pattern of parallel divergence among ecomorphologically similar phenotypes. Conclusions Colonization and demographic effects of the fish could have contributed to MHC evolution in the Midas cichlid in conjunction with habitat-specific selective pressures, such as parasites associated to alternative preys or environmental features. Additional ecological data will help evaluating the role of host–parasite interactions in the Midas cichlid radiations and aid in elucidating the potential role of non-parallel features differentiating crater lake species assemblages. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-022-01997-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seraina E Bracamonte
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Melinda J Hofmann
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Lozano-Martín
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Christophe Eizaguirre
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Marta Barluenga
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
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11
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Davies CS, Worsley SF, Maher KH, Komdeur J, Burke T, Dugdale HL, Richardson DS. Immunogenetic variation shapes the gut microbiome in a natural vertebrate population. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:41. [PMID: 35256003 PMCID: PMC8903650 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01233-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The gut microbiome (GM) can influence many biological processes in the host, impacting its health and survival, but the GM can also be influenced by the host's traits. In vertebrates, Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes play a pivotal role in combatting pathogens and are thought to shape the host's GM. Despite this-and the documented importance of both GM and MHC variation to individual fitness-few studies have investigated the association between the GM and MHC in the wild. RESULTS We characterised MHC class I (MHC-I), MHC class II (MHC-II) and GM variation in individuals within a natural population of the Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis). We determined how the diversity and composition of the GM varied with MHC characteristics, in addition to environmental factors and other host traits. Our results show that the presence of specific MHC alleles, but not MHC diversity, influences both the diversity and composition of the GM in this population. MHC-I alleles, rather than MHC-II alleles, had the greatest impact on the GM. GM diversity was negatively associated with the presence of three MHC-I alleles (Ase-ua3, Ase-ua4, Ase-ua5), and one MHC-II allele (Ase-dab4), while changes in GM composition were associated with the presence of four different MHC-I alleles (Ase-ua1, Ase-ua7, Ase-ua10, Ase-ua11). There were no associations between GM diversity and TLR3 genotype, but GM diversity was positively correlated with genome-wide heterozygosity and varied with host age and field period. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that components of the host's immune system play a role in shaping the GM of wild animals. Host genotype-specifically MHC-I and to a lesser degree MHC-II variation-can modulate the GM, although whether this occurs directly, or indirectly through effects on host health, is unclear. Importantly, if immune genes can regulate host health through modulation of the microbiome, then it is plausible that the microbiome could also influence selection on immune genes. As such, host-microbiome coevolution may play a role in maintaining functional immunogenetic variation within natural vertebrate populations. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charli S Davies
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK.
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
| | - Sarah F Worsley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Kathryn H Maher
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Terry Burke
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Hannah L Dugdale
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - David S Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
- Nature Seychelles, Roche Caiman, Mahé, Republic of Seychelles
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12
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Grieves LA, Gloor GB, Bernards MA, MacDougall-Shackleton EA. Preen gland microbiota covary with major histocompatibility complex genotype in a songbird. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:210936. [PMID: 34754501 PMCID: PMC8493191 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Pathogen-mediated selection at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is thought to promote MHC-based mate choice in vertebrates. Mounting evidence implicates odour in conveying MHC genotype, but the underlying mechanisms remain uncertain. MHC effects on odour may be mediated by odour-producing symbiotic microbes whose community structure is shaped by MHC genotype. In birds, preen oil is a primary source of body odour and similarity at MHC predicts similarity in preen oil composition. Hypothesizing that this relationship is mediated by symbiotic microbes, we characterized MHC genotype, preen gland microbial communities and preen oil chemistry of song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). Consistent with the microbial mediation hypothesis, pairwise similarity at MHC predicted similarity in preen gland microbiota. Counter to this hypothesis, overall microbial similarity did not predict chemical similarity of preen oil. However, permutation testing identified a maximally predictive set of microbial taxa that best reflect MHC genotype, and another set of taxa that best predict preen oil chemical composition. The relative strengths of relationships between MHC and microbes, microbes and preen oil, and MHC and preen oil suggest that MHC may affect host odour both directly and indirectly. Thus, birds may assess MHC genotypes based on both host-associated and microbially mediated odours.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. A. Grieves
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada N6A 5B7
| | - G. B. Gloor
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada N6A 5C1
| | - M. A. Bernards
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada N6A 5B7
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13
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Bourret V, Gutiérrez López R, Melo M, Loiseau C. Metabarcoding options to study eukaryotic endoparasites of birds. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:10821-10833. [PMID: 34429884 PMCID: PMC8366860 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing interest in the study of avian endoparasite communities, and metabarcoding is a promising approach to complement more conventional or targeted methods. In the case of eukaryotic endoparasites, phylogenetic diversity is extreme, with parasites from 4 kingdoms and 11 phyla documented in birds. We addressed this challenge by comparing different primer sets across 16 samples from 5 bird species. Samples consisted of blood, feces, and controlled mixes with known proportions of bird and nematode DNA. Illumina sequencing revealed that a 28S primer set used in combination with a custom blocking primer allowed detection of various plasmodiid parasites and filarioid nematodes in the blood, coccidia in the feces, as well as two potentially pathogenic fungal groups. When tested on the controlled DNA mixes, these primers also increased the proportion of nematode DNA by over an order of magnitude. An 18S primer set, originally designed to exclude metazoan sequences, was the most effective at reducing the relative number of avian DNA sequences and was the only one to detect Trypanosoma in the blood. Expectedly, however, it did not allow nematode detection and also failed to detect avian malaria parasites. This study shows that a 28S set including a blocking primer allows detection of several major and very diverse bird parasite clades, while reliable amplification of all major parasite groups may require a combination of markers. It helps clarify options for bird parasite metabarcoding, according to priorities in terms of the endoparasite clades and the ecological questions researchers wish to focus on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Bourret
- CIBIO‐InBIOCentro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos GenéticosUniversidade do PortoVairãoPortugal
| | - Rafael Gutiérrez López
- CIBIO‐InBIOCentro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos GenéticosUniversidade do PortoVairãoPortugal
| | - Martim Melo
- CIBIO‐InBIOCentro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos GenéticosUniversidade do PortoVairãoPortugal
- MHNC‐UP – Natural History and Science Museum of the University of PortoPortoPortugal
- FitzPatrick Institute of African OrnithologyUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Claire Loiseau
- CIBIO‐InBIOCentro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos GenéticosUniversidade do PortoVairãoPortugal
- CEFEUniversité de MontpellierCNRSMontpellierFrance
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14
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Zhang T, Jin W, Yang S, Li Y, Zhang M, Shi M, Guo X, Li D, Zhang B, Liu S, Hu D. Study of compositions of musks in different types secreted by forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245677. [PMID: 33725016 PMCID: PMC7963063 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Musk is a secretion of the forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii). Normal musk is a brown solid secretion with a light fragrance. In this study, abnormal types of musk, namely, white and black musks, were discovered during the musk collection process. Researchers have long been concerned with the components of musk. Herein, GC-MS, headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME), and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) were used to analyze the nonpolar organic components, volatile organic components, and sample similarities among different musks, respectively. Abundant steroid hormones and proteins were also found in the musk. The steroid hormone concentrations were detected using a radioimmunoassay (RIA). Proteins in the samples were hydrolyzed and the amino acids concentrations were detected. The steroid hormone and amino acid concentrations in white musk were significantly lower than in normal and black musks (p<0.05). The components were subjected to NMDS analysis to understand the differences in components among different types of musk, with the results suggesting that white musk was different from normal and black musks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianxiang Zhang
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Weijiang Jin
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuang Yang
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yimeng Li
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Meishan Zhang
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Minghui Shi
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaobing Guo
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dawei Li
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Baofeng Zhang
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shuqiang Liu
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- * E-mail: (SL); (DH)
| | - Defu Hu
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- * E-mail: (SL); (DH)
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15
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Darolová A, Poláček M, Krištofík J, Lukasch B, Hoi H. First Evidence of a Relationship Between Female Major Histocompatibility Complex Diversity and Eggshell Bacteria in House Sparrows (Passer domesticus). Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.615667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria are known to exert positive and negative influences on animals’ health and fitness. Bacteria, in particular those inhabiting the skin and inner organs of vertebrates, are horizontally or vertically transmitted. Specifically, mothers of bird species can transfer bacterial strains to their offspring when the egg is passing the reproductive tract, as the eggshell rubs against the wall of the uterus. In this context, the female immune system might play an important role in influencing the vertical transmission of bacteria. Here, we investigate the relationship between the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and cultivable eggshell bacteria originating putatively from the female urogenital tract in a captive population of house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We predict that females with a more variable MHC will transfer fewer bacteria onto the eggshells. Our results show a negative relationship between the number of functional MHC class I alleles and bacteria originating in the urinary tract and growing on a selective medium. This is the first study to find a correlation between female MHC diversity and eggshell bacteria.
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16
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Ruiz-López MJ. Mosquito Behavior and Vertebrate Microbiota Interaction: Implications for Pathogen Transmission. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:573371. [PMID: 33362732 PMCID: PMC7755997 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.573371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The microbiota is increasingly recognized for its ability to influence host health and individual fitness through multiple pathways, such as nutrient synthesis, immune system development, and even behavioral processes. Most of these studies though focus on the direct effects microbiota has on its host, but they do not consider possible interactions with other individuals. However, host microbiota can change not only host behavior but also the behavior of other individuals or species toward the host. For example, microbes can have an effect on animal chemistry, influencing animal behaviors mediated by chemical communication, such as mosquito attraction. We know that host skin microbes play a major role in odor production and thus can affect the behavior of mosquitoes leading to differences in attraction to their hosts. Ultimately, the vector feeding preference of mosquitoes conditions the risk of vertebrates of coming into contact with a vector-borne pathogen, affecting its transmission, and thus epidemiology of vector-borne diseases. In this mini review, I provide an overview of the current status of research on the interaction between mosquito behavior and host skin microbiota, both in humans and other vertebrates. I consider as well the factors that influence vertebrate skin microbiota composition, such as sex, genetic makeup, and infection status, and discuss the implications for pathogen transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- María José Ruiz-López
- Departamento de Humedales, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sevilla, Spain
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17
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Fleischer R, Risely A, Hoeck PEA, Keller LF, Sommer S. Mechanisms governing avian phylosymbiosis: Genetic dissimilarity based on neutral and MHC regions exhibits little relationship with gut microbiome distributions of Galápagos mockingbirds. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:13345-13354. [PMID: 33304542 PMCID: PMC7713960 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome of animals, which serves important functions but can also contain potential pathogens, is to varying degrees under host genetic control. This can generate signals of phylosymbiosis, whereby gut microbiome composition matches host phylogenetic structure. However, the genetic mechanisms that generate phylosymbiosis and the scale at which they act remain unclear. Two non-mutually exclusive hypotheses are that phylosymbiosis is driven by immunogenetic regions such as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) controlling microbial composition, or by spatial structuring of neutral host genetic diversity via founder effects, genetic drift, or isolation by distance. Alternatively, associations between microbes and host phylogeny may be generated by their spatial autocorrelation across landscapes, rather than the direct effects of host genetics. In this study, we collected MHC, microsatellite, and gut microbiome data from separate individuals belonging to the Galápagos mockingbird species complex, which consists of four allopatrically distributed species. We applied multiple regression with distance matrices and Bayesian inference to test for correlations between average genetic and microbiome similarity across nine islands for which all three levels of data were available. Clustering of individuals by species was strongest when measured with microsatellite markers and weakest for gut microbiome distributions, with intermediate clustering of MHC allele frequencies. We found that while correlations between island-averaged gut microbiome composition and both microsatellite and MHC dissimilarity existed across species, these relationships were greatly weakened when accounting for geographic distance. Overall, our study finds little support for large-scale control of gut microbiome composition by neutral or adaptive genetic regions across closely related bird phylogenies, although this does not preclude the possibility that host genetics shapes gut microbiome at the individual level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Fleischer
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUniversity of UlmUlmGermany
| | - Alice Risely
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUniversity of UlmUlmGermany
| | | | - Lukas F. Keller
- Zoological MuseumUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Simone Sommer
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUniversity of UlmUlmGermany
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18
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Pineaux M, Merkling T, Danchin E, Hatch S, Duneau D, Blanchard P, Leclaire S. Sex and hatching order modulate the association between MHC-II diversity and fitness in early-life stages of a wild seabird. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:3316-3329. [PMID: 32654215 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) play a pivotal role in parasite resistance, and their allelic diversity has been associated with fitness variations in several taxa. However, studies report inconsistencies in the direction of this association, with either positive, quadratic or no association being described. These discrepancies may arise because the fitness costs and benefits of MHC diversity differ among individuals depending on their exposure and immune responses to parasites. Here, we investigated in black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) chicks whether associations between MHC class-II diversity and fitness vary with sex and hatching order. MHC-II diversity was positively associated with growth and tick clearance in female chicks, but not in male chicks. Our data also revealed a positive association between MHC-II diversity and survival in second-hatched female chicks (two eggs being the typical clutch size). These findings may result from condition-dependent parasite infections differentially impacting sexes in relation to hatching order. We thus suggest that it may be important to account for individual heterogeneities in traits that potentially exert selective pressures on MHC diversity in order to properly predict MHC-fitness associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Pineaux
- Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), CNRS, IRD, Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse, France
| | - Thomas Merkling
- Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), CNRS, IRD, Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse, France
| | - Etienne Danchin
- Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), CNRS, IRD, Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse, France
| | - Scott Hatch
- Institute for Seabird Research and Conservation, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - David Duneau
- Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), CNRS, IRD, Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse, France
| | - Pierrick Blanchard
- Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), CNRS, IRD, Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse, France
| | - Sarah Leclaire
- Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), CNRS, IRD, Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse, France
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19
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Melissa Roland
- University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Ahmed Dawood Mohammed
- University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jason Lee Kubinak
- University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
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20
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Vlček J, Štefka J. Association between louse abundance and MHC II supertypes in Galápagos mockingbirds. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:1597-1605. [PMID: 32006226 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06617-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) is an essential molecule triggering the adaptive immune response by the presentation of pathogens to helper T cells. The association between individual MHC II variants and various parasites has become a frequent finding in studies of vertebrate populations. However, although bird ectoparasites have a significant effect on their host's fitness, and the host's immune system can regulate ectoparasitic infections, no study has yet investigated the association between MHC II polymorphism and ectoparasite infection in the populations of free-living birds. Here, we test whether an association exists between the abundance of a chewing louse (Myrsidea nesomimi) and MHC II polymorphism of its hosts, the Galápagos mockingbirds (Mimus). We have found that the presence of two MHC II supertypes (functionally differentiated clusters) was significantly associated with louse abundance. This pattern supports the theory that a co-evolutionary interaction stands behind the maintenance of MHC polymorphism. Moreover, we have found a positive correlation between louse abundance and heterophil/lymphocyte ratio (an indicator of immunological stress) that serves as an additional piece of evidence that ectoparasite burden is affected by immunological state of Galápagos mockingbirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Vlček
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic. .,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská, 1760, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan Štefka
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská, 1760, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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21
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Chen H, Huang S, Jiang Y, Han F, Ni Q, Yao Y, Xu H, Mishra S, Zhang M. The MHC Class Ia Genes in Chenfu's Treefrog ( Zhangixalus chenfui) Evolved via Gene Duplication, Recombination, and Selection. Animals (Basel) 2019; 10:ani10010034. [PMID: 31877958 PMCID: PMC7023105 DOI: 10.3390/ani10010034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Amphibians, the first terrestrial vertebrates, provide materials for adaptive evolutionary studies, such as the evolution of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). To date, various MHC evolutionary mechanisms have been identified in frogs, but more research is needed to determine the evolutionary mechanisms of the frog MHC. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate polymorphisms in the MHC class Ia genes of the Chenfu’s Treefrog. The MHC class Ia genes of the Chenfu’s Treefrog have high polymorphism. The mechanisms responsible for the formation of the polymorphisms include gene duplication, recombination, and selection. Abstract The molecular mechanisms underlying the evolution of adaptive immunity-related proteins can be deduced by a thorough examination of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Currently, in vertebrates, there is a relatively large amount of research on MHCs in mammals and birds. However, research related to amphibian MHC genes and knowledge about the evolutionary patterns is limited. This study aimed to isolate the MHC class I genes from Chenfu’s Treefrog (Zhangixalus chenfui) and reveal the underlying evolutionary processes. A total of 23 alleles spanning the coding region of MHC class Ia genes were identified in 13 individual samples. Multiple approaches were used to test and identify recombination from the 23 alleles. Amphibian MHC class Ia alleles, from NCBI, were used to construct the phylogenetic relationships in MEGA. Additionally, the partition strategy was adopted to construct phylogenetic relationships using MrBayes and MEGA. The sites of positive selection were identified by FEL, PAML, and MEME. In Chenfu’s Treefrog, we found that: (1) recombination usually takes place between whole exons of MHC class Ia genes; (2) there are at least 3 loci for MHC class Ia, and (3) the diversity of genes in MHC class Ia can be attributed to recombination, gene duplication, and positive selection. We characterized the evolutionary mechanisms underlying MHC class Ia genes in Chenfu’s Treefrog, and in so doing, broadened the knowledge of amphibian MHC systems.
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22
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Rekdal SL, Anmarkrud JA, Lifjeld JT, Johnsen A. Extra‐pair mating in a passerine bird with highly duplicated major histocompatibility complex class II: Preference for the golden mean. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:5133-5144. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Arild Johnsen
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo Oslo Norway
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23
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Whittaker DJ, Slowinski SP, Greenberg JM, Alian O, Winters AD, Ahmad MM, Burrell MJE, Soini HA, Novotny MV, Ketterson ED, Theis KR. Experimental evidence that symbiotic bacteria produce chemical cues in a songbird. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.202978. [PMID: 31537652 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.202978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Symbiotic microbes that inhabit animal scent glands can produce volatile compounds used as chemical signals by the host animal. Though several studies have demonstrated correlations between scent gland bacterial community structure and host animal odour profiles, none have systematically demonstrated a causal relationship. In birds, volatile compounds in preen oil secreted by the uropygial gland serve as chemical cues and signals. Here, we tested whether manipulating the uropygial gland microbial community affects chemical profiles in the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis). We found an effect of antibiotic treatment targeting the uropygial gland on both bacterial and volatile profiles. In a second experiment, we cultured bacteria from junco preen oil, and found that all of the cultivars produced at least one volatile compound common in junco preen oil, and that most cultivars produced multiple preen oil volatiles. In both experiments, we identified experimentally generated patterns in specific volatile compounds previously shown to predict junco reproductive success. Together, our data provide experimental support for the hypothesis that symbiotic bacteria produce behaviourally relevant volatile compounds within avian chemical cues and signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle J Whittaker
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Samuel P Slowinski
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA
| | - Jonathan M Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Osama Alian
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-4320, USA
| | - Andrew D Winters
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Madison M Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Mikayla J E Burrell
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7102, USA.,Institute for Pheromone Research, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7102, USA
| | - Helena A Soini
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7102, USA.,Institute for Pheromone Research, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7102, USA
| | - Milos V Novotny
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7102, USA.,Institute for Pheromone Research, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7102, USA
| | - Ellen D Ketterson
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Kevin R Theis
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
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