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Noh S, Peck RF, Larson ER, Covitz RM, Chen A, Roy P, Hamilton MC, Dettmann RA. Facultative symbiont virulence determines horizontal transmission rate without host specificity in Dictyostelium discoideum social amoebas. Evol Lett 2024; 8:437-447. [PMID: 38818420 PMCID: PMC11134466 DOI: 10.1093/evlett/qrae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
In facultative symbioses, only a fraction of hosts are associated with symbionts. Specific host and symbiont pairings may be the result of host-symbiont coevolution driven by reciprocal selection or priority effects pertaining to which potential symbiont is associated with a host first. Distinguishing between these possibilities is important for understanding the evolutionary forces that affect facultative symbioses. We used the social amoeba, Dictyostelium discoideum, and its symbiont, Paraburkholderia bonniea, to determine whether ongoing coevolution affects which host-symbiont strain pairs naturally cooccur within a facultative symbiosis. Relative to other Paraburkholderia, including another symbiont of D. discoideum, P. bonniea features a reduced genome size that indicates a significant history of coevolution with its host. We hypothesized that ongoing host-symbiont coevolution would lead to higher fitness for naturally cooccurring (native) host and symbiont pairings compared to novel pairings. We show for the first time that P. bonniea symbionts can horizontally transmit to new amoeba hosts when hosts aggregate together during the social stage of their life cycle. Here we find evidence for a virulence-transmission trade-off without host specificity. Although symbiont strains were significantly variable in virulence and horizontal transmission rate, hosts and symbionts responded similarly to associations in native and novel pairings. We go on to identify candidate virulence factors in the genomes of P. bonniea strains that may contribute to variation in virulence. We conclude that ongoing coevolution is unlikely for D. discoideum and P. bonniea. The system instead appears to represent a stable facultative symbiosis in which naturally cooccurring P. bonniea host and symbiont pairings are the result of priority effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suegene Noh
- Biology Department, Colby College, Waterville, ME, United States
| | - Ron F Peck
- Biology Department, Colby College, Waterville, ME, United States
| | - Emily R Larson
- Biology Department, Colby College, Waterville, ME, United States
| | - Rachel M Covitz
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Anna Chen
- Biology Department, Colby College, Waterville, ME, United States
| | - Prachee Roy
- Biology Department, Colby College, Waterville, ME, United States
| | - Marisa C Hamilton
- University Program in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Robert A Dettmann
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
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2
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Scott TJ, Stephenson CJ, Rao S, Queller DC, Strassmann JE. Unpredictable soil conditions can affect the prevalence of a microbial symbiosis. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17445. [PMID: 38784393 PMCID: PMC11114107 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17445] [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: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The evolution of symbiotic interactions may be affected by unpredictable conditions. However, a link between prevalence of these conditions and symbiosis has not been widely demonstrated. We test for these associations using Dictyostelium discoideum social amoebae and their bacterial endosymbionts. D. discoideum commonly hosts endosymbiotic bacteria from three taxa: Paraburkholderia, Amoebophilus and Chlamydiae. Three species of facultative Paraburkholderia endosymbionts are the best studied and give hosts the ability to carry prey bacteria through the dispersal stage to new environments. Amoebophilus and Chlamydiae are obligate endosymbiont lineages with no measurable impact on host fitness. We tested whether the frequency of both single infections and coinfections of these symbionts were associated with the unpredictability of their soil environments by using symbiont presence-absence data from D. discoideum isolates from 21 locations across the eastern United States. We found that symbiosis across all infection types, symbiosis with Amoebophilus and Chlamydiae obligate endosymbionts, and symbiosis involving coinfections were not associated with any of our measures. However, unpredictable precipitation was associated with symbiosis in two species of Paraburkholderia, suggesting a link between unpredictable conditions and symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trey J. Scott
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Calum J. Stephenson
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Sandeep Rao
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - David C. Queller
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Joan E. Strassmann
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
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3
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Shi Y, Ma L, Zhou M, He Z, Zhao Y, Hong J, Zou X, Zhang L, Shu L. Copper stress shapes the dynamic behavior of amoebae and their associated bacteria. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae100. [PMID: 38848278 PMCID: PMC11197307 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Amoeba-bacteria interactions are prevalent in both natural ecosystems and engineered environments. Amoebae, as essential consumers, hold significant ecological importance within ecosystems. Besides, they can establish stable symbiotic associations with bacteria. Copper plays a critical role in amoeba predation by either killing or restricting the growth of ingested bacteria in phagosomes. However, certain symbiotic bacteria have evolved mechanisms to persist within the phagosomal vacuole, evading antimicrobial defenses. Despite these insights, the impact of copper on the symbiotic relationships between amoebae and bacteria remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of copper stress on amoebae and their symbiotic relationships with bacteria. Our findings revealed that elevated copper concentration adversely affected amoeba growth and altered cellular fate. Symbiont type significantly influenced the responses of the symbiotic relationships to copper stress. Beneficial symbionts maintained stability under copper stress, but parasitic symbionts exhibited enhanced colonization of amoebae. Furthermore, copper stress favored the transition of symbiotic relationships between amoebae and beneficial symbionts toward the host's benefit. Conversely, the pathogenic effects of parasitic symbionts on hosts were exacerbated under copper stress. This study sheds light on the intricate response mechanisms of soil amoebae and amoeba-bacteria symbiotic systems to copper stress, providing new insights into symbiotic dynamics under abiotic factors. Additionally, the results underscore the potential risks of copper accumulation in the environment for pathogen transmission and biosafety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijing Shi
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, School of Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lu Ma
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Min Zhou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhili He
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yuanchen Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Junyue Hong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xinyue Zou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Longfei Shu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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4
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Mather RV, Larsen TJ, Brock DA, Queller DC, Strassmann JE. Paraburkholderia symbionts isolated from Dictyostelium discoideum induce bacterial carriage in other Dictyostelium species. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230977. [PMID: 37464760 PMCID: PMC10354463 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0977] [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: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum engages in a complex relationship with bacterial endosymbionts in the genus Paraburkholderia, which can benefit their host by imbuing it with the ability to carry prey bacteria throughout its life cycle. The relationship between D. discoideum and Paraburkholderia has been shown to take place across many strains and a large geographical area, but little is known about Paraburkholderia's potential interaction with other dictyostelid species. We explore the ability of three Paraburkholderia species to stably infect and induce bacterial carriage in other dictyostelid hosts. We found that all three Paraburkholderia species successfully infected and induced carriage in seven species of Dictyostelium hosts. While the overall behaviour was qualitatively similar to that previously observed in infections of D. discoideum, differences in the outcomes of different host/symbiont combinations suggest a degree of specialization between partners. Paraburkholderia was unable to maintain a stable association with the more distantly related host Polysphondylium violaceum. Our results suggest that the mechanisms and evolutionary history of Paraburkholderia's symbiotic relationships may be general within Dictyostelium hosts, but not so general that it can associate with hosts of other genera. Our work further develops an emerging model system for the study of symbiosis in microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rory Vu Mather
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115-6027, USA
| | - Tyler J. Larsen
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA
| | - Debra A. Brock
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA
| | - David C. Queller
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA
| | - Joan E. Strassmann
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA
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5
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Medina JM, Queller DC, Strassmann JE, Garcia JR. The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum rescues Paraburkholderia hayleyella, but not P. agricolaris, from interspecific competition. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2023; 99:fiad055. [PMID: 37226596 PMCID: PMC10243984 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiad055] [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: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial endosymbionts can provide benefits for their eukaryotic hosts, but it is often unclear if endosymbionts benefit from these relationships. The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum associates with three species of Paraburkholderia endosymbionts, including P. agricolaris and P. hayleyella. These endosymbionts can be costly to the host but are beneficial in certain contexts because they allow D. discoideum to carry prey bacteria through the dispersal stage. In experiments where no other species are present, P. hayleyella benefits from D. discoideum while P. agricolaris does not. However, the presence of other species may influence this symbiosis. We tested if P. agricolaris and P. hayleyella benefit from D. discoideum in the context of resource competition with Klebsiella pneumoniae, the typical laboratory prey of D. discoideum. Without D. discoideum, K. pneumoniae depressed the growth of both Paraburkholderia symbionts, consistent with competition. P. hayleyella was more harmed by interspecific competition than P. agricolaris. We found that P. hayleyella was rescued from competition by D. discoideum, while P. agricolaris was not. This may be because P. hayleyella is more specialized as an endosymbiont; it has a highly reduced genome compared to P. agricolaris and may have lost genes relevant for resource competition outside of its host.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Medina
- Department of Biology, One Brookings Drive, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - David C Queller
- Department of Biology, One Brookings Drive, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Joan E Strassmann
- Department of Biology, One Brookings Drive, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Justine R Garcia
- Department of Biology, New Mexico Highlands University, 1005 Diamond Ave, Las Vegas, NM 87701, USA
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