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Sikora J, Celiński K. Exploring Taxonomic and Genetic Relationships in the Pinus mugo Complex Using Genome Skimming Data. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:10178. [PMID: 39337663 PMCID: PMC11432513 DOI: 10.3390/ijms251810178] [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: 08/21/2024] [Revised: 09/19/2024] [Accepted: 09/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Genome skimming is a novel approach that enables obtaining large-scale genomic information based on high-copy DNA fractions from shallow whole-genome sequencing. The simplicity of this method, low analysis costs, and large amounts of generated data have made it widely used in plant research, including species identification, especially in the case of protected or endangered taxa. This task is particularly difficult in the case of closely related taxa. The Pinus mugo complex includes several dozen closely related taxa occurring in the most important mountain ranges in Europe. The taxonomic rank, origin, or distribution of many of these taxa have been debated for years. In this study, we used genome skimming and multilocus DNA barcoding approaches to obtain different sequence data sets and also to determine their genetic diversity and suitability for distinguishing closely related taxa in the Pinus mugo complex. We generated seven different data sets, which were then analyzed using three discrimination methods, i.e., tree based, distance based, and assembling species by automatic partitioning. Genetic diversity among populations and taxa was also investigated using haplotype network analysis and principal coordinate analysis. The proposed data set based on divergence hotspots is even twenty-times more variable than the other analyzed sets and improves the phylogenetic resolution of the Pinus mugo complex. In light of the obtained results, Pinus × rhaetica does not belong to the Pinus mugo complex and should not be identified with either Pinus uliginosa or Pinus rotundata. It seems to represent a fixed hybrid or introgressant between Pinus sylvestris and Pinus mugo. In turn, Pinus mugo and Pinus uncinata apparently played an important role in the origins of Pinus uliginosa and Pinus rotundata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Sikora
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Biology, School of Natural Sciences, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Konrad Celiński
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Biology, School of Natural Sciences, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
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2
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Mukherjee A, Kar I, Patra AK. Understanding anthelmintic resistance in livestock using "omics" approaches. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:125439-125463. [PMID: 38015400 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31045-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Widespread and improper use of various anthelmintics, genetic, and epidemiological factors has resulted in anthelmintic-resistant (AR) helminth populations in livestock. This is currently quite common globally in different livestock animals including sheep, goats, and cattle to gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections. Therefore, the mechanisms underlying AR in parasitic worm species have been the subject of ample research to tackle this challenge. Current and emerging technologies in the disciplines of genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and proteomics in livestock species have advanced the understanding of the intricate molecular AR mechanisms in many major parasites. The technologies have improved the identification of possible biomarkers of resistant parasites, the ability to find actual causative genes, regulatory networks, and pathways of parasites governing the AR development including the dynamics of helminth infection and host-parasite infections. In this review, various "omics"-driven technologies including genome scan, candidate gene, quantitative trait loci, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic approaches have been described to understand AR of parasites of veterinary importance. Also, challenges and future prospects of these "omics" approaches are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayan Mukherjee
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Nadia, Mohanpur, West Bengal, India
| | - Indrajit Kar
- Department of Avian Sciences, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Nadia, Mohanpur, West Bengal, India
| | - Amlan Kumar Patra
- American Institute for Goat Research, Langston University, Oklahoma, 73050, USA.
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3
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Thorn CS, Maness RW, Hulke JM, Delmore KE, Criscione CD. Population genomics of helminth parasites. J Helminthol 2023; 97:e29. [PMID: 36927601 DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x23000123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Next generation sequencing technologies have facilitated a shift from a few targeted loci in population genetic studies to whole genome approaches. Here, we review the types of questions and inferences regarding the population biology and evolution of parasitic helminths being addressed within the field of population genomics. Topics include parabiome, hybridization, population structure, loci under selection and linkage mapping. We highlight various advances, and note the current trends in the field, particularly a focus on human-related parasites despite the inherent biodiversity of helminth species. We conclude by advocating for a broader application of population genomics to reflect the taxonomic and life history breadth displayed by helminth parasites. As such, our basic knowledge about helminth population biology and evolution would be enhanced while the diversity of helminths in itself would facilitate population genomic comparative studies to address broader ecological and evolutionary concepts.
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Affiliation(s)
- C S Thorn
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - R W Maness
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - J M Hulke
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - K E Delmore
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - C D Criscione
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
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4
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McLeish MJ, Zamfir AD, Babalola BM, Peláez A, Fraile A, García-Arenal F. Metagenomics show high spatiotemporal virus diversity and ecological compartmentalisation: Virus infections of melon, Cucumis melo, crops, and adjacent wild communities. Virus Evol 2022; 8:veac095. [PMID: 36405340 PMCID: PMC9667876 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veac095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of viral diseases results from novel transmission dynamics between wild and crop plant communities. The bias of studies towards pathogenic viruses of crops has distracted from knowledge of non-antagonistic symbioses in wild plants. Here, we implemented a high-throughput approach to compare the viromes of melon (Cucumis melo) and wild plants of crop (Crop) and adjacent boundaries (Edge). Each of the 41-plant species examined was infected by at least one virus. The interactions of 104 virus operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with these hosts occurred largely within ecological compartments of either Crop or Edge, with Edge having traits of a reservoir community. Local scale patterns of infection were characterised by the positive correlation between plant and virus richness at each site, the tendency for increased specialist host use through seasons, and specialist host use by OTUs observed only in Crop, characterised local-scale patterns of infection. In this study of systematically sampled viromes of a crop and adjacent wild communities, most hosts showed no disease symptoms, suggesting non-antagonistic symbioses are common. The coexistence of viruses within species-rich ecological compartments of agro-systems might promote the evolution of a diversity of virus strategies for survival and transmission. These communities, including those suspected as reservoirs, are subject to sporadic changes in assemblages, and so too are the conditions that favour the emergence of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J McLeish
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) and Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, and E.T.S.I. Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Campus de Montegancedo, UPM, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adrián D Zamfir
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) and Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, and E.T.S.I. Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Campus de Montegancedo, UPM, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Bisola M Babalola
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) and Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, and E.T.S.I. Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Campus de Montegancedo, UPM, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adrián Peláez
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) and Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, and E.T.S.I. Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Campus de Montegancedo, UPM, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Aurora Fraile
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) and Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, and E.T.S.I. Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Campus de Montegancedo, UPM, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando García-Arenal
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) and Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, and E.T.S.I. Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Campus de Montegancedo, UPM, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
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5
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Jain A, Mittal S, Tripathi LP, Nussinov R, Ahmad S. Host-pathogen protein-nucleic acid interactions: A comprehensive review. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:4415-4436. [PMID: 36051878 PMCID: PMC9420432 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Recognition of pathogen-derived nucleic acids by host cells is an effective host strategy to detect pathogenic invasion and trigger immune responses. In the context of pathogen-specific pharmacology, there is a growing interest in mapping the interactions between pathogen-derived nucleic acids and host proteins. Insight into the principles of the structural and immunological mechanisms underlying such interactions and their roles in host defense is necessary to guide therapeutic intervention. Here, we discuss the newest advances in studies of molecular interactions involving pathogen nucleic acids and host factors, including their drug design, molecular structure and specific patterns. We observed that two groups of nucleic acid recognizing molecules, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and the cytoplasmic retinoic acid-inducible gene (RIG)-I-like receptors (RLRs) form the backbone of host responses to pathogen nucleic acids, with additional support provided by absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) and DNA-dependent activator of Interferons (IFNs)-regulatory factors (DAI) like cytosolic activity. We review the structural, immunological, and other biological aspects of these representative groups of molecules, especially in terms of their target specificity and affinity and challenges in leveraging host-pathogen protein-nucleic acid interactions (HP-PNI) in drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuja Jain
- School of Computational and Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Shikha Mittal
- School of Computational and Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173234, India
| | - Lokesh P. Tripathi
- National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan
- Riken Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Basic Science Program, Frederick National, Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Shandar Ahmad
- School of Computational and Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
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SURVEILLANCE FOR AN EMERGENT HOOF DISEASE IN ELK (CERVUS ELAPHUS) IN THE US PACIFIC WEST SUPPLEMENTED BY 16S RRNA GENE AMPLICON SEQUENCING. J Wildl Dis 2022; 58:487-499. [PMID: 35417921 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-21-00119] [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: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A novel hoof disease of elk (Cervus elaphus) was described in southwestern Washington, US, in 2008 and was subsequently diagnosed in an adjacent area in northwestern Oregon in 2014. The disease, currently referred to as treponeme-associated hoof disease (TAHD), is characterized by lesions ranging from mild erosions, to severe ulcers with underrunning of the hoof capsule and heel-sole junction, to overgrown and avulsed hoof capsules. Histologically, lesions exhibit epithelial erosion or ulceration, suppurative inflammation, and the presence of argyrophilic spirochetes. We used data collected by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife from 2008 to 2017 as reference for disease distribution. We then conducted enhanced surveillance in 2018-20 by obtaining 164 submissions from four US Pacific West states. We detected TAHD for the first time in Idaho and northern California, as well as in multiple counties in Washington and Oregon where it had not been previously reported. Given the unexpectedly broad disease distribution, continued surveillance is warranted to determine the full geographic extent of TAHD. From samples of 22 elk, we investigated 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing as a technique that could be used to supplement TAHD surveillance. Operational taxonomic units of the family Spirochaetaceae were identified in 10 of 12 histologically diagnosed TAHD-positive cases and two of 10 TAHD-negative cases. Phyla Spirochaetae (P<0.008), Fusobacteria (P<0.006), and Tenericutes (P<0.01) were overrepresented in samples from TAHD-positive feet when compared with TAHD-negative elk. A unique spirochete, PT19, was detected in hooves of 11 elk and from at least one elk in each state. Results support the use of 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing as a reliable and informative tool to supplement investigations into distribution and etiology of this presumed polybacterial disease.
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7
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Titcomb GC, Pansu J, Hutchinson MC, Tombak KJ, Hansen CB, Baker CCM, Kartzinel TR, Young HS, Pringle RM. Large-herbivore nemabiomes: patterns of parasite diversity and sharing. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212702. [PMID: 35538775 PMCID: PMC9091847 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Amidst global shifts in the distribution and abundance of wildlife and livestock, we have only a rudimentary understanding of ungulate parasite communities and parasite-sharing patterns. We used qPCR and DNA metabarcoding of fecal samples to characterize gastrointestinal nematode (Strongylida) community composition and sharing among 17 sympatric species of wild and domestic large mammalian herbivore in central Kenya. We tested a suite of hypothesis-driven predictions about the role of host traits and phylogenetic relatedness in describing parasite infections. Host species identity explained 27-53% of individual variation in parasite prevalence, richness, community composition and phylogenetic diversity. Host and parasite phylogenies were congruent, host gut morphology predicted parasite community composition and prevalence, and hosts with low evolutionary distinctiveness were centrally positioned in the parasite-sharing network. We found no evidence that host body size, social-group size or feeding height were correlated with parasite composition. Our results highlight the interwoven evolutionary and ecological histories of large herbivores and their gastrointestinal nematodes and suggest that host identity, phylogeny and gut architecture-a phylogenetically conserved trait related to parasite habitat-are the overriding influences on parasite communities. These findings have implications for wildlife management and conservation as wild herbivores are increasingly replaced by livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia C. Titcomb
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA,Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA,Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - Johan Pansu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA,ISEM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Matthew C. Hutchinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Kaia J. Tombak
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA,Department of Anthropology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christina B. Hansen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Christopher C. M. Baker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA,US Army ERDC Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Tyler R. Kartzinel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA,Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA,Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Hillary S. Young
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA,Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - Robert M. Pringle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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8
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Egan SL, Taylor CL, Banks PB, Northover AS, Ahlstrom LA, Ryan UM, Irwin PJ, Oskam CL. The bacterial biome of ticks and their wildlife hosts at the urban-wildland interface. Microb Genom 2021; 7. [PMID: 34913864 PMCID: PMC8767321 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in sequencing technologies have revealed the complex and diverse microbial communities present in ticks (Ixodida). As obligate blood-feeding arthropods, ticks are responsible for a number of infectious diseases that can affect humans, livestock, domestic animals and wildlife. While cases of human tick-borne diseases continue to increase in the northern hemisphere, there has been relatively little recognition of zoonotic tick-borne pathogens in Australia. Over the past 5 years, studies using high-throughput sequencing technologies have shown that Australian ticks harbour unique and diverse bacterial communities. In the present study, free-ranging wildlife (n=203), representing ten mammal species, were sampled from urban and peri-urban areas in New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (QLD) and Western Australia (WA). Bacterial metabarcoding targeting the 16S rRNA locus was used to characterize the microbiomes of three sample types collected from wildlife: blood, ticks and tissue samples. Further sequence information was obtained for selected taxa of interest. Six tick species were identified from wildlife: Amblyomma triguttatum, Ixodes antechini, Ixodes australiensis, Ixodes holocyclus, Ixodes tasmani and Ixodes trichosuri. Bacterial 16S rRNA metabarcoding was performed on 536 samples and 65 controls, generating over 100 million sequences. Alpha diversity was significantly different between the three sample types, with tissue samples displaying the highest alpha diversity (P<0.001). Proteobacteria was the most abundant taxon identified across all sample types (37.3 %). Beta diversity analysis and ordination revealed little overlap between the three sample types (P<0.001). Taxa of interest included Anaplasmataceae, Bartonella, Borrelia, Coxiellaceae, Francisella, Midichloria, Mycoplasma and Rickettsia. Anaplasmataceae bacteria were detected in 17.7% (95/536) of samples and included Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and Neoehrlichia species. In samples from NSW, 'Ca. Neoehrlichia australis', 'Ca. Neoehrlichia arcana', Neoehrlichia sp. and Ehrlichia sp. were identified. A putative novel Ehrlichia sp. was identified from WA and Anaplasma platys was identified from QLD. Nine rodent tissue samples were positive for a novel Borrelia sp. that formed a phylogenetically distinct clade separate from the Lyme Borrelia and relapsing fever groups. This novel clade included recently identified rodent-associated Borrelia genotypes, which were described from Spain and North America. Bartonella was identified in 12.9% (69/536) of samples. Over half of these positive samples were obtained from black rats (Rattus rattus), and the dominant bacterial species identified were Bartonella coopersplainsensis and Bartonella queenslandensis. The results from the present study show the value of using unbiased high-throughput sequencing applied to samples collected from wildlife. In addition to understanding the sylvatic cycle of known vector-associated pathogens, surveillance work is important to ensure preparedness for potential zoonotic spillover events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siobhon L Egan
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
| | - Casey L Taylor
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Peter B Banks
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Amy S Northover
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
| | - Liisa A Ahlstrom
- Elanco Animal Health, Macquarie Park, New South Wales, 2113, Australia
| | - Una M Ryan
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
| | - Peter J Irwin
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia.,School of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
| | - Charlotte L Oskam
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
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Schweizer RM, Saarman N, Ramstad KM, Forester BR, Kelley JL, Hand BK, Malison RL, Ackiss AS, Watsa M, Nelson TC, Beja-Pereira A, Waples RS, Funk WC, Luikart G. Big Data in Conservation Genomics: Boosting Skills, Hedging Bets, and Staying Current in the Field. J Hered 2021; 112:313-327. [PMID: 33860294 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esab019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A current challenge in the fields of evolutionary, ecological, and conservation genomics is balancing production of large-scale datasets with additional training often required to handle such datasets. Thus, there is an increasing need for conservation geneticists to continually learn and train to stay up-to-date through avenues such as symposia, meetings, and workshops. The ConGen meeting is a near-annual workshop that strives to guide participants in understanding population genetics principles, study design, data processing, analysis, interpretation, and applications to real-world conservation issues. Each year of ConGen gathers a diverse set of instructors, students, and resulting lectures, hands-on sessions, and discussions. Here, we summarize key lessons learned from the 2019 meeting and more recent updates to the field with a focus on big data in conservation genomics. First, we highlight classical and contemporary issues in study design that are especially relevant to working with big datasets, including the intricacies of data filtering. We next emphasize the importance of building analytical skills and simulating data, and how these skills have applications within and outside of conservation genetics careers. We also highlight recent technological advances and novel applications to conservation of wild populations. Finally, we provide data and recommendations to support ongoing efforts by ConGen organizers and instructors-and beyond-to increase participation of underrepresented minorities in conservation and eco-evolutionary sciences. The future success of conservation genetics requires both continual training in handling big data and a diverse group of people and approaches to tackle key issues, including the global biodiversity-loss crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rena M Schweizer
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT
| | - Norah Saarman
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT
| | - Kristina M Ramstad
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of South Carolina Aiken, Aiken, SC
| | | | - Joanna L Kelley
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
| | - Brian K Hand
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT.,Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, MT
| | - Rachel L Malison
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, MT
| | - Amanda S Ackiss
- Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI
| | | | | | - Albano Beja-Pereira
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO-UP), InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal.,DGAOT, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Sustainable Agrifood Production Research Centre (GreenUPorto), Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Robin S Waples
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, Seattle, WA
| | - W Chris Funk
- Department of Biology, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | - Gordon Luikart
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT.,Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, MT
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10
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Batley KC, Sandoval-Castillo J, Kemper CM, Zanardo N, Tomo I, Beheregaray LB, Möller LM. Whole genomes reveal multiple candidate genes and pathways involved in the immune response of dolphins to a highly infectious virus. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:6434-6448. [PMID: 33675577 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife species are challenged by various infectious diseases that act as important demographic drivers of populations and have become a great conservation concern particularly under growing environmental changes. The new era of whole genome sequencing provides new opportunities and avenues to explore the role of genetic variants in the plasticity of immune responses, particularly in non-model systems. Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) has emerged as a major viral threat to cetacean populations worldwide, contributing to the death of thousands of individuals of multiple dolphin and whale species. To understand the genomic basis of immune responses to CeMV, we generated and analysed whole genomes of 53 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) exposed to Australia's largest known CeMV-related mortality event that killed at least 50 dolphins from three different species. The genomic data set consisted of 10,168,981 SNPs anchored onto 23 chromosome-length scaffolds and 77 short scaffolds. Whole genome analysis indicated that levels of inbreeding in the dolphin population did not influence the outcome of an individual. Allele frequency estimates between survivors and nonsurvivors of the outbreak revealed 15,769 candidate SNPs, of which 689 were annotated to 295 protein coding genes. These included 50 genes with functions related to innate and adaptive immune responses, and cytokine signalling pathways and genes thought to be involved in immune responses to other morbilliviruses. Our study characterised genomic regions and pathways that may contribute to CeMV immune responses in dolphins. This represents a stride towards clarifying the complex interactions of the cetacean immune system and emphasises the value of whole genome data sets in understanding genetic elements that are essential for species conservation, including disease susceptibility and adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley C Batley
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour, and Evolution Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Jonathan Sandoval-Castillo
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Nikki Zanardo
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour, and Evolution Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Ikuko Tomo
- South Australian Museum, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Luciano B Beheregaray
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Luciana M Möller
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour, and Evolution Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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11
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Lafferty KD, Garcia-Vedrenne AE, McLaughlin JP, Childress JN, Morse MF, Jerde CL. At Palmyra Atoll, the fish-community environmental DNA signal changes across habitats but not with tides. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2021; 98:415-425. [PMID: 32441343 PMCID: PMC9300262 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
At Palmyra Atoll, the environmental DNA (eDNA) signal on tidal sand flats was associated with fish biomass density and captured 98%-100% of the expected species diversity there. Although eDNA spilled over across habitats, species associated with reef habitat contributed more eDNA to reef sites than to sand-flat sites, and species associated with sand-flat habitat contributed more eDNA to sand-flat sites than to reef sites. Tides did not disrupt the sand-flat habitat signal. At least 25 samples give a coverage >97.5% at this diverse, tropical, marine system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin D. Lafferty
- Western Ecological Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California
| | - Ana E. Garcia-Vedrenne
- Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - John P. McLaughlin
- Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California
| | - Jasmine N. Childress
- Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California
| | - Marisa F. Morse
- Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California
| | - Christopher L. Jerde
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California
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12
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Jerde CL. Can we manage fisheries with the inherent uncertainty from eDNA? JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2021; 98:341-353. [PMID: 31769024 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Environmental (e)DNA, as a general approach in aquatic systems, seeks to connect the presence of species' genetic material in the water and hence to infer the species' physical presence. However, fisheries managers face making decisions with risk and uncertainty when eDNA indicates a fish is present but traditional methods fail to capture the fish. In comparison with traditional methods such as nets, electrofishing and piscicides, eDNA approaches have more sources of underlying error that could give rise to false positives. This has resulted in some managers to question whether eDNA can be used to make management decisions because there is no fish in hand. As a relatively new approach, the methods and techniques have quickly evolved to improve confidence in eDNA. By evaluating an eDNA based research programmes through the pattern of the eDNA signal, assay design, experimental design, quality assurance and quality control checks, data analyses and concurrent search for fish using traditional gears, the evidence for fish presence can be evaluated to build confidence in the eDNA approach. The benefits for fisheries management from adopting an eDNA approach are numerous but include cost effectiveness, broader geographic coverage of habitat occupancy, early detection of invasive species, non-lethal stock assessments, exploration of previously inaccessible aquatic environments and discovery of new species hidden beneath the water's surface. At a time when global freshwater and marine fisheries are facing growing threats from over-harvest, pollution and climate change, we anticipate that growing confidence in eDNA will overcome the inherent uncertainty of not having a fish in hand and will empower the informed management actions necessary to protect and restore our fisheries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L Jerde
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USA
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13
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Noreikiene K, Ozerov M, Ahmad F, Kõiv T, Kahar S, Gross R, Sepp M, Pellizzone A, Vesterinen EJ, Kisand V, Vasemägi A. Humic-acid-driven escape from eye parasites revealed by RNA-seq and target-specific metabarcoding. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:433. [PMID: 32859251 PMCID: PMC7456052 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04306-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are extensively used to dissect the molecular mechanisms of host-parasite interactions in human pathogens. However, ecological studies have yet to fully exploit the power of NGS as a rich source for formulating and testing new hypotheses. Methods We studied Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) and its eye parasite (Trematoda, Diplostomidae) communities in 14 lakes that differed in humic content in order to explore host-parasite-environment interactions. We hypothesised that high humic content along with low pH would decrease the abundance of the intermediate hosts (gastropods), thus limiting the occurrence of diplostomid parasites in humic lakes. This hypothesis was initially invoked by whole eye RNA-seq data analysis and subsequently tested using PCR-based detection and a novel targeted metabarcoding approach. Results Whole eye transcriptome results revealed overexpression of immune-related genes and the presence of eye parasite sequences in RNA-seq data obtained from perch living in clear-water lakes. Both PCR-based and targeted-metabarcoding approach showed that perch from humic lakes were completely free from diplostomid parasites, while the prevalence of eye flukes in clear-water lakes that contain low amounts of humic substances was close to 100%, with the majority of NGS reads assigned to Tylodelphys clavata. Conclusions High intraspecific diversity of T. clavata indicates that massively parallel sequencing of naturally pooled samples represents an efficient and powerful strategy for shedding light on cryptic diversity of eye parasites. Our results demonstrate that perch populations in clear-water lakes experience contrasting eye parasite pressure compared to those from humic lakes, which is reflected by prevalent differences in the expression of immune-related genes in the eye. This study highlights the utility of NGS to discover novel host-parasite-environment interactions and provide unprecedented power to characterize the molecular diversity of cryptic parasites.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Noreikiene
- Chair of Aquaculture, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 46, 51006, Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Mikhail Ozerov
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland.,Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Freshwater Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 17893, Drottningholm, Sweden.,Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Freed Ahmad
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Toomas Kõiv
- Chair of Hydrobiology and Fishery, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51006, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Siim Kahar
- Chair of Aquaculture, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 46, 51006, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Riho Gross
- Chair of Aquaculture, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 46, 51006, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Margot Sepp
- Chair of Hydrobiology and Fishery, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51006, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Antonia Pellizzone
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland.,Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Eero J Vesterinen
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland.,Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75651, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Veljo Kisand
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Anti Vasemägi
- Chair of Aquaculture, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 46, 51006, Tartu, Estonia. .,Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Freshwater Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 17893, Drottningholm, Sweden.
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14
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Moo-Millan JI, Arnal A, Pérez-Carrillo S, Hernandez-Andrade A, Ramírez-Sierra MJ, Rosado-Vallado M, Dumonteil E, Waleckx E. Disentangling Trypanosoma cruzi transmission cycle dynamics through the identification of blood meal sources of natural populations of Triatoma dimidiata in Yucatán, Mexico. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:572. [PMID: 31783778 PMCID: PMC6884771 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3819-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, Triatoma dimidiata is the main vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. Little effort has been made to identify blood meal sources of T. dimidiata in natural conditions in this region, although this provides key information to disentangle T. cruzi transmission cycles and dynamics and guide the development of more effective control strategies. We identified the blood meals of a large sample of T. dimidiata bugs collected in different ecotopes simultaneously with the assessment of bug infection with T. cruzi, to disentangle the dynamics of T. cruzi transmission in the region. Methods A sample of 248 T. dimidiata bugs collected in three rural villages and in the sylvatic habitat surrounding these villages was used. DNA from each bug midgut was extracted and bug infection with T. cruzi was assessed by PCR. For blood meal identification, we used a molecular assay based on cloning and sequencing following PCR amplification with vertebrate universal primers, and allowing the detection of multiple blood meals in a single bug. Results Overall, 28.7% of the bugs were infected with T. cruzi, with no statistical difference between bugs from the villages or from sylvatic ecotopes. Sixteen vertebrate species including domestic, synanthropic and sylvatic animals, were identified as blood meal sources for T. dimidiata. Human, dog and cow were the three main species identified, in bugs collected in the villages as well as in sylvatic ecotopes. Importantly, dog was highlighted as the main blood meal source after human. Dog was also the most frequently identified animal together with human within single bugs, and tended to be associated with the infection of the bugs. Conclusions Dog, human and cow were identified as the main mammals involved in the connection of sylvatic and domestic transmission cycles in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. Dog appeared as the most important animal in the transmission pathway of T. cruzi to humans, but other domestic and synanthropic animals, which most were previously reported as important hosts of T. cruzi in the region, were evidenced and should be taken into account as part of integrated control strategies aimed at disrupting parasite transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Israel Moo-Millan
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Audrey Arnal
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico.,Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, México
| | - Silvia Pérez-Carrillo
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Anette Hernandez-Andrade
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - María-Jesús Ramírez-Sierra
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Miguel Rosado-Vallado
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Etienne Waleckx
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico. .,Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR INTERTRYP IRD, CIRAD, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
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15
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Näpflin K, O’Connor EA, Becks L, Bensch S, Ellis VA, Hafer-Hahmann N, Harding KC, Lindén SK, Olsen MT, Roved J, Sackton TB, Shultz AJ, Venkatakrishnan V, Videvall E, Westerdahl H, Winternitz JC, Edwards SV. Genomics of host-pathogen interactions: challenges and opportunities across ecological and spatiotemporal scales. PeerJ 2019; 7:e8013. [PMID: 31720122 PMCID: PMC6839515 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary genomics has recently entered a new era in the study of host-pathogen interactions. A variety of novel genomic techniques has transformed the identification, detection and classification of both hosts and pathogens, allowing a greater resolution that helps decipher their underlying dynamics and provides novel insights into their environmental context. Nevertheless, many challenges to a general understanding of host-pathogen interactions remain, in particular in the synthesis and integration of concepts and findings across a variety of systems and different spatiotemporal and ecological scales. In this perspective we aim to highlight some of the commonalities and complexities across diverse studies of host-pathogen interactions, with a focus on ecological, spatiotemporal variation, and the choice of genomic methods used. We performed a quantitative review of recent literature to investigate links, patterns and potential tradeoffs between the complexity of genomic, ecological and spatiotemporal scales undertaken in individual host-pathogen studies. We found that the majority of studies used whole genome resolution to address their research objectives across a broad range of ecological scales, especially when focusing on the pathogen side of the interaction. Nevertheless, genomic studies conducted in a complex spatiotemporal context are currently rare in the literature. Because processes of host-pathogen interactions can be understood at multiple scales, from molecular-, cellular-, and physiological-scales to the levels of populations and ecosystems, we conclude that a major obstacle for synthesis across diverse host-pathogen systems is that data are collected on widely diverging scales with different degrees of resolution. This disparity not only hampers effective infrastructural organization of the data but also data granularity and accessibility. Comprehensive metadata deposited in association with genomic data in easily accessible databases will allow greater inference across systems in the future, especially when combined with open data standards and practices. The standardization and comparability of such data will facilitate early detection of emerging infectious diseases as well as studies of the impact of anthropogenic stressors, such as climate change, on disease dynamics in humans and wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Näpflin
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Emily A. O’Connor
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lutz Becks
- Aquatic Ecology and Evolution, Limnological Institute University Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Vincenzo A. Ellis
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Nina Hafer-Hahmann
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
- EAWAG, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Karin C. Harding
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Centre for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology, Chalmers University of Technology and University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sara K. Lindén
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Morten T. Olsen
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jacob Roved
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Timothy B. Sackton
- Informatics Group, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Allison J. Shultz
- Ornithology Department, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Vignesh Venkatakrishnan
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Elin Videvall
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Helena Westerdahl
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jamie C. Winternitz
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Scott V. Edwards
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
- Gothenburg Centre for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology, Chalmers University of Technology and University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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16
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Gogarten JF, Calvignac-Spencer S, Nunn CL, Ulrich M, Saiepour N, Nielsen HV, Deschner T, Fichtel C, Kappeler PM, Knauf S, Müller-Klein N, Ostner J, Robbins MM, Sangmaneedet S, Schülke O, Surbeck M, Wittig RM, Sliwa A, Strube C, Leendertz FH, Roos C, Noll A. Metabarcoding of eukaryotic parasite communities describes diverse parasite assemblages spanning the primate phylogeny. Mol Ecol Resour 2019; 20:204-215. [PMID: 31600853 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Despite their ubiquity, in most cases little is known about the impact of eukaryotic parasites on their mammalian hosts. Comparative approaches provide a powerful method to investigate the impact of parasites on host ecology and evolution, though two issues are critical for such efforts: controlling for variation in methods of identifying parasites and incorporating heterogeneity in sampling effort across host species. To address these issues, there is a need for standardized methods to catalogue eukaryotic parasite diversity across broad phylogenetic host ranges. We demonstrate the feasibility of a metabarcoding approach for describing parasite communities by analysing faecal samples from 11 nonhuman primate species representing divergent lineages of the primate phylogeny and the full range of sampling effort (i.e. from no parasites reported in the literature to the best-studied primates). We detected a number of parasite families and regardless of prior sampling effort, metabarcoding of only ten faecal samples identified parasite families previously undescribed in each host (x̅ = 8.5 new families per species). We found more overlap between parasite families detected with metabarcoding and published literature when more research effort-measured as the number of publications-had been conducted on the host species' parasites. More closely related primates and those from the same continent had more similar parasite communities, highlighting the biological relevance of sampling even a small number of hosts. Collectively, results demonstrate that metabarcoding methods are sensitive and powerful enough to standardize studies of eukaryotic parasite communities across host species, providing essential new tools for macroecological studies of parasitism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan F Gogarten
- Project Group 3: Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Viral Evolution, Robert Koch-Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sébastien Calvignac-Spencer
- Project Group 3: Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Viral Evolution, Robert Koch-Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Charles L Nunn
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.,Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Markus Ulrich
- Project Group 3: Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nasrin Saiepour
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Henrik Vedel Nielsen
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tobias Deschner
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Claudia Fichtel
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Goettingen, Germany.,Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Peter M Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Goettingen, Germany.,Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Goettingen, Germany.,Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology, Georg-August University, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Sascha Knauf
- Neglected Tropical Diseases Work Group, Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Nadine Müller-Klein
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Julia Ostner
- Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Goettingen, Germany.,Department of Behavioral Ecology, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Research Group Primate Social Evolution, German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Martha M Robbins
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Somboon Sangmaneedet
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Oliver Schülke
- Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Goettingen, Germany.,Department of Behavioral Ecology, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Research Group Primate Social Evolution, German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Martin Surbeck
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Roman M Wittig
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
| | | | - Christina Strube
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Fabian H Leendertz
- Project Group 3: Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Roos
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany.,Gene Bank of Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Angela Noll
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany
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