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Roberto Rolando Pisano S, Steiner J, Cristina E, Delefortrie Z, Delalay G, Krieg R, Zenker A, Schmidt-Posthaus H. An old unknown: 40 years of crayfish plague monitoring in Switzerland, the water tower of Europe. J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 206:108159. [PMID: 38925366 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108159] [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: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The oomycete Aphanomyces astaci is the causative agent of crayfish plague, a disease threatening susceptible freshwater crayfish species in Europe. To detect its spatiotemporal occurrence in Switzerland, we reviewed (1) the literature regarding occurrence of crayfish plague and North American crayfish carrier species and (2) the necropsy report archive of the Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health (FIWI) from 1968 to 2020. In the past, crayfish plague was diagnosed through several methods: conventional PCR, culture, and histology. When available, we re-evaluated archived Bouin's or formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples collected during necropsies (1991-2020) with a recently published quantitative PCR. Literature research revealed putative reports of crayfish plague in Switzerland between the 1870s and 1910s and the first occurrence of three North American crayfish species between the late 1970s and 1990s. Finally, 54 (28.1%) cases were classified as positive and 9 (4.7%) cases as suspicious. The total number of positive cases increased by 14 (14.7%) after re-evaluation of samples. The earliest diagnosis of crayfish plague was performed in 1980 and the earliest biomolecular confirmation of A. astaci DNA dated 1991. Between 1980-1990, 1991-2000 and 2001-2010 crayfish plague spread from one to two and finally three catchment basins, respectively. Similar to other European countries, crayfish plague has occurred in Switzerland in two waves: the first at the end of the 19th and the second at the end of the 20th century in association with the first occurrence of North American crayfish species. The spread from one catchment basin to another suggests a human-mediated pathogen dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonas Steiner
- Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Elodie Cristina
- Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Zoé Delefortrie
- Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gary Delalay
- Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Raphael Krieg
- Koordinationsstelle Flusskrebse Schweiz (KFKS), Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, Hochschule für Life Sciences, Institut für Ecopreneurship, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Armin Zenker
- Koordinationsstelle Flusskrebse Schweiz (KFKS), Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, Hochschule für Life Sciences, Institut für Ecopreneurship, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Heike Schmidt-Posthaus
- Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Bonassin L, Pârvulescu L, Boštjančić LL, Francesconi C, Paetsch J, Rutz C, Lecompte O, Theissinger K. Genomic insights into the conservation status of the Idle Crayfish Austropotamobius bihariensis Pârvulescu, 2019: low genetic diversity in the endemic crayfish species of the Apuseni Mountains. BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:78. [PMID: 38862896 PMCID: PMC11165767 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02268-5] [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: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems is declining due to an increased anthropogenic footprint. Freshwater crayfish are keystone species in freshwater ecosystems and play a crucial role in shaping the structure and function of their habitats. The Idle Crayfish Austropotamobius bihariensis is a native European species with a narrow distribution range, endemic to the Apuseni Mountains (Romania). Although its area is small, the populations are anthropogenically fragmented. In this context, the assessment of its conservation status is timely. RESULTS Using a reduced representation sequencing approach, we identified 4875 genomic SNPs from individuals belonging to 13 populations across the species distribution range. Subsequent population genomic analyses highlighted low heterozygosity levels, low number of private alleles and small effective population size. Our structuring analyses revealed that the genomic similarity of the populations is conserved within the river basins. CONCLUSION Genomic SNPs represented excellent tools to gain insights into intraspecific genomic diversity and population structure of the Idle Crayfish. Our study highlighted that the analysed populations are at risk due to their limited genetic diversity, which makes them extremely vulnerable to environmental alterations. Thus, our results emphasize the need for conservation measures and can be used as a baseline to establish species management programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Bonassin
- Department of Computer Science, Centre de Recherche en Biomédecine de Strasbourg, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Rue Eugène Boeckel 1, 67000, ICube, Strasbourg, France
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Molecular Ecology, Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University Kaiserslautern Landau, Fortstr. 7, 76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Lucian Pârvulescu
- Department of Biology-Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Biology, Geography, West University of Timisoara, Str. Pestalozzi 16A, 300115, Timisoara, Romania.
- Crayfish Research Centre, Institute for Advanced Environmental Research, West University of Timisoara, Oituz 4, 300086, Timisoara, Romania.
| | - Ljudevit Luka Boštjančić
- Department of Computer Science, Centre de Recherche en Biomédecine de Strasbourg, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Rue Eugène Boeckel 1, 67000, ICube, Strasbourg, France
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Molecular Ecology, Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University Kaiserslautern Landau, Fortstr. 7, 76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Caterina Francesconi
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Molecular Ecology, Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University Kaiserslautern Landau, Fortstr. 7, 76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Judith Paetsch
- Department of Biogeography, University of Trier, Behringstraße 21, D-54296, Geozentrum, Trier, Germany
| | - Christelle Rutz
- Department of Computer Science, Centre de Recherche en Biomédecine de Strasbourg, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Rue Eugène Boeckel 1, 67000, ICube, Strasbourg, France
| | - Odile Lecompte
- Department of Computer Science, Centre de Recherche en Biomédecine de Strasbourg, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Rue Eugène Boeckel 1, 67000, ICube, Strasbourg, France
| | - Kathrin Theissinger
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
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Francesconi C, Boštjančić LL, Bonassin L, Schardt L, Rutz C, Makkonen J, Schwenk K, Lecompte O, Theissinger K. High variation of virulence in Aphanomyces astaci strains lacks association with pathogenic traits and mtDNA haplogroups. J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 206:108153. [PMID: 38866297 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108153] [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: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Introduced into Europe from North America 150 years ago alongside its native crayfish hosts, the invasive pathogen Aphanomyces astaci is considered one of the main causes of European crayfish population decline. For the past two centuries, this oomycete pathogen has been extensively studied, with the more recent efforts focused on containing and monitoring its spread across the continent. However, after the recent introduction of new strains, the newly-discovered diversity of A. astaci in North America and several years of coevolution with its European host, a new assessment of the traits linked to the pathogen's virulence is much needed. To fill this gap, we investigated the presence of phenotypic patterns (i.e., in vitro growth and sporulation rates) possibly associated with the pathogen's virulence (i.e., induced mortality in crayfish) in a collection of 14 A. astaci strains isolated both in North America and in Europe. The results highlighted a high variability in virulence, growth rate and motile spore production among the different strains, while the total-sporulation rate was more similar across strains. Surprisingly, growth and sporulation rates were not significantly correlated with virulence. Furthermore, none of the analysed parameters, including virulence, was significantly different among the major A. astaci haplogroups. These results indicate that each strain is defined by a characteristic combination of pathogenic features, specifically assembled for the environment and host faced by each strain. Thus, canonical mitochondrial markers, often used to infer the pathogen's virulence, are not accurate tools to deduce the phenotype of A. astaci strains. As the diversity of A. astaci strains in Europe is bound to increase due to translocations of new carrier crayfish species from North America, there is an urgent need to deepen our understanding of A. astaci's virulence variability and its ability to adapt to new hosts and environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Francesconi
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Ljudevit Luka Boštjančić
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, D-35392 Giessen, Germany; Department of Computer Science, ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Biomédecine de Strasbourg, Rue Eugène Boeckel 1, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Lena Bonassin
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Department of Computer Science, ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Biomédecine de Strasbourg, Rue Eugène Boeckel 1, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Leonie Schardt
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christelle Rutz
- Department of Computer Science, ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Biomédecine de Strasbourg, Rue Eugène Boeckel 1, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Jenny Makkonen
- BioSafe - Biological Safety Solutions Ltd./Oy, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Klaus Schwenk
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Odile Lecompte
- Department of Computer Science, ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Biomédecine de Strasbourg, Rue Eugène Boeckel 1, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Kathrin Theissinger
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
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Thielsch A, Francesconi C, Luka Boštjančić L, Leeb C, Theissinger K. The functional role of Daphnia in the host-pathogen interaction of crayfish and the crayfish plague disease agent (Aphanomyces astaci). J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 203:108069. [PMID: 38286329 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Pathogen spores have been recognized as prey with implications for resource dynamics, energy transfer and disease transmission. In aquatic ecosystems, filter-feeders are able to consume such motile forms of pathogens that can cause severe disease in susceptible hosts. The interactions between European crayfish and the crayfish plague pathogen Aphanomyces astaci are of particular conservation interest. In this study, we aim to evaluate the ecological interactions between Ap. astaci, its host Astacus astacus and individuals of the genus Daphnia, filter-feeding planktonic crustaceans. Our focus was on the consumption of the motile zoospores by Daphnia individuals, but we also considered the potential of Daphnia as non-target hosts. We conducted a series of infection and life-history experiments with Ap. astaci, three Daphnia species (D. magna, D. galeata, and D. pulex) and the noble crayfish As. astacus. We did not observe any lethal effects in the infection experiments involving Ap. astaci and Daphnia. Only D. pulex showed differences in some life-history traits. The feeding experiment using the motile zoospores of Ap. astaci as alternative food source or as supplement to different amounts of algal food revealed their nutritional value: D. magna individuals survived, grew, and reproduced on a zoospore diet alone. When zoospores were supplemented to the regular algal diet, all life-history parameters have been significantly improved. However, this successful consumption of zoospores did not result in a reduced mortality of the susceptible crayfish As. astacus during the infection experiment. Nevertheless, the pathogen load of Ap. astaci in the tissues of As. astacus was significantly reduced as a consequence of the feeding activity of Daphnia. Our results indicate that an abundant filter-feeding community can reduce the amount of infective zoospores in the water body and thus be beneficial to susceptible crayfish hosts, potentially acting as a general buffer against zoospore-transmitted diseases in lentic waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Thielsch
- Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University Kaiserslautern Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Molecular Ecology, Fortstr. 7, 76829 Landau, Germany.
| | - Caterina Francesconi
- Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University Kaiserslautern Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Molecular Ecology, Fortstr. 7, 76829 Landau, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Ljudevit Luka Boštjančić
- Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University Kaiserslautern Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Molecular Ecology, Fortstr. 7, 76829 Landau, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany; Department of Computer Science, ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Biomédecine de Strasbourg, Rue Eugène Boeckel 1, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Christoph Leeb
- Austrian Research Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape (BFW), Seckendorff-Gudent-Weg 8, 1131 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Kathrin Theissinger
- Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University Kaiserslautern Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, Department of Molecular Ecology, Fortstr. 7, 76829 Landau, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany.
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Brady DJ, Meade R, Reynolds JD, Vilcinskas A, Theissinger K. The Crayfish Plague Pathogen Aphanomyces astaci in Ireland. Microorganisms 2024; 12:102. [PMID: 38257929 PMCID: PMC10819094 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010102] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Crayfish plague is a devastating disease of European freshwater crayfish and is caused by the oomycete Aphanomyces astaci (Ap. astaci), believed to have been introduced to Europe around 1860. All European species of freshwater crayfish are susceptible to the disease, including the white-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes. Ap. astaci is primarily spread by North American crayfish species and can also disperse rapidly through contaminated wet gear moved between water bodies. This spread, coupled with competition from non-indigenous crayfish, has drastically reduced and fragmented native crayfish populations across Europe. Remarkably, the island of Ireland remained free from the crayfish plague pathogen for over 100 years, providing a refuge for A. pallipes. However, this changed in 1987 when a mass mortality event was linked to the pathogen, marking its introduction to the region. Fortunately, crayfish plague was not detected again in Ireland until 2015 when a molecular analysis linked a mass mortality event in the Erne catchment to Ap. astaci. Since then, the pathogen has appeared across the island. Between 2015 and 2023, Ap. astaci was detected in 18 water catchments, revealing multiple genotypes. Intriguingly, the pathogen in Ireland is present without its natural host species. The uneven distribution of various genetic lineages strongly suggests the human-mediated transport of zoospores via contaminated water equipment as a primary cause of spread. This review details the timeline of these events, Ap. astaci's introduction into Ireland, and its rapid spread. As well, this review references the genotypes that have been determined, and discusses the issue of non-indigenous crayfish species in Ireland and management efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Brady
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Branch for Bioresources, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Gießen, Germany;
| | - Rossa Meade
- Independent Researcher, Bundoran, Donegal, Ireland;
| | | | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Branch for Bioresources, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392 Gießen, Germany;
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Gießen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Gießen, Germany;
| | - Kathrin Theissinger
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Gießen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Gießen, Germany;
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
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Martínez-Ríos M, Martín-Torrijos L, Diéguez-Uribeondo J. Protocols for studying the crayfish plague pathogen, Aphanomyces astaci, and its host-pathogen interactions. J Invertebr Pathol 2023; 201:108018. [PMID: 37940036 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2023.108018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
The crayfish plague caused by the pathogen Aphanomyces astaci has decimated the European and Asian populations of freshwater crayfish and represents an important threat to the other highly susceptible crayfish species in the world, such as the Australian, Madagascar, and South American species. The development and application of molecular methods addressed to the identification of A. astaci has increased exponentially during the last decades in contrast to a slow trend of the pathogen biology and host interaction. There is still a need for a better comprehension of the A. astaci-crayfish interactions, specifically the resistance and tolerance immune mechanism. These types of studies required a robust basic knowledge on the developmental biology of the pathogen in order to reproduce life stages and to perform infection experiments. A great piece of work in this area was carried out during the 1960 s to 80 s in University of Uppsala. Thus, the purpose of this work was to update previous protocols as well as to generate new guidelines to reproduce key developmental biology stages of A. astaci, to eventually identify crayfish populations with higher resistance and tolerance to this pathogen. This work also refers to other methodologies and guidelines for the diagnosis of crayfish plague, the pathogen isolation, and the in vitro production of zoospores.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Martínez-Ríos
- Mycology Department, Real Jardín Botánico-CSIC, Plaza Murillo 2, 28014 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Laura Martín-Torrijos
- Mycology Department, Real Jardín Botánico-CSIC, Plaza Murillo 2, 28014 Madrid, Spain.
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Casabella-Herrero G, Martín-Torrijos L, Diéguez-Uribeondo J. eDNA monitoring as a tool for evaluating the reintroduction of Austropotamobius pallipes after a crayfish plague outbreak. J Invertebr Pathol 2023; 201:108026. [PMID: 38007177 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2023.108026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
The crayfish plague, a severe disease caused by the oomycete Aphanomyces astaci, is responsible for most population declines of susceptible crayfish in Europe. This pathogen has been devastating native populations of Austropotamobius pallipes since the 1970s in the Iberian Peninsula. In this study, we report a massive mortality event in one of the most important Spanish populations of A. pallipes. We aimed to: (i) identify the cause of the mortality, and (ii) evaluate the reintroduction viability of the species. Over the course of six months, we used environmental DNA (eDNA) and traditional trap-based methods to detect the presence of A. astaci or of native or invasive crayfish in order to evaluate the reintroduction viability of A. pallipes to the affected population. We did not capture any live crayfish or detect the presence of A. astaci in the reservoir water during the six months following the mass mortality event. Our analyses indicated that it was feasible to initiate a reintroduction program at the site, which will continue to be monitored for three to five years and will help improve the conservation status of A. pallipes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Martín-Torrijos
- Mycology Department, Real Jardín Botánico-CSIC, Plaza Murillo 2, 28014 Madrid, Spain.
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Martín-Torrijos L, Hernández-Pérez A, Monroy-López JF, Diéguez-Uribeondo J. Aphanomyces astaci in Mexico: A new haplotype from dwarf crayfish Cambarellus montezumae. J Invertebr Pathol 2023; 201:108000. [PMID: 37806441 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2023.108000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
The crayfish plague is an emerging infectious disease caused by the pathogen Aphanomyces astaci (Oomycota), which is responsible for the decimation of Eurasian freshwater crayfish. This pathogen can coexist with the North American crayfish. These are chronic carriers of the disease as consequence of an immune response that can contain the growth of the pathogen without killing it. The origin of A. astaci locates in the southeastern United States and coincides with the origin of the family Cambaridae. This diverse family of decapods is distributed in North America from southern Canada to Honduras. However, only the native crayfish species from Canada and the USA have been examined for the presence of A. astaci. In this study, we describe for the first time the presence of A. astaci in Mexico in a population of the native species Cambarellus montezumae. By analyzing the small (rrnS) and large (rrnL) mitochondrial ribosomal regions, we showed the presence of two haplotypes of A. astaci within the same population (d1-haplotype and, a novel haplotype that was named, mex1-haplotype). The finding of A. astaci in Mexico confirms the occurrence of this pathogen within the range of the family Cambaridae. The individuals of C. montezumae appear to be chronic carriers of A. astaci, indicated by the lack of documented crayfish plague outbreaks in this population, similar to the pattern observed in other North American species. Thus, the results are of special concern to susceptible species of southern regions of America, i.e., Parastacidae. Therefore, this work emphasizes the need to better understand the distribution and genetic diversity of A. astaci within the distribution range of the natural carriers, i.e., North American species, especially the unexplored area of the family Cambaridae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Martín-Torrijos
- Department of Mycology, Real Jardín Botánico-CSIC, Plaza Murillo 2, 28014 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Ariadne Hernández-Pérez
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito de la Investigación Científica s/n, 04510, Ciudad Universitaria, México
| | - Jorge Francisco Monroy-López
- Departamento de Medicina y Zootecnia de Abejas, Conejos y Organismos Acuáticos. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito de la Investigación Científica s/n, 04510, Ciudad Universitaria, México
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Casabella-Herrero G, Higuera-Gamindez M, Azcona VA, Martín-Torrijos L, Diéguez-Uribeondo J. Austropotamobius pallipes can be infected by two haplotypes of Aphanomyces astaci: A key example from an outbreak at an ex-situ conservation facility. J Invertebr Pathol 2023; 201:107989. [PMID: 37659741 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2023.107989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
The crayfish plague, caused by the pathogen Aphanomyces astaci, is a pandemic disease endemic to North America that has been devastating susceptible crayfish populations in Europe since the 19th century. In Spain, this disease has decimated populations of the native crayfish species Austropotamobius pallipes due to introductions of North American crayfish, which act as vectors of the pathogen. To combat against these losses, several regional governments have established ex-situ breeding programs to restock wild populations of the species. In this study, we report on an outbreak of A. astaci that occurred in one of the most important A. pallipes aquaculture centers in Spain. Using a variety of detection methods, we analyzed affected crayfish and environmental samples from the facilities over a period of six months and determined that the outbreak was caused by two haplotypes of A. astaci, d1 and d2, which are both associated with the North American crayfish species Procambarus clarkii. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a two-haplotype coinfection of A. astaci outside the native range of this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Vicente Alcaide Azcona
- Centro de Investigación Agroambiental "El Chaparrillo", CM412 Carretera de Porzuna, km4, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Laura Martín-Torrijos
- Mycology Department, Real Jardín Botánico-CSIC, Plaza Murillo 2, 28014 Madrid, Spain.
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Martínez-Ríos M, Martín-Torrijos L, Casabella-Herrero G, Tedesco P, Machordom A, Diéguez-Uribeondo J. On the conservation of white-clawed crayfish in the Iberian Peninsula: Unraveling its genetic diversity and structure, and origin. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292679. [PMID: 37831691 PMCID: PMC10575519 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
European crayfish species are a clear example of the drastic decline that freshwater species are experiencing. In particular, the native species of the Iberian Peninsula, the white clawed-crayfish (WCC) Austropotamobius pallipes, is listed as "endangered" by the IUCN and included in Annex II of the EU Habitat Directive and requires especially attention. Currently, implemented conservation management strategies require a better understanding of the genetic diversity and phylogeographic patterns, as well as of its evolutionary history. For this purpose, we have generated the largest datasets of two informative ribosomal mitochondrial DNA regions, i.e., cytochrome oxidase subunit I and 16S, from selected populations of the WCC covering its geographical distribution. These datasets allowed us to analyze in detail the (i) genetic diversity and structure of WCC populations, and (ii) divergence times for Iberian populations by testing three evolutionary scenarios with different mtDNA substitution rates (low, intermediate, and high rates). The results indicate high levels of haplotype diversity and a complex geographical structure for WCC in the Iberian Peninsula. The diversity found includes new unique haplotypes from the Iberian Peninsula and reveals that most of the WCC genetic variability is concentrated in the northern and central-eastern regions. Despite the fact that molecular dating analyses provided divergence times that were not statistically supported, the proposed scenarios were congruent with previous studies, which related the origin of these populations with paleogeographic events during the Pleistocene, which suggests an Iberian origin for these WCC. All results generated in this study, indicate that the alternative hypothesis of an introduced origin of the Iberian WCC is highly improbable. The result of this study, therefore, has allowed us to better understand of the genetic diversity, structure patterns, and evolutionary history of the WCC in the Iberian Peninsula, which is crucial for the management and conservation needs of this endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Perla Tedesco
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell’Emilia, Italy
| | - Annie Machordom
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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11
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Azra MN, Wong LL, Aouissi HA, Zekker I, Amin MA, Adnan WNW, Abdullah MF, Abd Latif Z, Noor MIM, Lananan F, Pardi F. Crayfish Research: A Global Scientometric Analysis Using CiteSpace. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13071240. [PMID: 37048496 PMCID: PMC10093174 DOI: 10.3390/ani13071240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A scientometric analysis was conducted to investigate the trends and development of crayfish research in terms of literature published, author, affiliation, and countries’ collaborative networks, as well as the co-citation dataset (e.g., author, article, and keywords). The study analyzed 12,039 bibliographic datasets from the Web of Science, using CiteSpace as a tool for the co-citation analysis. The study revealed extraordinary increases in publication trends, with a total of 21,329 authors involved in approximately 80% of countries around the world (163/195) having conducted crayfish research. Unsurprisingly, countries such as the USA and China, followed by European countries, were among the top countries that have published crayfish-related studies. The findings also indicated that “invasive crayfish” was the world’s top keyword for crayfish research. Crayfish species are important for both environmental sustainability (invasiveness and species composition) and social wellbeing (aquaculture), which provides directions for research, philanthropic, academic, government, and non-government organizations regarding how to invest limited resources into policies, programs, and research towards the future management of this species. Our study concluded that strategic collaboration among authors, institutions, and countries would be vital to tackle the issue of invasive crayfish species around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamad Nor Azra
- Climate Change Adaptation Laboratory, Institute of Marine Biotechnology (IMB), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), Kuala Nerus 21030, Malaysia
- Research Center for Marine and Land Bioindustry, Earth Sciences and Maritime Organization, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Pemenang 83352, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
| | - Li Lian Wong
- Climate Change Adaptation Laboratory, Institute of Marine Biotechnology (IMB), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), Kuala Nerus 21030, Malaysia
| | - Hani Amir Aouissi
- Scientific and Technical Research Center on Arid Regions (CRSTRA), Biskra 07000, Algeria
- Laboratoire de Recherche et d’Etude en Aménagement et Urbanisme (LREAU), University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene, Algiers 16000, Algeria
- Environmental Research Center (CRE), Badji-Mokhtar Annaba University, Annaba 23000, Algeria
| | - Ivar Zekker
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, 14a Ravila Street, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Mohd Ashaari Amin
- Crayfish Aqua Venture (CAV), Pulau Gadong Street, Klebang Besar, Melaka 75200, Malaysia
| | - Wan Norazira Wan Adnan
- Department of Applied Sciences and Agriculture, Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology, Johor Branch Campus, Segamat 85000, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Fuad Abdullah
- Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam 40450, Malaysia
| | - Zulkiflee Abd Latif
- Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam 40450, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Iqbal Mohd Noor
- Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam 40450, Malaysia
- Faculty of Business Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) (Pahang), Raub 27600, Malaysia
| | - Fathurrahman Lananan
- East Coast Environmental Research Institute, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu 21300, Malaysia
| | - Faezah Pardi
- Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam 40450, Malaysia
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam 40450, Selangor, Malaysia
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12
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The aquarium pet trade as a source of potentially invasive crayfish species in Serbia. Biologia (Bratisl) 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-023-01347-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
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13
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Koivu‐Jolma M, Kortet R, Vainikka A, Kaitala V. Crayfish population size under different routes of pathogen transmission. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9647. [PMID: 36620414 PMCID: PMC9817202 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9647] [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: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
We present an epidemiological model for the crayfish plague, a disease caused by an invasive oomycete Aphanomyces astaci, and its general susceptible freshwater crayfish host. The pathogen shows high virulence with resulting high mortality rates in freshwater crayfishes native to Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America. The crayfish plague occurrence shows complicated dynamics due to the several types of possible infection routes, which include cannibalism and necrophagy. We explore this complexity by addressing the roles of host cannibalism and the multiple routes of transmission through (1) environment, (2) contact, (3) cannibalism, and (4) scavenging of infected carcasses. We describe a compartment model having six classes of crayfish and a pool of crayfish plague spores from a single nonevolving strain. We show that environmental transmission is the decisive factor in the development of epidemics. Compared with a pathogen-free crayfish population, the presence of the pathogen with a low environmental transmission rate, regardless of the contact transmission rate, decreases the crayfish population size with a low risk of extinction. Conversely, a high transmission rate could drive both the crayfish and pathogen populations to extinction. High contact transmission rate with a low but nonzero environmental transmission rate can have mixed outcomes from extinction to large healthy population, depending on the initial values. Scavenging and cannibalism have a relevant role only when the environmental transmission rate is low, but scavenging can destabilize the system by transmitting the pathogen from a dead to a susceptible host. To the contrary, cannibalism stabilizes the dynamics by decreasing the proportion of infected population. Our model provides a simple tool for further analysis of complex host parasite dynamics and for the general understanding of crayfish disease dynamics in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikko Koivu‐Jolma
- Department of Physics, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Raine Kortet
- Department of Environmental and Biological SciencesUniversity of Eastern FinlandJoensuuFinland
| | - Anssi Vainikka
- Department of Environmental and Biological SciencesUniversity of Eastern FinlandJoensuuFinland
| | - Veijo Kaitala
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
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14
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Lovrenčić L, Temunović M, Bonassin L, Grandjean F, Austin CM, Maguire I. Climate change threatens unique genetic diversity within the Balkan biodiversity hotspot – The case of the endangered stone crayfish. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
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15
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Boštjančić LL, Francesconi C, Rutz C, Hoffbeck L, Poidevin L, Kress A, Jussila J, Makkonen J, Feldmeyer B, Bálint M, Schwenk K, Lecompte O, Theissinger K. Host-pathogen coevolution drives innate immune response to Aphanomyces astaci infection in freshwater crayfish: transcriptomic evidence. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:600. [PMID: 35989333 PMCID: PMC9394032 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08571-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND For over a century, scientists have studied host-pathogen interactions between the crayfish plague disease agent Aphanomyces astaci and freshwater crayfish. It has been hypothesised that North American crayfish hosts are disease-resistant due to the long-lasting coevolution with the pathogen. Similarly, the increasing number of latent infections reported in the historically sensitive European crayfish hosts seems to indicate that similar coevolutionary processes are occurring between European crayfish and A. astaci. Our current understanding of these host-pathogen interactions is largely focused on the innate immunity processes in the crayfish haemolymph and cuticle, but the molecular basis of the observed disease-resistance and susceptibility remain unclear. To understand how coevolution is shaping the host's molecular response to the pathogen, susceptible native European noble crayfish and invasive disease-resistant marbled crayfish were challenged with two A. astaci strains of different origin: a haplogroup A strain (introduced to Europe at least 50 years ago, low virulence) and a haplogroup B strain (signal crayfish in lake Tahoe, USA, high virulence). Here, we compare the gene expression profiles of the hepatopancreas, an integrated organ of crayfish immunity and metabolism. RESULTS We characterised several novel innate immune-related gene groups in both crayfish species. Across all challenge groups, we detected 412 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the noble crayfish, and 257 DEGs in the marbled crayfish. In the noble crayfish, a clear immune response was detected to the haplogroup B strain, but not to the haplogroup A strain. In contrast, in the marbled crayfish we detected an immune response to the haplogroup A strain, but not to the haplogroup B strain. CONCLUSIONS We highlight the hepatopancreas as an important hub for the synthesis of immune molecules in the response to A. astaci. A clear distinction between the innate immune response in the marbled crayfish and the noble crayfish is the capability of the marbled crayfish to mobilise a higher variety of innate immune response effectors. With this study we outline that the type and strength of the host immune response to the pathogen is strongly influenced by the coevolutionary history of the crayfish with specific A. astaci strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ljudevit Luka Boštjančić
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Caterina Francesconi
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829, Landau, Germany.
| | - Christelle Rutz
- Department of Computer Science, ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Biomédecine de Strasbourg, Rue Eugène Boeckel 1, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Lucien Hoffbeck
- Department of Computer Science, ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Biomédecine de Strasbourg, Rue Eugène Boeckel 1, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Laetitia Poidevin
- Department of Computer Science, ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Biomédecine de Strasbourg, Rue Eugène Boeckel 1, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Arnaud Kress
- Department of Computer Science, ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Biomédecine de Strasbourg, Rue Eugène Boeckel 1, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Japo Jussila
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70210, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jenny Makkonen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70210, Kuopio, Finland
- Present address: BioSafe - Biological Safety Solutions, Microkatu 1, 70210, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Barbara Feldmeyer
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Miklós Bálint
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Klaus Schwenk
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Odile Lecompte
- Department of Computer Science, ICube, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Biomédecine de Strasbourg, Rue Eugène Boeckel 1, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Kathrin Theissinger
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829, Landau, Germany
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16
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Resistance to Crayfish Plague: Assessing the Response of Native Iberian Populations of the White-Clawed Freshwater Crayfish. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8040342. [PMID: 35448573 PMCID: PMC9025747 DOI: 10.3390/jof8040342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Crayfish plague, caused by the oomycete pathogen Aphanomyces astaci, is one of the most devastating of the emerging infectious diseases. This disease is responsible for the decline of native European and Asian freshwater crayfish populations. Over the last few decades, some European crayfish populations were reported to display partial to total resistance to the disease. The immune response in these cases was similar to that exhibited by the natural carriers of the pathogen, North American freshwater crayfish, e.g., weak-to-strong melanization of colonizing hyphae. We tested the degree of resistance displayed by 29 native Iberian populations of Austropotamobius pallipes that were challenged by zoospores of the pathogen. We measured the following parameters: (i) mean survival time, (ii) cumulative mortality, and (iii) immune response, and found that the total cumulative mortality of all the challenged populations was 100%. The integration of the results from these parameters did not allow us to find differences in resistance towards A. astaci among the northern and central populations of the Iberian Peninsula. However, in the southern populations, we could identify four distinct population responses based on an evaluation of a GLM analysis. In the first case, the similar response could be explained by the effect of a pathogen strain with a lower-than-expected virulence, and/or an actual increase in resistance. In the Southern populations, these differences appear to be the consequence of either whole population or individual resistance. Individuals that survived for a longer period than the others showed a stronger immune response, i.e., presence of partially or fully melanized hyphae, which is similar to that of North American crayfish species. This might be the consequence of different mechanisms of resistance or/and tolerance towards A. astaci.
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17
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Lovrenčić L, Temunović M, Gross R, Grgurev M, Maguire I. Integrating population genetics and species distribution modelling to guide conservation of the noble crayfish, Astacus astacus, in Croatia. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2040. [PMID: 35132091 PMCID: PMC8821615 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06027-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The noble crayfish, Astacus astacus, is an indigenous European freshwater species. Its populations show significant declines caused by anthropogenic pressure on its habitats, climate change and the spread of invasive species. Diminishing populations’ trends and loss of genetic diversity highlight the need for effective conservation that will ensure their long-term survival. We combined population genetics and species distribution modelling (SDM) to reveal the impact of climate change and invasive species on the noble crayfish, and to guide future conservation programs of current populations. Our study showed that Croatian populations of A. astacus harbour an important part of species genetic diversity and represent significant genetic reservoir at the European level. The SDM results predicted substantial reductions of suitable habitats for A. astacus by the 2070; only 13% of its current potential distribution is projected to remain stable under pessimistic Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP 8.5) emission scenario. Moreover, most of the populations with high genetic diversity are located in the areas predicted to become unsuitable, and consequently have a high probability of being lost in the future. Further, SDM results also indicated considerable decrease of future habitat suitability for invasive crayfish species in Croatia, suggesting that climate change poses a major threat to already endangered A. astacus. The obtained results help in the identification of populations and areas with the highest conservation value which should be given the highest priority for protection. In order to preserve present diversity in areas that are predicted as suitable, we propose assisted migration and repopulation approaches, for enhancing populations’ size and saving maximum genetic variability. The result of our research emphasizes once again the benefits of multidisciplinary approach in the modern biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leona Lovrenčić
- Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Martina Temunović
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Riho Gross
- Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Marin Grgurev
- Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivana Maguire
- Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
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18
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Martín-Torrijos L, Buckley D, Doadrio I, Machordom A, Diéguez-Uribeondo J. Unraveling the Hidden Diversity of the Native White Claw Crayfish in the Iberian Peninsula. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.669292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Several European freshwater crayfish species are currently included in one of the IUCN Red list categories. In the Iberian Peninsula, the native Austropotamobius pallipes species complex (the white clawed crayfish, WCC) has experienced a drastic decline since 1973. Implementing conservation management strategies for this species requires a better understanding of the patterns and structure of its genetic diversity. In this study, we assessed the levels and patterns of genetic variation in 71 populations along the whole distributional range of the WCC in the Iberian Peninsula. The two mitochondrial markers analyzed (Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I and 16S rRNA genes) indicated high levels of genetic diversity, which are significantly geographically structured in three main genetic groups, two corresponding to Northern and one to Central-Eastern and the westernmost Iberian Peninsula. The diversity found included new private haplotypes, and revealed the potential effect of paleogeographic barriers and last glaciations in the population structure observed. Current conservation and management programs for the WCC in the Iberian Peninsula should consider these three phylogeographic groups as essential management units in order to preserve the remaining genetic diversity in the species.
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Francesconi C, Makkonen J, Schrimpf A, Jussila J, Kokko H, Theissinger K. Controlled Infection Experiment With Aphanomyces astaci Provides Additional Evidence for Latent Infections and Resistance in Freshwater Crayfish. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.647037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For 150 years the crayfish plague disease agent Aphanomyces astaci has been the cause of mass mortalities among native European crayfish populations. However, recently several studies have highlighted the great variability of A. astaci virulence and crayfish resistance toward the disease. The main aim of this study was to compare the response of two crayfish species, the European native noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) and the invasive alien marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis), to an A. astaci challenge with a highly virulent strain from haplogroup B and a lowly virulent strain from haplogroup A. In a controlled infection experiment we showed a high resistance of marbled crayfish against an A. astaci infection, with zoospores from the highly virulent haplogroup B strain being able to infect the crayfish, but unable to cause signs of disease. Furthermore, we demonstrated a reduced virulence in the A. astaci strain belonging to haplogroup A, as shown by the light symptoms and the lack of mortality in the generally susceptible noble crayfish. Interestingly, in both marbled crayfish and noble crayfish challenged with this strain, we observed a significant decrease of the detected amount of pathogen’s DNA during the experiment, suggesting that this A. astaci haplogroup A strain has a decreased ability of penetrating into the cuticle of the crayfish. Our results provide additional evidence of how drastically strains belonging to A. astaci haplogroup B and haplogroup A differ in their virulence. This study confirmed the adaptation of one specific A. astaci haplogroup A strain to their novel European hosts, supposedly due to reduced virulence. This feature might be the consequence of A. astaci’s reduced ability to penetrate into the crayfish. Finally, we experimentally showed that marbled crayfish are remarkably resistant against the crayfish plague disease and could potentially be latently infected, acting as carriers of highly virulent A. astaci strains.
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