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Journal article
Mobile elements create strain‐level variation in the services conferred by an aphid symbiont
Environmental microbiology
20 Oct 2023
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Abstract Heritable, facultative symbionts are common in arthropods, often functioning in host defence. Despite moderately reduced genomes, facultative symbionts retain evolutionary potential through mobile genetic elements (MGEs). MGEs form the primary basis of strain‐level variation in genome content and architecture, and often correlate with variability in symbiont‐mediated phenotypes. In pea aphids ( Acyrthosiphon pisum ), strain‐level variation in the type of toxin‐encoding bacteriophages (APSEs) carried by the bacterium Hamiltonella defensa correlates with strength of defence against parasitoids. However, co‐inheritance creates difficulties for partitioning their relative contributions to aphid defence. Here we identified isolates of H. defensa that were nearly identical except for APSE type. When holding H. defensa genotype constant, protection levels corresponded to APSE virulence module type. Results further indicated that APSEs move repeatedly within some H. defensa clades providing a mechanism for rapid evolution in anti‐parasitoid defences. Strain variation in H. defensa also correlates with the presence of a second symbiont Fukatsuia symbiotica . Predictions that nutritional interactions structured this coinfection were not supported by comparative genomics, but bacteriocin‐containing plasmids unique to co‐infecting strains may contribute to their common pairing. In conclusion, strain diversity, and joint capacities for horizontal transfer of MGEs and symbionts, are emergent players in the rapid evolution of arthropods.
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Details
- Title
- Mobile elements create strain‐level variation in the services conferred by an aphid symbiont
- Creators
- Vilas Patel - University of GeorgiaNicole Lynn-Bell - University of GeorgiaGermain Chevignon - Laboratoire de Biologie Intégrative des Modèles MarinsRoy A. Kucuk - University of GeorgiaClesson H. V. Higashi - Drexel UniversityMelissa Carpenter - Drexel UniversityJacob A. Russell - Drexel UniversityKerry M. Oliver - University of Georgia
- Publication Details
- Environmental microbiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science (BEES); Biology
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001087096000001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85174491435
- Other Identifier
- 991021475431204721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Microbiology