Microsporidian parasites feminise hosts without paramyxean co-infection: support for convergent evolution of parasitic feminisation

International Journal for Parasitology
Joseph Edward Ironside, Jenna Alexander

Abstract

Feminisation of amphipod crustaceans is associated with the presence of at least three microsporidian parasites and one paramyxean parasite, suggesting that the ability to feminise has evolved multiple times in parasites of amphipods. Co-infection by a paramyxean with one of the putative microsporidian feminisers, Dictyocoela duebenum, has inspired the alternative hypothesis that all feminisation of amphipods is caused by paramyxea and that all microsporidian associations with feminisation are due to co-infection with paramyxea (Short et al., 2012). In a population of the amphipod Gammarus duebeni, breeding experiments demonstrate that the microsporidia D. duebenum and Nosema granulosis are associated with feminisation in the absence of paramyxea. Co-infection of the two microsporidia is no more frequent than expected at random and each parasite is associated with feminisation in the absence of the other. These findings support the original hypothesis that the ability to feminise amphipods has evolved in microsporidia on multiple occasions. Additionally, the occurrence of a non-feminising strain of D. duebenum in Gammarus pulex suggests that different strains vary in their feminising ability, even within microsporidian species....Continue Reading

References

Aug 29, 2001·Bioinformatics·J P Huelsenbeck, F Ronquist
Nov 26, 2003·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·J E IronsideA M Dunn
Apr 28, 2004·International Journal for Parasitology·Trevor P Rodgers-GrayAlison M Dunn
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Aug 12, 2010·International Journal for Parasitology·Julie A Ryan, Steven L Kohler
Dec 23, 2011·BMC Evolutionary Biology·Joseph E IronsideAlison M Dunn
Dec 5, 2012·Journal of Invertebrate Pathology·Martin JahnkeAlison M Dunn
Oct 18, 2013·Molecular Biology and Evolution·Koichiro TamuraSudhir Kumar

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Citations

Sep 15, 2017·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Eric GismondiCélia Joaquim-Justo
May 6, 2020·Nature Communications·Jeremy K HerrenSteven P Sinkins
Aug 17, 2021·Frontiers in Microbiology·Godfrey NattohJeremy K Herren

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