The Red Queen race between parasitic chytrids and their host, Planktothrix: a test using a time series reconstructed from sediment DNA

PloS One
Marcia KyleThomas Rohrlack

Abstract

Parasitic chytrid fungi (phylum Chytridiomycota) are known to infect specific phytoplankton, including the filamentous cyanobacterium Planktothrix. Subspecies, or chemotypes of Planktothrix can be identified by the presence of characteristic oligopeptides. Some of these oligopeptides can be associated with important health concerns due to their potential for toxin production. However, the relationship between chytrid parasite and Planktothrix host is not clearly understood and more research is needed. To test the parasite-host relationship over time, we used a sediment core extracted from a Norwegian lake known to contain both multiple Planktothrix chemotype hosts and their parasitic chytrid. Sediment DNA of chytrids and Planktothrix was amplified and a 35-year coexistence was found. It is important to understand how these two antagonistic species can coexistence in a lake. Reconstruction of the time series showed that between 1979-1990 at least 2 strains of Planktothrix were present and parasitic pressure exerted by chytrids was low. After this period one chemotype became dominant and yet showed continued low susceptibility to chytrid parasitism. Either environmental conditions or intrinsic characteristics of Planktothrix coul...Continue Reading

References

Dec 21, 2010·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Jørn Henrik Sønstebø, Thomas Rohrlack
Feb 9, 2012·Environmental Microbiology·Serena RasconiTélesphore Sime-Ngando
Apr 18, 2013·PloS One·Mélanie GerphagnonTélesphore Sime-Ngando
Sep 3, 2013·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Ave Tooming-KlunderudKjetill S Jakobsen
Oct 12, 2013·Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research·Bu EzeonwuT Oguonu

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Citations

Jun 16, 2017·Environmental Microbiology·Thijs FrenkenRamsy Agha
May 13, 2018·The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology·Silke Van den WyngaertHans-Peter Grossart
Apr 9, 2020·Communications Biology·Marianne EllegaardN John Anderson
Apr 7, 2019·Scientific Reports·Aysegul Dilsizoglu SenolChiara Zurzolo
Apr 1, 2017·Microbiology Spectrum·Frank H GleasonDeborah J Macarthur
Aug 27, 2021·Toxins·Patrick Romano MonteiroAgenor Valadares Santos

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
PCR
environmental stresses

Software Mentioned

BioEdit
BLAST Basic Local Alignment Search Tool
BLAST
NIVA
R

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