Population specific genotype x genotype x environment interactions in bacterial disease of early life stages of Pacific oyster larvae

The consequences of emerging marine diseases on the evolutionary trajectories of affected host populations in the marine realm are largely unexplored. Evolution in response to natural selection depends on the genetic variation of the traits under selection and the interaction of these traits with the environment (GxE). However, in the case of diseases, genotypes of pathogens add another dimension to this interaction. Therefore, the study of disease resistance needs to be extended to the interaction of host genotype, pathogen genotype and environment (GxGxE). In the present study we used a full-sib breeding design crossing two genetically differentiated populations of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg, 1793), to determine the influence of host genotype, pathogen genotype and temperature on disease resistance. Based on a controlled infection experiment on two early life stages, i.e. D-larvae and Pediveliger larvae at elevated and ambient water temperatures we estimated disease resistance to allopatric and sympatric Vibrio sp. by measuring survival and growth within and between genetically differentiated oyster populations. In both populations survival was higher upon infection with sympatric Vibrio sp. indicating that disease resistance has a genetic basis and is dependent on host genotype. In addition we observed a significant GxGxE effect in D-larvae, where contrary to expectations, disease resistance was higher at warm than at cold temperatures. Using thermal reaction norms, we could further show, that disease resistance is an environment dependent trait with high plasticity, which indicates the potential for a fast acclimatization to changing environmental conditions. These population specific reaction norms disappeared in hybrid crosses between both populations which demonstrates that admixture between genetically differentiated populations can influence GxGxE interactions on larger scales

peerj-16427-Uc_GBS_14-6.vcf.xlsx

GBS loci and genotypes recovered with pyRAD from parameter set 14-6 (mincov = 14, maxSH = 6)

Uc_microsats_Genepop

Genepop file. Genetic variation at 12 microsatellite loci in three parapatric U. cardui populations. N=59

Data from: Characterisation of microsatellite and SNP markers from Miseq and genotyping-by-sequencing data among parapatric Urophora cardui (Tephritidae) populations

Phylogeographic analyses of the gall fly Urophora cardui have in earlier studies based on allozymes and mtDNA identified small-scale, parapatrically diverged populations within an expanding Western Palearctic population. However, the low polymorphism of these markers prohibited an accurate delimitation of the evolutionary origin of the parapatric divergence. Urophora cardui from the Western Palearctic have been introduced into Canada as biological control agents of the host plant Cirsium arvense. Here, we characterise 12 microsatellite loci with hexa-, penta- and tetra-nucleotide repeat motifs and report a genotyping-by-sequencing SNP protocol. We test the markers for genetic variation among three parapatric U. cardui populations. Microsatellite variability (N=59 individuals) was high: expected heterozygosity/locus/population (0.60-0.90), allele number/locus/population (5-21). One locus was alternatively sex-linked in males or females. Cross-species amplification in the sister species U. stylata was successful or partially successful for seven loci. For genotyping-by-sequencing (N=18 individuals), different DNA extraction methods did not affect data quality. Depending on sequence sorting criteria, 1177-2347 unlinked SNPs and 1750-4469 parsimony informative sites were found in 3514-5767 loci recovered after paralog filtering. Both marker systems quantified the same population partitions with high probabilities. Many and highly differentiated loci in both marker systems indicate genome-wide diversification and genetically distinct populations

Heat challenges can enhance population tolerance to thermal stress in mussels: a potential mechanism by which ship transport can increase species invasiveness

It is unclear whether transport by human vectors can increase the robustness of translocated populations and thereby enhance their invasiveness. To test this concept, we investigated the effect of heat stress on the tolerance of mussel populations towards a second stress event of the same kind. The heat challenges we mimicked can be faced by marine invertebrates that are transported through regions with high sea surface temperatures on ship hulls or in ballast water tanks. The study included 5 mussel species that were collected at sites in Brazil, Chile, Finland, Germany (Baltic Sea) and Portugal. In parallel laboratory experiments, monospecific groups of individuals were exposed to heat challenges that caused 60–83% mortality in the experimental groups within 15–28 days. The surviving individuals were exposed to a second stress event of the same kind, while their survival was then compared to the robustness of conspecifics that had not been exposed to elevated temperatures before. We observed that thermal tolerance was significantly enhanced by previous heat stress experience in case of Semimytilus algosus from Chile and in case of Mytilus edulis from Germany. Our results suggest that heat challenges, which marine invertebrates experience during transport, can enhance stress tolerance in founder populations of these species in their non-native range by potentially increasing the frequency of genetically adapted genotypes. This points at the necessity to learn more about selection acting on organisms during human-mediated transport—in the aquatic but also in the terrestrial environment

Heat challenges can enhance population tolerance to thermal stress in mussels: a potential mechanism by which ship transport can increase species invasiveness

It is unclear whether transport by human vectors can increase the robustness of translocated populations and thereby enhance their invasiveness. To test this concept, we investigated the effect of heat stress on the tolerance of mussel populations towards a second stress event of the same kind. The heat challenges we mimicked can be faced by marine invertebrates that are transported through regions with high sea surface temperatures on ship hulls or in ballast water tanks. The study included 5 mussel species that were collected at sites in Brazil, Chile, Finland, Germany (Baltic Sea) and Portugal. In parallel laboratory experiments, monospecific groups of individuals were exposed to heat challenges that caused 60–83% mortality in the experimental groups within 15–28 days. The surviving individuals were exposed to a second stress event of the same kind, while their survival was then compared to the robustness of conspecifics that had not been exposed to elevated temperatures before. We observed that thermal tolerance was significantly enhanced by previous heat stress experience in case of Semimytilus algosus from Chile and in case of Mytilus edulis from Germany. Our results suggest that heat challenges, which marine invertebrates experience during transport, can enhance stress tolerance in founder populations of these species in their non-native range by potentially increasing the frequency of genetically adapted genotypes. This points at the necessity to learn more about selection acting on organisms during human-mediated transport—in the aquatic but also in the terrestrial environment.</p