Article
Ecology
Alexander Hegg, Reinder Radersma, Tobias Uller
Summary: The study found that the gut microbiome of water fleas can affect host fitness, but the influence of genotype on microbiome composition is minimal. In a natural lake environment, the gut microbiome of water fleas showed high dynamic changes over time.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yu Okamura, Ai Sato, Lina Kawaguchi, Atsushi J. Nagano, Masashi Murakami, Heiko Vogel, Juergen Kroymann
Summary: Herbivorous insects have evolved counteradaptations to overcome chemical defences of their host plants. The diversity of host plants shapes the diversity of insect counteradaptations. Different butterfly species show different patterns of host plant use and adaptation.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
John K. Kelly
Summary: This study characterizes the evolution of SNPs in a population of yellow monkeyflower. It finds that most SNPs exhibit minimal change over time, consistent with neutral evolution. However, a subset of SNPs display strong fluctuations in frequency, which are driven by selection and have a ripple effect on genome-wide variation.
Article
Virology
Wenqiang Wang, Guan-Zhu Han
Summary: This study investigates the evolutionary significance of A1 proteins in antiviral defense and characterizes their role in inducing mutations in endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). The A1 gene repertoire is identified and the evolutionary arms race between A1 genes and ERVs across vertebrate species is explored. The findings suggest a long-running arms race between A1 genes and retroviruses throughout the evolutionary course of tetrapods.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Olivia L. Johnson, Raymond Tobler, Joshua M. Schmidt, Christian D. Huber
Summary: Recent studies have shown that cosmopolitan Drosophila populations exhibit seasonal fluctuation in allele frequencies at hundreds to thousands of genetic loci, which has raised questions about how genetic variation is maintained in natural populations. This has led to further exploration of the drivers, dynamics, and genome-wide impacts of fluctuating selection through theoretical and experimental studies. In this review, the latest evidence for multilocus fluctuating selection in Drosophila and other taxa is evaluated, with a focus on potential genetic and ecological mechanisms that maintain these loci and their effects on neutral genetic variation.
TRENDS IN GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Meike J. Wittmann, Sylvain Mousset, Joachim Hermisson
Summary: Natural selection not only affects the actual loci under selection but also leaves footprints in patterns of genetic variation in linked genetic regions. We developed analytical approximations to characterize the genetic footprint of balancing selection with seasonally fluctuating allele frequencies. Fluctuating balancing selection can lead to an increase in genetic diversity near the selected site but reduces diversity further away due to recurrent bottlenecks of allelic backgrounds. Strong fluctuating balancing selection can even result in a loss of genetic variation in unlinked regions, impacting genome-wide diversity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jianxun Yang, Qi Gao, Miaomiao Liu, Qingqing Wang, Zhen Ding, Mao Liu, Jun Bi
Summary: Issuing early heat warnings and enhancing public climate change awareness and engagement are important local policy options for heat wave adaptation. This study found that individual's physiological responses were correlated with subjective thermal perceptions, with aggravated thermal discomfort observed at temperatures between 30 and 35 degrees C. Heat exposure also increased climate change belief and reduced psychological distance significantly. Furthermore, follow-up surveys showed that daily temperature variations predicted climate change belief, indicating the importance of communication and policy changes during heat events.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Marly Antonielle de Avila, Yule Roberta Ferreira Nunes, Camila Silveira Souza, Adriana de Oliveira Machado, Hellen Casla Mazzottini-dos-Santos, Leonardo Monteiro Ribeiro, Rubens Manoel dos Santos, Islaine Franciely Pinheiro de Azevedo
Summary: In this study, the vegetative and reproductive phenology of Mauritia flexuosa in four veredas in the Brazilian Cerrado region was characterized. The results showed that the flowering and fruiting phenology of M. flexuosa differed depending on the environment, occurring during either the dry season or rainy periods. These findings underscore the importance of characterizing species and phenological patterns in different environments to better understand their adaptability to a changing climate.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
T. Keep, S. Rouet, J. L. Blanco-Pastor, P. Barre, T. Ruttink, K. J. Dehmer, M. Hegarty, T. Ledauphin, I Litrico, H. Muylle, I Roldan-Ruiz, F. Surault, R. Veron, E. Willner, J. P. Sampoux
Summary: The study found significant relationships between the temporal mean and variability of local climate and within-population allele diversity at adaptive loci in natural plant populations. These relationships were consistent with functional ecology theory.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christopher G. Oakley, Douglas W. Schemske, John K. McKay, Jon Agren
Summary: This study on the self-pollinating Arabidopsis thaliana found that local adaptation involves multiple loci, which have significant effects on average fitness. The results also indicate that both genetic trade-offs and conditional neutrality play important roles in local adaptation.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Wondossen Ayalew, Xiaoyun Wu, Getinet Mekuriaw Tarekegn, Tesfaye Sisay Tessema, Rakan Naboulsi, Renaud Van Damme, Erik Bongcam-Rudloff, Zewdu Edea, Solomon Enquahone, Ping Yan
Summary: This study presents the first whole-genome sequencing of Abigar cattle, revealing genes associated with heat tolerance, immune response, and stress resilience in tropical conditions. These findings are of great importance for understanding and improving the adaptive traits of Abigar cattle.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Quentin Rougemont, Amanda Xuereb, Xavier Dallaire, Jean-Sebastien Moore, Eric Normandeau, Eric B. Rondeau, Ruth E. Withler, Donald M. Van Doornik, Penelope A. Crane, Kerry A. Naish, John Carlos Garza, Terry D. Beacham, Ben F. Koop, Louis Bernatchez
Summary: This study investigated the genomic basis of local adaptation in Coho salmon across North America and found that migration distance is the primary selective factor. Several candidate genetic variations associated with long-distance migration and altitude were also identified.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Marie Rescan, Daphne Grulois, Enrique Ortega Aboud, Pierre de Villemereuil, Luis-Miguel Chevin
Summary: The study shows that the magnitude and predictability of environmental fluctuations have significant impacts on the average selection coefficient. Randomness in population genetics is substantially higher in a fluctuating environment, and the selection reaction norm for predicting mean selection coefficients is related to environmental tolerance curves, but both underestimate the selection variance caused by random environmental fluctuations.
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Sam Yeaman
Summary: Observations of alleles associated with complex traits should be interpreted in the context of evolutionary processes. Genetic architecture can significantly impact evolutionary outcomes and provide insights into how evolution works. Local adaptation can lead to concentrated genetic architectures enriched for alleles of larger effect, but evolution of such architectures may be limited by various factors.
Article
Ecology
Emily L. Dittmar, Douglas W. Schemske
Summary: Ecological heterogeneity can cause local adaptation when populations trade off fitness in different habitats. However, the impact of spatial and temporal variation in environmental factors on local adaptation is not well understood. A multiyear reciprocal transplant experiment with Leptosiphon parviflorus populations living on serpentine and nonserpentine soil revealed local adaptation over a small geographic scale, but differences in the temporal variability of selection across habitats. Temporal variation in precipitation had a strong influence on the fitness trade-offs, suggesting that drought conditions may erode local adaptation in these populations.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Emilia L. Simmons, Matthew C. Bond, Britt Koskella, Knut Drescher, Vanni Bucci, Carey D. Nadell
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vivek K. Mutalik, Benjamin A. Adler, Harneet S. Rishi, Denish Piya, Crystal Zhong, Britt Koskella, Elizabeth M. Kutter, Richard Calendar, Pavel S. Novichkov, Morgan N. Price, Adam M. Deutschbauer, Adam P. Arkin
Editorial Material
Biology
James E. McDonald, Julian R. Marchesi, Britt Koskella
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Emily A. Dewald-Wang, Nicole Parr, Katie Tiley, Alina Lee, Britt Koskella
Summary: Coevolution is difficult to study directly, but time-shift experiments are a powerful tool to measure coevolution by challenging individuals from different time points. The experiments revealed an asymmetry in host resistance and phage infectivity, suggesting a need to revise existing coevolutionary theory to account for differing models for hosts and parasites.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Reena Debray, Robin A. Herbert, Alexander L. Jaffe, Alexander Crits-Christoph, Mary E. Power, Britt Koskella
Summary: The order and timing of microbial arrival can significantly impact microbiome composition and function, with studies highlighting the importance of priority effects in different environments. Detection methods and mechanisms of priority effects are discussed in this review.
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Kyle M. Meyer, Robert Porch, Isabella E. Muscettola, Ana Luisa S. Vasconcelos, Julia K. Sherman, C. Jessica E. Metcalf, Steven E. Lindow, Britt Koskella
Summary: The microbial communities on plant leaf surfaces are influenced by dispersal from neighboring plants, with local dispersal being a key factor in their assembly. Host species, source of microbiome, and neighbors' identity contribute to the variation in phyllosphere bacterial composition.
Correction
Microbiology
Reena Debray, Robin A. Herbert, Alexander L. Jaffe, Alexander Crits-Christoph, Mary E. Power, Britt Koskella
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Reena Debray, Yvonne Socolar, Griffin Kaulbach, Aidee Guzman, Catherine A. Hernandez, Rose Curley, Alexander Dhond, Timothy Bowles, Britt Koskella
Summary: Water stress and disruption of mycorrhizal associations resulted in reduced leaf bacterial richness, homogenized bacterial community composition among plants, and decreased the relative abundance of dominant fungal taxa in the tomato phyllosphere. Soil conditions and belowground interactions can shape aboveground microbial communities, with significant implications for plant health and sustainable agriculture.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Elijah C. Mehlferber, Kent F. McCue, Jon E. Ferrel, Britt Koskella, Rajnish Khanna
Summary: This study examined the effects of a volcanic ash deposit fertilizer on microbial communities in soil and plants, focusing on core taxa identified in the rhizosphere and root endosphere. The fertilizer had little overall effect on microbial composition but selectively influenced the core taxa, leading to changes in functional pathway enrichment associated with carbohydrate metabolism.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elijah C. Mehlferber, Michael J. Song, Julianne Naomi Pelaez, Johan Jaenisch, Jeremy E. Coate, Britt Koskella, Carl J. Rothfels
Summary: The microbiome and ploidy level both play important roles in the host organism's response to disease. This study investigates the interaction between whole-genome duplication and the above-ground microbiome in Arabidopsis thaliana, and finds that polyploids have enhanced immunity to pathogens and reduced dependence on the microbiome for protection.
Article
Virology
Britt Koskella, Catherine A. Hemandez, Rachel M. Wheatley
Summary: Bacteriophages have significant effects on bacterial ecology and evolution, shaping microbial interactions, diversity, and nutrient cycling in ecosystems. They rapidly evolve in response to bacterial host dynamics and the study of their evolution in vitro can provide insights into natural bacteria-phage interactions. Recent advancements in metagenomics approaches have allowed for a better understanding of phage evolution and ecology in complex microbial communities.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Reena Debray, Nina De Luna, Britt Koskella
Summary: Bacteria and lytic viruses (phages) have a coevolutionary relationship, and this study explores how phages shape the future evolutionary trajectories of their host populations. The researchers found that some bacteria populations re-evolved phage sensitivity over time, while others acquired compensatory mutations that reduced the costs of resistance. The genetic mechanisms of resistance and the initial evolution of resistance played a significant role in these outcomes. This study highlights the importance of phages in the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of their host communities and provides insights into the genetic architecture of historical contingency.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
C. Jessica E. Metcalf, Burcu Tepekule, Marjolein Bruijning, Britt Koskella
Summary: The absence of microbial exposure early in life can lead to immune overreaction later in life. Understanding the critical windows during which the host's immune system can learn tolerance is crucial. Animal models suggest that multiple mechanisms have evolved to enable critical windows, indicating strong evolutionary selection. By exploring the evolutionary ecology of critical windows, we found that both direct and indirect effects of microbes determine the optimal length of the critical window. Various factors such as transmission magnitude, infection duration, reinfection rates, host demography, and seasonality can influence the timing and likelihood of encounters with microbes, affecting the optimal length of the critical window. Decline in microbial population abundance and diversity may result in increased immune dysfunction. Our research provides insights into the impact of host-microbiome/pathogen interactions, dispersal, and the current loss of microbial diversity and infectious diseases on critical windows.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Catherine A. A. Hernandez, Veronique A. Delesalle, Greg P. P. Krukonis, Jenna M. M. DeCurzio, Britt Koskella
Summary: The rate and trajectory of evolution in an obligate parasite is highly influenced by its host(s). This study investigates the impact of evolutionary history of bacterial hosts on the genotypic and phenotypic evolution of bacteriophages. By comparing coevolved phages and phages passaged on an ancestral strain, it is revealed that coevolution leads to more mutations in phage genomes, particularly in genes encoding phage tail-associated proteins. Coevolved phages exhibit more efficient reduction of population growth and have more predictable effects on infectivity range.
Article
Ecology
Reena Debray, Asa Conover, Xuening Zhang, Emily A. A. Dewald-Wang, Britt Koskella
Summary: In microbial community assembly, species that establish earlier often have an advantage. Experimental evolution selecting for host colonization alters priority effects among competitors in the tomato plant-associated microbiome. Understanding how in situ evolution alters priority effects is crucial for predicting the composition and function of ecological communities over time.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
