Phylogenetic determinants of potential host shifts in fungal pathogens

Understanding what determines the host range of pathogens and the potential for host shifts is of critical importance to controlling their introductions into new environments. The phylogeny of the hosts has been shown to be important: pathogens are more likely to be infectious on hosts closely related to their host‐of‐origin because of the similar host environments that is shared by descent. The importance of pathogen phylogenies for predicting host range has never been investigated, although a pathogen should also be able to exploit a new host that its close relative can infect. We performed cross‐inoculations using a plant–fungal association and showed that both host and pathogen phylogenies were significant predictors of host range, with at least partly independent effects. Furthermore, we showed that some pathogens were better at infecting novel hosts. Our results should have implications in the context of biological invasions and emergences of new diseases due to globalization.     

Plant pathogens as a source of diverse enzymes for lignocellulose digestion

The plant cell wall is a major barrier that many plant pathogens must surmount for successful invasion of their plant hosts. Full genome sequencing of a number of plant pathogens has revealed often large, complex, and redundant enzyme systems for degradation of plant cell walls. Recent surveys have noted that plant pathogenic fungi are highly competent producers of lignocellulolytic enzymes, and their enzyme activity patterns reflect host specificity. We propose that plant pathogens may contribute to biofuel production as diverse sources of accessory enzymes for more efficient conversion of lignocellulose into fermentable sugars.     

病毒与宿主互利共生的研究

在病毒与其宿主的相互作用中,病毒所扮演的角色不仅仅是病原体,它们也是宿主保持健康的重要共生体。病毒与微生物、植物、昆虫和哺乳动物之间存在互利共生作用,有的甚至涉及共生功能体的多个生物体。随着新病毒的不断发现,越来越多的互利共生关系被发掘,也还有许多有待发掘。本文旨在突出一些近年来关于有益病毒的典型例子,阐明为何需要重新认识病毒——病毒不仅是病原体,同时也是共生功能体中的一个完整个体。     

Information about transmission opportunities triggers a life-history switch in a parasite

Many microbial pathogens can switch to new hosts or adopt alternative transmission routes as environmental conditions change, displaying unexpected flexibility in their infection pathways and often causing emerging diseases. In contrast, parasitic worms that must develop through a fixed series of host species appear less likely to show phenotypic plasticity in their transmission pathways. Here, I demonstrate experimentally that a trematode parasite, Coitocaecum parvum, can accelerate its development and rapidly reach precocious maturity in its crustacean intermediate host in the absence of chemical cues emanating from its fish definitive host. Juvenile trematodes can also mature precociously when the mortality rate of their intermediate hosts is increased. Eggs produced by precocious adults hatch into viable larvae, capable of pursuing the parasite's life cycle. In the absence of chemical cues from fish hosts, the size of eggs released by precocious trematodes in their intermediate hosts becomes more variable, possibly indicating a bet-hedging strategy. These results illustrate that parasitic worms with complex life cycles have development and transmission strategies that are more plastic than commonly believed, allowing them to skip one host in their cycle when they perceive limited opportunities for transmission.     

Local adaptation in the Linum marginale-Melampsora lini host-pathogen interaction

The potential for local adaptation between pathogens and their hosts has generated strong theoretical and empirical interest with evidence both for and against local adaptation reported for a range of systems. We use the Linum marginale-Melampsora lini plant-pathogen system and a hierarchical spatial structure to investigate patterns of local adaptation within a metapopulation characterised by epidemic dynamics and frequent extinction of pathogen populations. Based on large sample sizes and comprehensive cross-inoculation trials, our analyses demonstrate strong local adaptation by Melampsora to its host populations, with this effect being greatest at regional scales, as predicted from the broader spatial scales at which M. lini disperses relative to L. marginale. However, there was no consistent trend for more distant pathogen populations to perform more poorly. Our results further show how the coevolutionary interaction between hosts and pathogens can be influenced by local structure such that resistant hosts select for generally virulent pathogens, while susceptible hosts select for more avirulent pathogens. Empirically, local adaptation has generally been tested in two contrasting ways: (1) pathogen performance on sympatric versus allopatric hosts; and (2) sympatric versus allopatric pathogens on a given host population. In situations where no host population is more resistant or susceptible than others when averaged across pathogen populations (and likewise, no pathogen population is more virulent or avirulent than others), results from these tests should generally be congruent. We argue that this is unlikely to be the case in the metapopulation situations that predominate in natural host-pathogen interactions, thus requiring tests that control simultaneously for variation in plant and pathogen populations.     

Move Over,Bacteria! Viruses Make Their Mark as Mutualistic Microbial Symbionts

Viruses are being redefined as more than just pathogens. They are also critical symbiotic partners in the health of their hosts. In some cases, viruses have fused with their hosts in symbiogenetic relationships. Mutualistic interactions are found in plant, insect, and mammalian viruses, as well as with eukaryotic and prokaryotic microbes, and some interactions involve multiple players of the holobiont. With increased virus discovery, more mutualistic interactions are being described and more will undoubtedly be discovered.     

Spread of parasites and diseases of aquatic organisms by acclimatization: a short review

The influence of transportation and acclimatization of fishes and shellfishes on their parasites and pathogens is discussed. It has been shown that aquatic organisms lose most of their parasites during the period of establishment, but some species may remain. In most instances these are parasites with direct development (Myxosporea, Monogenea, Crustacea). Species with intermediate hosts, but which utilize many species of invertebrates, establish more easily than those which have specific invertebrate intermediate hosts. If there are closely related host species to those introduced into the water body, parasites brought to it can transfer to these related species. This may result in a high infection of the native species and significant mortality.     

Imperfect vaccines and the evolution of pathogens causing acute infections in vertebrates

A study by Gandon et al. (2001) considered the potential ways pathogens may evolve in response to vaccination with imperfect vaccines. In this paper, by focusing on acute infections of vertebrate hosts, we examine whether imperfect vaccines that do not completely block a pathogen's replication (antigrowth) or transmission (antitransmission) may lead to evolution of more or less virulent pathogen strains. To address this question, we use models of the within-host dynamics of the pathogen and the host's immune responses. One advantage of the use of this within-host approach is that vaccination can be easily incorporated in the models and the trade-offs between pathogen transmissibility, host recovery, and virulence that drive evolution of pathogens in these models can be easily estimated. We find that the use of either antigrowth or antitransmission vaccines leads to the evolution of pathogens with an increased within-host growth rate; infection of unvaccinated hosts with such evolved pathogens results in high host mortality and low pathogen transmission. Vaccination of only a fraction of hosts with antigrowth vaccines may prevent pathogens from evolving high virulence due to pathogen adaptation to unvaccinated hosts and thus protection of vaccinated hosts from pathogen-induced disease. In contrast, antitransmission vaccines may be beneficial only if they are effective enough to cause pathogen extinction. Our results suggest that particular mechanisms of action of vaccines and their efficacy are crucial in predicting longterm evolutionary consequences of the use of imperfect vaccines.     

The Impact of Plant Enemies Shows a Phylogenetic Signal

The host ranges of plant pathogens and herbivores are phylogenetically constrained, so that closely related plant species are more likely to share pests and pathogens. Here we conducted a reanalysis of data from published experimental studies to test whether the severity of host-enemy interactions follows a similar phylogenetic signal. The impact of herbivores and pathogens on their host plants declined steadily with phylogenetic distance from the most severely affected focal hosts. The steepness of this phylogenetic signal was similar to that previously measured for binary-response host ranges. Enemy behavior and development showed similar, but weaker phylogenetic signal, with oviposition and growth rates declining with evolutionary distance from optimal hosts. Phylogenetic distance is an informative surrogate for estimating the likely impacts of a pest or pathogen on potential plant hosts, and may be particularly useful in early assessing risk from emergent plant pests, where critical decisions must be made with incomplete host records.     

Feast or famine: the host–pathogen battle over amino acids

Intracellular bacterial pathogens often rely on their hosts for essential nutrients. Host cells, in turn, attempt to limit nutrient availability, using starvation as a mechanism of innate immunity. Here we discuss both host mechanisms of amino acid starvation and the diverse adaptations of pathogens to their nutrient‐deprived environments. These processes provide both key insights into immune subversion and new targets for drug development.     

Characteristics of Garden Dormice That Contribute to Their Capacity as Reservoirs for Lyme Disease Spirochetes

To describe the contribution of garden dormice to the epizootiology of Lyme disease, we compared their reservoir capacity for these pathogens to that of other sympatric hosts. Garden dormice are trapped most abundantly during early spring and again during midsummer, when their offspring forage. They are closely associated with moist forests. Garden dormice serve as hosts to nymphal ticks far more frequently than do other small mammals. Spirochetal infection is most prevalent in dormice, and many more larval ticks acquire infection in the course of feeding on these than on other rodents in the study site. Mature dormice appear to contribute more infections to the vector population than juveniles do. Replete larval ticks generally detach while their dormouse hosts remain within their nests. The population of garden dormice contributes five- to sevenfold more infections to the vector population than the mouse population does. Their competence, nymphal feeding density, and preference for a tick-permissive habitat combine to favor garden dormice over other putative reservoir hosts of Lyme disease spirochetes.     

Patterns of association between crucifers and their flower-mimic pathogens: host jumps are more common than coevolution or cospeciation

Morphological and molecular phylogenies of animal parasites have often shown parallel cladogenesis, supporting hypotheses of coevolution. Few studies of the phylogenetic history for plants and their pathogens exist. Gene-for-gene interactions suggest that plant pathogens ought to have similar phylogenetic histories as their hosts. However, high dispersability combined with an inability to choose to leave if an inappropriate host has been landed on could increase the likelihood of host jumps and thus decrease phylogenetic congruence between plant pathogens and their hosts. In this study, I examined the pattern of association between the flower-mimicking crucifer rusts and their hosts by comparing independent host phylogenies (based on both cpDNA trnL-F introns and nuclear internal transcribed spacer [ITS] sequences) with that of their rust pathogens (based on ITS sequences). The expectation was that if the pathogens coevolved or cospeciated with their hosts, then their phylogenies should be congruent. Host-tracking coevolution can be differentiated from cospeciation by examining the times of divergence: If the pathogens are younger than the hosts, then it is likely that host tracking has occurred. For the crucifer rusts and their hosts, there was little evidence of parallel cladogenesis, suggesting that both cospeciation and coevolutionary tracking are rare. Instead, the most common pattern was one of host jumps to geographically associated taxa. There are at least three factors that may have contributed to the geographic structuring of the data. First, along the east-west transect stretching from the Rocky Mountains to California, large differences in rainfall and the timing of rainfall may reduce long-distance gene flow. Second, although dispersal of infectious spores is by wind, sexual reproduction of these fungi depends on insects, which move short distances. Third, host shifts are most likely to occur to geographically available taxa. Any species that grows adjacent to infected plants will be exposed to millions of spores, and the probability of eventual infection by a new mutant increases with greater exposure. Thus, patterns of association between the crucifers and their flower-mimic pathogens reflect jumps to geographically available hosts, which are not necessarily those that are most closely related.     

基因芯片技术在病毒性病原体检测中的研究进展

基因芯片技术具有高通量、高度平行性、高度自动化的特点。在对传染病病原体的研究中,基因芯片技术已应用于耐药性相关遗传多态性分析、基因分型、生物种系的遗传进化分析、宿主与病原体相互关系分析、病原体检测等。但在病原体检测方面,与检测细菌相比,基因芯片技术对病毒的高通量检测难度较大。简要介绍了目前基因芯片技术在病毒性病原体检测中的研究进展、所采用探针的类型及设计原则、基因芯片杂交结果的影响因素等。     

Future danger posed by fungi in the Ophiostomatales when encountering new hosts

The Ophiostomatales contain pathogens that threaten forests world-wide. Global trade increases encounters with new hosts, with potential devastating consequences. We assessed the danger posed by the movement of Ophiostomatales between different host trees in South Africa. We tested the pathogenicity of five fungal species from native South African trees, and three from exotic trees, on various native and exotic trees. To evaluate the potential of fungi to move to new hosts, we investigated the strength of their associations with arthropod vectors. Results indicate that many fungal species are pathogens of newly encountered and distantly-related hosts. Encounters of pathogens with new hosts are less likely when host plants are distantly related, and outside the host range of boring beetle vectors, which also reduces the chances of vectoring by phoretic mite associates. However, pathogens associated with numerous mite species and wounds are more likely to encounter new hosts and pose future threats.     

Distribution of the human faecal bacterium Bacteroides fragilis, its bacteriophages and their relationship to current sewage pollution indicators in bathing water

Although several bacteria are currently used as possible indicators of human pathogens in sewage-polluted sea water, they are often viewed as inadequate and especially inadequate as indicators of viral pathogens. This study investigates the distribution of Bacteroides fragilis and closely related Bacteroides spp. and their associated bacteriophages in sea water frequently used for recreational purposes. These organisms may provide a potentially more appropriate indicator. Bacteroides fragilis is one of about 10 species which are loosely placed together in the 'B. fragilis' group. Samples down-current from a sewage outfall were examined for the presence of B. fragilis group organisms and associated bacteriophages. Numbers were correlated with current bacterial and possible viral indicators at these sites. These B. fragilis group isolates were used as hosts to successfully isolate bacteriophages. The host range of these bacteriophages was investigated. It is hoped to expand this study by using these B. fragilis group hosts and their bacteriophages to identify a more suitable, European-wide, indicator of bacterial pathogens which can also be used to detect bacteriophages which are suitable as viral indicators.     

靶向宿主致病菌sRNA的发现及其靶标确定的实验技术进展

人类时常暴露于充满各种致病菌的环境中,这些致病菌与人体细胞或组织之间存在多种相互作用。在相互作用的过程中,细菌通过调节自身毒性、侵袭性等致病性,以适应宿主环境并生存下来,同样,宿主细胞也会通过调动自身的免疫系统来抵抗致病菌的入侵。然而,大多数研究者主要聚焦于致病菌sRNA (small RNA, sRNA)自身生理功能的研究,致病菌与宿主相互作用的认识仍然处于起步阶段。因此,如何使用高灵敏性、高分辨率的方法研究致病菌与宿主之间的相互作用成为当前研究面临的一大难题。本文综合国内外相关研究,概述了目前研究致病菌与宿主相互作用常用的技术方法及实验流程,提高对其机制原理的理解,为致病菌sRNA-宿主靶标的相关研究提供技术参考。     

Controls on pathogen species richness in plants' introduced and native ranges: roles of residence time, range size and host traits

Introduced species escape many pathogens and other enemies, raising three questions. How quickly do introduced hosts accumulate pathogen species? What factors control pathogen species richness? Are these factors the same in the hosts' native and introduced ranges? We analysed fungal and viral pathogen species richness on 124 plant species in both their native European range and introduced North American range. Hosts introduced 400 years ago supported six times more pathogens than those introduced 40 years ago. In hosts' native range, pathogen richness was greater on hosts occurring in more habitat types, with a history of agricultural use and adapted to greater resource supplies. In hosts' introduced range, pathogen richness was correlated with host geographic range size, agricultural use and time since introduction, but not any measured biological traits. Introduced species have accumulated pathogens at rates that are slow relative to most ecological processes, and contingent on geographic and historic circumstance.     

Host sexual dimorphism affects the outcome of within‐host pathogen competition

Natural infections often consist of multiple pathogens of the same or different species. When coinfections occur, pathogens compete for access to host resources and fitness is determined by how well a pathogen can reproduce compared to its competitors. Yet not all hosts provide the same resource pool. Males and females, in particular, commonly vary in both their acquisition of resources and investment in immunity, but their ability to modify any competition between different pathogens remains unknown. Using the Daphnia magna–Pasteuria ramosa model system, we exposed male and female hosts to either a single genotype infection or coinfections consisting of two pathogen genotypes of varying levels of virulence. We found that coinfections within females favored the transmission of the more virulent pathogen genotype, whereas coinfections within male hosts resulted in equal transmission of competing pathogen genotypes. This contrast became less pronounced when the least virulent pathogen was able to establish an infection first, suggesting that the influence of host sex is shaped by priority effects. We suggest that sex is a form of host heterogeneity that may influence the evolution of virulence within coinfection contexts and that one sex may be a reservoir for pathogen genetic diversity in nature.     

Virulence and transmission modes in metapopulations: when group selection increases virulence

Individuals that are infected by a pathogen can transmit it to unrelated conspecifics (horizontal transmission) or to their progeny when they reproduce (vertical transmission). The mechanisms of these two routes of transmission are different and this difference impacts the way virulence evolves in pathogens. More precisely, horizontal transmission depends on the probability that an infected host contacts susceptible conspecifics, and therefore on its lifespan. Vertical transmission additionally depends on the host's fecundity. This additional dependence in vertically transmitted pathogens results in a decrease in their evolutionarily stable (ES) virulence.Spatial structure is another factor that is often supposed to decrease pathogens’ ES virulence, mostly because it impedes competition for transmission in local populations of hosts. In this paper, using the adaptive dynamics framework, we show that spatial structure can increase ES virulence when pathogens are mostly vertically transmitted. This is due to the difference in how pathogens compete for transmission in local population of hosts, depending on how they are transmitted. We also show that symbionts that are horizontally transmitted should respond more to a change in spatial structure than symbionts that are vertically transmitted.