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

PLoS One. 2015 Mar 20;10(3):e0118738. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118738. eCollection 2015.

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 could have been responsible for this continued dominance. One possible explanation could be found in the shift of Planktothrix to the metalimnion, an environment that typically consists of low light and decreased temperatures. Planktothrix are capable of growth under these conditions while the chytrid parasites are constrained. Another potential explanation could be due to the differences between cellular oligopeptide variations found between Planktothrix chemotypes. These oligopeptides can function as defense systems against chytrids. Our findings suggest that chytrid driven diversity was not maintained over time, but that the combination of environmental constraints and multiple oligopeptide production to combat chytrids could have allowed one Planktothrix chemotype to have dominance despite chytrid presence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Evolution*
  • Chytridiomycota / genetics*
  • DNA, Fungal / genetics*
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Geologic Sediments / microbiology*
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions / genetics
  • Lakes / microbiology
  • Norway
  • Parasites / genetics*
  • Phytoplankton / microbiology*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • DNA, Fungal

Grants and funding

This project was funded by internal grants from both Norwegian Institute for Water research (NIVA) and Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMBU) and a Short Term Scientific Mission (STSM) grant in the framework of COST action ES1105 for VO. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.