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Experimental evolution of a fungal pathogen into a gut symbiont

Gloria Hoi Wan Tso1, Jose Antonio Reales-Calderon1, Alrina Shin Min Tan1

  • 1Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove Immunos #04, Singapore 138648, Singapore.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|November 3, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Researchers evolved a fungus in mice, creating a strain that lost its harmful traits and protected the host from infections. This suggests a new model for studying the evolution of beneficial animal-microbe relationships and trained immunity.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Animal-microbe symbiosis is crucial but its evolutionary origins are unclear.
  • Opportunistic pathogens can cause disease but may also have beneficial roles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolutionary emergence of mutualism between a mammal and a fungus.
  • To understand how an opportunistic pathogen can be adapted for host protection.

Main Methods:

  • Adaptive evolution of *Candida albicans* in the mouse gastrointestinal tract.
  • Assessing host protection against systemic infections.
  • Investigating the role of innate immunity and trained immunity.

Main Results:

  • Selected *Candida albicans* strains lost virulence.
  • Adapted strains protected mice against systemic infections.
  • Protection was rapid, innate immunity-dependent, and resembled trained immunity.

Conclusions:

  • Experimental evolution can generate beneficial host-microbe interactions.
  • This system provides a model to study the evolution of mutualism.
  • Adapted microbes may induce trained immunity for host benefit.

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