Environmental Sources of Bacteria and Genetic Variation in Behavior Influence Host-Associated Microbiota

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Ecology
• Genetics

Background:

• Host-associated microbial communities are acquired post-birth and shaped by environmental and host genetic factors.
• Understanding how host behavior influences microbiome composition is crucial for infection risk and microbial ecology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if genetic variation in animal behavior affects host-associated microbiota composition across different environments.
• To explore the interplay between host genotype, behavior, and environmental factors in shaping the microbiome.

Main Methods:

• Utilized clonal lines of Daphnia magna with varying sediment-browsing intensities.
• Exposed Daphnia to bacteria-rich or bacteria-poor sediments, or prevented sediment access.
• Analyzed the bacterial composition of the Daphnia-associated microbiota.

Main Results:

• Bacterial environment composition and genotype-specific browsing intensity jointly influenced Daphnia microbiota.
• Increased browsing behavior correlated with higher abundances of environment-specific bacteria.
• Microbiome diversity did not increase with exposure to more diverse bacteria.

Conclusions:

• Behavior acts as a mediator for genotype-by-environment interactions affecting microbiome composition.
• Genetic variation in behavior can significantly impact the host microbiome and microbial community dynamics.
• This study highlights the role of behavior in shaping host-microbe interactions in aquatic ecosystems.