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Dispersal-Limited Symbionts Exhibit Unexpectedly Wide Variation in Host Specificity
Alix E Matthews1,2, Asela J Wijeratne2, Andrew D Sweet2
1College of Sciences and Mathematics and Molecular Biosciences Program, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR, USA.
Systematic Biology
|March 24, 2023
Summary
Feather mites show surprising host switching despite limited dispersal, challenging assumptions about symbiont specificity. Comprehensive sampling reveals complex evolutionary dynamics in symbiotic relationships.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Symbiosis Research
- Parasitology
Background:
- Host specificity is a key trait in symbiotic relationships, varying from specialists to generalists.
- Limited dispersal capabilities in symbionts are often assumed to correlate with host specialization.
- Understanding variations in host specificity is crucial but often complicated by sampling biases and marker limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary causes of host specificity variation in dispersal-limited symbionts.
- To assess barriers in estimating host specificity using feather mites and North American warblers.
- To compare traditional barcoding genes with multilocus approaches for studying symbiont phylogenetics and codiversification.
Main Methods:
- Sampling of feather mites (Proctophyllodidae) from a comprehensive set of North American warblers (Parulidae).
- Application of pooled-sequencing (Pool-Seq) with short-read Illumina technology.
- Analysis using traditional barcoding (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1) and 11 protein-coding mitochondrial genes with concatenated and multispecies coalescent methods.
Main Results:
- Significant congruence was found between mite and host phylogenies.
- Feather mite host specificity varied widely, with frequent host switching observed.
- Multilocus approaches were more effective than single barcodes in detecting sample heterogeneity in Pool-Seq data.
Conclusions:
- Presumed dispersal capabilities do not always predict symbiont host specificity or coevolutionary history.
- Host switching is common in feather mites, irrespective of genetic marker resolution.
- Fine-scale phylogenetic sampling is essential for understanding microevolutionary filters impacting macroevolutionary symbiosis processes.
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