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        <title>Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution | Coevolution section | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/sections/coevolution</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Coevolution section in the Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution journal | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
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        <pubDate>2026-05-02T10:44:13.477+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1783819</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1783819</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Anacanthotermes symbionts clarify the evolutionary history of termite-symbiotic Parabasalia]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Kali L. Swichtenberg</author><author>Daniel E. Jasso-Selles</author><author>LeAnn Nguyen</author><author>Serena G. Aguilar</author><author>Kelsi B. McAnally</author><author>Stephen J. Taerum</author><author>Ulugbek Togaev</author><author>Ikram Iskandarovich Abdullaev</author><author>David Sillam-Dussès</author><author>Jan Šobotník</author><author>Gillian H. Gile</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The obligate symbiosis between wood-feeding termites and their intestinal microbial eukaryotes (protists) is a classic example of co-diversification. Closely related termites tend to harbor closely related protists, and certain protist lineages are restricted in their distribution to a particular host lineage, but there are exceptions to these trends. Horizontal symbiont transfer has been suggested to account for some of the discrepancies, but its extent is not clear, largely because the symbionts of many termite lineages have not yet been characterized by molecular methods. Anacanthotermes is one such understudied termite lineage. Anacanthotermes belong to the harvester termite family, Hodotermitidae, in the deep-branching termite clade Teletisoptera. Some of their symbiont genera, such as Rostronympha, Spiromastigotes, Kirbynia, and Polymastigoides, are unique to Anacanthotermes hosts. Other reported symbionts, such as Holomastigotes and Holomastigotoides, are known to inhabit distantly related termite lineages, which is surprising, and suggests either incorrect classification or horizontal symbiont transfer. In this study, we have used microscopy, single cell PCR, and long-read amplicon sequencing to characterize the morphology and phylogenetic position of Anacanthotermes symbionts and infer their coevolutionary history with their hosts. The symbionts belong to the Parabasalia classes Trichonymphea, Cristamonadea, Spirotrichonymphea, and Trichomonadea. Our results suggest that the Parabasalia class Spirotrichonymphea originated and diversified within the termite lineage Teletisoptera, rather than in the ancestor of termites as previously assumed, and therefore all occurrences of Spirotrichonymphea outside Teletisoptera are due to symbiont transfers.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1719781</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1719781</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Resolving resistance adaptations: an integrated, evolutionary perspective across taxonomic borders]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-29T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Perspective</category>
        <author>Andre Nogueira Alves</author><author>Mark Elgar</author><author>Nina Wedell</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Resistance to xenobiotic compounds—including insecticides, herbicides, antibiotics, fungicides, and chemotherapies — is a pervasive and intensifying problem across agriculture, medicine, and public health. Billions are invested each year into creating new compounds to combat pests, pathogens, and cancer cells, yet resistance evolves swiftly and repeatedly. This recurring failure stems not from a lack of innovation but from a lack of integration. Current strategies are predominantly developed within disciplinary and taxonomic silos, and often ignore the evolutionary nature of resistance. This topic is extremely relevant and contemporary as the emergence of resistance is an evolutionary inevitability whenever a population is exposed to strong selection pressures such as xenobiotic compounds. Despite this, resistance management remains reactive and compound-specific, relying on successive chemical innovations rather than long-term strategies. In this piece, the authors argue that resistance is not a domain-specific phenomenon, but a general evolutionary process. Drawing together research across insects, bacteria, fungi, plants, and cancer biology, this Perspective outlines how comparative insights and integrative strategies can reshape the way we approach resistance in both agricultural and biomedical systems. To confront this pressing and pervasive issue — where evolution outpaces our interventions — we must adopt an integrative evolutionary perspective that is anticipatory, not reactive. Resistance to xenobiotics is a shared evolutionary outcome across life forms, and so too should be our approach to solving it. This Perspective will serve as a conceptual bridge for researchers across domains, encouraging coordinated, evolutionary-informed solutions to one of the most pressing challenges of our time.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1695021</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1695021</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Plasma proteomic profiling reveals molecular signatures of thermal stress and bleaching in the photosymbiotic giant clam Tridacna crocea]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-11-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Fan Mao</author><author>Xiaoyang Jin</author><author>Chenghao Chen</author><author>Wenjie Yi</author><author>Yang Zhang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionCoral reef ecosystems are increasingly threatened by climate change-induced thermal stress, leading to widespread bleaching events. Giant clams (Tridacna spp.) are key photosymbiotic reef inhabitants that harbor extracellular dinoflagellate symbionts (Symbiodiniaceae) and contribute to reef structure and nutrient cycling. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying their response to heat stress remain poorly understood.MethodsA non-lethal plasma sampling technique was employeed to characterize the proteomic profile of Tridacna crocea under controlled thermal stress. iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics profiled host plasma proteins, and integrated transcriptomic analyses across five tissues assessed tissue-specific expression and the contribution of secretory factors to host–symbiont interactions.ResultsWe quantified 554 host plasma proteins that differentially expressed, with significant enrichment in immune response pathways, lectin-mediated recognition, and complement system components. Integrated transcriptomic analysis of five tissues revealed tissue-specific expression patterns and underscored the role of secretory proteins in host-symbiont interactions. Key biomarkers, including C1q domain-containing proteins and lectin family members, exhibited consistent dysregulation under stress, reflecting a shift from symbiosis maintenance to immune defense.DiscussionThese data delineate a plasma proteomic signature of bleaching in T. crocea and implicate innate immune pathways in restructuring host–symbiont dynamics under heat stress. The non-lethal plasma assay, coupled with proteogenomic readouts, offers a scalable framework for monitoring giant clam health and, by extension, reef condition under ongoing climate change.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1623560</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1623560</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Characteristics analysis of microRNAs in the interaction between maize and Ostrinia furnacalis]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-09-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Rui-Xue Zhang</author><author>Xin Zhao</author><author>Na Liu</author><author>Rui-Huan Li</author><author>Jun-Jin Yao</author><author>Chao Xu</author><author>Xin Qi</author><author>Chen Zhang</author><author>Ya-Si Wang</author><author>Qing-Kuo Lan</author><author>Yong Wang</author><author>You-Pu Cheng</author><author>Cheng Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[To investigate the expression of micro RNAs (miRNA) at the transcriptome level in interactions between maize (Zea mays) and the Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis), four miRNA libraries were constructed based on four groups of samples: fresh, uneaten maize leaves; maize leaves eaten by Asian corn borer larvae; Asian corn borer larvae that had eaten maize leaves; and Asian corn borer reared on an artificial diet). Through second-generation sequencing technology, 810 known miRNAs and 132 new miRNAs were identified and analyzed. In specific miRNA comparisons, five new plant-derived miRNAs were found in the Asian corn borer larvae, of which one was differentially expressed because of its diet. Expression levels of all differentially expressed miRNAs were validated using qRT PCR. Because of biotic stress and differences in food types, miRNAs with cross-kingdom transfer were regulated by their target genes to express metabolic factors such as transcription factors (e.g., growth hormone response factors (ARF6, ARF8), inorganic phosphate transporters (Pht10), and phosphate transporters (Pht7, Pht9)). We improve understanding of the roles of microRNAs in plant–insect interactions, and establish a foundation upon which new maize varieties with resistance to Asian corn borer larvae can be developed through genetic engineering.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1467572</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1467572</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Molecular advances of host-parasite associations in wildlife]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-09-09T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Xi Huang</author><author>Nayden Chakarov</author><author>Jenny C. Dunn</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1324605</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1324605</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Alphacoronaviruses from bats captured in European Russia in 2015 and 2021 are closely related to those of Northern Europe]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-07-09T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Elena V. Korneenko</author><author>Andrei E. Samoilov</author><author>Ivan K. Chudinov</author><author>Ivan O. Butenko</author><author>Ignat V. Sonets</author><author>Ilya V. Artyushin</author><author>Alexander P. Yusefovich</author><author>Sergei V. Kruskop</author><author>Sergei O. Sinitsyn</author><author>Ekaterina O. Klyuchnikova</author><author>Anna S. Gladkikh</author><author>Vladimir G. Dedkov</author><author>Marina V. Safonova</author><author>Peter Daszak</author><author>Anna S. Speranskaya</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionBats are considered the natural reservoirs of several viruses including coronaviruses (CoVs), two genera of which, alpha- and betacoronaviruses, infect humans. Despite widespread screening of bat samples for novel viruses, information on the diversity of coronaviruses in bats inhabiting Russian territory remains scarce. Here, we analyzed the presence and diversity of alphacoronaviruses (Alpha-CoVs) in bats from European Russia.MethodsFourty three fecal samples from bats of 8 species: P. nathusii, P. kuhlii, M. brandtii, M. daubentonii, N. noctula, V. murinus, M. dasycneme, and P. auritus were taken to study.Results and discussionWe detected Alpha-CoV RdRp gene fragments in 30% (13/43) of samples examined in 75% (6/8) of species sampled. Phylogenetic analysis of RdRp showed that most of the identified Alpha-CoV sequences fall into clades within the Pedacovirus subgenus, with minor clusters of nyctacoviruses or myotacoviruses. We assert that closely related pedacoviruses have been circulating for a long time (from 2015 to 2021) in a large region from European Russia to Northern Europe. We propose that closely related pedacoviruses collected from common areas represent a separate species, which we name NE-Alpha coronavirus, with its host being bats of the genus Pipistrellus that inhabit a region from the European part of Russia to Northern Europe. Among the animals sampled, 4.6% (2/43) carried two Alpha-CoVs related to different subgenera (pedacovirus/myotacovirus or pedacovirus/nyctacovirus) simultaneously. We confirmed the presence of two different Alpha-CoV subgenera related to pedacovirus and nyctacovirus in P. kuhlii captured in 2021 and kept in captivity using whole genome sequencing of these viruses. The presence of two or more coronaviruses in one individual animal host is an essential prerequisite for recombination to occur. We also obtained two Alpha-CoV whole genomes from two specimens of P. nathusii captured in 2015. The genomic organization of BatCoV/MOW15-21 and BatCoV/MOW15-23 was similar to other Alpha-CoVs, but the assembled genomes contained a long insertion in the ORF1ab gene which has not been described in other Alpha-CoVs, except for a single sequence from P. nathusii captured in the Netherlands. We propose that the insertion encodes a previously undescribed domain of unknown function, probably related to the SEA domain superfamily.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1445501</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1445501</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Women in coevolution 2022]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-07-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Laura Núñez-Pons</author><author>Vera Tai</author><author>Melissa S. Roth</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1435872</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1435872</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Corrigendum: Mitochondrial and apicoplast genome copy abundances of haemosporidian parasites are explained by host species and parasitic lineage]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-05-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Correction</category>
        <author>Tim Brandler</author><author>Nayden Chakarov</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1390625</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1390625</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Differential gene expression in the insect vector Anasa tristis in response to symbiont colonization but not infection with a vectored phytopathogen]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-05-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Sandra Y. Mendiola</author><author>Jason Z. Chen</author><author>Ben Lukubye</author><author>David J. Civitello</author><author>Nic M. Vega</author><author>Nicole M. Gerardo</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Many insects selectively associate with specific microbes in long-term, symbiotic relationships. Maintaining these associations can be vital for the insect hosts’ development, but insects must also contend with potential coinfections from other microbes in the environment. Fending off microbial threats while maintaining mutualistic microbes has resulted in many insects developing specialized symbiotic organs to house beneficial microbes. Though locally concentrated in these organs, symbiont establishment can have global consequences for the insect, including influence over the success of coinfecting microbes in colonizing the insect host. We use a transcriptomic approach to examine how the mutualistic symbiosis between the agricultural pest Anasa tristis and bacteria in the genus Caballeronia affects insect gene expression locally within the symbiotic organs and in the insect host at large. We simultaneously determine whether Caballeronia colonization impacts insect host responses to infection with the plant pathogen Serratia marcescens, which it vectors to plants. We found that no significant differential gene expression was elicited by infection with S. marcescens. This was a surprising finding given previous work indicating that symbiotic A. tristis clear S. marcescens infection rapidly compared to aposymbiotic individuals. Our results indicate that symbiotic and nonsymbiotic tissues in A. tristis differ greatly in their gene expression, particularly following successful symbiont colonization. We found evidence for local downregulation of host immunity and upregulation of cell communication within the symbiotic organs, functions which can facilitate the success of the A. tristis-Caballeronia symbiosis.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1319829</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1319829</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Genetic infrapopulation sizes in blood parasites: a pilot quantification of the bottleneck in louse fly vectors]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-04-09T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Kai Fischer</author><author>Nayden Chakarov</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionBottleneck events are crucial for the strength of genetic drift, selection and speed of evolution. They are believed to play a particularly prominent role for parasitic infrapopulations, inhabiting single host individuals, which are often established by very few parasite individuals during transmission. In vector-borne pathogens, the bottlenecking effects can even be serialized through repeated filtering of parasitic stages at different tissues and organs of the vector. Using qPCR we aimed to quantify the number of potentially transmittable sporozoites of the hemosporidian blood parasite Haemoproteus columbae in the specialized vector louse flies Pseudolynchia canariensis which transmit these parasites between house pigeon hosts Columba livia.ResultsBased on qPCR measurements of organ-derived DNA of individual louse flies, we estimate that the midgut of these vectors contains on average 20 parasites, the hindgut and other intestines ca. 50 parasites and the salivary glands ca. 5 parasite cells. Nearly one third of all vector individuals appeared to lack parasite DNA, despite having only infected hosts as blood meal sources. The magnitude of parasite numbers in midgut and salivary glands tended to correlate positively.DiscussionOur results indicate, potential severe bottlenecking of parasite populations during individual transmission events and a probable effect of individual vector immunity on this variable. However, this may be partly alleviated by the coloniality of house pigeons, the frequency of louse flies and their daily feeding events in most populations, leading to repeated transmission opportunities, decreased quasi-vertical transmission between parents and offspring and probable panmixia of Haemoproteus columbae lineages. Many of these mechanisms might not apply in other host-vector systems. We propose several additional molecular and microscopical tools to improve the accuracy of estimating parasite population sizes in vectors and call for more estimations in different vector species to better understand the co-evolution between malaria-like blood parasites and their avian and insect hosts.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1113963</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1113963</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Coevolution and dependency influence resistance of mutualists to exploitation]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-03-14T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Mayra C. Vidal</author><author>Renuka Agarwal</author><author>Kari A. Segraves</author>
        <description><![CDATA[A long-standing problem in the study of mutualism is to understand the effects of non-mutualistic community members that exploit the benefits of mutualism without offering commodities in exchange (i.e., ‘exploiters’). Mutualisms are continually challenged by exploiters and their persistence may depend on the costliness of exploitation or on adaptations that allow mutualists to avoid the negative effects of exploiters. Coevolution could lead to changes in mutualists and exploiters that allow mutualisms to persist. Although coevolution is considered essential for mutualism persistence and resistance to disturbance, we have yet to obtain direct experimental evidence of the role of coevolution in resistance to exploitation. Additionally, resistance to exploitation via coevolutionary processes might vary with the degree of dependency between mutualistic partners, as facultative mutualisms are thought to be under weaker coevolutionary selection than obligate mutualisms. Here, we conducted an experimental evolution study using a synthetic yeast mutualism to test how coevolution in facultative and obligate mutualisms affects their resistance to exploitation. We found that naïve facultative mutualisms were more likely to breakdown under exploitation than naïve obligate mutualisms. After 15 weeks of coevolution, both facultative and obligate evolved mutualists were more likely to survive exploitation than naïve mutualists when we reassembled mutualist communities. Additionally, coevolved exploiters were more likely to survive with mutualists, whereas naïve exploiters frequently went extinct. These results suggest that coevolution between mutualists and exploiters can lead to mutualism persistence, potentially explaining why exploitation is ubiquitous but rarely associated with mutualism breakdown.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1333028</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1333028</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Host–symbiont plasticity in the upside-down jellyfish Cassiopea xamachana: strobilation across symbiont genera]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-03-14T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Victoria Sharp</author><author>Allison H. Kerwin</author><author>Marta Mammone</author><author>Viridiana Avila-Magana</author><author>Kira Turnham</author><author>Aki Ohdera</author><author>Todd LaJeunesse</author><author>Mónica Medina</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionIn the upside-down jellyfish, Cassiopea xamachana (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa), the establishment of photosymbiosis with dinoflagellates (family Symbiodiniaceae) is necessary for the sessile polyp to undergo metamorphosis (strobilation) into a free-swimming adult. C. xamachana has the capacity to associate with a wide variety of dinoflagellate species and representatives of divergent genera. While some studies have looked at the successful induction of symbiosis, none to date have examined the lasting effect of diverse symbiont taxa on host survivorship and development, which is needed to assess the fitness costs of such symbioses.MethodsOur study exposes C. xamachana polyps to 22 different cultured Symbiodinaceae strains representing 13 species from 5 genera. We analyzed the time to strobilation, the number of ephyra (juvenile medusa) produced, and the proportion of ephyra that died prematurely.ResultsHere we show that C. xamachana strobilation can be induced by nearly each symbiodinacean strain we tested, with the exception of free-living species (i.e., unknown to establish symbiosis with any other marine host). Additionally, ephyrae did not display morphological variation or survivorship differences with varying symbionts. However, we observed intraspecific variation in time to induce strobilation with different cultured dinoflagellate strains.DiscussionThis work expands the known symbiont species that can form stable mutualisms with C. xamachana, primarily in the genera Symbiodinium and Breviolum. Additionally, we provide evidence of differences in ability of cultured symbiodiniaceans to establish symbiosis with a host, which suggests population-level differences in dinoflagellate cultures impact their symbiosis success. By utilizing an animal like C. xamachana with flexible symbiont uptake, we are able to explore how symbiont diversity can influence the timing and success of symbiosis-driven development.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1382169</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1382169</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Holobiont interactions]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-03-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Jennifer L. Matthews</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1305305</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1305305</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The impacts of host traits on parasite infection of montane birds in southwestern China]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-02-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Xia Zhan</author><author>Xi Huang</author><author>Emilio Pagani-Núñez</author><author>Qindong Tang</author><author>Heiman Ho</author><author>Wenjun Zhou</author><author>Yang Liu</author><author>Dan Liang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Parasitic infections have the potential to impact the hosts’ body condition, elevate physiological responses, and ultimately lead to increased mortality. Host-parasite interactions are tied to the ecological and life-history traits of the hosts. While montane birds are susceptible to avian blood parasites, few studies have simultaneously assessed how inter- and intra-specific traits of hosts influence their probability of parasite infection. In this study, we screened for avian blood parasites across 214 individuals from 51 species at two sites, including a lowland farmland at 700 m and a highland forest at 2,500 m, in the Gaoligong Mountains in southwestern China. Overall blood parasite prevalence was 53.74%, with divergent species-specific prevalence ranging from 6.25% to 66.67%. We also measured traits indicative of body condition and physiological responses of each sampled individual. Using Bayesian phylogenetic logistic models, we assessed whether parasite infection probability is associated with ecological and life history traits of host species. Larger bird species were more likely to be infected than smaller bird species, and omnivore species showed lower susceptibility than those with other diets such as insectivores and herbivores. In contrast, foraging strata, nest type, and participation in mixed-species flocks of host species did not affect infection probability. We then used a reduced sample of eight species with more than five individuals, to assess the associations between intra-specific infection probability and host body condition, represented by fat and muscle reserves, and acute stress responses measured through breath rate. While infected individuals were likely to have more fat reserves than non-infected individuals, we did not find any association between infection probability and muscle reserve and body mass, nor with breath rate. Our results revealed that at the species level, specific traits (body mass and diet) of host species predict infection probability and implied a potential link at the individual level between enhanced body condition and increased resilience to parasite infection.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1305418</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1305418</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Mitochondrial and apicoplast genome copy abundances of haemosporidian parasites are explained by host species and parasitic lineage]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-02-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Tim Brandler</author><author>Nayden Chakarov</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Endosymbiotic organelles, such as mitochondria and plastids, contain own remnant genomes (nucleoids), whose variable abundance in cells may be adaptive to the physiological necessities and functions of the cells. Unicellular apicomplexan parasites contain one mitochondrium and one apicoplast with variable genome copy numbers. We measured the abundance of mitochondrial, apicoplast and nuclear genome copies in a set of avian blood samples infected with haemosporidian blood parasites, belonging to the three main genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon. We designed general primers suitable for qPCR, amplifying fragments of the mitogenome, plastome and nuclear genomes of avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites. We measured the amplification of these fragments in 153 samples of 23 avian host species and infected with 33 parasitic lineages. We estimate on average several hundred mitochondrial genome copies and several tens of apicoplast copies per haploid gametocyte cell with substantial variation among samples. Host species appeared to differ in their mitogenome abundance while parasitic lineages differed in plastome abundance per cell (per nuclear copy signal). We did not find consistent differences between parasite genera or higher avian taxa. Parasite lineages and host bird species did not differ consistently in infection intensity, estimated from parasite to host nuclear signals, which may indicate that samples were taken at different stages of infection. However, this and similar results remain to be cross-validated with in-situ imaging techniques. The novel molecular tools introduced here offer avenues for the characterization of nucleoid abundance of haemosporidian parasites over environmental conditions and parasitic developmental stages. Such measures will improve our understanding of parasite physiology, ecology, the coadaptation and coevolution with hosts and suggest possible augmentations to standard methods in the research field.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1341359</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1341359</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Host species of freshwater snails within the same freshwater ecosystem shapes the intestinal microbiome]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-02-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Zongfu Hu</author><author>Qing Tong</author><author>Jie Chang</author><author>Junzhao Xu</author><author>Baiyila Wu</author><author>Yongmei Han</author><author>Jianhua Yu</author><author>Huaxin Niu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundFreshwater snails are not only intermediate hosts for parasites but also an important part of the food chain as they convert plant biomass and humus into animal biomass. However, being widely distributed in freshwater environments, snails are highly affected by human activities, which makes their adaptation to altering environments challenging. The gut microbiome helps animals in their digestion, immune system, growth and adapting to changing environments. The effect of host species on intestinal microbial community has been poorly studied in snails.MethodsIn this study, single-molecule real-time sequencing technology (SMRT) was used to obtain full-length 16S rRNA genes to determine the intestinal microbiomes of three species of freshwater snails (SQ: Sinotaia quadrata, BU: Boreoelona ussuriensis, RP: Radix plicatula) with similar feeding habits in a same water environment.ResultsUnifrac PCoA (P<0.05), hierarchical cluster and Ternary analyses showed distinct and significant segregation of the intestinal microbiomes of the three hosts. The phyla Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Planctomycetota dominated snail guts, comprising 93.47%, 86.22%, and 94.34% of the total reads in SQ, BU and RP, respectively. Of these, only 25.26% of OTUs were identified up to species level, while 72.07% of OTUs were identified at the genus level. Although 72.94% of the total bacterial species (566) were common to three snails, significant differences were observed in terms of their abundance (P < 0.05). Several genera can help to determine the phenotype of the intestinal microbiota. In this case, Lelliottia contributed mainly to stress tolerance, biofilm formation, potential pathogenicity, mobile elements and facultatively anaerobic phenotypes in RP. Furthermore, Romboutsia and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 contributed to the anaerobic phenotype of SQ and RP, while Pirellula contributed to the aerobic phenotype in SQ. Moreover, PICRUSt (Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States) predicted 68 GH (glycoside hydrolase) genes, with these including monosaccharide-, disaccharide-, polysaccharide-, and starch-digesting enzyme genes as well as enzymes specific to aquatic plants. Many of the identified pathways were related to Infectious diseases and Xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism, which expanded the resistance of freshwater snails.ConcludesLelliottia, Romboutsia, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, and Pirellula play an important role in the intestinal microbiota phenotype of the host snails. In general, the host species affects the structure of the gut microbial community, which in turn helps gastropods improve their environmental adaptability, but further study is still needed.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1177350</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1177350</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Phylogenomics and chromosome mapping show that ectopic recombination of subtelomeres is critical for antigenic diversity and has a complex evolutionary history in Plasmodium parasites]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-01-25T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Carolina Martínez-Eraso</author><author>Heiber Cárdenas</author><author>Mario A. Cerón-Romero</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Antigenic diversity is critical for parasites to coevolve with their hosts. Plasmodium falciparum generates antigenic diversity through ectopic recombination of their antigenic gene-rich subtelomeres, a mechanism that takes place after chromosomal ends anchor in clusters near the nuclear periphery. A study mapping the phylogenomic history of genes across the chromosomes of P. falciparum showed that this mechanism to generate antigenic diversity extends to all chromosomes. Yet, its existence, importance, and evolutionary history in other Plasmodium species remain largely unknown. In this study, we survey and compare genomic features associated with the mechanism to generate antigenic diversity through ectopic recombination of subtelomeres in 19 species widely distributed in the genus Plasmodium. By comparing these features across species using a phylogenomic framework, we assess the existence and intensity of this mechanism, as well as propose different hypotheses for its evolution. Our results suggest that ectopic recombination of subtelomeres is more critical for the diversification of pir or rif/stevor genes than other antigenic gene families. Furthermore, its intensity varies among subgenera and was likely acquired and lost multiple times in the phylogeny of Plasmodium. These results demonstrate, for the first time, the genomic and evolutionary complexity of this mechanism for generating antigenic diversity in the genus Plasmodium.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1190455</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1190455</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Environmental generalism, holobiont interactions, and Pocilloporid corals in the warming oceans of the eastern coast of Australia]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-12-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Jessica L. Bergman</author><author>Zoe T. Richards</author><author>Paige Sawyers</author><author>Tracy D. Ainsworth</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Ocean warming has been driving mortality events across the world’s coral reef ecosystems and is resulting in multifaceted ecosystem restructuring. With the rapid shifts occurring across ecosystems, questions arise of which species, in which locations, have the capacity to persevere under climate change. Environmental generalism refers to species with the biological traits that support environmental flexibility, enabling the organism to occupy a broad range of environmental conditions. Some Scleractinia have been categorised as environmental generalists and proposed as likely winners under changing climate conditions, as environmental generalists have been considered less susceptible to environmental disturbance than specialist species. Given the complexity of the holobiont structure of corals, which includes photoendosymbiosis and diverse microbial consortia, understanding the complexity of the coral holobiont–environment interaction for the generalist corals will be an important factor in accurately predicting the success of these species into the future. Here we conduct a literature search to compile topics and concepts of environmental generalism for Australia’s warming coral reef ecosystems and the breadth of holobiont responses to ecosystem restructuring. We synthesise these findings in the context of the latitudinal expanse of Australia’s coral reefs to highlight how it is necessary to understand the biological underpinnings of generalist corals.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1251220</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1251220</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Coral trophic pathways impact the allocation of carbon and nitrogen for egg development after bleaching]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-11-08T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Melissa D. Jaffe</author><author>Jacqueline L. Padilla-Gamiño</author><author>Brook L. Nunn</author><author>Lisa J. Rodrigues</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The persistence of coral reefs requires the survival of adult coral colonies and their continued sexual reproduction despite thermal stress. To assess the trophic pathway (i.e., autotrophy and/or heterotrophy) used to develop gametes following bleaching, we thermally stressed Montipora capitata for one month at a time when corals in Hawai’i typically experience elevated seawater temperatures. After six and nine months of recovery, we pulse-chased non-bleached and previously bleached colonies using a dual-label design to compare the allocation of carbon and nitrogen at significant stages of gamete development. Dissolved inorganic carbon- (DI13C) and nitrogen- (DI15N) labelled seawater or 13C- and 15N-labelled rotifers were used to assess the autotrophic and heterotrophic pathways, respectively. At multiple time points for up to two years later, we collected adult coral fragments and isolated host tissue, Symbiodiniaceae cells, and developing eggs and captured gamete bundles to analyze their carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotopes. We found that the presence of Symbiodiniaceae was important for gametogenesis in both non-bleached and previously bleached colonies in two main ways. First, autotrophically-acquired carbon and nitrogen were both allocated to gametes during development, suggesting that recovery of photosynthesis after bleaching is critical for gametogenesis. Second, only heterotrophically-acquired nitrogen, not carbon, was incorporated into gametes and was readily recycled between host tissues and Symbiodiniaceae cells. This suggests that one of the purposes of heterotrophy following coral bleaching for M. capitata may be to supplement the nitrogen pool, providing available nutrients for endosymbiotic algal growth. Allocation of carbon and nitrogen to eggs coincided with the period when vertical transmission of symbionts to gametes occurs, further supporting the important relationship between gametogenesis and availability of Symbiodiniaceae for M. capitata.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1279938</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1279938</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The missing link: how the holobiont concept provides a genetic framework for rapid evolution and the inheritance of acquired characteristics]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-10-20T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>Saúl Huitzil</author><author>Cristián Huepe</author><author>Maximino Aldana</author><author>Alejandro Frank</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The microbiome, encompassing the genetic material of all the microorganisms associated with a host organism, has an evolutionary potential that has been overlooked in the prevailing paradigm of the Modern Synthesis. Recognizing this untapped potential could shed light on various unresolved evolutionary phenomena that have remained elusive through the lens of genetic variants alone. Such phenomena include rapid evolution, inheritance of acquired characteristics, and the missing heritability problem. In this review, we explore the microbiome’s potential role in these processes, considering the holistic holobiont perspective as a possible guiding framework for new insights. Drawing inspiration from the foundational contributions of Rosenberg, Zilber-Rosenberg, and their contemporaries, we emphasize the significance of the microbiome in driving evolutionary innovation. Building on our previous research, coupled with emerging studies highlighting the microbiome’s relevance in addressing missing heritability, we advocate for its recognition as a wellspring of evolutionary innovation. Throughout, we collate and analyze recent evidence to bolster our position and delve into the broader implications of these findings.]]></description>
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