Transmission efficiency drives host–microbe associations

Leftwich, Philip T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9500-6592, Edgington, Matthew P. and Chapman, Tracey (2020) Transmission efficiency drives host–microbe associations. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 287 (1934). ISSN 0962-8452

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Abstract

Sequencing technologies have fuelled a rapid rise in descriptions of microbial communities associated with hosts, but what is often harder to ascertain is the evolutionary significance of these symbioses. Here, we review the role of vertical (VT), horizontal (HT), environmental acquisition and mixed modes of transmission (MMT), in the establishment of animal host–microbe associations. We then model four properties of gut microbiota proposed as key to promoting animal host–microbe relationships: modes of transmission, host reproductive mode, host mate choice and host fitness. We found that: (i) MMT led to the highest frequencies of host–microbe associations, and that some environmental acquisition or HT of microbes was required for persistent associations to form unless VT was perfect; (ii) host reproductive mode (sexual versus asexual) and host mate choice (for microbe carriers versus non-carriers) had little impact on the establishment of host–microbe associations; (iii) host mate choice did not itself lead to reproductive isolation, but could reinforce it; and (iv) changes in host fitness due to host–microbe associations had a minimal impact upon the formation of co-associations. When we introduced a second population, into which host–microbe carriers could disperse but in which environmental acquisition did not occur, highly efficient VT was required for host–microbe co-associations to persist. Our study reveals that transmission mode is of key importance in establishing host–microbe associations.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: microbiome,mixed modes of transmission,mutualism,symbiosis,vertical and horizontal transmission,biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology(all),immunology and microbiology(all),environmental science(all),agricultural and biological sciences(all) ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1300
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Organisms and the Environment
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Biosciences Teaching and Education Research
Related URLs:
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 05 Aug 2020 23:51
Last Modified: 14 May 2023 00:35
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/76339
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0820

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