Molecular Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Adaptive Variation Amid High Gene Flow Across a Broad Latitudinal Gradient in the Reef-Building Honeycomb Worm, Sabellaria alveolata","authors":"Edward J. Wilson,&nbsp;Antony M. Knights,&nbsp;Louise B. Firth,&nbsp;Charlotte Corporeau,&nbsp;Amelia Curd,&nbsp;Stanislas F. Dubois,&nbsp;Fernando P. Lima,&nbsp;Rui Seabra,&nbsp;Flavia L. D. Nunes","doi":"10.1111/mec.70505","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70505","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Climate change is already altering, and will continue to reshape, the persistence and spatial structure of marine populations. Understanding metapopulation connectivity and local adaptation is therefore critical for identifying both vulnerable populations and those with adaptive resilience. We applied a seascape genomics approach to investigate connectivity patterns and adaptive responses in the honeycomb worm, <i>Sabellaria alveolata</i>—an intertidal ecosystem engineer that supports high biodiversity and provides essential ecological functions. A total of 286 individuals from 17 sites spanning the entire latitudinal range were genotyped to assess population structure and local adaptation. Outlier analyses (BayeScan and OutFlank) identified six adaptive and 2117 neutral SNPs. Neutral SNP analysis revealed low to moderate genetic differentiation, indicating well-connected populations. Admixture with possible ancestral gene pools in Southern Edge and Biscay populations suggests the persistence of unique genetic diversity. While connectivity is likely driven by natural larval dispersal, human-mediated transport resulting from support vessels, aquaculture, marine debris and expanding offshore and coastal infrastructure may also facilitate gene flow, shaping observed genetic patterns. Despite this high connectivity, we detected genetic signatures of adaptation to temperature, salinity and net primary productivity, with adaptive SNPs linked to genes involved in molecular and physiological responses to these environmental factors. Our findings suggest that <i>S. alveolata</i> is likely resilient to climate change and other anthropogenic pressures, making it a valuable model for investigating the genetic and physiological underpinnings of marine population resilience.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 17","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mec.70505","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148823412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phylogenetically Diverse Introgression Drives Subtle Population Structure in Pacific Rockfishes","authors":"Nathan T. B. Sykes,&nbsp;R. Nicolas Lou,&nbsp;Matthew R. Siegle,&nbsp;Peter H. Sudmant,&nbsp;Wesley A. Larson,&nbsp;Gregory L. Owens","doi":"10.1111/mec.70537","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70537","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Genomic methods have shown that admixture and introgression are common across animal taxa. Pacific rockfishes, genus <i>Sebastes</i>, are a group of commercially important species that primarily inhabit inshore, shelf and slope habitats along the North American west coast. Among these, Copper and Quillback Rockfishes are closely related species known to hybridize, particularly within the Salish Sea in North America's Pacific Northwest. Here, we investigate genetic population structure and introgression patterns in Copper and Quillback Rockfish from Alaska to California. Using whole-genome resequencing across a broad geographic range, we seek to (1) compare population structure between these species, and (2) assess how introgression affects population structure patterns. Our analyses reveal that Copper exhibits much higher levels of population differentiation compared to Quillback, especially separating Salish Sea samples from all other populations. In contrast, Quillback populations appear to be nearly panmictic, with lower overall differentiation. Surprisingly, we detected signatures of introgression from seven other rockfish species in Copper and 10 species in Quillback. This introgression was highly regional, suggesting hybridization depended on geographic or environmental context. Yelloweye Rockfish introgression in the Salish Sea drives the strongest signal of regional population structure in Quillback. These findings provide novel insights into the range-wide genetic structure of these species and highlight that hybridization in <i>Sebastes</i> is phylogenetically broader than previously appreciated.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 17","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mec.70537","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148849165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Contrasting Patterns of Genetic Isolation Among Diadromous, Landlocked, and Non-Migratory Gobiid Fish Populations","authors":"Jeffery C. F. Chan,&nbsp;Bi Wei Low,&nbsp;Anthony Lau,&nbsp;Frank E. Rheindt,&nbsp;David Dudgeon,&nbsp;Jia Huan Liew","doi":"10.1111/mec.70534","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70534","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Dams can landlock populations of amphidromous fishes that formerly migrated between rivers and seas. However, the genetic consequences of these life-cycle changes remain unclear. <i>Rhinogobius</i> is a speciose genus of freshwater gobies widely distributed in Asia, including non-migratory <i>R. duospilus</i> and facultatively amphidromous <i>R. similis</i>. Using genome-wide SNPs from Hong Kong, southern China, we compared the genetic diversity and structure of <i>R. duospilus</i> (six populations), non-landlocked <i>R. similis</i> (three populations), and landlocked <i>R. similis</i> (four populations) that had been isolated for 58–106 years. We also used demographic modelling to simulate patterns of gene flow of a panmictic amphidromous population of <i>R. similis</i> fragmented by dam construction 60 years ago. <i>Rhinogobius duospilus</i> populations were deeply divergent, with low genetic diversity; interpopulation differentiation reflected the underlying paleodrainage architecture. In contrast, non-landlocked <i>R. similis</i> populations were genetically homogenous with high genetic diversity. However, all four landlocked populations of <i>R. similis</i> were highly differentiated, with three populations above tall (&gt; 15 m) dams exhibiting comparable genetic clustering to non-migratory <i>R. duospilus</i>, although overall genetic diversity remained high. Demographic modelling of a landlocked <i>R. similis</i> population indicated negligible migration into the reservoir and none outward, in accordance with the high levels of genetic divergence among landlocked populations. The effective population size of the original amphidromous population was small (Ne = 81), but the population landlocked above the reservoir for 60 years grew eightfold (Ne = 679). Our modelling suggests that even a limited level of immigration was sufficient to minimize genetic drift and lessen interpopulation divergence.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 17","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mec.70534","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148823409","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Is a Commensal Here, a Pathogen There? Genotype Specific Responses by the Sea Anemone Nematostella vectensis to Vibrio Species","authors":"Justin Clark,&nbsp;Quinton Krueger,&nbsp;Tyler J. Carrier,&nbsp;Yehu Moran,&nbsp;Adam M. Reitzel","doi":"10.1111/mec.70517","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mec.70517","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Animals rely on diverse molecular mechanisms to maintain beneficial microbial associations while also defending against pathogens, yet the extent to which these responses vary among genotypes of a single species remains poorly understood. Using individuals from different locations of the sea anemone <i>Nematostella vectensis</i>, we compared transcriptional responses to a commensal (<i>Vibrio diabolicus</i>) and pathogen (<i>Vibrio coralliilyticus</i>) bacterium. We find striking genotype-specific divergence: individuals from Nova Scotia mounted a strong transcriptional response to <i>V. diabolicus</i>, whereas the North Carolina and Florida individuals showed almost no response to this same bacterium. In contrast, all individuals regardless of location exhibited a large transcriptional response to the pathogen <i>V. coralliilyticus</i>. These responses involved key immune pathways (e.g., cGAS-STING, NF-κB, and proteostasis-related stress responses), suggesting that different genotypes deploy distinct molecular responses when encountering the same bacterium. The robust, immune-like response of the individuals from Nova Scotia to a bacterium considered commensal in other populations indicates that <i>V. diabolicus</i> may not function as a commensal across the species range. Such genotype-by-microbe specificity points to potential local adaptation to particular bacterial partners that underscores the complexity of holobiont regulation across heterogeneous environments and stresses the importance of assessing additive, synergistic, and antagonistic interactions across hologenomic mosaics.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13502218/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148808139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"With a Little Help From Their Friends: Endolithic Microbial Communities Modulate Mussel Survival, Behaviour and Molecular Responses Under Thermal Stress","authors":"Sarah Bollina,&nbsp;Gerardo I. Zardi,&nbsp;Virginie Cuvillier,&nbsp;Chloé Tilliette,&nbsp;Emma Brigant,&nbsp;Anne-Catherine Holl,&nbsp;Katy R. Nicastro","doi":"10.1111/mec.70524","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70524","url":null,"abstract":"<p>As thermal stress intensifies under global climate change, ecosystems worldwide are undergoing profound transformations that disrupt biological processes, species distributions and biodiversity, with coastal marine systems particularly vulnerable. Organisms have evolved behavioural, physiological and morphological strategies to cope with extreme conditions, while species interactions, especially symbioses, can further shape responses to stress. These symbioses often shift along a continuum from mutualism to parasitism depending on environmental context. One notable example is the dynamic relationship between bivalves and their endolithic microbial communities. Here, we investigated how variation in visible endolithic shell corrosion relates to differences in mussel survival, behaviour and molecular responses during repeated aerial heat stress. Mussels with endolithic shell corrosion consistently showed enhanced survival. Behaviourally, heat stress impaired mobility (i.e., net and gross distance travelled) and byssal thread production (i.e., number of byssal threads), but mussels with endoliths exhibited comparatively buffered responses to these effects. At the molecular level, mussels with endoliths showed lower induction of HSP24 and HSP70 after thermal stress, but higher baseline HSP60 and HSP90 expression, suggesting distinct stress-response pathways. Together, our findings reveal consistent, multi-level differences in host responses associated with endolithic shell condition across behavioural and molecular traits and survival, suggesting that endoliths may contribute to enhanced thermal resilience and, consequently, could play a role in shaping the resilience of mussel populations under future climate-driven heat stress. More generally, these results highlight the critical role of interspecific interactions, including host-associated microbial assemblages, in shaping adaptive responses in hosts.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mec.70524","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148785013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unravelling the Secret of Phantom Phenotypes in Macrolichens: Insights From Cladonia bellidiflora Complex","authors":"Eliška Konečná,&nbsp;Jana Steinová,&nbsp;Ivana Černajová,&nbsp;Felix Grewe","doi":"10.1111/mec.70515","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70515","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Lichens are unique among symbiotic organisms because their distinctive features develop only through interactions between the partners and differ from the appearance of each partner when grown separately in culture. Traditionally, lichen phenotype has been assumed to be determined by the mycobiont; however, exceptions exist that challenge the universal validity of this rule. One example is the phenomenon of ‘phantom phenotypes’, where lichens with genetically indistinguishable mycobionts exhibit distinct morphologies, sometimes better explained by differences among other symbiotic partners. In previous work, we documented such a case in the <i>Cladonia bellidiflora</i> complex, a group of red-fruited macrolichens with striking morphological and ecological variation, in which photobiont identity corresponded more closely to phenotype than the mycobiont when studied using five molecular markers. Here, we investigate this phenomenon using restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) of both fungal and algal symbionts, combined with Sanger sequencing of ITS rDNA and the actin locus of the photobiont. Our results indicate that recent fungal divergence, together with correlated photobiont differentiation, is associated with the observed phenotypic differentiation, highlighting the importance of sensitive methods in similar cases. Specifically, RADseq analyses revealed a clear split between <i>C. bellidiflora</i> and all sorediate taxa, including <i>C. polydactyla</i> and <i>C. umbricola,</i> which showed no genomic differentiation, supporting their recognition as a single species. Additionally, substrate preference, symbiont associations and dispersal strategy appear to have acted in parallel to shape diversification in this complex. Photobiont data revealed unexpected patterns: esorediate <i>C. bellidiflora</i> associated with narrow photobiont sets, whereas sorediate lineages harboured a broader photobiont pool.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mec.70515","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148784949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Homozygosity Accumulated Through Genetic Drift and Inbreeding Underpins High Mutation Load in an Endangered Beluga Whale Population","authors":"R. W. Orton,&nbsp;C. Müller,&nbsp;C. J. Garroway,&nbsp;S. H. Ferguson,&nbsp;R. Michaud,&nbsp;T. R. Frasier","doi":"10.1111/mec.70521","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70521","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Isolated populations are susceptible to decline through the accumulation of deleterious mutations and inbreeding depression. As a consequence of habitat alteration, isolated populations are also expected to become increasingly prevalent. Still, some isolated populations have evaded decline through the purging of deleterious mutations. Expanding our knowledge of the scenarios under which purging occurs could therefore improve conservation efforts. Although theoretical and captive studies suggest that genetic purging hinges on a population's demographic history, the factors that shape the probability of purging in natural populations are less resolved. Here, we infer demographic parameters and quantify genetic variation in four Canadian populations of beluga whale to gain insight into purging. In particular, we explore the dynamics of the Saint Lawrence Estuary (SLE), a population that shows signatures of genetic erosion. We find that the SLE has been isolated for hundreds of generations and has accumulated a high mutation load in the absence of purging. We also find evidence of inbreeding from throughout the history of the SLE, excluding the most recent generations. Among deleterious alleles in the SLE, we identify eight clusters unique to neonate mortality—four of which are associated with cellular responses to inorganic substances. Given industrial pollution in the SLE, this finding indicates a relationship between environment, genetic variation and neonate mortality. Our results suggest that the likelihood of purging in natural populations may be reduced when mutation load accumulates via sustained isolation, highlighting the importance of demographic history in shaping conservation risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mec.70521","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148785022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cryptic Interactions in a Marine Microcosm: Sponges Shape the Microbiome of a Resident Goby","authors":"Ingrid Vasconcellos Bunholi,&nbsp;Abbie Affleck,&nbsp;Kallen Johnson,&nbsp;Reynaldo Ortega,&nbsp;Christopher J. Freeman,&nbsp;Theresa Rueger,&nbsp;Jordan M. Casey","doi":"10.1111/mec.70523","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70523","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Microbial symbionts influence ecological and evolutionary processes in their multicellular hosts; yet they remain poorly characterised in marine systems. Sponges host exceptionally diverse microbiomes, potentially providing rich microbial reservoirs for their residents. The tusked goby (<i>Risor ruber</i>), an obligate sponge-dweller, and its sponge hosts provide an ideal model to investigate the causes and consequences of shared microbial taxa in host–resident systems. Using 16S rRNA sequencing, we characterised the microbiomes of <i>R. ruber</i> skin and gut, their sponge hosts, a non-obligate, sponge-associated goby (<i>Elacatinus prochilos</i>) and seawater. We quantified microbial overlap among hosts, examined ontogenetic patterns of shared microbiomes across goby body size and assessed the putative ecological benefits of shared microbial taxa for <i>R. ruber</i>. We reveal more than 500 microbial ASVs shared between <i>R. ruber</i> and their sponge hosts. The unique microbial overlap between <i>R. ruber</i> and their sponge hosts far exceeded overlap with <i>E. prochilos</i> and seawater. Shared taxa are putatively linked to nutrient acquisition, vitamin biosynthesis and pathogen defence, suggesting potential benefits for <i>R. ruber</i> from inhabiting microbially rich sponges<i>.</i> The proportion of the shared microbiome between <i>R. ruber</i> gut and sponges declines with goby body size, which suggests that the goby may undergo ontogenetic changes in diet or gut development<i>.</i> Thus, sponges provide more than shelter: they may function as microbial reservoirs and nutritional sources for residents. These findings underscore the need to protect microbially rich habitats and further study host–resident microbial interactions in marine systems and beyond.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mec.70523","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148784001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Population Decline, Inbreeding and Hybridization Shape the Genetic Vulnerability of a Critically Endangered Seabird","authors":"Guoling Chen,&nbsp;Chenqing Zheng,&nbsp;Lanhui Peng,&nbsp;Hongzhou Lin,&nbsp;Feng Dong,&nbsp;Shou-Hsien Li,&nbsp;Yiwei Lu,&nbsp;Siyu Wang,&nbsp;Zhongyong Fan,&nbsp;Yinan Fu,&nbsp;Peng Ding,&nbsp;Jian Zhang,&nbsp;Gang Song,&nbsp;Shuihua Chen,&nbsp;Yang Liu","doi":"10.1111/mec.70519","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70519","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Many endangered species have been rescued from the brink of extinction, yet their long-term viability remains uncertain due to the prolonged genetic consequences of severe bottlenecks. In particular, the combined effects of inbreeding and hybridization with closely related species remain poorly understood. Using a comparative conservation genomic framework, we investigated these issues in the Chinese crested tern (<i>Thalasseus bernsteini</i>), a critically endangered seabird once presumed extinct but which has increased to approximately 100 individuals over the past two decades and its close relative, the great crested tern (<i>T. bergii</i>). We demonstrate that the Chinese crested tern has experienced ongoing genetic erosion. Its prolonged population decline has intensified genetic drift and reduced the efficiency of purifying selection, resulting in genome-wide accumulation of highly deleterious mutations. Highly inbred individuals also carry significantly more homozygous deleterious mutations than less inbred individuals. In both species, runs of homozygosity (ROH) show a relative enrichment of moderately and weakly deleterious mutations. Even more concerning, we found an enrichment of moderately and weakly deleterious mutations in putatively introgressed regions in both species, suggesting that occasional hybridization may have facilitated the spread of deleterious variants and could potentially compromise long-term fitness. These findings highlight that severe bottlenecks have lasting genomic consequences and that both inbreeding and hybridization can increase the genetic vulnerability of small populations—underscoring the importance of management strategies that promote population growth and sustained genetic monitoring.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148784421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changes to Skin Microbiome Community Dynamics Support Resistance to Enzootic and Epizootic Strains of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) in the Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)","authors":"Tucker W. Cambridge,&nbsp;Christopher J. Kyle,&nbsp;David Lesbarrères,&nbsp;Dennis L. Murray","doi":"10.1111/mec.70514","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70514","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Global spread of animal pathogens has contributed to species declines and extinctions. In regions where a particular disease is enzootic, pathogen inhibition may arise through protection provided by host-associated microbiomes. Amphibians skin microbiomes can inhibit growth of the fungal pathogen <i>Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis</i> (Bd), preventing emergence of disease through a range of microbe-mediated antifungal mechanisms, allowing hosts to resist Bd infection. However, it remains unclear how skin microbiomes may shift in community composition or structure following infection by different Bd strain types. We assessed infection dynamics of Bd-resistant amphibians (<i>Ambystoma maculatum</i>) following experimental exposure to enzootic and epizootic strains of Bd-GPL and tracking pathogen load and bacterial skin microbiome community responses from exposure through to recovery, using 16S rRNA metabarcoding. We found that microbiome communities shifted post-exposure, with increasing diversity, dominance, abundance and total proportion of known Bd-inhibitory microbes, indicating microbial rescue effects during infection. We also observed lower intra-host variation in diversity during recovery, indicating a shared functional response across the host population and broadly indicative of microbial community resilience. Salamanders exposed to enzootic Bd had greater pathogen loads over time and demonstrated more prolonged community changes and more putatively protective microbiomes, whereas epizootic Bd infection was more rapidly cleared following temporary increase in inhibitory microbes. Collectively, these results indicate that skin microbiomes may offer a crucial barrier to fungal disease in Bd-resistant amphibians, with exposure to pathogens inducing changes in microbial community structure that benefit hosts, possibly driven by localized coevolutionary changes in infection dynamics. Our work illustrates how complex host-pathogen interactions are mediated by skin microbiomes through changes in microbial community dynamics that favour pathogen resistant microbes.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mec.70514","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148784751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}