Dataset Information

Phylogeny, reproductive isolation and kin recognition in the social amoeba Dictyostelium purpureum.

ABSTRACT: Little is known about the population structure of social microorganisms, yet such studies are particularly interesting for the ways that genetic variation impacts their social evolution. Dictyostelium, a eukaryotic microbe widely used as a developmental model, has a social fruiting stage in which some formerly independent individuals die to help others. To assess genetic variation within the social amoeba Dictyostelium purpureum, we sequenced approximately 4000 base pairs of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) from 37 isolates collected in Texas, Virginia, and Japan. Our analysis showed extensive genetic variation between populations and clear evidence of phylogenetic structure. We identified three major phylogenetic groups that were more different than other accepted species pairs. Tests using pairs of clones showed that both sexual macrocyst and asexual fruiting body formation were influenced by genetic divergence. Macrocysts were less likely to form between pairs of clones from different groups than from the same group. There was also a correlation between the genetic divergence of a pair of clones and their degree of mixing within fruiting bodies. These observations suggest that cryptic species might occur within D. purpureum and, more importantly, reveal how genetic variation impacts social interactions.

SUBMITTER: Mehdiabadi NJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4896750 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Phylogeny, reproductive isolation and kin recognition in the social amoeba Dictyostelium purpureum.

Mehdiabadi Natasha J NJ Kronforst Marcus R MR Queller David C DC Strassmann Joan E JE

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution 20090201 2

Little is known about the population structure of social microorganisms, yet such studies are particularly interesting for the ways that genetic variation impacts their social evolution. Dictyostelium, a eukaryotic microbe widely used as a developmental model, has a social fruiting stage in which some formerly independent individuals die to help others. To assess genetic variation within the social amoeba Dictyostelium purpureum, we sequenced approximately 4000 base pairs of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) ...[more]

PMID: 19215294

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Project description:Microorganisms are ubiquitous, yet we are only beginning to understand their diversity and population structure. Social amoebae (Dictyostelia) are a diverse group of unicellular eukaryotic microbes that display a unique social behaviour upon starvation in which cells congregate and then some die to help others survive and disperse. The genetic relationships among co-occurring cells have a major influence on the evolution of social traits and recent population genetic analysis found extensive genetic variation and possible cryptic speciation in one dictyostelid species (Dictyostelium purpureum). To further characterize the interplay among genetic variation, species boundaries, social behaviour, and reproductive isolation in the Dictyostelia, we conducted phylogenetic analyses and mating experiments with the geographically widespread social amoeba Dictyostelium giganteum.We sequenced approximately 4,000 basepairs of the nuclear ribosomal DNA from 24 isolates collected from Texas, Michigan, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Wisconsin and identified 16 unique haplotypes. Analyses of the sequence data revealed very little genetic differentiation among isolates and no clear evidence of phylogenetic structure, although there was evidence for some genetic differentiation between the Massachusetts and Texas populations. These results suggest that sexual mating (macrocyst formation) is not likely to correlate with either genetic or geographical distance. To test this prediction, we performed 108 mating experiments and found no association between mating probability and genetic or geographical distance.D. giganteum isolates from across North America display little genetic variation, phylogeographic structure, and genetic differentiation among populations relative to the cryptic species observed within D. purpureum. Furthermore, variation that does exist does not predict the probability of mating among clones. These results have important implications for our understanding of speciation and social evolution in microbes.

Dataset Information

Phylogeny, reproductive isolation and kin recognition in the social amoeba Dictyostelium purpureum.

Publications

Phylogeny, reproductive isolation and kin recognition in the social amoeba Dictyostelium purpureum.

Similar Datasets

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