Dataset Information

Tadpole body size and behaviour alter the social acquisition of a defensive bacterial symbiont.

ABSTRACT: Individual differences in host phenotypes can generate heterogeneity in the acquisition and transmission of microbes. Although this has become a prominent factor of disease epidemiology, host phenotypic variation might similarly underlie the transmission of microbial symbionts that defend against pathogen infection. Here, we test whether host body size and behaviour influence the social acquisition of a skin bacterium, Janthinobacterium lividum, which in some hosts can confer protection against infection by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, the causative agent of the amphibian skin disease chytridiomycosis. We measured body size and boldness (time spent in an open field) of green frog tadpoles and haphazardly constructed groups of six individuals. In some groups, we exposed one individual in each group to J. lividum and, in other groups, we inoculated a patch of aquarium pebbles to J. lividum. After 24 h, we swabbed each individual to estimate the presence of J. lividum on their skin. On average, tadpoles acquired nearly four times more bacteria when housed with an exposed individual compared to those housed with a patch of inoculated substrate. When tadpoles were housed with an exposed group-mate, larger and 'bolder' individuals acquired more bacteria. These data suggest that phenotypically biased acquisition of defensive symbionts might generate biased patterns of mortality from the pathogens against which they protect.

SUBMITTER: Keiser CN

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6774948 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Tadpole body size and behaviour alter the social acquisition of a defensive bacterial symbiont.

Keiser Carl N CN Wantman Trina T Rebollar Eria A EA Harris Reid N RN

Royal Society open science 20190904 9

Individual differences in host phenotypes can generate heterogeneity in the acquisition and transmission of microbes. Although this has become a prominent factor of disease epidemiology, host phenotypic variation might similarly underlie the transmission of microbial symbionts that defend against pathogen infection. Here, we test whether host body size and behaviour influence the social acquisition of a skin bacterium, <i>Janthinobacterium lividum</i>, which in some hosts can confer protection a ...[more]

PMID: 31598324

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Tadpole body size and behaviour alter the social acquisition of a defensive bacterial symbiont.

Publications

Tadpole body size and behaviour alter the social acquisition of a defensive bacterial symbiont.

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