King, Kayla C, Brockhurst, Michael A orcid.org/0000-0003-0362-820X, Vasieva, Olga et al. (7 more authors) (2016) Rapid evolution of microbe-mediated protection against pathogens in a worm host. The ISME Journal. 1915–1924. ISSN 1751-7362
Abstract
Microbes can defend their host against virulent infections, but direct evidence for the adaptive origin of microbe-mediated protection is lacking. Using experimental evolution of a novel, tripartite interaction, we demonstrate that mildly pathogenic bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis) living in worms (Caenorhabditis elegans) rapidly evolved to defend their animal hosts against infection by a more virulent pathogen (Staphylococcus aureus), crossing the parasitism-mutualism continuum. Host protection evolved in all six, independently selected populations in response to within-host bacterial interactions and without direct selection for host health. Microbe-mediated protection was also effective against a broad spectrum of pathogenic S. aureus isolates. Genomic analysis implied that the mechanistic basis for E. faecalis-mediated protection was through increased production of antimicrobial superoxide, which was confirmed by biochemical assays. Our results indicate that microbes living within a host may make the evolutionary transition to mutualism in response to pathogen attack, and that microbiome evolution warrants consideration as a driver of infection outcome.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2016 International Society for Microbial Ecology |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Biology (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 27 Jul 2016 08:30 |
Last Modified: | 18 Dec 2024 00:07 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2015.259 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1038/ismej.2015.259 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:102992 |