Microbial Grazers May Aid in Controlling Infections Caused by the Aquatic Zoosporic Fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis
Free-living eukaryotic microbes may reduce animal diseases. We evaluated the dynamics by which micrograzers (primarily protozoa) apply top-down control on the chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) a devastating, panzootic pathogen of amphibians. Although micrograzers consumed zoospores (∼3 μm)...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2020.592286/full |
| _version_ | 1819297956773232640 |
|---|---|
| author | Hazel N. Farthing Hazel N. Farthing Jiamei Jiang Alexandra J. Henwood Andy Fenton Trent W. J. Garner David R. Daversa Matthew C. Fisher Matthew C. Fisher David J. S. Montagnes |
| author_facet | Hazel N. Farthing Hazel N. Farthing Jiamei Jiang Alexandra J. Henwood Andy Fenton Trent W. J. Garner David R. Daversa Matthew C. Fisher Matthew C. Fisher David J. S. Montagnes |
| author_sort | Hazel N. Farthing |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Free-living eukaryotic microbes may reduce animal diseases. We evaluated the dynamics by which micrograzers (primarily protozoa) apply top-down control on the chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) a devastating, panzootic pathogen of amphibians. Although micrograzers consumed zoospores (∼3 μm), the dispersal stage of chytrids, not all species grew monoxenically on zoospores. However, the ubiquitous ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis, which likely co-occurs with Bd, grew at near its maximum rate (r = 1.7 d–1). A functional response (ingestion vs. prey abundance) for T. pyriformis, measured using spore-surrogates (microspheres) revealed maximum ingestion (Imax) of 1.63 × 103 zoospores d–1, with a half saturation constant (k) of 5.75 × 103 zoospores ml–1. Using these growth and grazing data we developed and assessed a population model that incorporated chytrid-host and micrograzer dynamics. Simulations using our data and realistic parameters obtained from the literature suggested that micrograzers could control Bd and potentially prevent chytridiomycosis (defined as 104 sporangia host–1). However, simulated inferior micrograzers (0.7 × Imax and 1.5 × k) did not prevent chytridiomycosis, although they ultimately reduced pathogen abundance to below levels resulting in disease. These findings indicate how micrograzer responses can be applied when modeling disease dynamics for Bd and other zoosporic fungi. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T05:22:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-415f05599f0146b9b51538b5676a2f92 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T05:22:15Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-415f05599f0146b9b51538b5676a2f922022-12-21T17:13:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2021-01-011110.3389/fmicb.2020.592286592286Microbial Grazers May Aid in Controlling Infections Caused by the Aquatic Zoosporic Fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidisHazel N. Farthing0Hazel N. Farthing1Jiamei Jiang2Alexandra J. Henwood3Andy Fenton4Trent W. J. Garner5David R. Daversa6Matthew C. Fisher7Matthew C. Fisher8David J. S. Montagnes9Shanghai Universities Key Laboratory of Marine Animal Taxonomy and Evolution, Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Biosciences Building, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United KingdomShanghai Universities Key Laboratory of Marine Animal Taxonomy and Evolution, Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Biosciences Building, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United KingdomDepartment of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Biosciences Building, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United KingdomInstitute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United KingdomMRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Imperial College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Biosciences Building, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United KingdomInstitute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Biosciences Building, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United KingdomFree-living eukaryotic microbes may reduce animal diseases. We evaluated the dynamics by which micrograzers (primarily protozoa) apply top-down control on the chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) a devastating, panzootic pathogen of amphibians. Although micrograzers consumed zoospores (∼3 μm), the dispersal stage of chytrids, not all species grew monoxenically on zoospores. However, the ubiquitous ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis, which likely co-occurs with Bd, grew at near its maximum rate (r = 1.7 d–1). A functional response (ingestion vs. prey abundance) for T. pyriformis, measured using spore-surrogates (microspheres) revealed maximum ingestion (Imax) of 1.63 × 103 zoospores d–1, with a half saturation constant (k) of 5.75 × 103 zoospores ml–1. Using these growth and grazing data we developed and assessed a population model that incorporated chytrid-host and micrograzer dynamics. Simulations using our data and realistic parameters obtained from the literature suggested that micrograzers could control Bd and potentially prevent chytridiomycosis (defined as 104 sporangia host–1). However, simulated inferior micrograzers (0.7 × Imax and 1.5 × k) did not prevent chytridiomycosis, although they ultimately reduced pathogen abundance to below levels resulting in disease. These findings indicate how micrograzer responses can be applied when modeling disease dynamics for Bd and other zoosporic fungi.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2020.592286/fullciliatesdiseasefungimicrobial loopprotozoaTetrahymena |
| spellingShingle | Hazel N. Farthing Hazel N. Farthing Jiamei Jiang Alexandra J. Henwood Andy Fenton Trent W. J. Garner David R. Daversa Matthew C. Fisher Matthew C. Fisher David J. S. Montagnes Microbial Grazers May Aid in Controlling Infections Caused by the Aquatic Zoosporic Fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Frontiers in Microbiology ciliates disease fungi microbial loop protozoa Tetrahymena |
| title | Microbial Grazers May Aid in Controlling Infections Caused by the Aquatic Zoosporic Fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis |
| title_full | Microbial Grazers May Aid in Controlling Infections Caused by the Aquatic Zoosporic Fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis |
| title_fullStr | Microbial Grazers May Aid in Controlling Infections Caused by the Aquatic Zoosporic Fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microbial Grazers May Aid in Controlling Infections Caused by the Aquatic Zoosporic Fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis |
| title_short | Microbial Grazers May Aid in Controlling Infections Caused by the Aquatic Zoosporic Fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis |
| title_sort | microbial grazers may aid in controlling infections caused by the aquatic zoosporic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis |
| topic | ciliates disease fungi microbial loop protozoa Tetrahymena |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2020.592286/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hazelnfarthing microbialgrazersmayaidincontrollinginfectionscausedbytheaquaticzoosporicfungusbatrachochytriumdendrobatidis AT hazelnfarthing microbialgrazersmayaidincontrollinginfectionscausedbytheaquaticzoosporicfungusbatrachochytriumdendrobatidis AT jiameijiang microbialgrazersmayaidincontrollinginfectionscausedbytheaquaticzoosporicfungusbatrachochytriumdendrobatidis AT alexandrajhenwood microbialgrazersmayaidincontrollinginfectionscausedbytheaquaticzoosporicfungusbatrachochytriumdendrobatidis AT andyfenton microbialgrazersmayaidincontrollinginfectionscausedbytheaquaticzoosporicfungusbatrachochytriumdendrobatidis AT trentwjgarner microbialgrazersmayaidincontrollinginfectionscausedbytheaquaticzoosporicfungusbatrachochytriumdendrobatidis AT davidrdaversa microbialgrazersmayaidincontrollinginfectionscausedbytheaquaticzoosporicfungusbatrachochytriumdendrobatidis AT matthewcfisher microbialgrazersmayaidincontrollinginfectionscausedbytheaquaticzoosporicfungusbatrachochytriumdendrobatidis AT matthewcfisher microbialgrazersmayaidincontrollinginfectionscausedbytheaquaticzoosporicfungusbatrachochytriumdendrobatidis AT davidjsmontagnes microbialgrazersmayaidincontrollinginfectionscausedbytheaquaticzoosporicfungusbatrachochytriumdendrobatidis |