Analysis of intestinal microbiota in hybrid house mice reveals evolutionary divergence in a vertebrate hologenome.
Recent evidence suggests that natural selection operating on hosts to maintain their microbiome contributes to the emergence of new species, that is, the 'hologenomic basis of speciation'. Here we analyse the gut microbiota of two house mice subspecies, Mus musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus, across their Central European hybrid zone, in addition to hybrids generated in the lab. Hybrid mice display widespread transgressive phenotypes (that is, exceed or fall short of parental values) in a variety of measures of bacterial community structure, which reveals the importance of stabilizing selection operating on the intestinal microbiome within species. Further genetic and immunological analyses reveal genetic incompatibilities, aberrant immune gene expression and increased intestinal pathology associated with altered community structure among hybrids. These results provide unique insight into the consequences of evolutionary divergence in a vertebrate 'hologenome', which may be an unrecognized contributing factor to reproductive isolation in this taxonomic group.
1] Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, D-24306 Plön, Germany [2] Institute for Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Strasse 3, D-24105 Kiel, Germany.
Jun
0000000288597707
J
Wang
Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Strasse 3, Haus 17, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
Shirin
S
Kalyan
Institute for Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Strasse 3, D-24105 Kiel, Germany.
Natalie
N
Steck
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, D-24306 Plön, Germany.
Leslie M
LM
Turner
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, D-24306 Plön, Germany.
Bettina
B
Harr
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, D-24306 Plön, Germany.
Sven
S
Künzel
1] Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, D-24306 Plön, Germany [2] Institute for Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Strasse 3, D-24105 Kiel, Germany.
Marie
M
Vallier
Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Schittenhelmstrasse 12, D-24105 Kiel, Germany.
Robert
R
Häsler
Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Schittenhelmstrasse 12, D-24105 Kiel, Germany.
Andre
A
Franke
Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Strasse 3, Haus 17, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
Hans-Heinrich
HH
Oberg
Department of Dermatology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, D-23538 Lübeck, Germany.
Saleh M
SM
Ibrahim
Institute for Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Strasse 3, D-24105 Kiel, Germany.
Guntram A
GA
Grassl
Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Strasse 3, Haus 17, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
Dieter
D
Kabelitz
1] Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, D-24306 Plön, Germany [2] Institute for Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Strasse 3, D-24105 Kiel, Germany.
John F
JF
Baines
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000235:genetics*; D005828:Genetics, Population; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics*; D005858:Germany; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
D017931:DNA Primers