A5066881377- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies
- Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Ocean Acidification Effects and Responses
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Virology and Viral Diseases
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Marine and fisheries research
- Geological and Geophysical Studies
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Plant and animal studies
- Nematode management and characterization studies
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Coastal and Marine Management
- Metabolomics and Mass Spectrometry Studies
- Marine Sponges and Natural Products
University of Rhode Island
2020-2023
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
2019-2020
National Oceanography Centre
2019-2020
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
2015-2019
Bathymodiolus mussels live in symbiosis with intracellular sulfur-oxidizing (SOX) bacteria that provide them nutrition. We sequenced the SOX symbiont genomes from two species. Comparison of these those their closest relatives revealed symbionts have undergone genome rearrangements, and up to 35% genes may been acquired by horizontal gene transfer. Many specific were homologs virulence genes. discovered an abundant diverse array similar insecticidal toxins nematode aphid symbionts, pathogens...
While secondary contact between Mytilus edulis and trossulus in North America results mosaic hybrid zone formation, both species form a swarm the Baltic. Despite pervasive gene flow, Baltic maintain substantial genetic phenotypic differentiation. Exploring mechanisms underlying contrasting composition will allow insights into processes such as speciation or adaptation to extremely low salinity. Previous studies indicated that only weak interspecific reproductive barriers exist discussed...
All animals are associated with microorganisms; hence, host-microbe interactions of fundamental importance for life on earth. However, we know little about the molecular basis these interactions. Therefore, studied deep-sea Riftia pachyptila symbiosis, a model association in which tubeworm host is only one phylotype endosymbiotic bacteria and completely depends this sulfur-oxidizing symbiont nutrition. Using metaproteomics approach, identified both metabolic interaction processes, such as...
SignificanceIn marine ecosystems, transmission of microbial symbionts between host generations occurs predominantly through the environment. Yet, it remains largely unknown how genetics, symbiont competition, environmental conditions, and geography shape composition acquired by individual hosts. To address this question, we applied population genomic approaches to four species deep-sea hydrothermal vent snails that live in association with chemosynthetic bacteria. Our analyses show...
Abstract Current pressures to mine polymetallic sulfide deposits pose threats the animal communities found at deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Management plans aimed preserving these unusual require knowledge of historical and contemporary forces that shaped distributions connectivity associated species. As most vent research has focused on eastern Pacific mid-Atlantic ridge systems less is known about Indo-Pacific vents, where mineral extraction activities are imminent. Deep-sea mussels...
Despite significant advances in our understanding of speciation the marine environment, mechanisms underlying evolutionary diversification deep-sea habitats remain poorly investigated. Here, we used multigene molecular clocks and population genetic inferences to examine processes that led emergence six extant lineages Alviniconcha snails, a key taxon inhabiting hydrothermal vents Indo-Pacific Ocean. We show both allopatric divergence through historical vicariance ecological isolation due...
Hydrothermal ecosystems face threats from planned deep-seabed mining activities, despite the fact that patterns of realized connectivity among vent-associated populations and communities are still poorly understood. Since vent endemic species depend on larval dispersal to maintain resilience habitat changes, effective conservation strategies for hydrothermal should include assessments metapopulation dynamics. In this study, we combined population genetic methods with biophysical models...
Abstract The blue mussel Mytilus is a popular food source with high economical value. Species of the M . edulis complex ( , galloprovincialis and trossulus ) hybridise whenever their geographic ranges overlap posing difficulties to species discrimination, which important for aquaculture. aim this study was determine genetic structure farmed mussels in Kiel Fjord. Microbial metabolic profile patterns were studied investigate possible dependency on genotype bivalves. Genotyping confirmed...
Genetic bottlenecks are evolutionary events that reduce the effective size and diversity of natural populations, often limiting a population's ability to adapt environmental change. Given accelerating human impact on ecosystems worldwide, understanding how populations evolve after genetic bottleneck is becoming increasingly important for species conservation. Ash deposits from 2022 Hunga volcanic eruption in Southwest Pacific led drastic decline animal symbioses associated with hydrothermal...
Abstract The composition and diversity of animal microbiomes is shaped by a variety factors, many them interacting, such as host traits, the environment, biogeography. Hybrid zones, in which ranges two species meet hybrids are found, provide natural experiments for determining drivers microbiome communities, but have not been well studied marine environments. Here, we analysed symbiont community deep-sea, Bathymodiolus mussel along their known distribution range at hydrothermal vents on...
Deep hydrothermal vents are highly fragmented and unstable habitats at all temporal spatial scales. Such environmental dynamics likely play a non-negligible role in speciation. Little is, however, known about the evolutionary processes that drive population-level differentiation vent species isolation and, more specifically, how geography habitat specialisation interplay history of divergence. In this study, range divergence Alviniconcha snails occupy active Western Pacific fields was...
Abstract Symbioses between invertebrate animals and chemosynthetic bacteria form the basis of hydrothermal vent ecosystems worldwide. In Lau Basin, deep-sea snails genus Alviniconcha associate with either Gammaproteobacteria (A. kojimai, A. strummeri) or Campylobacteria boucheti) that use sulfide and/or hydrogen as energy sources. While boucheti host–symbiont combination (holobiont) dominates at vents higher concentrations hydrogen, kojimai strummeri holobionts are more abundant sites lower...
Symbioses between invertebrate animals and chemosynthetic bacteria build the foundation of deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystems worldwide. Despite importance these symbioses for ecosystem functioning, diversity symbionts within host organisms geographic regions is still poorly understood. In this study we used 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to determine gill endosymbionts in provannid snails genera Alviniconcha Ifremeria, which are key species at vents Indo-Pacific Ocean. Our analysis 761 snail...
Vertical transmission of bacterial endosymbionts is accompanied by virtually irreversible gene loss that results in a progressive reduction genome size. While the evolutionary processes have been well described some terrestrial symbioses, they are less understood marine systems where vertical rarely observed. The association between deep-sea vesicomyid clams and chemosynthetic Gammaproteobacteria one example maternally inherited symbioses ocean. Here, we assessed contributions drift,...
Abstract Deep‐sea vesicomyid clams live in mutualistic symbiosis with chemosynthetic bacteria that are inherited through the maternal germ line. On evolutionary timescales, strictly vertical transmission should lead to cospeciation of host mitochondrial and symbiont lineages; nonetheless, examples incongruent phylogenies have been reported, suggesting symbionts occasionally horizontally transmitted between species. The current paradigm for holds direct transfers cause shifts or mixtures...
Mussels of the genus Bathymodiolus Kenk & Wilson belong to foundation fauna at hydrothermal vents in global deep sea. In western Pacific and Indian oceans, three nominal taxa B. septemdierum Hashimoto Okutani, brevior Cosel, Métivier Okutani marisindicus are currently recognized as separate species despite morphological genetic evidence for their conspecificity. All listed with International Union Conservation Nature Red List based on highly restricted ranges. We compile supplement existing...
The analysis of hybrid zones is crucial for gaining a mechanistic understanding the process speciation and maintenance species boundaries. Hybrid have been studied intensively in terrestrial shallow-water ecosystems, but very little known about their occurrence deep-sea environments. Here we used diagnostic, single nucleotide polymorphisms combination with one mitochondrial gene to re-examine prior hypotheses contact zone involving hydrothermal vent mussels, Bathymodiolus azoricus B....
Abstract Symbiotic relationships between vestimentiferan tubeworms and chemosynthetic Gammaproteobacteria build the foundations of many hydrothermal vent hydrocarbon seep ecosystems in deep sea. The association tubeworm Riftia pachyptila its endosymbiont Candidatus Endoriftia persephone has become a model system for symbiosis research deep‐sea vestimentiferans, while markedly fewer studies have investigated symbiotic other species, especially at cold seeps. Here we sequenced genome...
Marine symbioses are predominantly established through horizontal acquisition of microbial symbionts from the environment. However, genetic and functional comparisons free-living populations to their host-associated counterparts sparse. Here, we assembled first genomes chemoautotrophic gammaproteobacterial affiliated with deep-sea snail Alviniconcha hessleri two separate hydrothermal vent fields Mariana Back-Arc Basin. We used phylogenomic population genomic methods assess sequence gene...
Abstract The composition and diversity of animal microbiomes is shaped by a variety factors, many them interacting, such as host traits, the environment, biogeography. Hybrid zones, in which ranges two species meet hybrids are found, provide natural experiments for determining drivers microbiome communities, but have not been well studied marine environments. Here, we analysed symbiont community deep-sea, Bathymodiolus mussel along their known distribution range at hydrothermal vents on...
The intra-host composition of horizontally transmitted microbial symbionts can vary across host populations due to interactive effects genetics, environmental, and geographic factors. While adaptation local habitat conditions drive subdivision symbiont strains, it is unknown how differences in ecological characteristics among host-symbiont associations influence the genomic structure populations. To address this question, we sequenced metagenomes different deep-sea mussel Bathymodiolus...
Vestimentiferan tubeworms are key taxa in deep-sea chemosynthetic habitats worldwide. As adults they obtain their nutrition through sulfide-oxidizing bacterial endosymbionts, which acquired from the environment. Although horizontal transmission should favor infections by various symbiotic microbes, current paradigm holds that every tubeworm harbors only one endosymbiotic 16S rRNA phylotype. previous studies based on traditional Sanger sequencing have questioned these findings, population...