Biology subjects

Frezal, L.

Publications and source records attributed to Frezal, L..

10 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Caenorhabditis briggsae ancestral genomic hyper-diversity contrasts with globally distributed genome-wide haplotypes

Comparative genomics provides a powerful framework to uncover the molecular and evolutionary mechanisms that shape genetic diversity within and across species, revealing how shared and lineage-specific processes influence their evolutionary trajectories through time. The nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae is distributed world-wide and is a comparative model to Caenorhabditis elegans in the biology of development, cellular mechanisms, neurobiology, genetic mappings of complex traits, and genome evolution. Following massive collection efforts by the nematode research community, we present the isolation of over 2,000 wild strains and analyses of genome sequences that catalog over six million single-nucleotide and insertion-deletion variants. This genome and strain resource provide a powerful means to interrogate the causal genetic bases of phenotypic variation for diverse traits. Additionally, we describe its global population structure and discover new and genetically distinct groups within this primarily self-fertilizing species, including groups of highly related strains that were sampled across different continents. We leverage expansive genetic variation to decipher the effects of linkage and selection on the distribution of genetic diversity across the genome and across geographic regions. Within the species, we find genomic regions with extremely high levels of genetic variation similar to hyper-divergent regions found in C. elegans and other species. These regions harbor new genes and variation enriched for environmental sensing and pathogen responses. In comparison to the outbreeding sister species Caenorhabditis nigoni, we conclude that long-term balancing selection has maintained substantial functional variation since the divergence from their outbreeding ancestor, likely in response to differences in the ecological niche. Overall, this massive strain resource enables future comparative genetics and genomics studies, including genome-wide association studies between Caenorhabditis species.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2025

Intraspecific variation in the duration of epigenetic inheritance

Epigenetic inheritance is generally less stable across generations than DNA sequence-based heredity. One common form of epigenetic inheritance, found in plants, fungi, and animals, is the transgenerational memory of gene silencing mediated by small RNAs. These small RNAs can be amplified through RNA-dependent RNA polymerases, thus maintaining the silenced state across multiple generations. Such molecular mechanisms raise questions regarding their natural variation and evolutionary impact. We here ask whether the presence and duration of epigenetic inheritance display genetic variation within a species. We use the ability of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to silence genes for multiple generations after an initial RNA interference trigger. We find that the presence and the duration of silencing in number of generations differ across C. elegans wild strains. Strikingly, several wild strains show no memory, while some display a longer memory than the reference strain. Natural DNA sequence polymorphisms, such as in the set-24 and drh-1 genes, affect epigenetic memory of an external trigger, demonstrating that intraspecific DNA sequence evolution affects the duration of epigenetic inheritance. We further show that the duration of silencing memory in wild strains is quite robust to environmental variation such as diet and passage through larval diapauses, but not to temperature variation. Altogether, these results demonstrate intraspecific diversity in the regulation of small RNA-based heredity, a prerequisite for selection acting on genetic variants affecting epigenetic inheritance duration.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Natural variation in infection specificityof Caenorhabditis briggsae isolates by two RNA viruses

Antagonistic relationships such as host-virus interactions potentially lead to rapid evolution and specificity in interactions. The Orsay virus is so far the only horizontal virus naturally infecting the nematode C. elegans. In contrast, several related RNA viruses infect its congener C. briggsae, including Santeuil (SANTV) and Le Blanc (LEBV) viruses. Here we focus on the hosts intraspecific variation in sensitivity to these two intestinal viruses. Many temperate-origin C. briggsae strains, including JU1264 and JU1498, are sensitive to both, while many tropical strains, such as AF16, are resistant to both. Interestingly, some C. briggsae strains exhibit a specific resistance, such as the HK104 strain, specifically resistant to LEBV. The viral sensitivity pattern matches the strains geographic and genomic relationships. The heavily infected strains mount a seemingly normal small RNA response that is insufficient to suppress viral infection, while the resistant strains show no small RNA response, suggesting an early block in viral entry or replication. We use a genetic approach from the host side to map genomic regions participating in viral resistance polymorphisms. Using Advanced Intercrossed Recombinant Inbred Lines (RILs) between virus-resistant AF16 and SANTV-sensitive HK104, we detect Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) on chromosomes IV and III. Building RILs between virus-sensitive JU1498 and LEBV-resistant HK104 followed by bulk segregant analysis, we identify a chromosome II QTL. In both cases, further introgressions of the regions confirmed the QTLs. This diversity provides an avenue for studying virus entry, replication, and exit mechanisms, as well as host-virus specificity and the host response to a specific virus infection.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2023

Genome-wide association and environmental suppression of the mortal germline phenotype of wild C. elegans

The animal germline lineage needs to be maintained along generations. However, some Caenorhabditis elegans wild isolates display a mortal germline phenotype, whereby the lineage becomes sterile after several generations at 25{degrees}C. We used a genome-wide association approach to study the genetic basis for this phenotype in C. elegans populations. We detected a significant peak on chromosome III around 5 Mb, which was confirmed using introgression lines. These results indicate that a seemingly deleterious genotype is maintained at intermediate frequency in the species. Environmental rescue is a likely explanation and we indeed find that naturally associated bacteria and microsporidia suppressed the phenotype. The tested bacteria also suppressed the temperature-sensitive mortal germline phenotype of mutants in small RNA inheritance (nrde-2) and histone modifications (set-2). Even Escherichia coli strains of the K-12 lineage suppressed the phenotype compared to B strains. By shifting a strain cultured on E. coli K-12 back to E. coli B, we found that C. elegans can keep over several generations the memory of the suppressing conditions. Thus, the mortal germline phenotype of wild C. elegans is lin part revealed by laboratory conditions and may represent variation in epigenetic inheritance and environmental interactions. This study also points to the importance of non-genetic memory in the face of environmental variation.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Rapid emergence of extensively drug-resistant Shigella sonnei in France

Shigella sonnei, the main cause of bacillary dysentery in high-income countries, has become increasingly resistant to antibiotics. We monitored the antimicrobial susceptibility of 7,121 S. sonnei isolates collected in France between 2005 and 2021. We identified a dramatic increase in the proportion of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) isolates (i.e., simultaneously resistant to ciprofloxacin, third-generation cephalosporins and azithromycin), to 22.3% of all S. sonnei isolates in 2021. Our genomic analysis identified 13 different clusters of XDR isolates descended from a ciprofloxacin-resistant sublineage originating from South Asia. The 164 XDR isolates detected were resistant to azithromycin, principally through a pKSR100-like plasmid, and to third-generation cephalosporins through various genes and plasmids. This rapid emergence of XDR S. sonnei in different transmission networks, particularly among men who have sex with men, is a matter of concern, and good laboratory-based surveillance of Shigella infections will be crucial for informed decision-making and appropriate public health action.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

Noda-like RNA viruses infecting Caenorhabditis nematodes: sympatry, diversity and reassortment

Three RNA viruses related to nodaviruses were previously described to naturally infect the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and its relative C. briggsae. Here we report on a collection of over 50 viral variants from wild-caught Caenorhabditis. We describe the discovery of a new related virus, the M[e]lnik virus, infecting C. briggsae, which similarly infects intestinal cells. In France, a frequent pattern of co-infection of C. briggsae by the Santeuil virus and Le Blanc virus was observed at the level of an individual nematode and even a single cell. We do not find evidence of reassortment between the RNA1 and RNA2 molecules of Santeuil and Le Blanc viruses. However, by studying patterns of evolution of each virus, reassortments of RNA1 and RNA2 among variants of each virus were identified. We develop assays to test the relative potency and competitive ability of the viral variants and detect an interaction between host genotype and Santeuil virus genotype, such that the result of the competition depends on the host strain.\n\nImportanceThe roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans is a laboratory model organism in biology. We study natural populations of this small animal and its relative C. briggsae and the viruses that infect them. We previously discovered three RNA viruses related to nodaviruses and here describe a fourth one, called the Melnik virus. These viruses have a genome composed of two RNA molecules. We find that two viruses may infect the same animal and the same cell. The two RNA molecules may be exchanged between variants of a given viral species. We study the diversity of each viral species and devise an assay of their competitive ability. Using this assay, we show that the outcome of the competition also depends on the host.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

Selection and gene flow shape niche-associated copy-number variation of pheromone receptor genes

From quorum sensing in bacteria to pheromone signaling in social insects, chemical communication mediates interactions among individuals in a local population. In Caenorhabditis elegans, ascaroside pheromones can dictate local population density, in which high levels of pheromones inhibit the reproductive maturation of individuals. Little is known about how natural genetic diversity affects the pheromone responses of individuals from diverse habitats. Here, we show that a niche-associated copy-number variation (CNV) of pheromone receptor genes contributes to natural differences in pheromone responses. We found putative loss-of-function deletions that reduce copy number of duplicated pheromone receptor genes (srg-36 and srg-37), which were shown previously to be selected in population-dense laboratory cultures. A common natural deletion in the less functional copy (srg-37) arose from a single ancestral population that spread throughout the world and underlies reduced pheromone sensitivity across the global C. elegans population. This deletion is enriched in wild strains that were isolated from a rotting fruit niche, where proliferating populations are often found. Taken together, these results demonstrate that selection and gene flow together shape the copy number of pheromone receptor genes in natural C. elegans populations to facilitate local adaptation to diverse niches.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2018

Comparative genomics of ten new Caenorhabditis species

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been central to the understanding of metazoan biology. However, C. elegans is but one species among millions and the significance of this important model organism will only be fully revealed if it is placed in a rich evolutionary context. Global sampling efforts have led to the discovery of over 50 putative species from the genus Caenorhabditis, many of which await formal species description. Here, we present species descriptions for ten new Caenorhabditis species. We also present draft genome sequences for nine of these new species, along with a transcriptome assembly for one. We exploit these whole-genome data to reconstruct the Caenorhabditis phylogeny and use this phylogenetic tree to dissect the evolution of morphology in the genus. We show unexpected complexity in the evolutionary history of key developmental pathway genes. The genomic data also permit large scale analysis of gene structure, which we find to be highly variable within the genus. These new species and the associated genomic resources will be essential in our attempts to understand the evolutionary origins of the C. elegans model.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2017

Supergene evolution triggered by the introgression of a chromosomal inversion

Supergenes are groups of tightly linked loci whose variation is inherited as a single Mendelian locus and are a common genetic architecture for complex traits under balancing selection1. Supergene alleles are long-range haplotypes with numerous mutations underlying distinct adaptive strategies, often maintained in linkage disequilibrium through the suppression of recombination by chromosomal rearrangements2-5. However, the mechanism governing the formation of supergenes is not well understood, and poses the paradox of establishing divergent functional haplotypes in face of recombination1,6. Here, we show that the formation of the supergene alleles encoding mimicry polymorphism in the butterfly Heliconius numata is associated with the introgression of a divergent, inverted chromosomal segment. Haplotype divergence and linkage disequilibrium indicate that supergene alleles, each allowing precise wing-pattern resemblance to distinct butterfly models, originate from over a million years of independent chromosomal evolution in separate lineages. These \"superalleles\" have evolved from a chromosomal inversion captured by introgression and maintained in balanced polymorphism, triggering supergene inheritance. This mode of evolution is likely to be a common feature of complex structural polymorphisms associated with the coexistence of distinct adaptive syndromes, and shows that the reticulation of genealogies may have a powerful influence on the evolution of genetic architectures in nature.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2017

Pan-arthropod analysis reveals somatic piRNAs as an ancestral TE defence

In animals, small RNA molecules termed PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) silence transposable elements (TEs), protecting the germline from genomic instability and mutation. piRNAs have been detected in the soma in a few animals, but these are believed to be specific adaptations of individual species. Here, we report that somatic piRNAs were likely present in the ancestral arthropod more than 500 million years ago. Analysis of 20 species across the arthropod phylum suggests that somatic piRNAs targeting TEs and mRNAs are common among arthropods. The presence of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase in chelicerates (horseshoe crabs, spiders, scorpions) suggests that arthropods originally used a plant-like RNA interference mechanism to silence TEs. Our results call into question the view that the ancestral role of the piRNA pathway was to protect the germline and demonstrate that small RNA silencing pathways have been repurposed for both somatic and germline functions throughout arthropod evolution.

evolutionary biology↗