Hawlena, H. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2024

Parasite contingency loci and the evolution of host specificity: Simple sequence repeats mediate Bartonella adaptation to a wild rodent host

Parasites can adapt to better exploit their hosts on many scales, ranging from within an infection of a single individual to series of infections spanning multiple host species. However, little is known about how the genomes of parasites in natural communities evolve when they face diverse hosts. We investigated how Bartonella bacteria that circulate in rodent communities in the dunes of the Negev Desert in Israel adapt to different species of rodent hosts. We propagated 15 Bartonella populations through infections of either a single host species (Gerbillus andersoni or Gerbillus pyramidum) or alternating between the two. After 20 rodent passages, strains with de novo mutations replaced the ancestor in most populations. Mutations in two mononucleotide simple sequence repeats (SSRs) that caused frameshifts in the same adhesin gene dominated the evolutionary dynamics. They appeared exclusively in populations that encountered G. andersoni and altered the dynamics of infections of this host. Similar SSRs in other genes are conserved and exhibit ON/OFF variation in Bartonella isolates from the Negev Desert dunes. Our results suggest that SSR-based contingency loci could be important not only for rapidly and reversibly generating antigenic variation to escape immune responses but that they may also mediate the evolution of host specificity.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Reduction of free-roaming cat population requires high-intensity neutering in spatial contiguity to mitigate compensatory effects

When free-roaming in natural areas, the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) is ranked high among the most destructive alien species. Near human dwellings, it might risk humans, impair sanitation, and suffer from poor welfare. Cats popularity as companion animals complicates their population control. Thus, culling is often replaced by a fertility control method called "Trap-Neuter-Return/Release (TNR)," which is considered more humane. Despite the extensive application of TNR, a long-term controlled study was never performed to test its effectiveness. We present a uniquely designed controlled field experiment for examining TNR effectiveness. The study was performed over a twelve-year period, divided into pre-intervention, mixed- and full-intervention phases, and spanned a 20Km2 urban area. Trends of cat, intact-female, and kitten counts, cat reproduction, and carcass reports were compared among study phases and areas with different neutering intensities. The cat population increased during the first two study phases and did not decline in highly neutered populations, presumably due to cat immigration. Expansion of high-intensity neutering to the entire city in the full-intervention phase (>70% neutering percentage) reversed cat population growth, reaching an annual ca. 7% reduction. This population reduction was limited by a rebound increase in cat reproduction and longevity. We conclude that cat population management by TNR should be performed in high-intensity, continuously, and in geographic contiguity to enable population reduction. To enhance management effectiveness and mitigate compensatory effects, we recommend further evaluating an integrated strategy that combines TNR with complementary methods (e.g., vital resource regulation, ill cat euthanasia, and adoption). Significance StatementThough popular companion animals, domestic cats pose numerous problems when free-roaming, including predation of wildlife, hazards to humans, impaired sanitation, and a decrease in their welfare. Thus, managing their populations is essential. The Trap-Neuter-Return method (TNR, capturing, sterilizing, returning/releasing) is widely employed for managing cat populations. However, there is a lack of long-term controlled evidence for its effectiveness. We examined the outcomes of high-intensity TNR by performing a twelve-year controlled field experiment, the largest to date. Neutering over 70% of the cats caused population decline when applied over contiguous areas. However, it was limited by a rebound increase in reproduction and survival. These findings provide a robust quantification of the limitations and the long-term effectiveness of TNR.

ecology↗