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Within-host speciation of malaria parasites

Perez-Tris, Javier LU ; Hellgren, Olof LU ; Križanauskienė, Asta ; Waldenström, Jonas ; Secondi, Jean ; Bonneaud, Camille ; Fjeldså, Jan ; Hasselquist, Dennis LU and Bensch, Staffan LU orcid (2007) In PLoS ONE 2(2).
Abstract
Background

Sympatric speciation—the divergence of populations into new species in absence of geographic barriers to hybridization—is the most debated mode of diversification of life forms. Parasitic organisms are prominent models for sympatric speciation, because they may colonise new hosts within the same geographic area and diverge through host specialization. However, it has been argued that this mode of parasite divergence is not strict sympatric speciation, because host shifts likely cause the sudden effective isolation of parasites, particularly if these are transmitted by vectors and therefore cannot select their hosts. Strict sympatric speciation would involve parasite lineages diverging within a single host species,... (More)
Background

Sympatric speciation—the divergence of populations into new species in absence of geographic barriers to hybridization—is the most debated mode of diversification of life forms. Parasitic organisms are prominent models for sympatric speciation, because they may colonise new hosts within the same geographic area and diverge through host specialization. However, it has been argued that this mode of parasite divergence is not strict sympatric speciation, because host shifts likely cause the sudden effective isolation of parasites, particularly if these are transmitted by vectors and therefore cannot select their hosts. Strict sympatric speciation would involve parasite lineages diverging within a single host species, without any population subdivision.





Methodology/Principal Findings

Here we report a case of extraordinary divergence of sympatric, ecologically distinct, and reproductively isolated malaria parasites within a single avian host species, which apparently occurred without historical or extant subdivision of parasite or host populations.





Conclusions/Significance

This discovery of within-host speciation changes our current view on the diversification potential of malaria parasites, because neither geographic isolation of host populations nor colonization of new host species are any longer necessary conditions to the formation of new parasite species. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
PLoS ONE
volume
2
issue
2
article number
e235
publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
external identifiers
  • scopus:41049114264
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0000235
project
Malaria in birds
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7861cd73-8550-4e3b-986b-2db2f68279a3 (old id 631176)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 13:57:02
date last changed
2024-10-12 02:17:44
@article{7861cd73-8550-4e3b-986b-2db2f68279a3,
  abstract     = {{Background<br/><br>
Sympatric speciation—the divergence of populations into new species in absence of geographic barriers to hybridization—is the most debated mode of diversification of life forms. Parasitic organisms are prominent models for sympatric speciation, because they may colonise new hosts within the same geographic area and diverge through host specialization. However, it has been argued that this mode of parasite divergence is not strict sympatric speciation, because host shifts likely cause the sudden effective isolation of parasites, particularly if these are transmitted by vectors and therefore cannot select their hosts. Strict sympatric speciation would involve parasite lineages diverging within a single host species, without any population subdivision.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Methodology/Principal Findings<br/><br>
Here we report a case of extraordinary divergence of sympatric, ecologically distinct, and reproductively isolated malaria parasites within a single avian host species, which apparently occurred without historical or extant subdivision of parasite or host populations.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Conclusions/Significance<br/><br>
This discovery of within-host speciation changes our current view on the diversification potential of malaria parasites, because neither geographic isolation of host populations nor colonization of new host species are any longer necessary conditions to the formation of new parasite species.}},
  author       = {{Perez-Tris, Javier and Hellgren, Olof and Križanauskienė, Asta and Waldenström, Jonas and Secondi, Jean and Bonneaud, Camille and Fjeldså, Jan and Hasselquist, Dennis and Bensch, Staffan}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  publisher    = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
  series       = {{PLoS ONE}},
  title        = {{Within-host speciation of malaria parasites}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0000235}},
  doi          = {{10.1371/journal.pone.0000235}},
  volume       = {{2}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}