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Freshwater protists do not go with the flow: Population structure in Gonyostomum semen independent of connectivity among lakes.

Sassenhagen, Ingrid LU ; Sefbom, Josefin ; Säll, Torbjörn LU ; Godhe, Anna and Rengefors, Karin LU (2015) In Environmental Microbiology 17(12). p.5063-5072
Abstract
Many recent studies have found genetically differentiated populations in microorganisms despite potentially high dispersal. We designed a study to specifically examine the importance of physical dispersal barriers, i.e. geographic distance and lack of hydrological connectivity, in restricting gene flow and enhancing divergence in limnic microorganisms. We focused on the nuisance microalga Gonyostomum semen, which has recently expanded in northern Europe and differentiated into genetically distinct populations. Gonyostomum semen was sampled from six lakes distributed in two adjacent watersheds, which thereby comprised, both connected and non-connected lakes. The individual isolates were genotyped by Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism.... (More)
Many recent studies have found genetically differentiated populations in microorganisms despite potentially high dispersal. We designed a study to specifically examine the importance of physical dispersal barriers, i.e. geographic distance and lack of hydrological connectivity, in restricting gene flow and enhancing divergence in limnic microorganisms. We focused on the nuisance microalga Gonyostomum semen, which has recently expanded in northern Europe and differentiated into genetically distinct populations. Gonyostomum semen was sampled from six lakes distributed in two adjacent watersheds, which thereby comprised, both connected and non-connected lakes. The individual isolates were genotyped by Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism. Several lake populations were differentiated from each other, but connectivity within watersheds could not explain the observed population genetic pattern. However, isolation by distance was moderate and might limit the gene flow among distant populations. In addition, we found low, but significant linkage disequilibrium, which indicates regular sexual recombination in this species, despite its high degree of asexual reproduction. Therefore, we conclude that the genetic properties of microalgae with occasional sexual reproduction essentially mirror regularly recombining species. Furthermore, the data indicated bottlenecks supporting the hypothesized recent range expansion of this species. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Environmental Microbiology
volume
17
issue
12
pages
5063 - 5072
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:26184488
  • wos:000368457800020
  • scopus:84955705025
  • pmid:26184488
ISSN
1462-2920
DOI
10.1111/1462-2920.12987
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9bf939bb-a3ec-4083-84eb-22e064997d89 (old id 7743697)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:14:43
date last changed
2022-04-12 03:29:50
@article{9bf939bb-a3ec-4083-84eb-22e064997d89,
  abstract     = {{Many recent studies have found genetically differentiated populations in microorganisms despite potentially high dispersal. We designed a study to specifically examine the importance of physical dispersal barriers, i.e. geographic distance and lack of hydrological connectivity, in restricting gene flow and enhancing divergence in limnic microorganisms. We focused on the nuisance microalga Gonyostomum semen, which has recently expanded in northern Europe and differentiated into genetically distinct populations. Gonyostomum semen was sampled from six lakes distributed in two adjacent watersheds, which thereby comprised, both connected and non-connected lakes. The individual isolates were genotyped by Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism. Several lake populations were differentiated from each other, but connectivity within watersheds could not explain the observed population genetic pattern. However, isolation by distance was moderate and might limit the gene flow among distant populations. In addition, we found low, but significant linkage disequilibrium, which indicates regular sexual recombination in this species, despite its high degree of asexual reproduction. Therefore, we conclude that the genetic properties of microalgae with occasional sexual reproduction essentially mirror regularly recombining species. Furthermore, the data indicated bottlenecks supporting the hypothesized recent range expansion of this species.}},
  author       = {{Sassenhagen, Ingrid and Sefbom, Josefin and Säll, Torbjörn and Godhe, Anna and Rengefors, Karin}},
  issn         = {{1462-2920}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12}},
  pages        = {{5063--5072}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Environmental Microbiology}},
  title        = {{Freshwater protists do not go with the flow: Population structure in Gonyostomum semen independent of connectivity among lakes.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.12987}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/1462-2920.12987}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}