Spider phylosymbiosis: divergence of widow spider species and their tissues' microbiomes, BMC Ecology and Evolution

Background Microbiomes can have profound impacts on host biology and evolution, but to date, remain vastly understudied in spiders despite their unique and diverse predatory adaptations. This study evaluates closely related species of spiders and their host-microbe relationships in the context of phylosymbiosis, an eco-evolutionary pattern where the microbial community profile parallels the phylogeny of closely related host species. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we characterized the microbiomes of five species with known phylogenetic relationships from the family Theridiidae, including multiple closely related widow spiders (L. hesperus, L. mactans, L. geometricus, S. grossa, and P. tepidariorum). Results We compared whole animal and tissue-specific microbiomes (cephalothorax, fat bodies, venom glands, silk glands, and ovary) in the five species to better understand the relationship between spiders and their microbial symbionts. This showed a strong congruence of the microbiome beta-diversity of the whole spiders, cephalothorax, venom glands, and silk glands when compared to their host phylogeny. Our results support phylosymbiosis in these species and across their specialized tissues. The ovary tissue microbial dendrograms also parallel the widow phylogeny, suggesting vertical transfer of species-specific bacterial symbionts. By cross-validating with RNA sequencing data obtained from the venom glands, silk glands and ovaries of L. hesperus, L. geometricus, S. grossa, and P. tepidariorum we confirmed that several microbial symbionts of interest are viably active in the host. Conclusion Together these results provide evidence that supports the importance of host-microbe interactions and the significant role microbial communities may play in the evolution and adaptation of their hosts.

Host control and the evolution of cooperation in host microbiomes. - Abstract - Europe PMC

Phylogenetic position of the Rickettsia (partial citrate sequence)

DGGE profiles for the 16S rRNA amplicons of females originating from

Systematics of the Madagascar Anelosimus spiders: remarkable local richness and endemism, and dual colonization from the Americas

Bacterial abundance and diversity data obtained by 454 sequencing. (A)

Relationship between number of adult offspring and proportion of male

Relationship between average proportion of male offspring in a clutch

PDF) Endosymbiont diversity across native and invasive brown widow spider populations

House spider genome uncovers evolutionary shifts in the diversity and expression of black widow venom proteins associated with extreme toxicity, BMC Genomics

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