Tadpole body size and behaviour alter the social acquisition of a defensive bacterial symbiont
Authors: Reid N Harris
Eria A Rebollar
Trina Wantman
Carl N Keiser
Journal: Royal Society open science (2019)
Discipline: Multidisciplinary
Keywords: Janthinobacterium lividum; Lithobates clamitans; amphibian; horizontal transmission; tadpole.
Affiliations: Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA., Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA., Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mor, Mexico., Amphibian Survival Alliance, London SW7 2HQ, UK., Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USA.

Abstract:  Individual differences in host phenotypes can generate heterogeneity in the acquisition and transmission of microbes. Although this has become a prominent factor of disease epidemiology, host phenotypic variation might similarly underlie the transmission of microbial symbionts that defend against pathogen infection. Here, we test whether host body size and behaviour influence the social acquisition of a skin bacterium, Janthinobacterium lividum, which in some hosts can confer protection against infection by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, the causative agent of the amphibian skin disease chytridiomycosis. We measured body size and boldness (time spent in an open field) of green frog tadpoles and haphazardly constructed groups of six individuals. In some groups, we exposed one individual in each group to J. lividum and, in other groups, we inoculated a patch of aquarium pebbles to J. lividum. After 24 h, we swabbed each individual to estimate the presence of J. lividum on their skin. On average, tadpoles acquired nearly four times more bacteria when housed with an exposed individual compared to those housed with a patch of inoculated substrate. When tadpoles were housed with an exposed group-mate, larger and 'bolder' individuals acquired more bacteria. These data suggest that phenotypically biased acquisition of defensive symbionts might generate biased patterns of mortality from the pathogens against which they protect. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 u201cThis article has been retracted by the Publisher in agreement with the Editor-in-Chief, because it contains portions of writings on the same topic already published and without sufficient attribution to these earlier works being given. The principal authors of the paper acknowledged that text from background sources was mistakenly used in this article without proper reference to the original source. Upon investigation carried out according to the Committee on Publication Ethics guidelines, it has been found that the authors have duplicated or rephrased parts from other articles of which the main sources are the following: Alikhani L, Rahmani MS, Shabanian N, Badakhshan H, Khadivi-Khub A (2014) Genetic variability and structure of Quercus brantii assessed by ISSR, IRAP and SCoT markers. Gene 552:176u2013183 Iranjo P, Nabati Ahmadi D, Sorkheh K, Rajabi Memeari H, Ercisli S (2016) Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships between and within wild Pistacia species populations and implications for its conservation. J For Res 27: 685u2013697 Shanjani PS, Mardi M, Pazouki L, Hagidimitriou M, Avanzato D, Pirseyedi SM, Ghaffari MR, Khayam Nekoui SM (2009) Analysis of the molecular variation between and within cultivated and wild Pistacia species using AFLPs. Tree Genet Genomes 5:447u2013458 Luo C, He XH, Chen H, Ou SJ, Gao MP (2010) Analysis of diversity and relationships among mango cultivars using start codon targeted (SCoT) markers. Biochem Syst Ecol 38:1176u20131184 In a commitment to scientific integrity we decided to retract the article.u201d ,