Evolutionary dynamics of the natural Drosophila microbiome
Final Report Abstract
We summarise the significant progress made in understanding the genetic underpinnings of microbiome variation within Drosophila melanogaster, focusing on the co-evolutionary dynamics between hosts and their microbiomes. Despite challenges such as contamination issues and sequencing delays, our team adapted methodologies to reveal crucial insights into the bacterial, viral, and eukaryotic components of the Drosophila gut microbiome. Our research uncovered a complex viral community, emphasizing the influence of bacteriophages on microbial dynamics and host health. This finding is detailed in a separate publication and contributes to our broader understanding of viromes in host-microbiome interactions. Additionally, we catalogued nearly 10 million microbial genes and constructed almost 150 high-quality MAGs, enhancing our comprehension of microbial diversity and its evolutionary implications. A noticeable portion of our study was also dedicated to investigating eukaryotic components, which are often overshadowed by prokaryotic signals in metagenomic data. This led to the development of advanced methodologies to better capture the full spectrum of microbial diversity. Moreover, the study highlighted the presence of Wolbachia endosymbionts in natural Drosophila populations, shedding light on its genomic diversity and significant impact on host physiology and reproduction. While the genomic analysis and mGWAS are still underway, the preliminary findings lay a solid foundation for future research into the co-evolutionary relationships between Drosophila melanogaster and its microbiome. This project not only expands our understanding of microbial ecology and evolution but also contributes significantly to the broader scientific discourse on biodiversity and evolutionary narratives.
Publications
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A diverse gut virome from Drosophila melanogaster.
Ansari, Mina Hojat; Staubach, Fabian; Alacatli, Nurper & Obbard, Darren J.
