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Sex or no sex? Group I introns and independent marker genes reveal the existence of three sexual but reproductively isolated biospecies in Trichia varia (Myxomycetes)

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Abstract

Plasmodial slime molds are members of the class Amoebozoa forming elaborate fruit bodies releasing airborne spores. Two species concepts have been developed independently: a morphological relying on fruit body characters, and a biological relying on crossing studies of a few cultivable species. In an attempt to reconcile both concepts, we obtained for 198 specimens of the common species Trichia varia partial sequences of three independent markers (nuclear small-subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA gene, extrachromosomal; elongation factor 1 alpha gene, chromosomal; cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene, mitochondrial). The resulting phylogeny revealed 21 three-marker genotypes clustering into three groups. Combinations of the single-marker genotypes occurred exclusively within these groups, called 1, 2a, and 2b. To examine the suitability of group I introns to monitor speciation events, complete SSU sequences were generated for 66 specimens, which revealed six positions that can carry group I introns. For each of the groups 1 and 2a, five of these positions were occupied by different intron genotypes; and no genotype was shared by the two groups. Group 2b was devoid of introns. Putatively functional or degenerated homing endonuclease genes were found at different positions in groups 1 and 2a. All observations (genotypic combinations of the three markers, signs of recombination, intron patterns) fit well into a pattern of three cryptic biological species that reproduce predominantly sexual but are reproductively isolated. The pattern of group I introns and inserted homing endonuclease genes mounts evidence that the Goddard-Burt intron life cycle model applies to naturally occurring myxomycete populations.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) to MS (SCHN 1080/2-1). The authors owe thanks for technical support to Anja Klahr, Greifswald. Fieldwork in the Bavarian Forest National Park was supported by Claus Bässler from the research unit of the park administration. We wish to thank Anna Maria Fiore-Donno for suggesting four primer sequences. For loans of specimens of T. varia, we are indebted to A.M. Fiore-Donno, Germany; Myriam de Haan, Belgium; Hans van Hooff, Netherlands; Yuri K. Novozhilov, Russia; Anna Ronikier, Poland; and Jos Van Roy, Belgium.

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  1. Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald, Soldmannstr. 15, 17487, Greifswald, Germany

    Yun Feng & Martin Schnittler

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  1. Yun Feng
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  2. Martin Schnittler
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Correspondence to Martin Schnittler.

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Supplementary Figure S1

Position of Trichia varia in a Bayesian majority-rule consensus tree of the complete SSU gene for bright-spored myxomycetes with Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa as outgroup. Support values are shown for nodes with both Bayesian posterior probability >0.70 and bootstrap replicates >50. (PDF 343 kb)

Supplementary Figure S2

ML tree constructed from exon parts of complete SSU for 66 accessions of Trichia varia. Support values are shown for nodes with both Bayesian posterior probability >0.70 and bootstrap replicates >50. (PDF 269 kb)

Supplementary Table S1

Specimens used in this study and their assignment to genotypes with GenBank accession numbers. (DOC 563 kb)

Supplementary Table S2

Known SSU sequences of myxomycetes with group I intron S956. (DOC 92 kb)

Supplementary Database S1 (Microsoft Excel 2013)

Locality descriptions for all specimens investigated in this study. Geographic coordinates are given in the format dd°mm'ss.s", elevations in meter above sea level. (XLS 109 kb)

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Feng, Y., Schnittler, M. Sex or no sex? Group I introns and independent marker genes reveal the existence of three sexual but reproductively isolated biospecies in Trichia varia (Myxomycetes). Org Divers Evol 15, 631–650 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-015-0230-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-015-0230-x

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