Genetic and phenotypic diversity characterization of natural populations of the parasitoid Parvilucifera sinerae
Authors
Turon, M.; Alacid, E.; Figueroa, R.I. (Rosa Isabel); Reñé, A.; Ferrera, I.; Bravo, I. (Isabel); Ramilo-Rivero, M.I. (María Isabel); Garcés, E.Date
2015-10-22Type
articleAbstract
Parasites exert important top-down control of their host populations. The host−parasite
system formed by Alexandrium minutum (Dinophyceae) and Parvilucifera sinerae (Perkinsozoa)
offers an opportunity to advance our knowledge of parasitism in planktonic communities. In
this study, DNA extracted from 73 clonal strains of P. sinerae, from 10 different locations along the
Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, was used to genetically characterize this parasitoid at the species
level. All strains showed identical sequences of the small and large subunits and internal transcribed
spacer of the ribosomal RNA, as well as of the β-tubulin genes. However, the phenotypical
characterization showed variability in terms of host invasion, zoospore success, maturation time,
half-maximal infection, and infection rate. This characterization grouped the strains within 3 phenotypic
types distinguished by virulence traits. A particular virulence pattern could not be
ascribed to host-cell bloom appearance ...
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