Frequent horizontal chromosome transfer between asexual fungal insect pathogens.

ABSTRACT: Entire chromosomes are typically only transmitted vertically from one generation to the next. The horizontal transfer of such chromosomes has long been considered improbable, yet gained recent support in several pathogenic fungi where it may affect the fitness or host specificity. To date, it is unknown how these transfers occur, how common they are, and whether they can occur between different species. In this study, we show multiple independent instances of horizontal transfers of the same accessory chromosome between two distinct strains of the asexual entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium robertsii during experimental co-infection of its insect host, the Argentine ant. Notably, only the one chromosome-but no other-was transferred from the donor to the recipient strain. The recipie

SUBMITTER: Habig M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10945790 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature