Co-evolution and Gene Transfers Drive Speciation Patterns in Host-Associated Bacteria.

ABSTRACT: Microbial communities that maintain symbiotic relationships with animals evolve by adapting to the specific environmental niche provided by their host, yet understanding their patterns of speciation remains challenging. Whether bacterial speciation occurs primarily through allopatric or sympatric processes remains an open question. In addition, patterns of DNA transfers, which are pervasive in bacteria, are more constrained in a closed host-gut system. Eusocial bees have co-evolved with their specialized microbiota for over 85 million years, constituting a simple and valuable system to study the complex dynamics of host-associated microbial interactions. Here, we studied the patterns of speciation and evolution of seven specialized gut bacteria from three clades of eusocial bee species: we

SUBMITTER: Stott C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11669722 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature