Make visible the invisible: Optimized development of an environmental DNA metabarcoding tool for the characterization of trematode parasitic communities
Résumé
The world's parasitic and mutualistic biodiversity is undergoing major upheavals related to
modifications in host community structures, changes in interactions between species, and through coextinction events. Trematodes are an important component of this invisible biodiversity, in terms of
species richness, but also because of their role in ecosystems functioning and in the emergence of
associated diseases. Together, these elements point to the need for a better assessment and
understanding of the structure and dynamics of trematode diversity. In this context, our aim was to
develop an optimized eDNA-based metabarcoding approach to detect trematodes and characterize
their communities, most of which associated to aquatic environments. The efficiency of this newly
developed tool was first assessed by exhaustive in silico and in vitro validation steps. We next assessed
the ability of our eDNA-based approach to reconstruct trematode communities compared to a classical
trematode monitoring method over four freshwater aquatic ecosystems. Our eDNA-based monitoring
tool displayed a high amplification enrichment of trematode DNA, a 100% detection score for tracking
back an in vitro mock community composed of 28 trematode species, and high genetic resolution
which makes it relevant to discriminate between even phylogenetically close trematode species. Over
the four natural ecosystems screened in natura, 33 OTUs were generated from the eDNA-based
approach, from which 11 trematode species were identified. In comparison, we identified five
trematode species using the classical monitoring method, three of which were also detected by the
eDNA-based approach. We believe that this new eDNA-based metabarcoding tool will open new
perspectives for fundamental and applied research in community ecology, conservation, and health
survey.
Origine | Fichiers produits par l'(les) auteur(s) |
---|