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Comparative genomic analysis of co-occurring hybrid zones of house mouse parasites Pneumocystis murina and Syphacia obvelata using genome polarisation
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  • Jan Petružela,
  • Beate Nürnberger,
  • Alexis Ribas,
  • Georgios Koutsovoulos,
  • Dagmar Cizkova,
  • A Fornuskova,
  • Tatiana Aghová,
  • Mark Blaxter,
  • Joëlle Goüy de Bellocq,
  • Stuart Baird
Jan Petružela
Masaryk University Faculty of Science

Corresponding Author:jpetruzela@email.cz

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Beate Nürnberger
Institute of Vertebrate Biology CAS
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Alexis Ribas
University of Barcelona
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Georgios Koutsovoulos
Foundation of Research and Technology Hellas
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Dagmar Cizkova
Institute of Vertebrate Biology Czech Academy of Sciences
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A Fornuskova
Institute of Vertebrate Biology CAS
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Tatiana Aghová
Institute of Vertebrate Biology Czech Academy of Sciences
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Mark Blaxter
Wellcome Sanger Institute
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Joëlle Goüy de Bellocq
Institute of Vertebrate Biology Czech Academy of Sciences
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Stuart Baird
Institute of Vertebrate Biology Czech Academy of Sciences
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Abstract

Parasites are expected to hybridise in similar ways to free living organisms, although this may be modified by their reduced genome architecture. Recombinant strains and taxa of hybrid origin can be studied in nature where hosts come into secondary contact. Here we apply genome-wide analysis to parasites from a contact previously characterised for many individuals using classical markers. The host contact is the European house mouse hybrid zone; the parasites are lung fungus Pneumocystis and gut pinworm Syphacia. The multilocus and multi-individual datasets are broadly consistent in scale and centering. Whole mitogenome comparisons confirm earlier suggestions that parasite divergence is low compared to their hosts, perhaps due to reduced genome stabilising selection. In the recombining genome we are able to show blocks of parasite genome of alternating host origin, including one Pneumocystis strain which appears to be an F3+ cross and one recombinant Syphacia strain found over multiple localities. Functional analyses of introgressing genes show enrichment for genes likely important for parasitic lifestyle.
30 Jan 2025Submitted to Molecular Ecology
31 Jan 2025Submission Checks Completed
31 Jan 2025Assigned to Editor
31 Jan 2025Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
22 Feb 2025Reviewer(s) Assigned