Landscape Genetic Connectivity and Evidence for Recombination in the North American Population of the White-Nose Syndrome Pathogen, <i>Pseudogymnoascus destructans</i>

• Main Authors: Adrian Forsythe, Karen J. Vanderwolf , Jianping Xu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
• Series: Journal of Fungi
• Subjects: microsatellite markers; single nucleotide polymorphisms; recombination; landscape genetics; climate; urbanization
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/3/182

White-Nose Syndrome is an ongoing fungal epizootic caused by epidermal infections of the fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (<i>P. destructans</i>), affecting hibernating bat species in North America. Emerging early in 2006 in New York State, infections of <i>P. destructans</i> have spread to 38 US States and seven Canadian Provinces. Since then, clonal isolates of <i>P. destructans</i> have accumulated genotypic and phenotypic variations in North America. Using microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism markers, we investigated the population structure and genetic relationships among <i>P. destructans</i> isolates from diverse regions in North America to understand its pattern of spread, and to test hypotheses about factors that contribute to transmission. We found limited support for genetic isolation of <i>P. destructans</i> populations by geographic distance, and instead identified evidence for gene flow among geographic regions. Interestingly, allelic association tests revealed evidence for recombination in the North American <i>P. destructans</i> population. Our landscape genetic analyses revealed that the population structure of <i>P. destructans</i> in North America was significantly influenced by anthropogenic impacts on the landscape. Our results have important implications for understanding the mechanism(s) of <i>P. destructans</i> spread.