Abstract
Stenostomum are tiny planarians of the phylum Platyhelminthes that reproduce asexually. We transfected these worms using plasmids containing a gfp reporter gene. Here we show that they can express genes present in plasmids carried by bacteria and those that are encoded by naked DNA, such as plasmids or PCR fragments, transfected by electroporation; they can also express genes taken up during feeding. The microbiome associated with worm maintenance was evaluated, and the results indicated that when a plasmid is maintained in the microbiome, gfp gene expression is stable. When genes originate from naked DNA or bacteria not maintained in the microbiome, GFP expression is transient. Therefore, changes in the microbiome can modify the ability of worms to express foreign genes. In stable GFP-expressing worms, NSG showed that the gfp gene was maintained in the plasmid and was not integrated into the chromosome. These results suggest that, at least for some organisms such as flatworms, the expression of genes provided by the microbiome or the environment can be considered among the potential sources of phenotypic plasticity, which can have implications for evolvability.
Highlights
Stenostomum are tiny planarians of the phylum Platyhelminthes that reproduce asexually
We show that Stenostomum can transiently express the gfp gene from plasmids contained in bacteria provided in their diet or even from naked DNA such as plasmids or PCR fragments
Transient gene expression induced by feeding on genetic material was first shown in C. elegans eating double-stranded RNA or bacteria expressing dsRNA
Summary
Stenostomum are tiny planarians of the phylum Platyhelminthes that reproduce asexually. In stable GFP-expressing worms, NSG showed that the gfp gene was maintained in the plasmid and was not integrated into the chromosome These results suggest that, at least for some organisms such as flatworms, the expression of genes provided by the microbiome or the environment can be considered among the potential sources of phenotypic plasticity, which can have implications for evolvability. In this study we present evidence that the flatworm Stenostumum, which is formed by many cells in direct contact with the environment, shows a host-microbe interaction not described far Their cells can express genes present in plasmids carried by their native bacteria and even genes from naked DNA, such as plasmids or PCR amplicons, taken up during feeding. Cells transfected with both plasmids can have the sequences of the vector plasmid transposed into their chromosomes[20]
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