Tumors (re)shape biotic interactions within ecosystems: Experimental evidence from the freshwater cnidarian Hydra.
Justine Boutry, Juliette Mistral, Laurent Berlioz, Alexander Klimovich, Jácint Tökölyi, Laura Fontenille, Beata Ujvari, Antoine M Dujon, Mathieu Giraudeau, Frédéric Thomas
Author Information
Justine Boutry: CREEC/CANECEV (CREES), MIVEGEC, Unité Mixte de Recherches, IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France. Electronic address: justine.boutry@gmail.com.
Juliette Mistral: CREEC/CANECEV (CREES), MIVEGEC, Unité Mixte de Recherches, IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Laurent Berlioz: CREEC/CANECEV (CREES), MIVEGEC, Unité Mixte de Recherches, IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Alexander Klimovich: Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany.
Jácint Tökölyi: MTA-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
Laura Fontenille: AZELEAD, 377 Rue du Professeur Blayac, 34080 Montpellier, France.
Beata Ujvari: CREEC/CANECEV (CREES), MIVEGEC, Unité Mixte de Recherches, IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia.
Antoine M Dujon: CREEC/CANECEV (CREES), MIVEGEC, Unité Mixte de Recherches, IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia.
Mathieu Giraudeau: CREEC/CANECEV (CREES), MIVEGEC, Unité Mixte de Recherches, IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France; LIENSs, UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France.
Frédéric Thomas: CREEC/CANECEV (CREES), MIVEGEC, Unité Mixte de Recherches, IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
While it is often assumed that oncogenic processes in metazoans can influence species interactions, empirical evidence is lacking. Here, we use the cnidarian Hydra oligactis to experimentally explore the consequences of tumor associated phenotypic alterations for its predation ability, relationship with commensal ciliates and vulnerability to predators. Unexpectedly, Hydra's predation ability was higher in tumorous polyps compared to non-tumorous ones. Commensal ciliates colonized preferentially tumorous hydras than non-tumorous ones, and had a higher replication rate on the former. Finally, in a choice experiment, tumorous hydras were preferentially eaten by a fish predator. This study, for the first time, provides evidence that neoplastic growth has the potential, through effect(s) on host phenotype, to alter biotic interactions within ecosystems and should thus be taken into account by ecologists.
