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Data from: Early maturation of host antimicrobial peptide defenses is associated with host-pathogen coexistence

Jervis, Phillip123; Rosa, Gonçalo415; Bates, Kieran16; Karu, Kersti3; Murtza, Aamina3; Defuentes, Thomas3; Firer, David78; Edwards, Sam91011; Le Mauff, François78; Michaels, Christopher1; Jordine-Morgan, Tresai1; Nylander, Christina3; Sergeant, Christopher1; Skelly, Emily12; Bui, Tam12; Sheppard, Donald78; Harrison, Xavier10; Rhodes, Johanna21314; Tapley, Benjamin1; Bosch, Jaime4; Garner, Trenton1; Fisher, Matthew2; Tabor, Alethea3

Published Apr 09, 2026 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.k0p2ngfn6

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Abstract

Epizootic outbreaks of invasive pathogens, such as the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), are increasingly recognised as a global threat to biodiversity. However, not all susceptible host populations are equally impacted by these disease outbreaks. While some populations persist despite intense infections and high mortality rates, others can transition to enzootic coexistence with the pathogen. Here, we use comparative peptidomics to identify differences in antimicrobial peptide (AMP) maturation in the Bd-susceptible Common midwife toads (Alytes obstetricans) through metamorphosis. Here, we show that animals that metamorphose prior to AMP immune maturation display a low-AMP-diversity phenotype, which is deficient in anti-Bd AMPs. Where a high incidence of post-metamorphic animals occurs with immature AMPs, populations are associated with epizootic disease dynamics. Conversely, populations associated with mature AMPs remain stable following pathogen invasion. Our results show that even intrinsically susceptible amphibian species can possess the tools that allow populations to recover following a severe Bd epizootic.