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Selection by parasites may increase host recombination frequency

O Fischer1, P Schmid-Hempel

  • 1ETH Zürich, Ecology & Evolution, ETH-Zentrum NW, Zürich, Switzerland.

Biology Letters
|December 7, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Parasitism can drive the evolution of genetic recombination, a process typically thought to be disadvantageous. Experiments with Tribolium castaneum beetles and Nosema whitei parasites show increased recombination rates when hosts are exposed to evolving parasites.

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genetics
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Meiotic recombination is generally considered to disrupt advantageous gene combinations.
  • The evolution of recombination is theorized to occur only under specific evolutionary pressures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To experimentally investigate the conditions under which meiotic recombination evolves.
  • To determine the role of host-parasite interactions in the evolution of recombination.

Main Methods:

  • Experiments were conducted using the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) and its microsporidian parasite (Nosema whitei).
  • Recombination rates were measured across two linkage groups in response to different parasite selection regimes.
  • Parasite exposure involved coevolution, random variation, and directional selection for insecticide resistance.

Main Results:

  • Recombination rates significantly increased in hosts exposed to coevolving parasites.
  • Exposure to randomly varied parasites had a less pronounced effect on recombination rates.
  • Directional selection for insecticide resistance initially led to a slight decrease in recombination.

Conclusions:

  • Parasitism, particularly when coevolving with the host, can be a significant factor favoring the evolution of meiotic recombination.
  • These findings suggest a potential link between host-parasite dynamics and the short-term benefits driving the evolution of sex.

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