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Published on: March 7, 2019
Epistatic interactions alter dynamics of multilocus gene-for-gene coevolution
Andy Fenton1, Michael A Brockhurst
1School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Plos One
|November 9, 2007
Summary
Interactions between multiple host resistance and parasite virulence genes, known as epistasis, significantly impact host-parasite coevolution. The specific form of this epistasis, particularly how costs accumulate, dictates the stability of coevolutionary dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Population genetics
- Ecology
Background:
- Fitness costs of resistance and virulence genes are central to gene-for-gene (GFG) host-parasite coevolutionary dynamics.
- The role of epistasis (interactions between multiple genes) in these dynamics is less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the functional form of epistasis between virulence genes affects GFG host-parasite coevolution.
- To determine if epistasis type influences the stability and patterns of coevolutionary dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Modification of a classic multilocus gene-for-gene (GFG) model.
- Inclusion of different functional forms of epistasis between virulence genes.
Main Results:
- Epistasis between virulence genes is a major determinant of coevolutionary dynamics.
- Acceleratingly costly epistasis (negative) promotes coevolutionary fluctuations more than linear or deceleratingly costly epistasis (positive).
Conclusions:
- The specific interaction forms (epistasis) among multiple resistance or virulence genes are critical for understanding host-parasite coevolutionary dynamics.
- Epistatic interactions can lead to unpredictable or fluctuating evolutionary trajectories.
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