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Do vertically transmitted symbionts co-existing in a single host compete or cooperate? A modelling approach
E Vautrin1, S Genieys1, S Charles1
1Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive (UMR 5558), CNRS, Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, FranceInstitut Camille Jordan (UMR 5208), CNRS, Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France.
Journal of Evolutionary Biology
|January 4, 2008
Summary
Interactions between multiple symbionts within a host can lead to cooperation. This cooperation can persist even with costs to symbiont transmission or host reproduction.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Microbial Ecology
Background:
- Multiple symbiont infections are common but understudied, especially with vertical transmission.
- Vertical transmission typically homogenizes symbiont populations due to transmission bottlenecks.
- Host fitness benefits or symbiont-induced reproductive manipulations can enable multiple symbiont persistence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the types of interactions that can arise between vertically transmitted symbionts in established multiple infections.
- To understand the conditions favoring cooperation or conflict among co-infecting symbionts.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a matrix population model to simulate symbiont population dynamics.
- Focused on selection acting to maximize the production of multiply-infected offspring.
Main Results:
- Cooperation between vertically transmitted symbionts can be favored under a wide range of parameters.
- Symbiont cooperation can emerge through co-transmission, even when incurring costs.
- Costs can include reduced female fecundity, decreased individual symbiont transmission, or inter-symbiont dependencies.
Conclusions:
- Matrix population models reveal that symbiont cooperation can be evolutionarily stable in multiple infections.
- Selection for multiply-infected offspring can drive symbiotic cooperation despite potential costs.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for comprehending symbiont population ecology and evolution.
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