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Spatial heterogeneity, frequency-dependent selection and polymorphism in host-parasite interactions.

Aurélien Tellier¹, James K M Brown

¹Section of Evolutionary Biology, Biocenter, University of Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany. tellier@biologie.uni-muenchen.de

BMC Evolutionary Biology

|November 3, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Gene-for-gene interactions in spatially structured populations maintain genetic diversity. Environmental variation in fitness costs drives negative frequency-dependent selection, ensuring balanced polymorphism in host-parasite systems.

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Population genetics
Ecology

Background:

Genomic analysis reveals diverse genes in host resistance and parasite effectors (avirulence genes).
The geographic mosaic of coevolution theory suggests spatially structured metapopulations maintain genetic variation.
Gene-for-gene interactions are crucial in plant-parasite dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate population genetic processes maintaining balanced polymorphism in spatially structured plant-parasite systems.
To model gene-for-gene relationships under varying environmental conditions and gene flow.

Main Methods:

Analysis of a theoretical model with two demes exhibiting different environments and coupled by gene flow.
Inclusion of fitness costs for host resistance, parasite virulence, disease, and unsuccessful attacks.
Numerical simulations using a multiple deme island model.

Main Results:

Migration generates negative frequency-dependent selection, a condition for stable polymorphism.
Heterogeneity in fitness costs of resistance and virulence alleles preferentially maintains balanced polymorphism.
Fitness costs influence the oscillation frequencies of host resistance and parasite avirulence alleles; differing costs lead to amplitude death of oscillations.

Conclusions:

Theoretical results underscore the importance of empirical studies measuring environmental heterogeneity in genetic costs.
Suggests further research to investigate the generality of this mechanism for maintaining long-term genetic diversity in host-parasite interactions.