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Antagonistic experimental coevolution with a parasite increases host recombination frequency.

Niels A G Kerstes¹, Camillo Bérénos, Paul Schmid-Hempel

¹ETH Zürich, Institute of Integrative Biology, Experimental Ecology, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland. niels.kerstes@env.ethz.ch

BMC Evolutionary Biology

|February 15, 2012

Summary

Evolutionary biology faces challenges in understanding meiotic recombination. This study shows host-parasite coevolution increases recombination rates in Tribolium castaneum, supporting the Red Queen Hypothesis.

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary Biology
Genetics
Microbiology

Background:

Meiotic recombination's evolution and maintenance remain significant challenges in evolutionary biology.
The Red Queen Hypothesis proposes that recombination provides an advantage to hosts coevolving with parasites.
This study investigates these dynamics using experimental coevolution.

Purpose of the Study:

To experimentally test the Red Queen Hypothesis's prediction of increased recombination under host-parasite coevolution.
To investigate the adaptive significance of recombination in the context of evolving host-parasite interactions.

Main Methods:

Experimental coevolution between the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) and its parasite (Nosema whitei).
Direct measurement of recombination frequency in host populations over 11 generations.
Analysis of genotypic and phenotypic changes to understand coevolutionary dynamics.

Main Results:

Recombination frequency significantly increased in the host population after 11 generations of coevolution.
Coevolved host lines maintained higher genetic diversity compared to control lines.
The observed increase in recombination was identified as an adaptive host response under Red Queen dynamics.

Conclusions:

Provides direct experimental evidence for increased recombination frequency during host-parasite coevolution.
Supports the Red Queen Hypothesis as a likely explanation for the observed increase in recombination.
Highlights the adaptive role of recombination in hosts engaged in an evolutionary arms race with their parasites.