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Sex as a strategy against rapidly evolving parasites
Stuart K J R Auld1, Shona K Tinkler2, Matthew C Tinsley2
1Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Room 3B164, Cottrell Building, Stirling, Stirlingshire FK9 4LA, UK s.k.auld@stir.ac.uk.
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|December 23, 2016
Summary
Sexual reproduction, though costly, is favored by parasites. Daphnia magna crustaceans showed that sexual offspring resist parasites better than asexual offspring, supporting the Red Queen hypothesis.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Reproductive Strategies
- Parasitology
Background:
- Asexual reproduction is less costly than sexual reproduction.
- Sexual reproduction disrupts coadapted gene complexes and incurs costs related to mate finding and male production.
- Theory suggests parasites drive the evolution of sexual reproduction due to increased genetic variation in offspring, aiding escape from coevolved parasites.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of parasites in maintaining sexual reproduction.
- To test the Red Queen hypothesis using Daphnia magna and its parasite Pasteuria ramosa.
Main Methods:
- Obtained sexually and asexually produced Daphnia magna offspring.
- Exposed offspring to contemporary or year-later isolated Pasteuria ramosa parasites.
- Compared infection resistance between sexual and asexual offspring.
Main Results:
- Parasites adapted rapidly to replicate within asexual offspring but not sexual offspring.
- Sexual offspring exhibited twice the resistance to infection compared to asexual offspring when exposed to parasites that had coevolved with their parents.
- These findings indicate that the benefits of sex can be large and rapid.
Conclusions:
- Parasite-driven selection provides a strong selective advantage for sexual reproduction.
- The Red Queen hypothesis is supported by the rapid adaptation of parasites to asexual hosts, while sexual hosts maintain resistance.
- Facultative sexual reproduction in Daphnia magna is favored by the dynamic host-parasite interaction.
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