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Infection of Zebrafish Larvae with Aspergillus Spores for Analysis of Host-Pathogen Interactions
Published on: May 16, 2020
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Host-pathogen coevolution increases genetic variation in susceptibility to infection.
Elizabeth Ml Duxbury1,2, Jonathan P Day1, Davide Maria Vespasiani1
1Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Elife
|May 1, 2019
Summary
Pathogen exposure drives genetic variation in host susceptibility. Coevolved pathogens, unlike novel ones, significantly increase genetic diversity in host resistance, often due to major resistance genes.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Genetics
- Pathogen-host interactions
Background:
- Natural populations exhibit substantial genetic variation in infection susceptibility.
- The role of natural selection, particularly from pathogens, in shaping this variation is a key question in evolutionary genetics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if natural selection by pathogens increases genetic variation in host susceptibility.
- To compare genetic variation in host susceptibility to coevolved versus novel pathogens.
Main Methods:
- A large cross-infection experiment was conducted using four species of *Drosophila* and four host-specific viruses.
- The genetic architecture of resistance was examined in one host species.
Main Results:
- Greater genetic variation in host susceptibility was consistently observed for viruses that had coevolved with their host.
- More major-effect genetic variants influencing resistance were identified in coevolved host-pathogen interactions.
Conclusions:
- Pathogen-driven selection has demonstrably increased genetic variation in host susceptibility.
- Major-effect resistance polymorphisms within populations are a significant factor contributing to this increased variation.
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