Pathogen growth and virulence dynamics drive the host evolution against coinfections
Srijan Seal1, Dipendra Nath Basu1, Kripanjali Ghosh1
1Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, Sonepat, Haryana 131029, India.
Summary
Coinfections significantly impact host adaptation, with fast-acting pathogens delaying host immune evolution. Understanding pathogen dynamics is crucial for predicting host responses to multiple infections.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Immunology
- Microbial ecology
Background:
- Coinfections are common and impact global health, yet research often focuses on single-pathogen interactions.
- The evolutionary consequences of coinfections on host adaptation and immunity are largely unknown.
- Individual pathogen characteristics, like growth and virulence, may influence host evolutionary trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how coinfecting pathogens with different dynamics affect host adaptation.
- To determine the role of pathogen growth and virulence in shaping host immune evolution during coinfection.
- To compare host adaptation rates against single versus multiple infections.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling combined with experimental evolution in the insect model *Tribolium castaneum*.
- Exposing hosts to two bacterial coinfecting pathogens with contrasting growth and virulence dynamics.
- Utilizing RNA sequencing (RNAseq) to analyze host immune responses.
Main Results:
- Host adaptation against coinfections was significantly delayed, especially when fast-acting pathogens were involved.
- Hosts evolved rapid survival against slow-growing pathogens but showed delayed adaptation in coinfection scenarios.
- RNAseq revealed limited immune modulation capabilities against fast-acting pathogens, potentially due to costly and pleiotropic immune responses.
Conclusions:
- Pathogen growth and virulence dynamics critically regulate host adaptive responses during coinfections.
- Fast-acting pathogens can hinder host adaptation by limiting effective immune responses.
- Understanding pathogen-specific traits is essential for predicting evolutionary outcomes in coinfected populations.
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