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Host-pathogen coevolution increases genetic variation in susceptibility to infection
Duxbury, Elizabeth M. L. Day, Jonathan P. Vespasiani, Davide Maria Thüringer, Yannik Tolosana, Ignacio Smith, Sophia C. L. Tagliaferri, Lucia Kamacioglu, Altug Lindsley, Imogen Love, Luca
Duxbury, Elizabeth M. L.
Day, Jonathan P.
Vespasiani, Davide Maria
Thüringer, Yannik
Tolosana, Ignacio
Smith, Sophia C. L.
Tagliaferri, Lucia
Kamacioglu, Altug
Lindsley, Imogen
Love, Luca
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Abstract
It is common to find considerable genetic variation in susceptibility to infection in natural populations. We have investigated whether natural selection increases this variation by testing whether host populations show more genetic variation in susceptibility to pathogens that they naturally encounter than novel pathogens. In a large cross-infection experiment involving four species of Drosophila and four host-specific viruses, we always found greater genetic variation in susceptibility to viruses that had coevolved with their host. We went on to examine the genetic architecture of resistance in one host species, finding that there are more major-effect genetic variants in coevolved host-pathogen interactions. We conclude that selection by pathogens has increased genetic variation in host susceptibility, and much of this effect is caused by the occurrence of major-effect resistance polymorphisms within populations.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Date
2019-04-30
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eLife Sciences Publications
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eLife 2019;8:e46440