Does genetic diversity hinder parasite evolution in social insect colonies?

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Does genetic diversity hinder parasite evolution in social insect colonies? / Hughes, William Owen Hamar; Boomsma, Jacobus Jan.

In: Journal of Evolutionary Biology, Vol. 19, No. 1, 2006, p. 132-143.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Hughes, WOH & Boomsma, JJ 2006, 'Does genetic diversity hinder parasite evolution in social insect colonies?', Journal of Evolutionary Biology, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 132-143. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1420-9101.2005.00979.x

APA

Hughes, W. O. H., & Boomsma, J. J. (2006). Does genetic diversity hinder parasite evolution in social insect colonies? Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 19(1), 132-143. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1420-9101.2005.00979.x

Vancouver

Hughes WOH, Boomsma JJ. Does genetic diversity hinder parasite evolution in social insect colonies? Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 2006;19(1):132-143. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1420-9101.2005.00979.x

Author

Hughes, William Owen Hamar ; Boomsma, Jacobus Jan. / Does genetic diversity hinder parasite evolution in social insect colonies?. In: Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 2006 ; Vol. 19, No. 1. pp. 132-143.

Bibtex

@article{add9050074c211dbbee902004c4f4f50,
title = "Does genetic diversity hinder parasite evolution in social insect colonies?",
abstract = "Polyandry is often difficult to explain because benefits of the behaviour have proved elusive. In social insects, polyandry increases the genetic diversity of workers within a colony and this has been suggested to improve the resistance of the colony to disease. Here we examine the possible impact of host genetic diversity on parasite evolution by carrying out serial passages of a virulent fungal pathogen through leaf-cutting ant workers of known genotypes. Parasite virulence increased over the nine-generation span of the experiment while spore production decreased. The effect of host relatedness upon virulence appeared limited. However, parasites cycled through more genetically diverse hosts were more likely to go extinct during the experiment and parasites cycled through more genetically similar hosts had greater spore production. These results indicate that host genetic diversity may indeed hinder the ability of parasites to adapt while cycling within social insect colonies.",
author = "Hughes, {William Owen Hamar} and Boomsma, {Jacobus Jan}",
note = "KEYWORDS Acromyrmex • entomopathogen • leaf-cutting ant • Metarhizium • polyandry • serial passage experiment • virulence",
year = "2006",
doi = "10.1111/j.1420-9101.2005.00979.x",
language = "English",
volume = "19",
pages = "132--143",
journal = "Journal of Evolutionary Biology",
issn = "1010-061X",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Does genetic diversity hinder parasite evolution in social insect colonies?

AU - Hughes, William Owen Hamar

AU - Boomsma, Jacobus Jan

N1 - KEYWORDS Acromyrmex • entomopathogen • leaf-cutting ant • Metarhizium • polyandry • serial passage experiment • virulence

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - Polyandry is often difficult to explain because benefits of the behaviour have proved elusive. In social insects, polyandry increases the genetic diversity of workers within a colony and this has been suggested to improve the resistance of the colony to disease. Here we examine the possible impact of host genetic diversity on parasite evolution by carrying out serial passages of a virulent fungal pathogen through leaf-cutting ant workers of known genotypes. Parasite virulence increased over the nine-generation span of the experiment while spore production decreased. The effect of host relatedness upon virulence appeared limited. However, parasites cycled through more genetically diverse hosts were more likely to go extinct during the experiment and parasites cycled through more genetically similar hosts had greater spore production. These results indicate that host genetic diversity may indeed hinder the ability of parasites to adapt while cycling within social insect colonies.

AB - Polyandry is often difficult to explain because benefits of the behaviour have proved elusive. In social insects, polyandry increases the genetic diversity of workers within a colony and this has been suggested to improve the resistance of the colony to disease. Here we examine the possible impact of host genetic diversity on parasite evolution by carrying out serial passages of a virulent fungal pathogen through leaf-cutting ant workers of known genotypes. Parasite virulence increased over the nine-generation span of the experiment while spore production decreased. The effect of host relatedness upon virulence appeared limited. However, parasites cycled through more genetically diverse hosts were more likely to go extinct during the experiment and parasites cycled through more genetically similar hosts had greater spore production. These results indicate that host genetic diversity may indeed hinder the ability of parasites to adapt while cycling within social insect colonies.

U2 - 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2005.00979.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2005.00979.x

M3 - Journal article

VL - 19

SP - 132

EP - 143

JO - Journal of Evolutionary Biology

JF - Journal of Evolutionary Biology

SN - 1010-061X

IS - 1

ER -

ID: 80453