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Minias P, Pap PL, Vincze O, Vágási CI. Correlated evolution of oxidative physiology and MHC-based immunosurveillance in birds. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240686. [PMID: 38889785 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Maintenance and activation of the immune system incur costs, not only in terms of substrates and energy but also via collateral oxidative damage to host cells or tissues during immune response. So far, associations between immune function and oxidative damage have been primarily investigated at intra-specific scales. Here, we hypothesized that pathogen-driven selection should favour the evolution of effective immunosurveillance mechanisms (e.g. major histocompatibility complex, MHC) and antioxidant defences to mitigate oxidative damage resulting from immune function. Using phylogenetically informed comparative approaches, we provided evidence for the correlated evolution of host oxidative physiology and MHC-based immunosurveillance in birds. Species selected for more robust MHC-based immunosurveillance (higher gene copy numbers and allele diversity) showed stronger antioxidant defences, although selection for MHC diversity still showed a positive evolutionary association with oxidative damage to lipids. Our results indicate that historical pathogen-driven selection for highly duplicated and diverse MHC could have promoted the evolution of efficient antioxidant mechanisms, but these evolutionary solutions may be insufficient to keep oxidative stress at bounds. Although the precise nature of mechanistic links between the MHC and oxidative stress remains unclear, our study suggests that a general evolutionary investment in immune function may require co-adaptations at the level of host oxidative metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Minias
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, University of Lodz, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Banacha 1/3, 90-237 Lodz, Poland
| | - Péter L Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Wetland Ecology Research Group, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Debrecen, Hungary
- ImmunoConcEpT, University of Bordeaux, CNRS UMR 5164, Bordeaux, France
| | - Csongor I Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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2
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In silico design of a polypeptide as a vaccine candidate against ascariasis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3504. [PMID: 36864139 PMCID: PMC9981566 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30445-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Ascariasis is the most prevalent zoonotic helminthic disease worldwide, and is responsible for nutritional deficiencies, particularly hindering the physical and neurological development of children. The appearance of anthelmintic resistance in Ascaris is a risk for the target of eliminating ascariasis as a public health problem by 2030 set by the World Health Organisation. The development of a vaccine could be key to achieving this target. Here we have applied an in silico approach to design a multi-epitope polypeptide that contains T-cell and B-cell epitopes of reported novel potential vaccination targets, alongside epitopes from established vaccination candidates. An artificial toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) adjuvant (RS09) was added to improve immunogenicity. The constructed peptide was found to be non-allergic, non-toxic, with adequate antigenic and physicochemical characteristics, such as solubility and potential expression in Escherichia coli. A tertiary structure of the polypeptide was used to predict the presence of discontinuous B-cell epitopes and to confirm the molecular binding stability with TLR2 and TLR4 molecules. Immune simulations predicted an increase in B-cell and T-cell immune response after injection. This polypeptide can now be validated experimentally and compared to other vaccine candidates to assess its possible impact in human health.
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3
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Evangelista FMD, van Vliet AHM, Lawton SP, Betson M. A reverse vaccinology approach identifies putative vaccination targets in the zoonotic nematode Ascaris. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:1014198. [PMID: 36387396 PMCID: PMC9665164 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1014198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Ascariasis is the most prevalent helminthic disease affecting both humans and pigs and is caused by the roundworms Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum. While preventive chemotherapy continues to be the most common control method, recent reports of anthelminthic resistance highlight the need for development of a vaccine against ascariasis. The aim of this study was to use a reverse vaccinology approach to identify potential vaccine candidates for Ascaris. Three Ascaris proteomes predicted from whole-genome sequences were analyzed. Candidate proteins were identified using open-access bioinformatic tools (e.g., Vacceed, VaxiJen, Bepipred 2.0) which test for different characteristics such as sub-cellular location, T-cell and B-cell molecular binding, antigenicity, allergenicity and phylogenetic relationship with other nematode proteins. From over 100,000 protein sequences analyzed, four transmembrane proteins were predicted to be non-allergen antigens and potential vaccine candidates. The four proteins are a Piezo protein, two voltage-dependent calcium channels and a protocadherin-like protein, are all expressed in either the muscle or ovaries of both Ascaris species, and all contained high affinity epitopes for T-cells and B-cells. The use of a reverse vaccinology approach allowed the prediction of four new potential vaccination targets against ascariasis in humans and pigs. These targets can now be further tested in in vitro and in vivo assays to prove efficacy in both pigs and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco M. D. Evangelista
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Arnoud H. M. van Vliet
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Scott P. Lawton
- Centre for Epidemiology and Planetary Health, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Northern Faculty, Scotland's Rural University College (SRUC), An Lòchran, Inverness, United Kingdom
| | - Martha Betson
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Martha Betson
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4
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Minias P, Palomar G, Dudek K, Babik W. Salamanders reveal novel trajectories of amphibian MHC evolution. Evolution 2022; 76:2436-2449. [PMID: 36000494 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) code for immune proteins that are crucial for pathogen recognition in vertebrates. MHC research in nonmodel taxa has long been hampered by its genomic complexity that makes the locus-specific genotyping challenging. The recent progress in sequencing and genotyping methodologies allows an extensive phylogenetic coverage in studies of MHC evolution. Here, we analyzed the peptide-binding region of MHC class I (MHC-I) in 30 species of salamanders from six families representative of Urodela phylogeny. This extensive dataset revealed an extreme diversity of MHC-I in salamanders, both in terms of sequence diversity (about 3000 variants) and architecture (2-22 gene copies per species). The signal of positive selection was moderate and consistent between both peptide-binding domains, but varied greatly between genera. Positions of positively selected sites mostly coincided with human peptide-binding sites, suggesting similar structural properties of MHC-I molecules across distant vertebrate lineages. Finally, we provided evidence for the common intraexonic recombination at MHC-I and for the role of life history traits in the processes of MHC-I expansion/contraction. Our study revealed novel evolutionary trajectories of amphibian MHC and it contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms that generated extraordinary MHC diversity throughout vertebrate evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Minias
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Łódź, 90-237, Poland
| | - Gemma Palomar
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, 30-387, Poland.,Parasitology Unit, Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad de Alcalá (UAH), Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, 28805, Spain
| | - Katarzyna Dudek
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, 30-387, Poland
| | - Wiesław Babik
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, 30-387, Poland
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5
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Phillips KP, Cable J, Mohammed RS, Chmielewski S, Przesmycka KJ, van Oosterhout C, Radwan J. Functional immunogenetic variation, rather than local adaptation, predicts ectoparasite infection intensity in a model fish species. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:5588-5604. [PMID: 34415650 PMCID: PMC9292977 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Natural host populations differ in their susceptibility to infection by parasites, and these intrapopulation differences are still an incompletely understood component of host‐parasite dynamics. In this study, we used controlled infection experiments with wild‐caught guppies (Poecilia reticulata) and their ectoparasite Gyrodactylus turnbulli to investigate the roles of local adaptation and host genetic composition (immunogenetic and neutral) in explaining differences in susceptibility to infection. We found differences between our four study host populations that were consistent between two parasite source populations, with no indication of local adaptation by either host or parasite at two tested spatial scales. Greater values of host population genetic variability metrics broadly aligned with lower population mean infection intensity, with the best alignments associated with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) “supertypes”. Controlling for intrapopulation differences and potential inbreeding variance, we found a significant negative relationship between individual‐level functional MHC variability and infection: fish carrying more MHC supertypes experienced infections of lower severity, with limited evidence for supertype‐specific effects. We conclude that population‐level differences in host infection susceptibility probably reflect variation in parasite selective pressure and/or host evolutionary potential, underpinned by functional immunogenetic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl P Phillips
- Evolutionary Biology Group, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland.,School of Biological Earth & Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Marine Institute, Newport, Co. Mayo, Ireland
| | - Joanne Cable
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Ryan S Mohammed
- Evolutionary Biology Group, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland.,Department of Life Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Sebastian Chmielewski
- Evolutionary Biology Group, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Karolina J Przesmycka
- Evolutionary Biology Group, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Cock van Oosterhout
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Jacek Radwan
- Evolutionary Biology Group, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
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6
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Buckner JC, Jack KM, Melin AD, Schoof VAM, Gutiérrez-Espeleta GA, Lima MGM, Lynch JW. Major histocompatibility complex class II DR and DQ evolution and variation in wild capuchin monkey species (Cebinae). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254604. [PMID: 34383779 PMCID: PMC8360539 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is an important gene complex contributing to adaptive immunity. Studies of platyrrhine MHC have focused on identifying experimental models of immune system function in the equivalent Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA). These genes have thus been explored primarily in captive platyrrhine individuals from research colonies. However, investigations of standing MHC variation and evolution in wild populations are essential to understanding its role in immunity, sociality and ecology. Capuchins are a promising model group exhibiting the greatest habitat diversity, widest diet breadth and arguably the most social complexity among platyrrhines, together likely resulting in varied immunological challenges. We use high-throughput sequencing to characterize polymorphism in four Class II DR and DQ exons for the first time in seven capuchin species. We find evidence for at least three copies for DQ genes and at least five for DRB, with possible additional unrecovered diversity. Our data also reveal common genotypes that are inherited across our most widely sampled population, Cebus imitator in Sector Santa Rosa, Costa Rica. Notably, phylogenetic analyses reveal that platyrrhine DQA sequences form a monophyletic group to the exclusion of all Catarrhini sequences examined. This result is inconsistent with the trans-species hypothesis for MHC evolution across infraorders in Primates and provides further evidence for the independent origin of current MHC genetic diversity in Platyrrhini. Identical allele sharing across cebid species, and more rarely genera, however, does underscore the complexity of MHC gene evolution and the need for more comprehensive assessments of allelic diversity and genome structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet C. Buckner
- Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JCB); (JWL)
| | - Katharine M. Jack
- Department of Anthropology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Amanda D. Melin
- Department of Anthropology & Archaeology and Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Valérie A. M. Schoof
- Bilingual Biology Program, Glendon College, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Marcela G. M. Lima
- Laboratory of Conservation Biogeography and Macroecology, Federal University of Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Jessica W. Lynch
- Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JCB); (JWL)
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7
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Minias P, Gutiérrez JS, Dunn PO. Avian major histocompatibility complex copy number variation is associated with helminth richness. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200194. [PMID: 32634375 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) play a key role in the adaptive immunity of vertebrates, as they encode receptors responsible for antigen recognition. Evolutionary history of the MHC proceeded through numerous gene duplications, which increase the spectrum of pathogens recognized by individuals. Although pathogen-mediated selection is believed to be a primary driver of MHC expansion over evolutionary times, empirical evidence for this association is virtually lacking. Here, we used an extensive dataset on MHC class II copy number variation in non-passerine birds to test for an evolutionary correlation with helminth parasite richness. As expected, our phylogenetically-informed modelling revealed a positive association between MHC copy number and total helminth richness, even after controlling for a broad spectrum of ecological and life-history traits. Thus, total helminth richness appears to be the most important correlate of MHC copy number, supporting a leading role of pathogen-mediated selection in the evolution of MHC in birds. Our results provide some of the first, although correlative, evidence linking parasitism to interspecific variation in MHC copy number among birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Minias
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 1/3, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Jorge S Gutiérrez
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, 06006, Spain
| | - Peter O Dunn
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 1/3, 90-237 Łódź, Poland.,Behavioral and Molecular Ecology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
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8
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Evolution of major histocompatibility complex gene copy number. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1007015. [PMID: 31095555 PMCID: PMC6541284 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
MHC genes, which code for proteins responsible for presenting pathogen-derived antigens to the host immune system, show remarkable copy-number variation both between and within species. However, the evolutionary forces driving this variation are poorly understood. Here, we use computer simulations to investigate whether evolution of the number of MHC variants in the genome can be shaped by the number of pathogen species the host population encounters (pathogen richness). Our model assumed that while increasing a range of pathogens recognised, expressing additional MHC variants also incurs costs such as an increased risk of autoimmunity. We found that pathogen richness selected for high MHC copy number only when the costs were low. Furthermore, the shape of the association was modified by the rate of pathogen evolution, with faster pathogen mutation rates selecting for increased host MHC copy number, but only when pathogen richness was low to moderate. Thus, taking into account factors other than pathogen richness may help explain wide variation between vertebrate species in the number of MHC genes. Within population, variation in the number of unique MHC variants carried by individuals (INV) was observed under most parameter combinations, except at low pathogen richness. This variance gave rise to positive correlations between INV and host immunocompetence (proportion of pathogens recognised). However, within-population variation in host immunocompetence declined with pathogen richness. Thus, counterintuitively, pathogens can contribute more to genetic variance for host fitness in species exposed to fewer pathogen species, with consequences to predictions from “Hamilton-Zuk” theory of sexual selection. Highly polymorphic genes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) code for proteins responsible for presenting antigens to lymphocytes, thus initiating adaptive immune response. The polymorphism is driven by coevolution with parasites which are selected to evade recognition by MHC proteins. Expressing many MHC molecules could ensure that an individual could present antigens of most pathogen species encountered, but this comes at a cost, such as enhanced negative selection on lymphocytes leading to holes in T-cell receptor repertoire. Our simulations showed that evolution of the number of MHC genes in the genome is driven by a complex interaction between three factors we explored: pathogen richness, the intrinsic cost of expressing additional MHC variants, and pathogen mutation rate. In contrast to verbal arguments, our results indicate that pathogen richness does not always selects for MHC gene family expansion. Taking into account factors other than pathogen richness, in particular costs of expressing additional MHC variants which are still poorly understood, may help explain striking interspecific variation in the number of MHC genes. Counterintuitively, our results also demonstrated that opportunity for selection on immunocompetence should decrease with MHC gene family expansion.
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9
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Kaesler E, Kappeler PM, Brameier M, Demeler J, Kraus C, Rakotoniaina JH, Hämäläinen AM, Huchard E. Shared evolutionary origin of major histocompatibility complex polymorphism in sympatric lemurs. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:5629-5645. [PMID: 28833696 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) play a central role in adaptive immune responses of vertebrates. They exhibit remarkable polymorphism, often crossing species boundaries with similar alleles or allelic motifs shared across species. This pattern may reflect parallel parasite-mediated selective pressures, either favouring the long maintenance of ancestral MHC allelic lineages across successive speciation events by balancing selection ("trans-species polymorphism"), or alternatively favouring the independent emergence of functionally similar alleles post-speciation via convergent evolution. Here, we investigate the origins of MHC similarity across several species of dwarf and mouse lemurs (Cheirogaleidae). We examined MHC class II variation in two highly polymorphic loci (DRB, DQB) and evaluated the overlap of gut-parasite communities in four sympatric lemurs. We tested for parasite-MHC associations across species to determine whether similar parasite pressures may select for similar MHC alleles in different species. Next, we integrated our MHC data with those previously obtained from other Cheirogaleidae to investigate the relative contribution of convergent evolution and co-ancestry to shared MHC polymorphism by contrasting patterns of codon usage at functional vs. neutral sites. Our results indicate that parasites shared across species may select for functionally similar MHC alleles, implying that the dynamics of MHC-parasite co-evolution should be envisaged at the community level. We further show that balancing selection maintaining trans-species polymorphism, rather than convergent evolution, is the primary mechanism explaining shared MHC sequence motifs between species that diverged up to 30 million years ago.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Kaesler
- Deutsches Primatenzentrum GmbH - Leibniz-Institut für Primatenforschung, Verhaltensökologie & Soziobiologie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Peter M Kappeler
- Deutsches Primatenzentrum GmbH - Leibniz-Institut für Primatenforschung, Verhaltensökologie & Soziobiologie, Göttingen, Germany.,Johann Friedrich Blumenbach Institut für Zoologie & Anthropologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Brameier
- Deutsches Primatenzentrum GmbH - Leibniz-Institut für Primatenforschung, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Janina Demeler
- Institut für Parasitologie und Tropenveterinärmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cornelia Kraus
- Deutsches Primatenzentrum GmbH - Leibniz-Institut für Primatenforschung, Verhaltensökologie & Soziobiologie, Göttingen, Germany.,Johann Friedrich Blumenbach Institut für Zoologie & Anthropologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Josué H Rakotoniaina
- Johann Friedrich Blumenbach Institut für Zoologie & Anthropologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anni M Hämäläinen
- Johann Friedrich Blumenbach Institut für Zoologie & Anthropologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Elise Huchard
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Montpellier (ISEM, UMR 5554), CNRS, Université Montpellier, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
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10
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Characterization of major histocompatibility complex class I, and class II DRB loci of captive and wild Indian leopards (Panthera pardus fusca). Genetica 2017; 145:541-558. [DOI: 10.1007/s10709-017-9979-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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11
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Minias P, Whittingham LA, Dunn PO. Coloniality and migration are related to selection on MHC genes in birds. Evolution 2016; 71:432-441. [PMID: 27921293 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Revised: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plays a key role in pathogen recognition as a part of the vertebrate adaptive immune system. The great diversity of MHC genes in natural populations is maintained by different forms of balancing selection and its strength should correlate with the diversity of pathogens to which a population is exposed and the rate of exposure. Despite this prediction, little is known about how life-history characteristics affect selection at the MHC. Here, we examined whether the strength of balancing selection on MHC class II genes in birds (as measured with nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions, dN) was related to their social or migratory behavior, two life-history characteristics correlated with pathogen exposure. Our comparative analysis indicated that the rate of nonsynonymous substitutions was higher in colonial and migratory species than solitary and resident species, suggesting that the strength of balancing selection increases with coloniality and migratory status. These patterns could be attributed to: (1) elevated transmission rates of pathogens in species that breed in dense aggregations, or (2) exposure to a more diverse fauna of pathogens and parasites in migratory species. Our study suggests that differences in social structure and basic ecological traits influence MHC diversity in natural vertebrate populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Minias
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, University of Łódź, Banacha 1/3, 90-237, Łódź, Poland
| | - Linda A Whittingham
- Behavioral and Molecular Ecology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Peter O Dunn
- Behavioral and Molecular Ecology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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12
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Winternitz J, Abbate JL, Huchard E, Havlíček J, Garamszegi LZ. Patterns of MHC-dependent mate selection in humans and nonhuman primates: a meta-analysis. Mol Ecol 2016; 26:668-688. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Revised: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Winternitz
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology; August-Thienemann-Strasse 2 24306 Ploen Germany
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology; Czech Academy of Sciences; v.v.i. Květná 8 603 65 Brno Czech Republic
- Institute of Botany; Czech Academy of Sciences; v.v.i. Lidická 25/27 657 20 Brno Czech Republic
| | - J. L. Abbate
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution; University of Bern; Balterstrasse 6 3006 Bern Switzerland
- INRA - UMR 1062 CBGP (INRA; IRD; CIRAD; Montpellier SupAgro); 755 Avenue du campus Agropolis 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez France
| | - E. Huchard
- CEFE UMR5175; CNRS - Université de Montpellier - EPHE; 1919 Route de Mende 34295 Montpellier Cedex 5 France
| | - J. Havlíček
- Department of Zoology; Faculty of Science; Charles University; Viničná 7 128 44 Prague 2 Czech Republic
| | - L. Z. Garamszegi
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology; Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC; c/Americo Vespucio s/n 41092 Seville Spain
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13
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Capellini I, Nunn CL, Barton RA. Microparasites and Placental Invasiveness in Eutherian Mammals. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0132563. [PMID: 26168031 PMCID: PMC4500545 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Placental invasiveness-the number of maternal tissue layers separating fetal tissues from maternal blood-is variable across mammalian species. Although this diversity is likely to be functionally important, variation in placental invasiveness remains unexplained. Here we test the hypothesis that increased risk of transplacental transmission of pathogens from the mother to the fetus promotes the evolution of non-invasive placentation, the most likely derived condition in eutherian mammals. Specifically, we predict that non-invasive placentation is associated with increased microparasite species richness relative to more invasive placental types, based on the assumption that higher numbers of microparasites in a population reflects greater risk of transplacental transmission to fetuses. As predicted, higher bacteria species richness is associated with non-invasive placentation. Protozoa species richness, however, shows the opposite pattern. Because invasive placentae facilitate the transfer of maternal antibodies to the fetus, we propose that the ancestral condition of invasive placentation is retained under selection for protection of newborns from higher risk of postnatal protozoan infection. Hence, our findings suggest that a tradeoff exists between protection against bacterial infection prenatally and protozoan infection postnatally. Future studies are needed to investigate how maternal prevalence of infection and the relative pre- versus postnatal risk of fetal infection by different microparasite groups vary among mammalian hosts in relation to placental invasiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Capellini
- School of Biological, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, United Kingdom
| | - Charles L. Nunn
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology & Duke Global Health Institute Biological Sciences, Duke University, Durham NC, United States of America
| | - Robert A. Barton
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
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14
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Nguyen N, Fashing PJ, Boyd DA, Barry TS, Burke RJ, Goodale CB, Jones SCZ, Kerby JT, Kellogg BS, Lee LM, Miller CM, Nurmi NO, Ramsay MS, Reynolds JD, Stewart KM, Turner TJ, Venkataraman VV, Knauf Y, Roos C, Knauf S. Fitness impacts of tapeworm parasitism on wild gelada monkeys at Guassa, Ethiopia. Am J Primatol 2015; 77:579-94. [PMID: 25716944 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Revised: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Parasitism is expected to impact host morbidity or mortality, although the fitness costs of parasitism have rarely been quantified for wildlife hosts. Tapeworms in the genus Taenia exploit a variety of vertebrates, including livestock, humans, and geladas (Theropithecus gelada), monkeys endemic to the alpine grasslands of Ethiopia. Despite Taenia's adverse societal and economic impacts, we know little about the prevalence of disease associated with Taenia infection in wildlife or the impacts of this disease on host health, mortality and reproduction. We monitored geladas at Guassa, Ethiopia over a continuous 6½ year period for external evidence (cysts or coenuri) of Taenia-associated disease (coenurosis) and evaluated the impact of coenurosis on host survival and reproduction. We also identified (through genetic and histological analyses) the tapeworms causing coenurosis in wild geladas at Guassa as Taenia serialis. Nearly 1/3 of adult geladas at Guassa possessed ≥1 coenurus at some point in the study. Coenurosis adversely impacted gelada survival and reproduction at Guassa and this impact spanned two generations: adults with coenuri suffered higher mortality than members of their sex without coenuri and offspring of females with coenuri also suffered higher mortality. Coenurosis also negatively affected adult reproduction, lengthening interbirth intervals and reducing the likelihood that males successfully assumed reproductive control over units of females. Our study provides the first empirical evidence that coenurosis increases mortality and reduces fertility in wild nonhuman primate hosts. Our research highlights the value of longitudinal monitoring of individually recognized animals in natural populations for advancing knowledge of parasite-host evolutionary dynamics and offering clues to the etiology and control of infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nga Nguyen
- Department of Anthropology, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, California; Environmental Studies Program, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, California
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15
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Pechouskova E, Dammhahn M, Brameier M, Fichtel C, Kappeler PM, Huchard E. MHC class II variation in a rare and ecological specialist mouse lemur reveals lower allelic richness and contrasting selection patterns compared to a generalist and widespread sympatric congener. Immunogenetics 2015; 67:229-45. [PMID: 25687337 PMCID: PMC4357647 DOI: 10.1007/s00251-015-0827-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 01/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The polymorphism of immunogenes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is thought to influence the functional plasticity of immune responses and, consequently, the fitness of populations facing heterogeneous pathogenic pressures. Here, we evaluated MHC variation (allelic richness and divergence) and patterns of selection acting on the two highly polymorphic MHC class II loci (DRB and DQB) in the endangered primate Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur (Microcebus berthae). Using 454 pyrosequencing, we examined MHC variation in a total of 100 individuals sampled over 9 years in Kirindy Forest, Western Madagascar, and compared our findings with data obtained previously for its sympatric congener, the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus). These species exhibit a contrasting ecology and demography that were expected to affect MHC variation and molecular signatures of selection. We found a lower allelic richness concordant with its low population density, but a similar level of allelic divergence and signals of historical selection in the rare feeding specialist M. berthae compared to the widespread generalist M. murinus. These findings suggest that demographic factors may exert a stronger influence than pathogen-driven selection on current levels of allelic richness in M. berthae. Despite a high sequence similarity between the two congeners, contrasting selection patterns detected at DQB suggest its potential functional divergence. This study represents a first step toward unravelling factors influencing the adaptive divergence of MHC genes between closely related but ecologically differentiated sympatric lemurs and opens new questions regarding potential functional discrepancy that would explain contrasting selection patterns detected at DQB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Pechouskova
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen, Germany,
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16
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Pilosof S, Fortuna MA, Cosson JF, Galan M, Kittipong C, Ribas A, Segal E, Krasnov BR, Morand S, Bascompte J. Host-parasite network structure is associated with community-level immunogenetic diversity. Nat Commun 2014; 5:5172. [PMID: 25312328 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) encode proteins that recognize foreign antigens and are thus crucial for immune response. In a population of a single host species, parasite-mediated selection drives MHC allelic diversity. However, in a community-wide context, species interactions may modulate selection regimes because the prevalence of a given parasite in a given host may depend on its prevalence in other hosts. By combining network analysis with immunogenetics, we show that host species infected by similar parasites harbour similar alleles with similar frequencies. We further show, using a Bayesian approach, that the probability of mutual occurrence of a functional allele and a parasite in a given host individual is nonrandom and depends on other host-parasite interactions, driving co-evolution within subgroups of parasite species and functional alleles. Therefore, indirect effects among hosts and parasites can shape host MHC diversity, scaling it from the population to the community level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shai Pilosof
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology and Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
| | - Miguel A Fortuna
- Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville 41092, Spain
| | - Jean-François Cosson
- INRA, UMR CBGP (INRA/IRD/Cirad/Montpellier SupAgro), Campus International de Baillarguet, CS 30016, 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez cedex, France
| | - Maxime Galan
- INRA, UMR CBGP (INRA/IRD/Cirad/Montpellier SupAgro), Campus International de Baillarguet, CS 30016, 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez cedex, France
| | - Chaisiri Kittipong
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Alexis Ribas
- Biodiversity Research Group, Faculty of Science, Udon Thani Rajabhat University, Udon Thani 41000, Thailand
| | - Eran Segal
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Boris R Krasnov
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology and Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
| | - Serge Morand
- 1] Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution, Université Montpellier 2, Montpellier 34095, France [2] Centre de coopération International en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, Animal et Gestion Intégrée des Risques, Campus de Baillarguet, F-34093 Montpellier Cedex 5, France [3] Centre d'Infectiologie Christophe Mérieux du Laos, PO Box 3888, Samsenthai Road, Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Jordi Bascompte
- Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville 41092, Spain
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17
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Ferreira Z, Hurle B, Andrés AM, Kretzschmar WW, Mullikin JC, Cherukuri PF, Cruz P, Gonder MK, Stone AC, Tishkoff S, Swanson WJ, Green ED, Clark AG, Seixas S. Sequence diversity of Pan troglodytes subspecies and the impact of WFDC6 selective constraints in reproductive immunity. Genome Biol Evol 2013; 5:2512-23. [PMID: 24356879 PMCID: PMC3879984 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evt198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent efforts have attempted to describe the population structure of common chimpanzee, focusing on four subspecies: Pan troglodytes verus, P. t. ellioti, P. t. troglodytes, and P. t. schweinfurthii. However, few studies have pursued the effects of natural selection in shaping their response to pathogens and reproduction. Whey acidic protein (WAP) four-disulfide core domain (WFDC) genes and neighboring semenogelin (SEMG) genes encode proteins with combined roles in immunity and fertility. They display a strikingly high rate of amino acid replacement (dN/dS), indicative of adaptive pressures during primate evolution. In human populations, three signals of selection at the WFDC locus were described, possibly influencing the proteolytic profile and antimicrobial activities of the male reproductive tract. To evaluate the patterns of genomic variation and selection at the WFDC locus in chimpanzees, we sequenced 17 WFDC genes and 47 autosomal pseudogenes in 68 chimpanzees (15 P. t. troglodytes, 22 P. t. verus, and 31 P. t. ellioti). We found a clear differentiation of P. t. verus and estimated the divergence of P. t. troglodytes and P. t. ellioti subspecies in 0.173 Myr; further, at the WFDC locus we identified a signature of strong selective constraints common to the three subspecies in WFDC6—a recent paralog of the epididymal protease inhibitor EPPIN. Overall, chimpanzees and humans do not display similar footprints of selection across the WFDC locus, possibly due to different selective pressures between the two species related to immune response and reproductive biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zélia Ferreira
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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18
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Winternitz JC, Minchey SG, Garamszegi LZ, Huang S, Stephens PR, Altizer S. Sexual selection explains more functional variation in the mammalian major histocompatibility complex than parasitism. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20131605. [PMID: 23966643 PMCID: PMC3768310 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.1605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2013] [Accepted: 07/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding drivers of genetic diversity at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is vitally important for predicting how vertebrate immune defence might respond to future selection pressures and for preserving immunogenetic diversity in declining populations. Parasite-mediated selection is believed to be the major selective force generating MHC polymorphism, and while MHC-based mating preferences also exist for multiple species including humans, the general importance of mate choice is debated. To investigate the contributions of parasitism and sexual selection in explaining among-species variation in MHC diversity, we applied comparative methods and meta-analysis across 112 mammal species, including carnivores, bats, primates, rodents and ungulates. We tested whether MHC diversity increased with parasite richness and relative testes size (as an indicator of the potential for mate choice), while controlling for phylogenetic autocorrelation, neutral mutation rate and confounding ecological variables. We found that MHC nucleotide diversity increased with parasite richness for bats and ungulates but decreased with parasite richness for carnivores. By contrast, nucleotide diversity increased with relative testes size for all taxa. This study provides support for both parasite-mediated and sexual selection in shaping functional MHC polymorphism across mammals, and importantly, suggests that sexual selection could have a more general role than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C Winternitz
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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19
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Brunner FS, Schmid-Hempel P, Barribeau SM. Immune gene expression in Bombus terrestris: signatures of infection despite strong variation among populations, colonies, and sister workers. PLoS One 2013; 8:e68181. [PMID: 23869212 PMCID: PMC3712019 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 05/28/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Ecological immunology relies on variation in resistance to parasites. Colonies of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris vary in their susceptibility to the trypanosome gut parasite Crithidia bombi, which reduces colony fitness. To understand the possible origin of this variation in resistance we assayed the expression of 28 immunologically important genes in foraging workers. We deliberately included natural variation of the host "environment" by using bees from colonies collected in two locations and sampling active foraging workers that were not age controlled. Immune gene expression patterns in response to C. bombi showed remarkable variability even among genetically similar sisters. Nevertheless, expression varied with parasite exposure, among colonies and, perhaps surprisingly, strongly among populations (collection sites). While only the antimicrobial peptide abaecin is universally up regulated upon exposure, linear discriminant analysis suggests that the overall exposure effect is driven by a combination of several immune pathways and further immune functions such as ROS regulation. Also, the differences among colonies in their immune gene expression profiles provide clues to the mechanistic basis of well-known inter-colony variation in susceptibility to this parasite. Our results show that transcriptional responses to parasite exposure can be detected in ecologically heterogeneous groups despite strong background noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska S. Brunner
- Experimental Ecology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Paul Schmid-Hempel
- Experimental Ecology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Seth M. Barribeau
- Experimental Ecology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- * E-mail: .
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20
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Winternitz JC, Wares JP. Duplication and population dynamics shape historic patterns of selection and genetic variation at the major histocompatibility complex in rodents. Ecol Evol 2013; 3:1552-68. [PMID: 23789067 PMCID: PMC3686191 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2013] [Accepted: 03/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variation at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is vitally important for wildlife populations to respond to pathogen threats. As natural populations can fluctuate greatly in size, a key issue concerns how population cycles and bottlenecks that could reduce genetic diversity will influence MHC genes. Using 454 sequencing, we characterized genetic diversity at the DRB Class II locus in montane voles (Microtus montanus), a North American rodent that regularly undergoes high-amplitude fluctuations in population size. We tested for evidence of historic balancing selection, recombination, and gene duplication to identify mechanisms maintaining allelic diversity. Counter to our expectations, we found strong evidence of purifying selection acting on the DRB locus in montane voles. We speculate that the interplay between population fluctuations and gene duplication might be responsible for the weak evidence of historic balancing selection and strong evidence of purifying selection detected. To further explore this idea, we conducted a phylogenetically controlled comparative analysis across 16 rodent species with varying demographic histories and MHC duplication events (based on the maximum number of alleles detected per individual). On the basis of phylogenetic generalized linear model-averaging, we found evidence that the estimated number of duplicated loci was positively related to allelic diversity and, surprisingly, to the strength of purifying selection at the DRB locus. Our analyses also revealed that species that had undergone population bottlenecks had lower allelic richness than stable species. This study highlights the need to consider demographic history and genetic structure alongside patterns of natural selection to understand resulting patterns of genetic variation at the MHC.
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21
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Gohli J, Anmarkrud JA, Johnsen A, Kleven O, Borge T, Lifjeld JT. FEMALE PROMISCUITY IS POSITIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH NEUTRAL AND SELECTED GENETIC DIVERSITY IN PASSERINE BIRDS. Evolution 2013; 67:1406-19. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2012] [Accepted: 12/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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22
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Ward JM, Vallender EJ. The resurgence and genetic implications of New World primates in biomedical research. Trends Genet 2012; 28:586-91. [PMID: 23099234 PMCID: PMC3500444 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2012.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2012] [Revised: 06/04/2012] [Accepted: 09/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
There has been a recent resurgence of interest in New World monkeys within the biomedical research community, driven by both the sequencing of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) genome and a growing demand for alternatives to Old World primates. New World monkeys offer attractive advantages over Old World species, including cheaper and simpler husbandry, while still maintaining a greater evolutionary proximity to humans compared with other animal models. Although numerous commonalities across primate species exist, there are also important genetic and reproductive differences that can and should play a critical role in selecting appropriate animal models. Common marmosets in particular have significantly reduced diversity at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) loci and are born as hematopoietic chimeras. New World primates can make ideal translational models for research, but scientists must necessarily incorporate complete understandings of their genetic and phenotypic differences from humans and other model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M. Ward
- New England Primate Research Center, Harvard Medical School, One Pine Hill Drive, Southborough, MA 01772, USA
| | - Eric J. Vallender
- New England Primate Research Center, Harvard Medical School, One Pine Hill Drive, Southborough, MA 01772, USA
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23
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Abstract
Infectious disease plays a major role in the lives of wild primates, and the past decade has witnessed significant strides in our understanding of primate disease ecology. In this review, I briefly describe some key findings from phylogenetic comparative approaches, focusing on analyses of parasite richness that use the Global Mammal Parasite Database. While these studies have provided new answers to fundamental questions, new questions have arisen, including questions about the underlying epidemiological mechanisms that produce the broader phylogenetic patterns. I discuss two examples in which theoretical models have given us new traction on these comparative questions. First, drawing on findings of a positive association between range use intensity and the richness of helminth parasites, we developed a spatially explicit agent-based model to investigate the underlying drivers of this pattern. From this model, we are gaining deeper understanding of how range use intensity results in greater exposure to parasites, thus producing higher prevalence in the simulated populations-and, plausibly, higher parasite richness in comparative analyses. Second, I show how a model of disease spread on social networks provides solid theoretical foundations for understanding the effects of sociality and group size on parasitism across primate species. This study further revealed that larger social groups are more subdivided, which should slow the spread of infectious diseases. This effect could offset the increased disease risk expected in larger social groups, which has yet to receive strong empirical support in our comparative analyses. In addition to these examples, I discuss the need for more meta-analyses of individual-level phenomena documented in the field, and for greater linkage between theoretical modeling and field research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles L Nunn
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
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24
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Cooper N, Kamilar JM, Nunn CL. Host longevity and parasite species richness in mammals. PLoS One 2012; 7:e42190. [PMID: 22879916 PMCID: PMC3413396 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2012] [Accepted: 07/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hosts and parasites co-evolve, with each lineage exerting selective pressures on
the other. Thus, parasites may influence host life-history characteristics, such
as longevity, and simultaneously host life-history may influence parasite
diversity. If parasite burden causes increased mortality, we expect a negative
association between host longevity and parasite species richness. Alternatively,
if long-lived species represent a more stable environment for parasite
establishment, host longevity and parasite species richness may show a positive
association. We tested these two opposing predictions in carnivores, primates
and terrestrial ungulates using phylogenetic comparative methods and controlling
for the potentially confounding effects of sampling effort and body mass. We
also tested whether increased host longevity is associated with increased
immunity, using white blood cell counts as a proxy for immune investment. Our
analyses revealed weak relationships between parasite species richness and
longevity. We found a significant negative relationship between longevity and
parasite species richness for ungulates, but no significant associations in
carnivores or primates. We also found no evidence for a relationship between
immune investment and host longevity in any of our three groups. Our results
suggest that greater parasite burden is linked to higher host mortality in
ungulates. Thus, shorter-lived ungulates may be more vulnerable to disease
outbreaks, which has implications for ungulate conservation, and may be
applicable to other short-lived mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Cooper
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America.
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25
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Benavides JA, Huchard E, Pettorelli N, King AJ, Brown ME, Archer CE, Appleton CC, Raymond M, Cowlishaw G. From parasite encounter to infection: multiple-scale drivers of parasite richness in a wild social primate population. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2011; 147:52-63. [PMID: 21989507 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.21627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2011] [Accepted: 09/08/2011] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Host parasite diversity plays a fundamental role in ecological and evolutionary processes, yet the factors that drive it are still poorly understood. A variety of processes, operating across a range of spatial scales, are likely to influence both the probability of parasite encounter and subsequent infection. Here, we explored eight possible determinants of parasite richness, comprising rainfall and temperature at the population level, ranging behavior and home range productivity at the group level, and age, sex, body condition, and social rank at the individual level. We used a unique dataset describing gastrointestinal parasites in a terrestrial subtropical vertebrate (chacma baboons, Papio ursinus), comprising 662 fecal samples from 86 individuals representing all age-sex classes across two groups over two dry seasons in a desert population. Three mixed models were used to identify the most important factor at each of the three spatial scales (population, group, individual); these were then standardized and combined in a single, global, mixed model. Individual age had the strongest influence on parasite richness, in a convex relationship. Parasite richness was also higher in females and animals in poor condition, albeit at a lower order of magnitude than age. Finally, with a further halving of effect size, parasite richness was positively correlated to day range and temperature. These findings indicate that a range of factors influence host parasite richness through both encounter and infection probabilities but that individual-level processes may be more important than those at the group or population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio A Benavides
- CNRS - Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, Université Montpellier II, Place Eugène Bataillon, France.
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