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Shifts along the parasite–mutualist continuum are opposed by fundamental trade-offs
- Source :
- Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 286:20190236
- Publication Year :
- 2019
- Publisher :
- The Royal Society, 2019.
-
Abstract
- Theory suggests that symbionts can readily evolve more parasitic or mutualistic strategies with respect to hosts. However, many symbionts have stable interactions with hosts that improve nutrient assimilation or confer protection from pathogens. We explored the potential for evolution of increased parasitism or decreased parasitism and mutualism in a natural gut symbiosis between larvae of Plutella xylostella and the microbe Enterobacter cloacae. We focused on interactions with the pathogen, Bacillus thuringiensis : selecting for parasitism in terms of facilitating pathogen infection, or increased mutualism in terms of host protection. Selection for parasitism led to symbionts increasing pathogen-induced mortality but reduced their competitive ability with pathogens and their in vitro growth rates. Symbionts did not evolve to confer protection from pathogens. However, several lineages evolved reduced parasitism, primarily in terms of moderating impacts on host growth, potentially because prudence pays dividends through increased host size. Overall, the evolution of increased parasitism was achievable but was opposed by trade-offs likely to reduce fitness. The evolution of protection may not have occurred because suppressing growth of B. thuringiensis in the gut might provide only weak protection or because evolution towards protective interactions was opposed by the loss of competitive fitness in symbionts.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
Evolution
Bacillus thuringiensis
Parasitism
Moths
010603 evolutionary biology
01 natural sciences
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Host-Parasite Interactions
03 medical and health sciences
Symbiosis
Enterobacter cloacae
Animals
Parasite hosting
Selection, Genetic
030304 developmental biology
General Environmental Science
0303 health sciences
General Immunology and Microbiology
biology
Competitive fitness
Ecology
fungi
Trade offs
General Medicine
biology.organism_classification
Biological Evolution
Larva
Host-Pathogen Interactions
Mutualism (economic theory)
General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
In vitro growth
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14712954 and 09628452
- Volume :
- 286
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....829ddd56b59973df441f3d3e6c8f56dc