Evolutionsbiologie
The impact of parasites on host evolution in the nematode
Parasites decrease host fitness, they evolve rapidly, and they are therefore believed to have a major impact on host
evolution. A particularly strong effect is expected from co-evolving parasites, which continuously adapt to newly
arising host strains. However, owing to the scarcity of suitable experimental systems, the exact selective power of
parasites is still largely unknown. This project employs the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model
host, because it allows efficient performance of laboratory experiments, including phenotypic and molecular genetic
analyses. Here, we specifically assess the relative impact of a coevolving and a stationary parasite, using selection
experiments in combination with a comprehensive evaluation of phenotypic and molecular changes, the latter based
on the microarray technology. We expect that this study provides important new insights into the arisal and spread
of host defense mechanisms, including evolution of specificity in the response, associated traits that enhance rapid
evolutionary changes or factors that mitigate a possible cost of defense. We also expect that it will greatly enhance
our current understanding of the molecular genetic basis of invertebrate defenses, including inducible defense
components and the innate immune system.
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