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12,799 results for “Immunization”
Ecological factors mediate immunity and parasitic co-infection in sea fan octocorals
<p>The interplay among environment, demography, and host-parasite interactions is a challenging frontier. In the ocean, fundamental changes are occurring due to anthropogenic pressures, including increased disease outbreaks on coral reefs. These outbreaks often include multiple parasites, calling into question how coral immunity functions in this complex milieu. Corals provide an interesting model to study ecological immunity during co-infection, being highly sensitive to environmental change, susceptible to many diseases, and defended by the innate immune system. Our work investigates the interplay of factors influencing coral co-infection using metrics of the innate immune response: levels of cellular immunity and the expression of candidate immune genes. We used existing copepod infections and live pathogen inoculation with <i>Aspergillus</i> fungus to test the effect of sequential co-infections in a laboratory experiment. We profile significant increases in the expression of the immune recognition gene Tachylectin 5A in response to both of these naturally occurring parasites of the Caribbean sea fan octocoral, <i>Gorgonia ventalina</i>. Cellular immunity increased significantly by 8.16% in copepod infections compared to controls and single <i>Aspergillus</i> infections. We evaluated immunity in reef populations and again detected activation of cellular immunity, with a 13.6% increase in copepod infections and no detectable increase in fungal infections. Thus, cellular immunity measured in the field and lab were similar, increasing with copepod infections and not <i>Aspergillus</i>. We found random co-occurrence of copepods and fungus across 15 reefs in Puerto Rico, suggesting other factors prevail in structuring parasite infection. Sea fan colony size strongly predicted infection by the copepod parasite. Moreover, the effect of parasitic infection on immunity was small relative to the explanatory power of site differences and coral cover, and roughly equivalent to the effect of reproductive status. We suggest that host size, reproductive status, live coral cover, and site-specific factors have large effects on parasitic infections and host immunity that overwhelm effects of the parasites on each other. Thus, host size and site-specific features emerge as critical drivers in this multi-parasite system. Parsing the effects of immunity and ecological factors in coral co-infection shows how disease depends on more than one host and one parasite.</p>
Maternal provisioning and fluctuating thermal regimes enhance immune response in a reptile with temperature-dependent sex determination
<p>The Charnov-Bull model of differential fitness is often used to explain the evolution and maintenance of temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). Most tests of the model focus on morphological proxies of fitness, such as size traits, whereas early life physiological traits that are closely related to lifetime fitness might provide a framework for generalising the Charnov-Bull model across taxa. One such trait is the strength of early life immune response, which is strongly linked to early life survival and fitness. Here, we manipulate temperature, variance in temperature, and sex to test the Charnov-Bull model using a physiological trait, immune system strength, in the snapping turtle (<i>Chelydra serpentina </i>L. 1758). We find no evidence of sex-specific differences in bactericidal capacity of hatchling blood, and no evidence that mean temperature influences bactericidal capacity. However, we find that fluctuating incubation temperature (i.e., a more naturalized incubation regime) is associated with a greater bactericidal capacity compared to constant temperature incubation. We also find that egg mass, a proxy for maternal provisioning, is positively associated with bactericidal capacity. Our findings suggest that the evolution of temperature-dependent sex determination in reptiles is unrelated to our measure early-life innate immunity. Our study also underlines how immune response is condition-dependent in early life, and questions the biological relevance of constant temperature incubation in experimental studies on ectotherm development.</p>
Data from: Plastic transcriptomes stabilize immunity to pathogen diversity: the jasmonic acid and salicylic acid networks within the Arabidopsis/Botrytis pathosystem
To respond to pathogen attack, selection and associated evolution has led to the creation of plant immune system that are a highly effective and inducible defense system. Central to this system are the plant defense hormones jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) and crosstalk between the two, which may play an important role in defense responses to specific pathogens or even genotypes. Here, we used the Arabidopsis-B. cinerea pathosystem to test how the host's defense system functions against genetic variation in a pathogen. We measured defense-related phenotypes and transcriptomic responses in Arabidopsis wild-type Col-0 and JA- and SA-signaling mutants, coi1-1 and npr1-1, individually challenged with 96 diverse B. cinerea isolates. Those data showed genetic variation in the pathogen influences on all components within the plant defense system at the transcriptional level. We identified four gene co-expression networks and two vectors of defense variation triggered by genetic variation in B. cinerea. This showed that the JA and SA signaling pathways functioned to constrain/canalize the range of virulence in the pathogen population, but the underlying transcriptomic response was highly plastic. These data showed that plants utilize major defense hormone pathways to buffer disease resistance, but not the metabolic or transcriptional responses to genetic variation within a pathogen.
Data from: Exposure to environmental radionuclides is associated with altered metabolic and immunity pathways in a wild rodent
Wildlife inhabiting environments contaminated by radionuclides face putative detrimental effects of exposure to ionizing radiation, with biomarkers such as an increase in DNA damage and/or oxidative stress commonly associated with radiation exposure. To examine the effects of exposure to radiation on gene expression in wildlife, we conducted a de novo RNA sequencing study of liver and spleen tissues from a rodent, the bank vole Myodes glareolus. Bank voles were collected from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), where animals were exposed to elevated levels of radionuclides, and from uncontaminated areas near Kyiv, Ukraine. Counter to expectations, we did not observe a strong DNA damage response in animals exposed to radionuclides, although some signs of oxidative stress were identified. Rather, exposure to environmental radionuclides was associated with upregulation of genes involved in lipid metabolism and fatty acid oxidation in the livers – an apparent shift in energy metabolism. Moreover, using stable isotope analysis, we identified that fur from bank voles inhabiting the CEZ had enriched isotope values of nitrogen: such an increase is consistent with increased fatty acid metabolism, but also could arise from a difference in diet or habitat between the CEZ and elsewhere. In livers and spleens, voles inhabiting the CEZ were characterized by immunosuppression, such as impaired antigen processing, and activation of leukocytes involved in inflammatory responses. In conclusion, exposure to low dose environmental radiation impacts pathways associated with immunity and lipid metabolism, potentially as a stress-induced coping mechanism.
Data from: Seasonal differences in baseline innate immune function are better explained by environment than annual cycle stage in a year-round breeding tropical songbird
1. Seasonal variation in innate immunity is often attributed to either temporal environmental variation or to life history trade-offs that arise from specific annual cycle stages but decoupling them is difficult in natural populations. 2. Here, we effectively decouple seasonal environmental variation from annual cycle stage effects by exploiting cross-seasonal breeding and moult in the tropical Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus. We test how annual cycle stage interacts with a key seasonal environmental variable, rainfall, to determine immunity at population and individual level. If immune challenge varies with precipitation, we might expect immune function to be higher in the wet season due to increased environmental productivity. If breeding or moult imposes resource constraints on birds, depending on or independent of precipitation, we might expect lower immune indices during breeding or moult. 3. We sampled blood from 818 birds in four annual cycle stage categories: breeding, moult, simultaneous breeding and moulting, or neither. We quantified indices of innate immunity (haptoglobin, nitric oxide (NOx) and ovotransferrin concentrations, and haemagglutination and haemolysis titres) over two annual cycles of wet and dry seasons. 4. Environment (but not annual cycle stage or interactions between both) explained variation in all immune indices, except NOx. NOx concentration differed between annual cycle stages but not between seasons. However, within the wet season, haptoglobin, NOx, ovotransferrin and haemolysis differed significantly between breeding and non-breeding females. Aside from some recorded inconsistences, population level results were largely similar to results within individuals that were measured repeatedly. Unexpectedly, most immune indices were higher in the dry season and during breeding. 5. Higher immune indices may be explained if fewer or poorer quality resources force birds to increase social contact, thereby exposing individuals to novel antigens and increased infection risk, independently of environmental productivity. Breeding birds may also show higher immunity if less immune-competent and/or infected females omit breeding. We conclude that seasonal environmental variation impacts immunity more directly in natural animal populations than via resource trade-offs. In addition, immune indices were more often variable within than among individuals, but some indices are characteristic of individuals, and so may offer selective advantages if heritable.
Data from: Activation of the Arabidopsis thaliana immune system by combinations of common ACD6 alleles
A fundamental question in biology is how multicellular organisms distinguish self and non-self. The ability to make this distinction allows animals and plants to detect and respond to pathogens without triggering immune reactions directed against their own cells. In plants, inappropriate self-recognition results in the autonomous activation of the immune system, causing affected individuals to grow less well. These plants also suffer from spontaneous cell death, but are at the same time more resistant to pathogens. Known causes for such autonomous activation of the immune system are hyperactive alleles of immune regulators, or epistatic interactions between immune regulators and unlinked genes. We have discovered a third class, in which the Arabidopsis thaliana immune system is activated by interactions between natural alleles at a single locus, ACCELERATED CELL DEATH 6 (ACD6). There are two main types of these interacting alleles, one of which has evolved recently by partial resurrection of a pseudogene, and each type includes multiple functional variants. Most previously studies hybrid necrosis cases involve rare alleles found in geographically unrelated populations. These two types of ACD6 alleles instead occur at low frequency throughout the range of the species, and have risen to high frequency in the Northeast of Spain, suggesting a role in local adaptation. In addition, such hybrids occur in these populations in the wild. The extensive functional variation among ACD6 alleles points to a central role of this locus in fine-tuning pathogen defenses in natural populations.
Data from: Inbreeding alters context‐dependent reproductive effort and immunity in male crickets
Infection can cause hosts to drastically alter their investment in key life‐history traits of reproduction and defence. Infected individuals are expected to increase investment in defence (e.g., by increasing immune function) and, due to trade‐offs, investment in other traits (e.g., current reproduction) should decrease. However, the terminal investment hypothesis postulates that decreased lifespan due to infection and the associated reduction in the expectation for future offspring will favour increased investment towards current reproduction. Variation in intrinsic condition will likely influence shifts in reproductive investment post‐infection, but this is often not considered in such assessments. For example, the extent of inbreeding can significantly impact an individual's lifetime fitness and may influence its reproductive behaviour following a threat of infection. Here, we investigated the effects of inbreeding status on an individual's reproductive investment upon infection, including the propensity to terminally invest. Male crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) from four genetically distinct inbred lines and one outbred line were subjected to a treatment from an increasing spectrum of simulated infection cue intensities, using heat‐killed bacteria. We then measured reproductive effort (calling effort), survival and immune function (antibacterial activity, circulating haemocytes and haemocyte microaggregations). Inbred and outbred males diverged in how they responded to a low‐dose infection cue: relative to unmanipulated males, outbred males decreased calling effort, whereas inbred males increased calling effort. Moreover, we found that inbred males exhibited higher antibacterial activity and numbers of circulating haemocytes compared with outbred males. These results suggest that an individual's inbreeding status may have consequences for context‐dependent shifts in reproductive strategies, such as those triggered by infection.
Data from: DNA methylation predicts immune gene expression in introduced house sparrows (Passer domesticus)
Populations undergoing range expansions are often faced with novel selective pressures, and to cope with such challenges, populations must either adapt quickly or exhibit phenotypic plasticity. This latter option allows for rapid phenotypic adjustments and persistence in novel environments, and thus could be advantageous at range‐edges. Our previous research on house sparrows in Kenya—a site of ongoing range expansion— and a growing literature suggests that invasion success is facilitated by epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Previously, we found (i) differences in the expression of a microbial surveillance gene (i.e. Toll‐like receptor 4—TLR4), and (ii) extensive variation in genome‐wide DNA methylation among house sparrows across Kenya. Here, our goal was to investigate whether these two observations are related, specifically whether DNA methylation within a target sequence upstream of the TLR4 transcription start site is associated with variation in TLR4 expression. We found that DNA methylation in the aforementioned region was quite variable among individuals, and variation at one CpG site predicted differences in TLR4 expression. Moreover, we found genetic variation within the same sequence upstream of the TLR4 exon, but this variation did not predict TLR4 expression. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate an association between DNA methylation and the expression of an ecologically relevant trait in a range‐expanding vertebrate.
Data from: Social context affects thermoregulation but not activity level during avian immune response
Determining how an animal's social context alters its immune responses will help us understand how pathogens impact individual health and spread within groups. Several studies have shown that group-housed animals can suppress components of the acute phase immune response, specifically sickness behaviors like lethargy. However, we do not know whether individuals alter sickness behaviors or other components of the acute phase response, including thermoregulation, in response to the infection status of other group members. We used automated radio telemetry on captive house sparrows (Passer domesticus) to test whether sickness behaviors and thermoregulation differed during immune challenge under 2 social contexts: 1) all of the flock inoculated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a non-replicating component of gram-negative bacterial cell walls, or 2) half of the flock inoculated. We predicted that with half of the flock inoculated, LPS-treated birds would be under more pressure to maintain competitive behaviors, so would suppress components of the acute phase response. As we predicted, LPS-inoculated birds showed less pronounced heterothermia (fever) when housed with a mixture of inoculated and healthy flockmates. In contrast, LPS-inoculated birds exhibited similar degrees of lethargy regardless of the infection status of their flockmates. Our results show that the infection status of an individual's social group did exert an effect on the acute phase response but surprisingly did not impact the expression of lethargy, a canonical sickness behavior. Determining the mechanisms underlying these responses will require testing additional social contexts with different ratios of infected to uninfected birds.
Data from: Human circulating antibody-producing B cell as a predictive measure of mucosal immunity to poliovirus
Background: The "gold standard" for assessing mucosal immunity after vaccination with poliovirus vaccines consists in measuring virus excretion in stool after challenge with oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV). This testing is time and resource intensive, and development of alternative methods is a priority for accelerating polio eradication. We therefore evaluated circulating antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) as a potential means to evaluate mucosal immunity to poliovirus vaccine. Methods: 199 subjects, aged 10 years, and previously immunized repeatedly with OPV, were selected. Subjects were assigned to receive either a booster dose of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), bivalent OPV (bOPV), or no vaccine. Using a micro-modified whole blood-based ELISPOT assay designed for field setting, circulating poliovirus type-specific IgA- and IgG-ASCs, including gut homing ?4?7+ ASCs, were enumerated on days 0 and 7 after booster immunization. In addition, serum samples collected on days 0, 28 and 56 were tested for neutralizing antibody titers against poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3. Stool specimens were collected on day 28 (day of bOPV challenge), and on days 31, 35 and 42 and processed for poliovirus isolation. Results: An IPV dose elicited blood IgA- and IgG-ASC responses in 84.8 to 94.9% of subjects, respectively. In comparison, a bOPV dose evoked corresponding blood ASC responses in 20.0 to 48.6% of subjects. A significant association was found between IgA- and IgG-ASC responses and serum neutralizing antibody titers for poliovirus type 1, 2, 3 (p<0.001). In the IPV group, ?4?7+ ASCs accounted for a substantial proportion of IgA-ASCs and the proportion of subjects with a positive ?4?7+ IgA-ASC response to poliovirus types 1, 2 and 3 was 62.7%, 89.8% and 45.8%, respectively. A significant association was observed between virus excretion and ?4?7+ IgA- and/or IgG-ASC responses to poliovirus type 3 among immunized children; however, only a weak association was found for type 1 poliovirus. Discussion: Our results suggest that virus-specific blood ASCs, especially for type 3 poliovirus, can serve as surrogate of mucosal immunity after vaccination. Further studies are needed to evaluate the duration of such memory responses and to assess the programmatic utility of this whole blood-based mucosal ASC testing for the polio eradication program.
Data from: Divergent immunity and energetic programs in the gills of migratory and resident Oncorhynchus mykiss
Divergent life history strategies occur in steelhead or rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, and many populations produce both migrant (anadromous fish that move to the ocean after rearing) and resident (do not migrate and remain in fresh water) individuals. Mechanisms leading to each type are only partially understood; while the general tendency of a population is heritable, individual tendency may be plastic, influenced by local environment. Steelhead hatchery programmes aim to mitigate losses in wild stocks by producing trout that will migrate to the ocean and not compete with wild trout for limited freshwater resources. To increase our understanding of gill function in these migratory or resident phenotypes, here we compare gill transcriptome profiles of hatchery-released fish either at the release site (residents) or five river kilometres downstream while still in full fresh water (migrants). To test whether any of these genes can be used as predictive markers for smoltification, we compared these genes between migrant-like and undifferentiated trout while still in the hatchery in a common environment (prerelease). Results confirmed the gradual process of smoltification, and the importance of energetics, gill remodelling and ion transport capacity for migrants. Additionally, residents overexpressed transcripts involved in antiviral defences, potentially for immune surveillance via dendritic cells in the gills. The best smoltification marker candidate was protein s100a4, expression of which was highly correlated with Na(+) , K(+) ATPase (NKA) activity and smolt-like morphology in pre- and postrelease trout gills.
Data from: Immune responses in hibernating little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) with white-nose syndrome
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal disease responsible for decimating many bat populations in North America. Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), the psychrophilic fungus responsible for WNS, prospers in the winter habitat of many hibernating bat species. The immune response that Pd elicits in bats is not yet fully understood; antibodies are produced in response to infection by Pd, but they may not be protective and indeed may be harmful. To understand how bats respond to infection during hibernation, we studied the effect of Pd inoculation on the survival and gene expression of captive hibernating Myotis lucifugus with varying pre-hibernation antifungal antibody titres. We investigated gene expression through the transcription of selected cytokine genes (Il6, Il17a, Il1b, Il4 and Ifng) associated with inflammatory, Th1, Th2 and Th17 immune responses in wing tissue and lymph nodes. We found no difference in survival between bats with low and high anti-Pd titres, although anti-Pd antibody production during hibernation differed significantly between infected and uninfected bats. Transcription of Il6 and Il17a was higher in the lymph nodes of infected bats compared with uninfected bats. Increased transcription of these cytokines in the lymph node suggests that a pro-inflammatory immune response to WNS is not restricted to infected tissues and occurs during hibernation. The resulting Th17 response may be protective in euthermic bats, but because it may disrupt torpor, it could be detrimental during hibernation.
Data from: Exploitation of a turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.) immune-related expressed sequence tag (EST) database for microsatellite screening and validation
In this study, we identified and characterized 160 microsatellite loci from an expressed sequence tag (EST) database generated from immune-related organs of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus). A final set of 83 new polymorphic microsatellites were validated after the analysis of 40 individuals from Atlantic origin including both wild and farmed individuals. The allele number and the expected heterozygosity ranged from 2 to 18 and from 0.021 to 0.951, respectively. Evidences of null alleles at moderate-high frequencies were detected at six loci using population data. None of the analyzed loci showed deviations from Mendelian segregation after analysis of five full-sib families including ~92 individuals/family. The markers are used to consolidate the turbot genetic map and, since they are mostly EST-derived, they will be very useful for comparative genomic studies within flatfishes and with model fish species. Using an in silico approach, we detected significant homologies of microsatellite sequences with the EST databases of the flatfish species with highest genomic resources (Senegalese sole, Atlantic halibut, bastard halibut) at 31% of these turbot markers. The conservation of these microsatellites within Pleuronectiformes will pave the way for anchoring genetic maps of different species and identifying genomic regions related to productive traits.
Data from: Fitness in invasive social wasps: the role of variation in viral load, immune response and paternity in predicting nest size and reproductive output
Within any one habitat, the relative fitness of organisms in a population can vary substantially. Social insects like the common wasp are among the most successful invasive animals, but show enormous variation in nest size and other fitness-related traits. Some of this variation may be caused by pathogens such as viruses that can have serious consequences in social insects, which range from reduced productivity to colony death. Both individual immune responses and colony-level traits such as genetic diversity are likely to influence effects of pathogen infections on colony fitness. Here we investigate how infections with Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV), immune response and intracolony genetic diversity (due to queen polyandry) affect nest size in the invasive common wasp, Vespula vulgaris. We show that KBV is highly prevalent in wasps and expression of antiviral immune genes is significantly increased with higher viral loads across individuals. Patriline membership within a nest did not influence KBV susceptibility or immune response. A permutational MANCOVA revealed that polyandry, viral load, and expression of the immune gene Dicer were significant predictors of variation in nest size. High intracolony genetic diversity due to polyandry has previously been hypothesized to improve colony-level resistance to parasites and pathogens. Consistent with this hypothesis, we observed genetically diverse colonies to be significantly larger and to produce more queens, although this effect was not driven by the pathogen we investigated. Invasive wasps clearly suffer from pathogens and expend resources, as indicated here by elevated immune gene expression, toward reducing pathogen-impact on colony fitness.
Data from: Contemporary variations of immune responsiveness during range expansion of two invasive rodents in Senegal
Biological invasions provide unique opportunities for studying life history trait changes over contemporary time scales. As spatial spread may be related to changes in parasite communities, several hypotheses (such as the evolution of increased competitive ability (EICA) or EICA-refined hypotheses) suggest immune changes in invasive species along invasion gradients. Although native hosts may be subject to similar changes in parasite selection pressures, their immune responses have been rarely investigated in invasion contexts. In this study, we evaluated immune variations for invasive house mice Mus musculus domesticus, invasive black rats Rattus rattus and native rodents Mastomys erythroleucus and Mastomys natalensis along well-characterised invasion gradients in Senegal. We focused on antibody-mediated (natural antibodies and complement) and inflammatory (haptoglobin) responses. One invasion route was considered for each invasive species, and environmental conditions were recorded. Natural-antibody mediated responses increased between sites of long-established invasion and recently invaded sites only in house mice. Both invasive species exhibited higher inflammatory responses at the invasion front than in sites of long-established invasion. The immune responses of native species did not change with the presence of invasive species. These patterns of immune variations do not support the EICA and EICA refined hypotheses, and they rather suggest a higher risk of exposure to parasites on the invasion front. Altogether, these results provide a first basis to further assess the role of immune changes in invasion success.
Sex, age, and acoustic mating interactions affect the immunity of Aedes aegypti offspring
<p><i>Aedes aegypti</i> is an important vector of several pathogenic arboviruses including dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Innovative approaches to control <i>Aedes</i> populations, involving synthetic transgenic modifications as well as <i>Wolbachia</i> bacteria, appear promising. For the various techniques requiring offspring inheritance of a trait, released males must successfully compete for mating partners against wildtype males. However, very little is known about mechanisms of mate selection in mosquitoes in general and in particular about potential correlations between mating success and offspring immune performance. Harmonic convergence signals have been proposed as a cue for females to predict male quality. We investigated whether offspring of converging parental pairs showed differences in immune competence compared to offspring derived from non-converging parental pairs using three different types of immune assays. We found that offspring immune responses (melanization response and response to a bacterial challenge) differed between offspring from converging and non-converging parents. However, immune responses were shaped by several interacting factors such as sex, age, reproductive status, and parental mating behavior. Parental mating behavior had a stronger effect on the immune response of male offspring than on female offspring. Further, a population of female offspring derived from converging parental pairs reached their peak dengue virus dissemination rate earlier compared to a population of offspring derived from non-converging parental pairs. Our results provide insight into a wide range of selective pressures shaping mosquito immune function. Evolutionary trade-offs between naturally and sexually selected traits can have important implications for disease transmission and control and should be considered in the development of reproductive control strategies.</p>
Data from: Genomic signatures of fine‐scale local selection in Atlantic salmon suggest involvement of sexual maturation, energy homeostasis, and immune defence‐related genes
Elucidating the genetic basis of adaptation to the local environment can improve our understanding of how the diversity of life has evolved. In this study we used a dense SNP array to identify candidate loci potentially underlying fine-scale local adaptation within a large Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) population. By combining outlier, gene–environment association, and haplotype homozygosity analyses, we identified multiple regions of the genome with strong evidence for diversifying selection. Several of these candidate regions had previously been identified in other studies, demonstrating that the same loci could be adaptively important in Atlantic salmon at sub-drainage, regional and continental scales. Notably, we identified signals consistent with local selection around genes associated with variation in sexual maturation, energy homeostasis, and immune defence. These included the large-effect age-at-maturity gene vgll3, the known obesity gene mc4r, and major histocompatibility complex II. Most strikingly, we confirmed a genomic region on Ssa09 that was extremely differentiated among subpopulations, and that is also a candidate for local selection over the global range of Atlantic salmon. This region co-localized with a haplotype strongly associated with spawning ecotype in sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), with circumstantial evidence that the same gene (six6) may be the selective target in both cases. The phenotypic effect of this region in Atlantic salmon remains cryptic, although allelic variation is related to upstream catchment area and co-varies with timing of the return spawning migration. Our results further inform management of Atlantic salmon and open multiple avenues for future research.
Data from: Intrasexual selection favours an immune-correlated colour ornament in a dragonfly
Sexual signalling is predicted to shape the evolution of sex-specific ornamentation, and establishing the costs and benefits of ornamentation and the information that ornamentation provides to receivers is necessary to evaluating this adaptive function. Here, we assessed the adaptive function of a common colour ornament in insects, melanin wing ornamentation, using the dragonfly Pachydiplax longipennis. We hypothesized that greater ornamentation would improve territory-holding success by decreasing aggression that males receive from territorial rivals, but that more ornamented males may have shorter lifespans. Using mark–recapture field observations, we found that more ornamented males had greater territory-holding success and that viability selection did not act on wing melanization. We then compared the aggression of territorial rivals to decoy males before and after experimentally augmenting wing melanization, finding that males significantly reduced aggression following the manipulation. We next hypothesized that wing melanization would signal fighting ability to territorial rivals by reflecting condition via investment in the costly melanin synthesis pathway. We observed a positive relationship between ornamentation and the likelihood of winning territorial disputes, suggesting that wing melanization provides information about fighting ability to rivals. We also found a positive relationship between melanin-based immune defence and ornamentation, supporting a link between the signal and condition. We conclude that wing melanization is a condition-related signal of fighting ability and suggest that this may be a common mechanism promoting the evolution of melanin ornamentation.
Data from: Socioecological predictors of immune defenses in wild spotted hyenas
Social rank can profoundly affect many aspects of mammalian reproduction and stress physiology, but little is known about how immune function is affected by rank and other socioecological factors in free-living animals. In this study, we examine the effects of sex, social rank and reproductive status on immune function in long-lived carnivores that are routinely exposed to a plethora of pathogens, yet rarely show signs of disease. Here, we show that two types of immune defences, complement-mediated bacterial killing capacity (BKC) and total IgM, are positively correlated with social rank in wild hyenas, but that a third type, total IgG, does not vary with rank. Female spotted hyenas, which are socially dominant to males in this species, have higher BKC, and higher IgG and IgM concentrations, than do males. Immune defences are lower in lactating than pregnant females, suggesting the immune defences may be energetically costly. Serum cortisol and testosterone concentrations are not reliable predictors of basic immune defences in wild female spotted hyenas. These results suggest that immune defences are costly and multiple socioecological variables are important determinants of basic immune defences among wild hyenas. The effects of these variables should be accounted for when attempting to understand disease ecology and immune function.
Data from: A host immune hormone modifies parasite species interactions and epidemics: insights from a field manipulation.
Parasite epidemics can depend on priority effects, and parasite priority effects can result from the host immune response to prior infection. Yet we lack experimental evidence that such immune-mediated priority effects influence epidemics. To address this research gap, we manipulated key host immune hormones, then measured the consequences for within-host parasite interactions, and ultimately parasite epidemics in the field. Specifically, we applied plant immune-signaling hormones to sentinel plants, embedded into a wild host population, and tracked foliar infections caused by two common fungal parasites. Within host individuals, priority effects were altered by the immune-signaling hormone, salicylic acid. Scaling up from within-host interactions, hosts treated with salicylic acid experienced lower prevalence of a less aggressive parasite, increased burden of infection by a more aggressive parasite, and experienced fewer coinfections. Together, these results indicate that by altering within-host priority effects, host immune hormones can drive parasite epidemics. This study therefore experimentally links host immune hormones to within-host priority effects and parasite epidemics, advancing a more mechanistic understanding of how interactions among parasites alter their epidemics.
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Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
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