Pleiotropy alleviates the fitness costs associated with resource allocation trade-offs in immune signaling networks.

ABSTRACT: Many genes and signaling pathways within plant and animal taxa drive the expression of multiple organismal traits. This form of genetic pleiotropy instigates trade-offs among life-history traits if a mutation in the pleiotropic gene improves the fitness contribution of one trait at the expense of another. Whether or not pleiotropy gives rise to conflict among traits, however, likely depends on the resource costs and timing of trait deployment during organismal development. To investigate factors that could influence the evolutionary maintenance of pleiotropy in gene networks, we developed an agent-based model of co-evolution between parasites and hosts. Hosts comprise signaling networks that must faithfully complete a developmental program while also defending against parasites, and trait

SUBMITTER: Martin R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10592669 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature