The evolution of constitutively active humoral immune defenses in Drosophila populations under high parasite pressure.

ABSTRACT: Both constitutive and inducible immune mechanisms are employed by hosts for defense against infection. Constitutive immunity allows for a faster response, but it comes with an associated cost that is always present. This trade-off between speed and fitness costs leads to the theoretical prediction that constitutive immunity will be favored where parasite exposure is frequent. We selected populations of Drosophila melanogaster under high parasite pressure from the parasitoid wasp Leptopilina boulardi. With RNA sequencing, we found the evolution of resistance in these populations was associated with them developing constitutively active humoral immunity, mediated by the larval fat body. Furthermore, these evolved populations were also able to induce gene expression in response to infection t

SUBMITTER: Zhou SO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10807768 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature