Plasmodium relictum infection and MHC diversity in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus).

ABSTRACT: Antagonistic coevolution between hosts and parasites has been proposed as a mechanism maintaining genetic diversity in both host and parasite populations. In particular, the high level of genetic diversity usually observed at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is generally thought to be maintained by parasite-driven selection. Among the possible ways through which parasites can maintain MHC diversity, diversifying selection has received relatively less attention. This hypothesis is based on the idea that parasites exert spatially variable selection pressures because of heterogeneity in parasite genetic structure, abundance or virulence. Variable selection pressures should select for different host allelic lineages resulting in population-specific associations between MHC alleles an

SUBMITTER: Loiseau C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3049082 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature