MHC genes and parasitism in Carassius gibelio, a diploid-triploid fish species with dual reproduction strategies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The gibel carp is a fish species with dual reproduction modes, gynogenesis and sexual reproduction, coexisting in mixed diploid-polyploid populations. Following the Red Queen (RQ) assumption, asexual organisms are, due to their low genetic diversity, targets for parasite adaptation. Because MHC polymorphism is maintained by selection from parasites and sexual selection, MHC genes are considered as a suitable candidate for testing the RQ hypothesis. In this study, we investigated MHC variability and the selection pressure acting on MHC genes in sexual diploids and asexual triploids. In addition, we tested whether the asexual form of gibel carp suffers from higher parasite loads than the sexual form.

Results

At the population level, genotype and allelic diversity of

SUBMITTER: Simkova A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3691641 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature