Vertical transmission selects for reduced virulence in a plant virus and for increased resistance in the host.

ABSTRACT: For the last three decades, evolutionary biologists have sought to understand which factors modulate the evolution of parasite virulence. Although theory has identified several of these modulators, their effect has seldom been analysed experimentally. We investigated the role of two such major factors-the mode of transmission, and host adaptation in response to parasite evolution-in the evolution of virulence of the plant virus Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) in its natural host Arabidopsis thaliana. To do so, we serially passaged three CMV strains under strict vertical and strict horizontal transmission, alternating both modes of transmission. We quantified seed (vertical) transmission rate, virus accumulation, effect on plant growth and virulence of evolved and non-evolved viruses in the ori

SUBMITTER: Pagan I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4117603 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature