No genetic tradeoffs between hygienic behaviour and individual innate immunity in the honey bee, Apis mellifera.

ABSTRACT: Many animals have individual and social mechanisms for combating pathogens. Animals may exhibit short-term physiological tradeoffs between social and individual immunity because the latter is often energetically costly. Genetic tradeoffs between these two traits can also occur if mutations that enhance social immunity diminish individual immunity, or vice versa. Physiological tradeoffs between individual and social immunity have been previously documented in insects, but there has been no study of genetic tradeoffs involving these traits. There is strong evidence that some genes influence both innate immunity and behaviour in social insects--a prerequisite for genetic tradeoffs. Quantifying genetic tradeoffs is critical for understanding the evolution of immunity in social insects and for

SUBMITTER: Harpur BA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4146461 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature