The development of pathogen resistance in Daphnia magna: implications for disease spread in age-structured populations.

ABSTRACT: Immunity in vertebrates is well established to develop with time, but the ontogeny of defence in invertebrates is markedly less studied. Yet, age-specific capacity for defence against pathogens, coupled with age structure in populations, has widespread implications for disease spread. Thus, we sought to determine the susceptibility of hosts of different ages in an experimental invertebrate host-pathogen system. In a series of experiments, we show that the ability of Daphnia magna to resist its natural bacterial pathogen Pasteuria ramosa changes with host age. Clonal differences make it difficult to draw general conclusions, but the majority of observations indicate that resistance increases early in the life of D. magna, consistent with the idea that the defence system develops with time.

SUBMITTER: Garbutt JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4213179 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature