Genotype specificity among hosts, pathogens, and beneficial microbes influences the strength of symbiont-mediated protection.

ABSTRACT: The microbial symbionts of eukaryotes influence disease resistance in many host-parasite systems. Symbionts show substantial variation in both genotype and phenotype, but it is unclear how natural selection maintains this variation. It is also unknown whether variable symbiont genotypes show specificity with the genotypes of hosts or parasites in natural populations. Genotype by genotype interactions are a necessary condition for coevolution between interacting species. Uncovering the patterns of genetic specificity among hosts, symbionts, and parasites is therefore critical for determining the role that symbionts play in host-parasite coevolution. Here, we show that the strength of protection conferred against a fungal pathogen by a vertically transmitted symbiont of an aphid is influence

SUBMITTER: Parker BJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5516205 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature