Sexual conflict drives micro- and macroevolution of sexual dimorphism in immunity.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Sexual dimorphism in immunity is believed to reflect sex differences in reproductive strategies and trade-offs between competing life history demands. Sexual selection can have major effects on mating rates and sex-specific costs of mating and may thereby influence sex differences in immunity as well as associated host-pathogen dynamics. Yet, experimental evidence linking the mating system to evolved sexual dimorphism in immunity are scarce and the direct effects of mating rate on immunity are not well established. Here, we use transcriptomic analyses, experimental evolution and phylogenetic comparative methods to study the association between the mating system and sexual dimorphism in immunity in seed beetles, where mating causes internal injuries in females.

Results

SUBMITTER: Bagchi B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8170964 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature