The microbial environment modulates non-genetic maternal effects on egg immunity.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In a diverse microbial world immune function of animals is essential. Diverse microbial environments may contribute to extensive variation in immunological phenotypes of vertebrates, among and within species and individuals. As maternal effects benefit offspring development and survival, whether females use cues about their microbial environment to prime offspring immune function is unclear. To provide microbial environmental context to maternal effects, we asked if the bacterial diversity of the living environment of female zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata shapes maternal effects on egg immune function. We manipulated environmental bacterial diversity of birds and tested if females increased immunological investment in eggs in an environment with high bacterial diversi

SUBMITTER: van Veelen HPJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9331593 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature