Fungus, frogs and MHC: the role of sexual selection in the evolution of disease resistance

性选择（SS）是一种强大的进化力量，可以促进或抑制对环境挑战的适应。当人群面临新的病原体时，SS可以通过影响耐药等位基因的传播来影响其持久性;特别是编码识别病原体并激活获得性免疫系统的蛋白质的主要组织相容性复合物（MHC）。许多脊椎动物优先与携带有益MHC等位基因的伴侣交配，赋予后代更高的抵抗力。在这里，我建议研究SS在两栖动物对壶菌病（壶菌），一种新兴的传染病，导致人口下降和全球范围内的预防的进化动力学的作用。我将使用毒蛙，这是一个物种丰富的群体，其中SS的强度在物种之间存在差异，并且正在经历急剧的人口下降。我将测试配偶选择是否受i）MHC和ii）双方感染状况的影响。随后，我将通过比较分析和实地调查，评估SS的强度与物种对壶菌的易感性之间的关系，验证SS选择的物种更具抗性的预测。该项目不仅有助于我们对SS在适应和疾病动态中的作用的全面理解，而且还将首次对两栖动物基于MHC的配偶选择进行实验分析。结果将是高度相关的两栖动物保护，通过确定一个主要因素的物种差异壶菌抗性，这将有助于设置保护的优先事项。在我的学术生涯中，我一直与壶菌合作;这个项目使我能够专注于宿主，它一直是较少研究的目标，迫切需要保护。该项目将在格罗宁根大学进行，由党卫军和毒蛙专家Maan博士监督;实地工作将在巴西进行。

Sexual selection (SS) is a strong evolutionary force that can promote or inhibit adaptation to environmental challenges. When populations face novel pathogens, SS can influence their persistence by impacting the spread of resistance alleles; specifically, the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) that encodes proteins that recognize pathogens and activate the acquired immune system. Many vertebrates preferentially mate with partners carrying beneficial MHC alleles, conferring higher resistance to the offspring. Here, I propose to study the role of SS in the evolutionary dynamics of amphibian resistance to chytridiomycosis (chytrid), an emerging infectious disease that is causing population declines and extinctions worldwide. I will use poison frogs, a species-rich group in which the strength of SS differs between species, and that is experiencing dramatic population declines. I will test whether mate choice is influenced by i) MHC and ii) infection status ofboth partners. Subsequently, I will use comparative analysis and field surveys to iii) evaluate the association between the strength of SS and species’ susceptibility to chytrid, testing the prediction that species with SS selection are more resistant.This project will not only contribute to our general understanding of the role of SS in adaptation and disease dynamics, but also present the first experimental analysis of MHC-based mate choice in amphibians. Results will be highly relevant for amphibian conservation, by identifying a major factor underlying species differences in chytrid resistance, which will help to set conservation priorities. I have worked with chytrid throughout my academic career; this project allows me to focus on the host, which has been the target of fewer studies and is in dire need of conservation. The project will be conducted at the University of Groningen under the supervision of Dr. Maan, an expert on SS and poison frogs; field work will be carried out in Brazil.