Genetic architecture of natural variation in C. elegans pathogen defence

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Parasites are ubiquitous, evolve rapidly, and continuously impose a high selective pressure on their host organisms. In turn, hosts usually show substantial intra-specific variation in defence traits – both as a prerequisite to adapt rapidly to newly arising parasite strains and also as a consequence of the high dynamics of parasite-mediated selection. An understanding of the molecular genetics of such natural variation provides fundamental information on defence evolution. The proposed project will exploit the advantages of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system and combine the expertise of two research groups for a comprehensive molecular genetic analysis of such variation. Two distinct and equally important types of defences will be considered, physiological resistance and behavioural responses. During the proposed first funding period, we will focus on the analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTL) using recombinant inbred lines (RILs) and nearisogenic lines (NILs) derived from a cross of two genetically as well as phenotypically distinct natural isolates. We expect that this analysis will yield novel insights into the evolution of immune systems and behavioural defences, their regulatory interactions, and also the complexity of the underlying molecular genetic mechanisms.