Who's chasing who? Host-parasite interactions, cryptic diversity and behavioral manipulation

谁在追谁？

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-04271
• 负责人: Lagrue, Clement
• 金额: $ 2.4万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=685136
• 关键词: Who; chasing; who; Host; parasite

My research addresses fundamental questions in ecology and evolution using parasites and their hosts as study models, with particular interest in host manipulation by parasites and cryptic diversity (i.e. morphologically identical but genetically divergent lineages). Many examples of parasites altering host phenotype have been documented, some truly spectacular! However, the actual fitness benefits of host manipulation for the parasite are virtually never assessed; I have published one of only three studies that actually demonstrated the adaptive value of host manipulation. Studies of the complexity, adaptive value and mechanisms of host manipulation are extremely rare and at the cutting edge of research. Cryptic diversity is simply never considered in such studies. The proposed program will employ innovative, multidisciplinary approaches to test key hypotheses around host manipulation and cryptic diversity.***The 5-year program includes four main objectives:******1. How common are host manipulation and cryptic diversity in host-parasite systems? Focusing on freshwater host-parasite associations of Alberta as study models, we will use DNA barcoding to estimate cryptic diversity in multiple host-parasite combinations. We will then assess host manipulation intensity in a range of host-parasite associations with varying levels of cryptic diversity to test for potential links between host manipulation and such hidden diversity.******2. Are cryptic hosts also cryptic to parasites? Using controlled, experimental cross-infections among host and parasite lineages, we will test the effects of genetic distance on host-parasite compatibility and host manipulation intensity.******3. Is parasite-induced manipulation adaptive? One of the most important, yet least tested aspects of host manipulation. Using field and mesocosm experiments, we will test for adaptive value, complexity (array of host traits targeted), and repeatability (temporal consistency on daily, seasonal and ontogenic scales) of host manipulation.******4. What are the underlying mechanisms of host manipulation? We will combine genomic and proteomic approaches to assess the mechanisms through which these parasitic puppeteers take control of their hosts and induce behavioral traits apparently tailored to their own interests.******Significance***This program combines multidisciplinary projects using various study models to test universal hypotheses at the cutting edge of research in parasitology, ecology and evolution. It will shed new light on host manipulation complexity, fitness value and underlying mechanisms by treating it not as an isolated phenomenon but as part of the complex interaction of multiple selection pressures on hosts and parasites. We will use innovative approaches at the crossroads of parasitology, molecular ecology (DNA barcoding) and proteomic/genomic that will significantly advance our knowledge of host manipulation complexity, adaptive value and mechanisms by combining pioneering methodologies.

我的研究以寄生虫及其宿主为研究模型，解决了生态学和进化论中的基本问题，尤其对寄生虫对宿主的操纵和隐蔽的多样性(即形态相同但遗传分化的谱系)特别感兴趣。许多寄生虫改变宿主表型的例子已经被记录在案，其中一些真的很壮观！然而，寄主操纵对寄生虫的实际适应性益处几乎从未被评估过；我发表了仅有的三项研究中的一项，这些研究实际上证明了寄主操纵的适应价值。关于寄主操纵的复杂性、适应价值和机制的研究非常罕见，而且处于研究的前沿。在这类研究中，根本没有考虑到隐蔽的多样性。拟议的计划将采用创新的、多学科的方法来测试围绕宿主操纵和隐蔽多样性的关键假设。*这个为期5年的计划包括四个主要目标：*1.宿主操纵和隐蔽多样性在宿主-寄生虫系统中有多常见？以艾伯塔省的淡水寄主-寄生虫组合为研究模型，我们将使用DNA条形码来估计多个寄主-寄生虫组合中的隐蔽多样性。然后，我们将评估一系列具有不同隐藏多样性的宿主-寄生虫关联中的宿主操纵强度，以测试宿主操纵和这种隐藏多样性之间的潜在联系。*2.神秘宿主对寄生虫也是神秘的吗？利用宿主和寄生虫谱系之间受控的实验性交叉感染，我们将测试遗传距离对宿主-寄生虫兼容性和宿主操纵强度的影响。*3.寄生虫诱导的操纵是否适应？这是宿主操纵中最重要、但考验最少的方面之一。利用野外和中游实验，我们将测试宿主操纵的适应性、复杂性(针对宿主特征的阵列)和可重复性(在每日、季节和个体发生尺度上的时间一致性)。*4.宿主操纵的潜在机制是什么？我们将结合基因组和蛋白质组的方法来评估这些寄生木偶师控制宿主并诱导明显符合他们自己兴趣的行为特征的机制。这个项目结合了多学科项目，使用各种研究模型来测试寄生虫学、生态学和进化论研究的前沿领域的普遍假设。它将揭示寄主操纵的复杂性、适合度价值和潜在机制，将其视为寄主和寄生虫多重选择压力复杂相互作用的一部分，而不是一个孤立的现象。我们将在寄生虫学、分子生态学(DNA条形码)和蛋白质组/基因组学的十字路口使用创新的方法，通过结合开创性的方法，显著提高我们对宿主操纵复杂性、适应价值和机制的知识。