Gangoso Laura, Gutiérrez-López Rafael, Martínez-de la Puente Josué, Figuerola Jordi
Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, C/Américo Vespucio, s/n, 41092 Seville, Spain
Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, C/Américo Vespucio, s/n, 41092 Seville, Spain.
Biol Lett. 2016 Dec;12(12). doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0839.
Individual genetic diversity is predicted to influence host-parasite interactions. Together with the genes directly associated with immune responses, variation in genes regulating vertebrate melanin-based pigmentation may play an important role in these interactions, mainly through the pleiotropic effects that affect colour-specific physiology, behaviour and immunity. Here, we test the hypothesis that the prevalence of avian malarial parasites differs between phenotypes in a raptor species in which the genetic basis of colour polymorphism and its pleiotropic effects over immune functions are known. We found that dark morphs had a higher prevalence of Plasmodium parasites than pale ones but detected no such association for Haemoproteus This pattern may be associated with unequal exposure to vectors or, as suggested by our circumstantial evidence, to a differential ability to mount an immune response against blood parasites.
个体遗传多样性预计会影响宿主与寄生虫的相互作用。除了与免疫反应直接相关的基因外，调节脊椎动物黑色素沉着的基因变异可能在这些相互作用中发挥重要作用，主要是通过影响特定颜色的生理、行为和免疫的多效性效应。在这里，我们检验这样一个假设：在一种猛禽物种中，已知其颜色多态性的遗传基础及其对免疫功能的多效性效应，鸟类疟原虫的流行率在不同表型之间存在差异。我们发现，深色形态的疟原虫感染率高于浅色形态，但未检测到血变原虫有此类关联。这种模式可能与对媒介的接触不平等有关，或者，正如我们的间接证据所表明的，与对血液寄生虫产生免疫反应的能力差异有关。
