MHC variability, life-traits and parasite diversity of European cyprinid fish |
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Authors: | Andrea Šimková Eva Ottová Serge Morand |
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Institution: | (1) Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology and Zoology, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic;(2) Centre de Biologie et Gestion des Populations, Campus international de Baillarguet, CS 30016, Montferrier sur Lez Cedex, 34988 Montpellier, France |
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Abstract: | Potential links between fish life history traits, an immune investment as measured by variability of the MHC genes and parasitism
were analysed in 14 species of cyprinid fish. The hypothesis of the diversity of MHC genes being driven by high parasite diversity,
i.e. species richness, was tested and a potential relationship between the MHC diversity and fish life-history traits including
adult mortality rate, fecundity, longevity and maturity was investigated. Molecular techniques (SSCP and sequencing) were
applied to analyse the MHC nucleotide diversity of the exons 2 and 3 of DAB genes belonging to the MHC class IIB. The comparative analyses, using phylogenetic independent contrasts, revealed a negative
relationship between parasite species richness and adult fish mortality rate. We also found a positive relationship between
nucleotide diversity of the exon 2 and parasite species richness. Our results suggest that fish species, of which populations
are exposed to high parasite pressure, in terms of high parasite species richness, maintain a high genetic diversity of the
exon 2 of the MHC genes (presenting the peptide binding regions), allowing them to decrease their natural mortality rate. |
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Keywords: | MHC diversity Exon 2 Metazoan parasites Cyprinid fish Life history traits |
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