MHC class I variation associates with parasite resistance and longevity in tropical pythons
(2006) In Journal of evolutionary biology 19(6). p.1973-1978- Abstract
- Using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) we identified 26 unique major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genotypes in 104 water pythons. We observed a significant independent association between reduced blood parasite load (Hepatozoon sp.) and python body length/age, presence of a specific RFLP fragment (C-fragment) and the overall number of fragments. The parasite has a negative impact on several python life-history traits such as growth, nutritional status and longevity. Thus, the C-fragment could be considered a 'good gene' (a fitness-enhancing genetic element). However, while the number of fragments affected parasite load, the association between level of parasitaemia and fragment number was not linear, and, hence, minimum... (More)
- Using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) we identified 26 unique major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genotypes in 104 water pythons. We observed a significant independent association between reduced blood parasite load (Hepatozoon sp.) and python body length/age, presence of a specific RFLP fragment (C-fragment) and the overall number of fragments. The parasite has a negative impact on several python life-history traits such as growth, nutritional status and longevity. Thus, the C-fragment could be considered a 'good gene' (a fitness-enhancing genetic element). However, while the number of fragments affected parasite load, the association between level of parasitaemia and fragment number was not linear, and, hence, minimum parasite infection level was achieved at an intermediate number of fragments. Intermediate MHC fragment numbers were also observed among the largest/oldest pythons, suggesting that both a specific fragment and intermediate levels of MHC polymorphism enhanced python longevity. Thus, our results suggest python MHC is subject to both frequency-dependent and balancing selection. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/162805
- author
- Madsen, Thomas LU and Ujvari, Beata LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2006
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Journal of evolutionary biology
- volume
- 19
- issue
- 6
- pages
- 1973 - 1978
- publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Inc.
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000241243100025
- scopus:33750009813
- ISSN
- 1420-9101
- DOI
- 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2006.01158.x
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 123b15b1-2a01-453d-b1a7-0af676b892aa (old id 162805)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 12:29:59
- date last changed
- 2022-03-13 18:43:54
@article{123b15b1-2a01-453d-b1a7-0af676b892aa,
abstract = {{Using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) we identified 26 unique major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genotypes in 104 water pythons. We observed a significant independent association between reduced blood parasite load (Hepatozoon sp.) and python body length/age, presence of a specific RFLP fragment (C-fragment) and the overall number of fragments. The parasite has a negative impact on several python life-history traits such as growth, nutritional status and longevity. Thus, the C-fragment could be considered a 'good gene' (a fitness-enhancing genetic element). However, while the number of fragments affected parasite load, the association between level of parasitaemia and fragment number was not linear, and, hence, minimum parasite infection level was achieved at an intermediate number of fragments. Intermediate MHC fragment numbers were also observed among the largest/oldest pythons, suggesting that both a specific fragment and intermediate levels of MHC polymorphism enhanced python longevity. Thus, our results suggest python MHC is subject to both frequency-dependent and balancing selection.}},
author = {{Madsen, Thomas and Ujvari, Beata}},
issn = {{1420-9101}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{6}},
pages = {{1973--1978}},
publisher = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
series = {{Journal of evolutionary biology}},
title = {{MHC class I variation associates with parasite resistance and longevity in tropical pythons}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1420-9101.2006.01158.x}},
doi = {{10.1111/j.1420-9101.2006.01158.x}},
volume = {{19}},
year = {{2006}},
}