Variable male potential rate of reproduction: high male mating capacity as an adaptation to parasite–induced excess of females?

Moreau, Jérôme; Rigaud, Thierry

doi:10.1098/rspb.2003.2402

Cited by 23 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…However, there is evidence in feminizer-host systems for evolution of male reproductive behavior. In a comparative analysis, the male ability to fertilize multiple females was higher in two species carrying a feminizer than in five other species in which there was no feminizer present (Moreau and Rigaud 2003). This is consistent with the action of selection to partition ejaculates to enable a greater mating rate in males.…”

Section: Alteration In Mating System/reproductive Ecologysupporting

confidence: 65%

Reproductive Parasitism: Maternally Inherited Symbionts in a Biparental World

Hurst

Frost

2015

Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol

134

146

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Most species of insect, and many other plants and animals, carry maternally heritable microorganisms-viruses, bacteria, unicellular eukaryotes, and fungi that pass from a female host to her progeny. Maternal inheritance establishes a correlation between the fitness of symbiont and host female, which can select for the symbiont to contribute to host fitness. Nevertheless, its lack of transmission through male hosts places the symbiont in conflict with biparentally inherited nuclear genes. In this review, we first examine how this conflict is manifest in selection to promote the production and survival of infected female hosts and gametes. We then examine how the distorted population sex ratios that they produce may affect host reproductive ecology, and thus the intensity of other conflicts associated with sexual reproduction. Finally, we examine evolved host responses to symbiont manipulation. We argue that the unusual intensity of symbiont-host conflict generates extreme selection pressures that can drive changes in sex-determination systems, the basic pathway through which males and females are constructed.

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Section: Alteration In Mating System/reproductive Ecologysupporting

confidence: 65%

Reproductive Parasitism: Maternally Inherited Symbionts in a Biparental World

Hurst

Frost

2015

Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol

134

146

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“…With no fitness cost associated with Wolbachia and a strong symbiont transmission rate, the infection should spread deterministically in host populations (Taylor 1990). However, during Wolbachia spread, the population sex ratio becomes more and more femalebiased (Taylor 1990;Rigaud et al 1992), inducing: (i) the establishment of male mate choice, the males preferring uninfected females as mating partners (Moreau et al 2001); and (ii) increased opportunities for multiple copulations in males because of female-biased operational sex ratios (Moreau & Rigaud 2003). The uninfected females would therefore be more likely to receive the first mating, and the larger amount of sperm.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A cost ofWolbachia–induced sex reversal and female–biased sex ratios: decrease in female fertility after sperm depletion in a terrestrial isopod

Rigaud

Moreau

2004

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

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A number of parasites are vertically transmitted to new host generations via female eggs. In such cases, host reproduction is an intimate component of parasite fitness and no cost of the infection on host reproduction is expected to evolve. A number of these parasites distort host sex ratios towards females, thereby increasing either parasite fitness or the proportion of the host that transmit the parasite. In terrestrial isopods (woodlice), Wolbachia bacteria are responsible for sex reversion and female-biased sex ratios, changing genetic males into functional neo-females. Although sex ratio distortion is a powerful means for parasites to increase in frequency in host populations, it also has potential consequences on host biology, which may, in turn, have consequences for parasite prevalence. We used the woodlouse Armadillidium vulgare to test whether the interaction between Wolbachia infection and the resulting excess of females would limit female fertility through the reduction in sperm number that they receive from males. We showed that multiple male mating induces sperm depletion, and that this sperm depletion affects fertility only in infected females. This decrease in fertility, associated with male mate choice, may limit the spread of Wolbachia infections in host populations.

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“…Such events, although difficult to be observed, may occur in nature. On the other hand, populations that do persist take advantage of imperfect transmission of feminizing Wolbachia strains (Rigaud et al 1999b) or constrain the ability of Wolbachia to spread by exploiting the local scarcity of males (Moreau and Rigaud, 2003). Recent studies suggest that Wolbachia can also induce feminization in insect species as reported for the leafhopper Zyginidia pullula (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) and the butterfly Eurema hecabe (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) (Negri et al 2006, Narita et al 2007.…”

Section: Wolbachia-induced Phenotypesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wolbachia-induced reproductive parasitism and applications

Saridaki

Bourtzis

2017

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Insects have been reported to be associated with a broad variety of microorganisms, affecting the host biology in many different ways. Among them, Wolbachia, an obligatory intracellular and maternally-inherited symbiont, has recently attracted a lot of attention. Beside insects, Wolbachia are found in association with a wide variety of other invertebrate species, including mites, scorpions, spiders, crustaceans, filarial nematodes. Several surveys have indicated that Wolbachia may be symbiont of up to 70% of all insect species, rendering Wolbachia the most ubiquitous intracellular symbiotic organism on Earth. Wolbachia-host interactions range from many forms of reproductive parasitism to mutualistic symbioses. Different Wolbachia strains have been found to induce a number of reproductive alterations such as feminization, parthenogenesis, male-killing or cytoplasmic incompatibility. Despite their common occurrence and major effects on host biology, speciation and ecological diversity, little is known on the molecular mechanisms that mediate Wolbachia-host interactions. Recent studies focus on the potential of Wolbachia-based methods for the biological control of insect pests and disease vectors of agricultural, environmental and medical importance.

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Variable male potential rate of reproduction: high male mating capacity as an adaptation to parasite–induced excess of females?

Cited by 23 publications

References 38 publications

Reproductive Parasitism: Maternally Inherited Symbionts in a Biparental World

Reproductive Parasitism: Maternally Inherited Symbionts in a Biparental World

A cost ofWolbachia–induced sex reversal and female–biased sex ratios: decrease in female fertility after sperm depletion in a terrestrial isopod

Wolbachia-induced reproductive parasitism and applications

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