ArticleEcology letters2013
Sex differences in host defence interfere with parasite-mediated selection for outcrossing during host-parasite coevolution.
Article in Ecology letters, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers.
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Who cites it
28 citing papers in PubMed.
- Species-specific barriers restrict virus spillover potential across the Caenorhabditis genus.PLoS biology · 2026Article
- Evolution of Ivermectin Resistance in the Nematode ModelEvolutionary applications · 2026Article
- Investigating the consequences of the mating system for drug resistance evolution inProceedings. Biological sciences · 2025Article
- Life history in Caenorhabditis elegans: from molecular genetics to evolutionary ecology.Genetics · 2024Review
- Genetic variation in parasite avoidance, yet no evidence for constitutive fitness costs.Evolution; international journal of organic evolution · 2024Article
- Population size impacts host-pathogen coevolution.Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2021Article
- Virus infection modulates male sexual behaviour in Caenorhabditis elegans.Molecular ecology · 2021Article
- Evolution of pathogen tolerance and emerging infections: A missing experimental paradigm.eLife · 2021Review
- Sex Matters: Effects of Sex and Mating in the Presence and Absence of a Protective Microbe.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2021Article
- Genetic Variation inMicroorganisms · 2020Review
- Partial Selfing Can Reduce Genetic Loads While Maintaining Diversity During Experimental Evolution.G3 (Bethesda, Md.) · 2019Article
- Males, Outcrossing, and Sexual Selection inGenetics · 2019Review
- Turnover in local parasite populations temporarily favors host outcrossing over self-fertilization during experimental evolution.Ecology and evolution · 2018Article
- Sexual Dimorphism and Sex Differences inGenetics · 2018Article
- Article
- A Model for Evolutionary Ecology of Disease: The Case forJournal of nematology · 2017Article
- Experimental Evolution withGenetics · 2017Review
- The Natural Biotic Environment ofGenetics · 2017Review
- Variation in rates of spontaneous male production within the nematode species Pristionchus pacificus supports an adaptive role for males and outcrossing.BMC evolutionary biology · 2017Article
- Article
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
The Red Queen hypothesis proposes that coevolving parasites select for outcrossing in the host. Outcrossing relies on males, which often show lower immune investment due to, for example, sexual selection. Here, we demonstrate that such sex differences in immunity interfere with parasite-mediated selection for outcrossing. Two independent coevolution experiments with Caenorhabditis elegans and its microparasite Bacillus thuringiensis produced decreased yet stable frequencies of outcrossing male hosts. A subsequent systematic analysis verified that male C. elegans suffered from a direct selective disadvantage under parasite pressure (i.e. lower resistance, decreased sexual activity, increased escape behaviour), which can reduce outcrossing and thus male frequencies. At the same time, males offered an indirect selective benefit, because male-mediated outcrossing increased offspring resistance, thus favouring male persistence in the evolving populations. As sex differences in immunity are widespread, such interference of opposing selective constraints is likely of central importance during host adaptation to a coevolving parasite.
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