Alternative reproductive strategies in white-throated sparrows are associated with differences in parasite load following experimental infection

Boyd, Rachel; Kelly, Tosha R.; MacDougall‐Shackleton, Scott A.; MacDougall‐Shackleton, Elizabeth A.

doi:10.1098/rsbl.2018.0194

Cited by 14 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Conclusions from studies in wild birds have been based mainly on correlational observations, which may obscure the real effect of sex hormones on immunity. Furthermore, our results are consistent with previous literature failing to find consistent support for the immunocompetence-handicap hypothesis 7 , 9 , 77 , 78 .…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Seasonal variation in sex-specific immunity in wild birds

Valdebenito

Halimubieke

Lendvai

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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Whilst the immune system often varies seasonally and exhibits differences between males and females, the general patterns in seasonality and sex differences across taxa have remained controversial. Birds are excellent model organisms to assess these patterns, because the immune system of many species is well characterised. We conducted a meta-analysis using 41 wild bird species from 24 avian families to investigate sex differences and seasonal (breeding/non-breeding) variations in immune status, including white blood cell counts, phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) test, bacteria-killing ability (BKA), haemolysis and haemagglutination assays. We found male-biased macrophage concentration, BKA and haemolysis titers, but only during the breeding season. Sex-specific heterophil concentrations, heterophil/lymphocyte ratios and PHA responses differed between breeding and non-breeding, suggesting larger changes in males than in females. Importantly, sex differences in immune status are stronger during the breeding period than during the non-breeding period. Taken together, our study suggests that both seasonal variation and sex differences in immune system are common in birds, although their associations are more complex than previously thought.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Seasonal variation in sex-specific immunity in wild birds

Valdebenito

Halimubieke

Lendvai

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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“…Scheuerlein and Ricklefs 80 found an association in parasite prevalence and body size in passerines, however, after controlling for phylogeny, the association was marginal. On the other hand, although stress and sex hormones were not part of www.nature.com/scientificreports/ our analysis, our results give little support to the idea of sex-differences in corticosterone immunosuppression, and seem to be in line of with recent research finding inconclusive results in the immunocompetence handicap theory in birds 26,37,81 . Specifically, we found no sex bias in the overall prevalence of blood parasites, consistent with the overall results of a previous meta-analysis of blood parasites in birds 79 .…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 91%

Mortality cost of sex-specific parasitism in wild bird populations

Valdebenito

Liker

Halimubieke

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Sex-specific mortality is frequent in animals although the causes of different male versus female mortalities remain poorly understood. Parasitism is ubiquitous in nature with widespread detrimental effects to hosts, making parasitism a likely cause of sex-specific mortalities. Using sex-specific blood and gastrointestinal parasite prevalence from 96 and 54 avian host species, respectively, we test the implications of parasites for annual mortality in wild bird populations using phylogenetic comparative methods. First, we show that parasite prevalence is not different between adult males and females, although Nematodes showed a statistically significant but small male-biased parasite prevalence. Second, we found no correlation between sex-biased host mortalities and sex-biased parasite prevalence. These results were consistent in both blood and gastrointestinal parasites. Taken together, our results show little evidence for sex-dependent parasite prevalence in adults in wild bird populations, and suggest that parasite prevalence is an unlikely predictor of sex difference in adult mortalities, not withstanding sampling limitations. We propose that to understand causes of sex-biased mortalities, more complex analyses are needed that incorporate various ecological and life history components of animals life that may include sex differences in exposure to predators, immune capacity and cost of reproduction.

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“…These genes also form a coexpression module in avian blood following West Nile virus infection (Kernbach et al, ). Adult WTSP morphs differ in their ability to clear infection (Boyd, Kelly, MacDougall‐Shackleton, & MacDougall‐Shackleton, ), so the immune activation here may be indicative of an increased parasite load in W morph nestlings, although further investigation is required. The light cyan module contains genes expressed at higher levels in W morph nestlings and contains eight hub genes, each located in the inversion (Table ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Parent and offspring genotypes influence gene expression in early life

et al. 2019

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Parents can have profound effects on offspring fitness. Little, however, is known about the mechanisms through which parental genetic variation influences offspring physiology in natural systems. White‐throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis, WTSP) exist in two genetic morphs, tan and white, controlled by a large polymorphic supergene. Morphs mate disassortatively, resulting in two pair types: tan male × white female (T × W) pairs, which provide biparental care and white male × tan female (W × T) pairs, which provide female‐biased care. To investigate how parental composition impacts offspring, we performed RNA‐seq on whole blood of WTSP nestlings sampled from nests of both pair types. Parental pair type had a large effect on nestling gene expression, with 881 genes differentially expressed (DE) and seven correlated gene coexpression modules. The DE genes and modules expressed at higher levels in W × T nests with female‐biased parental care function in metabolism and stress‐related pathways resulting from the overrepresentation of proteolysis and stress‐response genes (e.g., SOD2, NR3C1). These results show that parental genotypes and/or associated behaviours influence nestling physiology, and highlight avenues of further research investigating the ultimate implications for the maintenance of this polymorphism. Nestlings also exhibited morph‐specific gene expression, with 92 differentially expressed genes, comprising immunity genes and genes encompassed by the supergene. Remarkably, we identified the same regulatory hub genes in these blood‐derived expression networks as were previously identified in adult WTSP brains (EPM2A, BPNT1, TAF5L). These hub genes were located within the supergene, highlighting the importance of this gene complex in structuring regulatory networks across diverse tissues.

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Alternative reproductive strategies in white-throated sparrows are associated with differences in parasite load following experimental infection

Cited by 14 publications

References 23 publications

Seasonal variation in sex-specific immunity in wild birds

Seasonal variation in sex-specific immunity in wild birds

Mortality cost of sex-specific parasitism in wild bird populations

Parent and offspring genotypes influence gene expression in early life

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