When enemies do not become friends: Experimental evolution of heat-stress adaptation in a vertically transmitted parasite

Abstract

Author contributions: ED, SK and TUB conceived the study; ED conducted the experiment. OK, ED and TP conducted the statistical analyses. OK and ED wrote the manuscript; SK, TP 15 and TUB provided comments on the manuscript. All authors gave final approval for submission. Short title: Symbiont heat stress adaptation 20 as 'parasites' and evolve adaptations that do not help their hosts. Long-term infection persistence might require additional mechanisms, such as the symbiont-mediated 'killer trait' in this system, allowing the selective elimination of uninfected individuals in the population.

Microbial evolution and transitions along the parasite–mutualist continuum

“…Conversely, not all inherited microorganisms become mutualists 103 . Wolbachia , Spiroplasma and Arsenophonus species are common inherited parasites that manipulate host reproduction, maximizing resource allocation to the transmitting host sex (females) by feminizing hosts or killing their sons 104 .…”