Coevolution is prevalent in nature. Mutualisms, or jointly beneficial relationships between species, are one of the most common settings in which coevolution occurs. Despite this prevalence and the widespread medical importance of mutualisms, very little research has been done on the evolutionary dynamics of these relationships. Theory predicts that sets of genes within each interacting species should influence one another and ultimately shape the long-term relationship between the two species. Genetic interactions within a single species are known to have a profound effect on the route that evolution takes for that species. However, in the case of mutualisms, these genetic interactions may affect the route that evolution takes in both species collectively, or even separately. Do these mutualistic relationships alter evolutionary pathways? And if they do, is it for better or worse? I will use experimential evolution, a process of allowing organisms to evolve within a controlled setting but without predetermined results, to answer these questions, I will evolve mutualist partner species either together or apart to determine if the rate of evolution changes depending on their association. Then, I will determine the effects of evolution either with or without a partner on the genome of one partner species. These tests will determine if evolution within a mutualism alters the evolutionary pathway of a population by looking at how a mutualistic relationship changes both the genotypes and phenotypes of a species that can exist either independently or with a mutualist partner.

Public Health Relevance

Humans maintain mutualistic relationships with thousands of microbes. Bacteria in the human gut are known to effect metabolic rates and therefore are linked with many human health issues, like obesity. This project explores the potential limitations and hazards of a mutualistic relationship between a species of bacteria and its animal partner.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
5F32GM096482-03
Application #
8414891
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-F08-E (20))
Program Officer
Reddy, Michael K
Project Start
2011-02-01
Project End
2014-01-31
Budget Start
2013-02-01
Budget End
2014-01-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$53,942
Indirect Cost
Name
Indiana University Bloomington
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
006046700
City
Bloomington
State
IN
Country
United States
Zip Code
47401
Parrish 2nd, Raymond C; Penley, McKenna J; Morran, Levi T (2016) The Integral Role of Genetic Variation in the Evolution of Outcrossing in the Caenorhabditis elegans-Serratia marcescens Host-Parasite System. PLoS One 11:e0154463
Slowinski, Samuel P; Morran, Levi T; Parrish 2nd, Raymond C et al. (2016) Coevolutionary interactions with parasites constrain the spread of self-fertilization into outcrossing host populations. Evolution 70:2632-2639
Morran, Levi T; Penley, McKenna J; Byrd, Victoria S et al. (2016) Nematode-bacteria mutualism: Selection within the mutualism supersedes selection outside of the mutualism. Evolution 70:687-95
Gibson, A K; Stoy, K S; Gelarden, I A et al. (2015) The evolution of reduced antagonism--A role for host-parasite coevolution. Evolution 69:2820-30
Morran, Levi T; Parrish 2nd, Raymond C; Gelarden, Ian A et al. (2014) Experimental coevolution: rapid local adaptation by parasites depends on host mating system. Am Nat 184 Suppl 1:S91-100
Lively, C M; Morran, L T (2014) The ecology of sexual reproduction. J Evol Biol 27:1292-303
Morran, Levi T; Parrish, Raymond C; Gelarden, Ian A et al. (2013) Temporal dynamics of outcrossing and host mortality rates in host-pathogen experimental coevolution. Evolution 67:1860-8
Morran, Levi T; Schmidt, Olivia G; Gelarden, Ian A et al. (2011) Running with the Red Queen: host-parasite coevolution selects for biparental sex. Science 333:216-8