All organisms are plagued by pathogens, which can rapidly evolve to overcome host defenses, resulting in increased host damage or mortality (virulence). Genetic variability of hosts provides one defense against this deadly potential. Experimental evolution of a murine retrovirus revealed 156-fold increases in fitness and 11-fold increases in virulence after just 10 serial passages through single-genotype hosts, but these dramatic increases were completely abolished when the virus faced five alternating host genotypes. Conditions that promote high transmission are also predicted to favor high virulence. For example, the virulence of Marek's disease virus of chickens has been steadily increasing over the past decades as barriers to transmission and host genetic diversity have been reduced. The long term objective of this study is to identify the mechanisms controlling virulence evolution of pathogens, which will lead to approaches for controlling the diseases emerging from such virulence increases. This study manipulates levels of both transmission and host genetic diversity during experimental viral evolution to quantify how each factor controls the evolution of pathogen transmissibility, replication and virulence (Aim 1). These experiments will be conducted in two hosts - mice (Mus) and chickens (Gallus), representing a model mammal and an avian agricultural species. For each host, two separate viral pathogens will be independently evaluated. We will utilize deep sequencing techniques to interrogate the entire genomes of the evolved viruses to identify the genetic basis of viral transmissibility, replication and virulence changes (Aim 2), which will fuel future experiments to discover specific mechanisms. These empirical data will form a basis for the development of mathematical models needed to deduce host consequences from pathogen replication and virulence evolution (Aim 3). The ability to study these processes experimentally and in real time provides a powerful yet under-utilized tool for dissecting the complex interactions between hosts and pathogens, which will be important for understanding and controlling pathogen-caused diseases.

Public Health Relevance

Beyond infectious disease itself, pathogens cause other diseases such as cancer, autoimmunity, and escape from vaccine immunity. This study identifies the causes of evolving pathogen virulence, which is fundamental to: 1) controlling pathogen-caused diseases, 2) controlling the emergence of new infectious diseases, 3) preparing against the use of pathogens as bioterrorism weapons and 4) controlling the global, antibiotic resistance crisis by minimizing the need for prophylactic antibiotics in domestic animals

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01GM109500-01
Application #
8641489
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-IDM-U (55))
Program Officer
Eckstrand, Irene A
Project Start
2013-09-15
Project End
2017-08-31
Budget Start
2013-09-15
Budget End
2014-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$381,424
Indirect Cost
$125,435
Name
University of Utah
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
009095365
City
Salt Lake City
State
UT
Country
United States
Zip Code
84112
Cornwall, D H; Kubinak, J L; Zachary, E et al. (2018) Experimental manipulation of population-level MHC diversity controls pathogen virulence evolution in Mus musculus. J Evol Biol 31:314-322
Morris, Jeremy S; Ruff, James S; Potts, Wayne K et al. (2017) A disparity between locomotor economy and territory-holding ability in male house mice. J Exp Biol 220:2521-2528
Ruff, James S; Cornwall, Douglas H; Morrison, Linda C et al. (2017) Sexual selection constrains the body mass of male but not female mice. Ecol Evol 7:1271-1275
Ruff, James S; Saffarini, Raed B; Ramoz, Leda L et al. (2017) Mouse fitness measures reveal incomplete functional redundancy of Hox paralogous group 1 proteins. PLoS One 12:e0174975
Gaukler, Shannon M; Ruff, James S; Galland, Tessa et al. (2016) Quantification of cerivastatin toxicity supports organismal performance assays as an effective tool during pharmaceutical safety assessment. Evol Appl 9:685-96
Gaukler, Shannon M; Ruff, James S; Morrison, Linda C et al. (2016) Rofecoxib-Induced Deleterious Effects Escape Detection by Organismal Performance Assays. J Pharm Negat Results 7:4-11
Gaukler, Shannon Marie; Ruff, James Steven; Potts, Wayne K (2016) Paroxetine exposure skews litter sex ratios in mice suggesting a Trivers-Willard process. Behav Ecol 27:1113-1121
Mowry, Annelise V; Kavazis, Andreas N; Sirman, Aubrey E et al. (2016) Reproduction Does Not Adversely Affect Liver Mitochondrial Respiratory Function but Results in Lipid Peroxidation and Increased Antioxidants in House Mice. PLoS One 11:e0160883
Ruff, James S; Hugentobler, Sara A; Suchy, Amanda K et al. (2015) Compared to sucrose, previous consumption of fructose and glucose monosaccharides reduces survival and fitness of female mice. J Nutr 145:434-41
Kubinak, Jason L; Cornwall, Douglas H; Hasenkrug, Kim J et al. (2015) Serial infection of diverse host (Mus) genotypes rapidly impedes pathogen fitness and virulence. Proc Biol Sci 282:20141568

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