Disentangling host-parasite and male-female coevolutionary effects on host fitness

• Applicant: Dr. Oliver Otti
• Subject Area: Evolution, Anthropology
• Term: from 2016 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 313570077

Reproduction and immunity are among the most important aspects of life, but their interaction, "reproductive immunity", has received relatively little interest. Both fields have been studied intensively, but largely separately. Some previous studies have looked at reproduction influencing the immune system and its responses to mating. However, the complementary question "how does pathogen transfer during copulation, and resultant immune activation, affect reproduction?" has rarely been asked, yet is likely to yield highly valuable information about both host-parasite interactions and the interaction between the sexes. The damage inherent in copulation is likely to increase infection risk and activate the immune system, altering the reproductive output and the playground not only for natural selection, but also for sexual selection. Microbes entering hosts via copulation pose further selection pressure on the processes in action during reproduction. Therefore, I will tackle the important question: How do sexually transmitted opportunistic microbes shape reproductive traits of hosts? With this proposal I intend to take the study of sexual conflict and reproductive immunity to a new level by studying the microbial community of host organisms and their impact on the coevolution between the sexes. I will for the first time link sexual selection with host-parasite interactions studying the effect of microbes on reproductive traits directly and via immunity.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants