Describing endosymbiont–host interactions within the parasitism–mutualism continuum

Ary A. Hoffmann, Brandon S. Cooper

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Endosymbionts are widespread in arthropods, living in host cells with effects that extend from parasitic to mutualistic. Newly acquired endosymbionts tend to be parasitic, but vertical transmission favors coevolution toward mutualism, with hosts sometimes developing dependency. Endosymbionts negatively affecting host fitness may still spread by impacting host reproductive traits, referred to as reproductive “manipulation,” although costs for hosts are often assumed rather than demonstrated. For cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) that involves endosymbiont-mediated embryo death, theory predicts directional shifts away from “manipulation” toward reduced CI strength; moreover, CI-causing endosymbionts need to increase host fitness to initially spread. In nature, endosymbiont–host interactions and dynamics are complex, often depending on environmental conditions and evolutionary history. We advocate for capturing this complexity through appropriate datasets, rather than relying on terms like “manipulation.” Such imprecision can lead to the misclassification of endosymbionts along the parasitism–mutualism continuum.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere11705
JournalEcology and Evolution
Volume14
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2024

Keywords

  • addiction
  • cytoplasmic incompatibility
  • endosymbiosis
  • host–microbe interactions
  • infection
  • manipulation

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