Immunoecology of the Great Snipe (Gallinago media) : Mate Choice, MHC Variation, and Humoral Immunocompetence in a Lekking Bird
At the centre of the vertebrate immune system is a group of proteins called MHC (major histocompatibility complex) molecules. These function in self – non self recognition and activation of the immune defence against intruding parasites and pathogens. In this thesis I have investigated individual va...
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Uppsala universitet, Populationsbiologi
2004
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ftuppsalauniv:oai:DiVA.org:uu-4585 2023-05-15T16:19:28+02:00 Immunoecology of the Great Snipe (Gallinago media) : Mate Choice, MHC Variation, and Humoral Immunocompetence in a Lekking Bird Ekblom, Robert 2004 application/pdf http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-4585 eng eng Uppsala universitet, Populationsbiologi Uppsala : Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology, 1104-232X 1022 http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-4585 urn:isbn:91-554-6057-7 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Biology Behaviour Major histocompatibility complex class II B Sexual selection Evolution Leks Biologi Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis text 2004 ftuppsalauniv 2023-02-23T21:44:16Z At the centre of the vertebrate immune system is a group of proteins called MHC (major histocompatibility complex) molecules. These function in self – non self recognition and activation of the immune defence against intruding parasites and pathogens. In this thesis I have investigated individual variation in MHC class II genes and antibody producing ability in relation to ecology and behaviour in the great snipe (Gallinago media), a lekking bird, breeding in northern Europe. There was much variation in the MHC genes of the great snipe and the sequence data show that balancing selection has been acting on these genes. I found genetic differentiation in the MHC between two separate geographic regions of the great snipe distribution. Furthermore, this structure was more pronounced than that previously found in neutral genetic markers, suggesting that different selection pressures (possibly resulting from variation in parasitic fauna) are acting in these different regions. The birds produced specific antibodies following injection with two novel antigens. Males that were chosen as mates, had higher antibody titers than their neighbouring males, suggesting that this ability may be important in female mate choice. Such choice could give the offspring an enhanced immune system or could favour females directly by avoidance of sexually transmitted diseases. Females choosing to mate with a male having a different set of MHC genes than their own could give the offspring immune system the ability to react to a wide range of parasites. No such mate choice could, however, be found in the great snipe. Instead, females preferred males with certain MHC alleles, irrespective of their own MHC type. If those alleles confer resistance to parasites currently prevailing in the population, such resistance would be inherited by the offspring, thereby enhancing their fitness. Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis Gallinago media great snipe Uppsala University: Publications (DiVA) |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Uppsala University: Publications (DiVA) |
op_collection_id |
ftuppsalauniv |
language |
English |
topic |
Biology Behaviour Major histocompatibility complex class II B Sexual selection Evolution Leks Biologi |
spellingShingle |
Biology Behaviour Major histocompatibility complex class II B Sexual selection Evolution Leks Biologi Ekblom, Robert Immunoecology of the Great Snipe (Gallinago media) : Mate Choice, MHC Variation, and Humoral Immunocompetence in a Lekking Bird |
topic_facet |
Biology Behaviour Major histocompatibility complex class II B Sexual selection Evolution Leks Biologi |
description |
At the centre of the vertebrate immune system is a group of proteins called MHC (major histocompatibility complex) molecules. These function in self – non self recognition and activation of the immune defence against intruding parasites and pathogens. In this thesis I have investigated individual variation in MHC class II genes and antibody producing ability in relation to ecology and behaviour in the great snipe (Gallinago media), a lekking bird, breeding in northern Europe. There was much variation in the MHC genes of the great snipe and the sequence data show that balancing selection has been acting on these genes. I found genetic differentiation in the MHC between two separate geographic regions of the great snipe distribution. Furthermore, this structure was more pronounced than that previously found in neutral genetic markers, suggesting that different selection pressures (possibly resulting from variation in parasitic fauna) are acting in these different regions. The birds produced specific antibodies following injection with two novel antigens. Males that were chosen as mates, had higher antibody titers than their neighbouring males, suggesting that this ability may be important in female mate choice. Such choice could give the offspring an enhanced immune system or could favour females directly by avoidance of sexually transmitted diseases. Females choosing to mate with a male having a different set of MHC genes than their own could give the offspring immune system the ability to react to a wide range of parasites. No such mate choice could, however, be found in the great snipe. Instead, females preferred males with certain MHC alleles, irrespective of their own MHC type. If those alleles confer resistance to parasites currently prevailing in the population, such resistance would be inherited by the offspring, thereby enhancing their fitness. |
format |
Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis |
author |
Ekblom, Robert |
author_facet |
Ekblom, Robert |
author_sort |
Ekblom, Robert |
title |
Immunoecology of the Great Snipe (Gallinago media) : Mate Choice, MHC Variation, and Humoral Immunocompetence in a Lekking Bird |
title_short |
Immunoecology of the Great Snipe (Gallinago media) : Mate Choice, MHC Variation, and Humoral Immunocompetence in a Lekking Bird |
title_full |
Immunoecology of the Great Snipe (Gallinago media) : Mate Choice, MHC Variation, and Humoral Immunocompetence in a Lekking Bird |
title_fullStr |
Immunoecology of the Great Snipe (Gallinago media) : Mate Choice, MHC Variation, and Humoral Immunocompetence in a Lekking Bird |
title_full_unstemmed |
Immunoecology of the Great Snipe (Gallinago media) : Mate Choice, MHC Variation, and Humoral Immunocompetence in a Lekking Bird |
title_sort |
immunoecology of the great snipe (gallinago media) : mate choice, mhc variation, and humoral immunocompetence in a lekking bird |
publisher |
Uppsala universitet, Populationsbiologi |
publishDate |
2004 |
url |
http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-4585 |
genre |
Gallinago media great snipe |
genre_facet |
Gallinago media great snipe |
op_relation |
Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology, 1104-232X 1022 http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-4585 urn:isbn:91-554-6057-7 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
_version_ |
1766005867288723456 |