Evolution of Immunity and Pathogens

Host and pathogen engage in a constant evolutionary struggle known as a "Red Queen Paradigm". In this struggle, natural selection favours the pathogen which evolves effective virulence mechanisms and the host which is able to field adequate resistance strategies. A number of factors limit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inResults and problems in cell differentiation Vol. 57; p. 1
Main Author Jack, Robert S
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Germany 2015
Subjects
Animals
Evolution, Molecular
Genetic Fitness - genetics
Genetic Variation - genetics
Genetics, Population
Host-Pathogen Interactions - genetics
Humans
Immunity - genetics
Virulence - genetics
Intercalary evolution
Innate immunity
Adaptive immunity
Red Queen Paradigm
Immune evolution
Germ line genes
Somatic recombination
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Summary:Host and pathogen engage in a constant evolutionary struggle known as a "Red Queen Paradigm". In this struggle, natural selection favours the pathogen which evolves effective virulence mechanisms and the host which is able to field adequate resistance strategies. A number of factors limit what each side can do. These include the fact that the elaboration of virulence or resistance mechanisms results in costs in genetic fitness and requires the use of ever more of the limited number of genes available in the genome. In addition, since the pathogen usually has a very much shorter generation time than the host, it can fix new virulence mutations much more quickly than the host can evolve matching resistance mechanisms. Finally, the host must ensure that its defence system does not result in unacceptable levels of collateral damage to its own tissues. This chapter briefly outlines how these considerations shape host-pathogen interactions.
ISSN:0080-1844
DOI:10.1007/978-3-319-20819-0_1