Loss of lipid synthesis as an evolutionary consequence of a parasitic lifestyle

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 107; no. 19; pp. 8677 - 8682
• Main Authors: Visser, Bertanne, Le Lann, Cécile, den Blanken, Frank J, Harvey, Jeffrey A, van Alphen, Jacques J.M, Ellers, Jacintha
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences 11.05.2010; National Acad Sciences; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
• Subjects: Animals; Biodiversity and Ecology; Biological Evolution; Biological Sciences; Data processing; Environmental Sciences; Evolution; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Female; Genotype & phenotype; Host-parasite interactions; Hymenoptera; Insect larvae; Insects; Life sciences; Lifestyle; Lipids; Lipids - biosynthesis; Lipogenesis; Lipogenesis - physiology; Negative selection; Parasite hosts; Parasites; Parasites - physiology; Parasitism; Parasitoids; Phenotypic traits; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Quantitative Trait, Heritable; Sciences du vivant; Wasps - physiology; Zoologie; Zoology; environmental compensation; parasitoids; fat reserves; coevolution; host manipulation

Evolutionary loss of traits can result from negative selection on a specific phenotype, or if the trait is selectively neutral, because the phenotype associated with the trait has become redundant. Even essential traits may be lost, however, if the resulting phenotypic deficiencies can be compensate...