How can your parasites become your allies?
Although parasitic infection is usually detrimental, it can be beneficial to the host in some situations. Parasites could help their host by providing a new function or modifying one of the host's life-history traits. We argue that the evolution towards a lasting mutualistic relationship would be more likely when parasites endow hosts with new abilities rather than alter a trait because hosts are less likely to evolve a new capability on their own than adjust their life history by microevolutionary steps. Furthermore, we underline how evolved dependence--the host's loss of ability to live alone owing to a long history of evolution in the presence of its parasites--has shaped contemporary mutualistic relationships.
Fellous
Simon
S
Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. simonfellous@free.fr
Salvaudon
Lucie
L
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria; D005075:Biological Evolution; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000235:genetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D010247:Paramecium / Q000382:microbiology*; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000235:genetics*