title: Host-parasite network structure is associated with community-level immunogenetic diversity.
abstract: Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) encode proteins that recognize foreign antigens and are thus crucial for immune response. In a population of a single host species, parasite-mediated selection drives MHC allelic diversity. However, in a community-wide context, species interactions may modulate selection regimes because the prevalence of a given parasite in a given host may depend on its prevalence in other hosts. By combining network analysis with immunogenetics, we show that host species infected by similar parasites harbour similar alleles with similar frequencies. We further show, using a Bayesian approach, that the probability of mutual occurrence of a functional allele and a parasite in a given host individual is nonrandom and depends on other host-parasite interactions, driving co-evolution within subgroups of parasite species and functional alleles. Therefore, indirect effects among hosts and parasites can shape host MHC diversity, scaling it from the population to the community level.
authors.affiliation: Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology and Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel.
authors.forename: Shai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pilosof
authors.affiliation: Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville 41092, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fortuna
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR CBGP (INRA/IRD/Cirad/Montpellier SupAgro), Campus International de Baillarguet, CS 30016, 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez cedex, France.
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Cosson
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR CBGP (INRA/IRD/Cirad/Montpellier SupAgro), Campus International de Baillarguet, CS 30016, 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez cedex, France.
authors.forename: Maxime
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galan
authors.affiliation: Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
authors.forename: Chaisiri
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kittipong
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Research Group, Faculty of Science, Udon Thani Rajabhat University, Udon Thani 41000, Thailand.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ribas
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Segal
authors.affiliation: Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology and Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel.
authors.forename: Boris R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Krasnov
authors.affiliation: 1] Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution, Université Montpellier 2, Montpellier 34095, France [2] Centre de coopération International en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, Animal et Gestion Intégrée des Risques, Campus de Baillarguet, F-34093 Montpellier Cedex 5, France [3] Centre d'Infectiologie Christophe Mérieux du Laos, PO Box 3888, Samsenthai Road, Vientiane, Lao PDR.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morand
authors.affiliation: Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville 41092, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bascompte
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D006376:Helminths / Q000502:physiology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007125:Immunogenetics; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D051379:Mice