MHC-dependent survival in a wild population: evidence for hidden genetic benefits gained through extra-pair fertilizations

  1. LYANNE BROUWER1,2,3,
  2. IAIN BARR1,
  3. MARTIJN Van De POL3,
  4. TERRY BURKE4,
  5. JAN KOMDEUR5,
  6. DAVID S. RICHARDSON1,6

Article first published online: 28 JUL 2010

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2010.04750.x

Issue

Molecular Ecology

Molecular Ecology

Volume 19, Issue 16, pages 3444–3455, August 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

BROUWER, L., BARR, I., Van De POL, M., BURKE, T., KOMDEUR, J. and RICHARDSON, D. S. (2010), MHC-dependent survival in a wild population: evidence for hidden genetic benefits gained through extra-pair fertilizations. Molecular Ecology, 19: 3444–3455. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2010.04750.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK

  2. 2

    Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway

  3. 3

    Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia

  4. 4

    Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK

  5. 5

    Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, PO Box 14, 9750 AA, Haren, The Netherlands

  6. 6

    Nature Seychelles, PO Box 1310, Mahé, Republic of Seychelles

*David S. Richardson, Fax: +44(0) 1603 592 250; E-mail: david.richardson@uea.ac.uk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 5 AUG 2010
  2. Article first published online: 28 JUL 2010
  3. Received 25 January 2010; revision revised 27 May 2010; accepted 03 June 2010

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Keywords:

  • mark-recapture survival analysis;
  • mate choice;
  • MHC class I;
  • pathogens;
  • Seychelles warbler;
  • viability selection

Abstract

Females should prefer to be fertilized by males that increase the genetic quality of their offspring. In vertebrates, genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) play a key role in the acquired immune response and have been shown to affect mating preferences. They are therefore important candidates for the link between mate choice and indirect genetic benefits. Higher MHC diversity may be advantageous because this allows a wider range of pathogens to be detected and combated. Furthermore, individuals harbouring rare MHC alleles might better resist pathogen variants that have evolved to evade common MHC alleles. In the Seychelles warbler, females paired with low MHC-diversity males elevate the MHC diversity of their offspring to levels comparable to the population mean by gaining extra-pair fertilizations. Here, we investigate whether increased MHC diversity results in higher life expectancy and whether there are any additional benefits of extra-pair fertilizations. Our 10-year study found a positive association between MHC diversity and juvenile survival, but no additional survival advantage of extra-pair fertilizations. In addition, offspring with a specific allele (Ase-ua4) had a fivefold longer life expectancy than offspring without this allele. Consequently, the interacting effects of sexual selection and pathogen-mediated viability selection appear to be important for maintaining MHC variation in the Seychelles warbler. Our study supports the prediction that MHC-dependent extra-pair fertilizations result in genetic benefits for offspring in natural populations. However, such genetic benefits might be hidden and not necessarily apparent in the widely used fitness comparison of extra- and within-pair offspring.

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