Life history linked to immune investment in developing amphibians

Douglas C Woodhams; Sara C Bell; Laurent Bigler; Richard M Caprioli; Pierre Chaurand; Brianna A Lam; Laura K Reinert; Urs Stalder; Victoria M Vazquez; Klaus Schliep; Andreas Hertz; Louise A Rollins-Smith

doi:10.1093/conphys/cow025

Life history linked to immune investment in developing amphibians

Douglas C Woodhams, Sara C Bell, Laurent Bigler, Richard M Caprioli, Pierre Chaurand, Brianna A Lam, Laura K Reinert, Urs Stalder, Victoria M Vazquez, Klaus Schliep, Andreas Hertz, Louise A Rollins-Smith

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The broad diversity of amphibian developmental strategies has been shaped, in part, by pathogen pressure, yet trade-offs between the rate of larval development and immune investment remain poorly understood. The expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in skin secretions is a crucial defense against emerging amphibian pathogens and can also indirectly affect host defense by influencing the composition of skin microbiota. We examined the constitutive or induced expression of AMPs in 17 species at multiple life-history stages. We found that AMP defenses in tadpoles of species with short larval periods (fast pace of life) were reduced in comparison with species that overwinter as tadpoles and grow to a large size. A complete set of defensive peptides emerged soon after metamorphosis. These findings support the hypothesis that species with a slow pace of life invest energy in AMP production to resist potential pathogens encountered during the long larval period, whereas species with a fast pace of life trade this investment in defense for more rapid growth and development.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	cow025
Journal	Conservation Physiology
Volume	4
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/cow025
Publication status	Published - 2016
Externally published	Yes

Access to Document

10.1093/conphys/cow025

Cite this

@article{a29f1f3c49a64b0fa30799bb5727f9aa,

title = "Life history linked to immune investment in developing amphibians",

abstract = "The broad diversity of amphibian developmental strategies has been shaped, in part, by pathogen pressure, yet trade-offs between the rate of larval development and immune investment remain poorly understood. The expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in skin secretions is a crucial defense against emerging amphibian pathogens and can also indirectly affect host defense by influencing the composition of skin microbiota. We examined the constitutive or induced expression of AMPs in 17 species at multiple life-history stages. We found that AMP defenses in tadpoles of species with short larval periods (fast pace of life) were reduced in comparison with species that overwinter as tadpoles and grow to a large size. A complete set of defensive peptides emerged soon after metamorphosis. These findings support the hypothesis that species with a slow pace of life invest energy in AMP production to resist potential pathogens encountered during the long larval period, whereas species with a fast pace of life trade this investment in defense for more rapid growth and development.",

author = "Woodhams, {Douglas C} and Bell, {Sara C} and Laurent Bigler and Caprioli, {Richard M} and Pierre Chaurand and Lam, {Brianna A} and Reinert, {Laura K} and Urs Stalder and Vazquez, {Victoria M} and Klaus Schliep and Andreas Hertz and Rollins-Smith, {Louise A}",

year = "2016",

doi = "10.1093/conphys/cow025",

language = "English",

volume = "4",

pages = "cow025",

journal = "Conservation Physiology",

issn = "2051-1434",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Life history linked to immune investment in developing amphibians

AU - Woodhams, Douglas C

AU - Bell, Sara C

AU - Bigler, Laurent

AU - Caprioli, Richard M

AU - Chaurand, Pierre

AU - Lam, Brianna A

AU - Reinert, Laura K

AU - Stalder, Urs

AU - Vazquez, Victoria M

AU - Schliep, Klaus

AU - Hertz, Andreas

AU - Rollins-Smith, Louise A

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - The broad diversity of amphibian developmental strategies has been shaped, in part, by pathogen pressure, yet trade-offs between the rate of larval development and immune investment remain poorly understood. The expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in skin secretions is a crucial defense against emerging amphibian pathogens and can also indirectly affect host defense by influencing the composition of skin microbiota. We examined the constitutive or induced expression of AMPs in 17 species at multiple life-history stages. We found that AMP defenses in tadpoles of species with short larval periods (fast pace of life) were reduced in comparison with species that overwinter as tadpoles and grow to a large size. A complete set of defensive peptides emerged soon after metamorphosis. These findings support the hypothesis that species with a slow pace of life invest energy in AMP production to resist potential pathogens encountered during the long larval period, whereas species with a fast pace of life trade this investment in defense for more rapid growth and development.

AB - The broad diversity of amphibian developmental strategies has been shaped, in part, by pathogen pressure, yet trade-offs between the rate of larval development and immune investment remain poorly understood. The expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in skin secretions is a crucial defense against emerging amphibian pathogens and can also indirectly affect host defense by influencing the composition of skin microbiota. We examined the constitutive or induced expression of AMPs in 17 species at multiple life-history stages. We found that AMP defenses in tadpoles of species with short larval periods (fast pace of life) were reduced in comparison with species that overwinter as tadpoles and grow to a large size. A complete set of defensive peptides emerged soon after metamorphosis. These findings support the hypothesis that species with a slow pace of life invest energy in AMP production to resist potential pathogens encountered during the long larval period, whereas species with a fast pace of life trade this investment in defense for more rapid growth and development.

U2 - 10.1093/conphys/cow025

DO - 10.1093/conphys/cow025

M3 - Article

C2 - 27928507

SN - 2051-1434

VL - 4

SP - cow025

JO - Conservation Physiology

JF - Conservation Physiology

IS - 1

ER -

Life history linked to immune investment in developing amphibians

Abstract

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this