The role of epistatic interactions underpinning resistance to parasitic Varroa mites in haploid honey bee (Apis mellifera) drones

• DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13271
• Publication Date: 2018-03-26T01:21:02Z
• Authors: Benjamin H. Conlon; Eva Frey; Peter Rosenkranz; Barbara Locke; Robin F. A. Moritz; Jarkko Routtu
• Keywords: Haplodiploidy; Epistasis

Abstract The Red Queen hypothesis predicts that host–parasite coevolutionary dynamics can select for host resistance through increased genetic diversity, recombination and evolutionary rates. However, in haplodiploid organisms such as the honeybee ( Apis mellifera ), models suggest selective pressure is weaker than diploids. Haplodiploid sex determination, found A. , allow deleterious recessive alleles to persist population diploid with negative effects predominantly expressed haploid sex. To overcome these genomes, epistatic interactions have been hypothesized play an important role. Here, we use interaction between parasitic mite Varroa destructor test epistasis expression of resistance, inhibition parasite reproduction, drones. We find novel loci on three chromosomes which explain over 45% phenotype. Two interact only additively, suggesting their independent each other, but both epistatically third locus. With drone offspring inheriting one copy queen's chromosomes, drones will possess two queen throughout years‐long lifetime colony. Varroa, comparison, completes its highly inbred reproductive cycle a matter weeks, allowing it rapidly evolve resistance. Faced evolving diversity pathways reproduction could therefore provide advantage high levels seen . This allows remixing phenotypes despite fixed genotype.