Université de Fribourg

A Bit of Sex Stabilizes Host+Parasite Dynamics

Flatt, Thomas ; Maire, Nicolas ; Doebeli, Michael

In: Journal of Theoretical Biology, 2001, vol. 212, no. 3, p. 345-354

To date, only a few studies have focused on the effects of sex on population dynamics. Previous models have typically found that sexual reproduction dampens population fluctuations. Although asexual and sexual reproduction are just the two endpoints along a continuum of varying rates of sex, previous work has ignored the effects of intermediate degrees of sex on population dynamics. Here we study...

Université de Fribourg

Secreted venom allergen-like proteins of helminths: Conserved modulators of host responses in animals and plants

Wilbers, Ruud H. P. ; Schneiter, Roger ; Holterman, Martijn H. M. ; Drurey, Claire ; Smant, Geert ; Asojo, Oluwatoyin A. ; Maizels, Rick M. ; Lozano-Torres, Jose L.

In: PLOS Pathogens, 2018, vol. 14, no. 10, p. e1007300

Despite causing considerable damage to host tissue at the onset of parasitism, invasive helminths establish remarkably persistent infections in both animals and plants. Secretions released by these obligate parasites during host invasion are thought to be crucial for their persistence in infection. Helminth secretions are complex mixtures of molecules, most of which have unknown molecular...