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Dryad

Male and female genotype and a genotype-by-genotype interaction mediate the effects of mating on cellular but not humoral immunity in female decorated crickets

Cite this dataset

Sadd, Ben et al. (2020). Male and female genotype and a genotype-by-genotype interaction mediate the effects of mating on cellular but not humoral immunity in female decorated crickets [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.547d7wm6n

Abstract

Sexually antagonistic coevolution is predicted to lead to the divergence of male and female genotypes related to the effects of substances transferred by males at mating on female physiology. The outcome of mating should thus depend on the specific combination of mating genotypes. Although mating has been shown to influence female immunity in diverse insect taxa, a male-female genotype-by-genotype effect on female immunity post-mating remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigate the effects of mating on female decorated cricket baseline immunity and the potential for a male-by-female genotype interaction affecting this response. Females from three distinct genotypic backgrounds were left unmated or singly mated in a fully reciprocal design to males from the same three genotypic backgrounds. Hemocytes and hemocyte microaggregations were quantified for female cellular immunity, and phenoloxidase, involved in melanization, and antibacterial activity for humoral immunity. In this system, female cellular immunity was more reactive to mating, and mating effects were genotype dependent. Specifically, for hemocytes, a genotype-mating status interaction mediated the effect of mating per se, and a significant male-female genotype-by-genotype interaction determined hemocyte depletion post-mating. Microaggregations were influenced by the female’s genotype or that of her mate. Female humoral immune measures were unaffected, indicating the propensity for post-mating effects on female is dependent on the component of baseline immunity. The genotype-by-genotype effect on hemocytes supports a role of sexual conflict in post-mating immune suppression, suggesting divergence of male genotypes with respect to modification of female post-mating immunity, and divergence of female genotypes in resistance to these effects.

Usage notes

See the uploaded readme file (Hampton_GxG_data_readme.txt).

Funding

National Science Foundation, Award: IOS 16–54028

National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Award: 1R15GM129681-01