Linked Life Data

21040353

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/21040353

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
12
pubmed:dateCreated
2010-11-18
pubmed:abstractText
Parasites pose a serious threat to host fitness, and natural selection should favour host traits that reduce infection or disease symptoms. Here, we provide the first evidence of trans-generational medication, in which animals actively use medicine to mitigate disease in their offspring. We studied monarch butterflies and their virulent protozoan parasites, and found that neither caterpillars nor adult butterflies could cure themselves of disease. Instead, adult butterflies preferentially laid their eggs on toxic plants that reduced parasite growth and disease in their offspring caterpillars. It has often been suggested that sick animals may use medication to cure themselves of disease, but evidence for the use of medication in nature has so far been scarce. Our results provide evidence that infected animals may indeed use medicine as a defence against parasites, and that such medication may target an individual's offspring rather than the individual itself.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Dec
pubmed:issn
1461-0248
pubmed:author
pubmed:copyrightInfo
© 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:volume
13
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1485-93
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2010
pubmed:articleTitle
Evidence for trans-generational medication in nature.
pubmed:affiliation
Biology Department, Emory University, 1510 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. telefev@emory.edu
pubmed:publicationType
Letter, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't