Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection pressure shapes innate immune gene evolution in natural rodent populations across Europe

Abstract

Although parasite-mediated selection is assumed to be the main driver of immune gene evolution, empirical evidence that parasites induce allele frequencychanges at host immune genes in time and/or space remains scarce. Here, I show that the frequency of a protective gene variant of the innate immune receptor Toll-like receptor 2 in natural bank vole (Myodes glareolus) populations is positively associated with the strength of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection risk across the European continent. Thereby, this study provides rare evidence for the role of spatially variable infection pressures in moulding the vertebrate immune system.