Dieter Ebert

Summary

Affiliation: University of Basel
Country: Switzerland

Publications

  1. ncbi Draft genome sequence of the Daphnia pathogen Octosporea bayeri: insights into the gene content of a large microsporidian genome and a model for host-parasite interactions
    Nicolas Corradi
    Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, The Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
    Genome Biol 10:R106. 2009
  2. ncbi Comparative metagenomics of Daphnia symbionts
    Weihong Qi
    Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, Switzerland
    BMC Genomics 10:172. 2009
  3. ncbi Converging seasonal prevalence dynamics in experimental epidemics
    Sandra Lass
    Départment de Biology, Ecologie et Evolution, Universite de Fribourg, Chemin du Musee 10, Fribourg, 1700, Switzerland
    BMC Ecol 11:14. 2011
  4. ncbi Host-parasite coevolution: Insights from the Daphnia-parasite model system
    Dieter Ebert
    Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Curr Opin Microbiol 11:290-301. 2008
  5. ncbi A short term benefit for outcrossing in a Daphnia metapopulation in relation to parasitism
    Dieter Ebert
    Universitat Basel, Zoologie, Evolutionsbiologie, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    J R Soc Interface 4:777-85. 2007
  6. ncbi The evolution of virulence when parasites cause host castration and gigantism
    Dieter Ebert
    Universitat Basel, Zoologisches Institut, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Am Nat 164:S19-32. 2004
  7. ncbi Desiccation of rock pool habitats and its influence on population persistence in a Daphnia metacommunity
    Florian Altermatt
    Zoologisches Institut, Universitat Basel, Basel, Switzerland
    PLoS ONE 4:e4703. 2009
  8. ncbi Population genetics of duplicated alternatively spliced exons of the Dscam gene in Daphnia and Drosophila
    Daniela Brites
    Zoologisches Institut, Evolutionsbiologie, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
    PLoS ONE 6:e27947. 2011
  9. ncbi Cloning of the unculturable parasite Pasteuria ramosa and its Daphnia host reveals extreme genotype-genotype interactions
    Pepijn Luijckx
    Institut of Zoology, Evolutionsbiologie, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
    Ecol Lett 14:125-31. 2011
  10. ncbi Strong inbreeding depression in a Daphnia metapopulation
    Christoph R Haag
    Universitat Basel, Zoologisches Institut, Switzerland
    Evolution 56:518-26. 2002

Detail Information

Publications53

  1. ncbi Draft genome sequence of the Daphnia pathogen Octosporea bayeri: insights into the gene content of a large microsporidian genome and a model for host-parasite interactions
    Nicolas Corradi
    Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, The Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
    Genome Biol 10:R106. 2009
    ....
  2. ncbi Comparative metagenomics of Daphnia symbionts
    Weihong Qi
    Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, Switzerland
    BMC Genomics 10:172. 2009
    ..Third, we compare the metacommunities revealed by two different 454 pyrosequencing methods (GS 20 and GS FLX)...
  3. ncbi Converging seasonal prevalence dynamics in experimental epidemics
    Sandra Lass
    Départment de Biology, Ecologie et Evolution, Universite de Fribourg, Chemin du Musee 10, Fribourg, 1700, Switzerland
    BMC Ecol 11:14. 2011
    ..Here, we aim at testing how the starting prevalence affects the regular prevalence changes over a 4-year period in experimental populations...
  4. ncbi Host-parasite coevolution: Insights from the Daphnia-parasite model system
    Dieter Ebert
    Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Curr Opin Microbiol 11:290-301. 2008
    ..Coevolution in D. magna and the bacterium Pasteuria ramosa is consistent with model predictions of coevolution by negative frequency dependent selection, the Red Queen hypothesis. The genetic mechanisms have not yet been elucidated...
  5. ncbi A short term benefit for outcrossing in a Daphnia metapopulation in relation to parasitism
    Dieter Ebert
    Universitat Basel, Zoologie, Evolutionsbiologie, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    J R Soc Interface 4:777-85. 2007
    ..Our data support the Red Queen hypothesis which states that in the presence of coevolving parasites, outbreeding is favoured in the host...
  6. ncbi The evolution of virulence when parasites cause host castration and gigantism
    Dieter Ebert
    Universitat Basel, Zoologisches Institut, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Am Nat 164:S19-32. 2004
    ..This hypothesis assumes that infections are long lasting, that is, that they have a high life expectancy...
  7. ncbi Desiccation of rock pool habitats and its influence on population persistence in a Daphnia metacommunity
    Florian Altermatt
    Zoologisches Institut, Universitat Basel, Basel, Switzerland
    PLoS ONE 4:e4703. 2009
    ..Occupation lengths of all three Daphnia species were positively correlated with maximum hydroperiod length and negatively correlated with the number of desiccation events. Surprisingly, these effects were not species-specific...
  8. ncbi Population genetics of duplicated alternatively spliced exons of the Dscam gene in Daphnia and Drosophila
    Daniela Brites
    Zoologisches Institut, Evolutionsbiologie, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
    PLoS ONE 6:e27947. 2011
    ....
  9. ncbi Cloning of the unculturable parasite Pasteuria ramosa and its Daphnia host reveals extreme genotype-genotype interactions
    Pepijn Luijckx
    Institut of Zoology, Evolutionsbiologie, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
    Ecol Lett 14:125-31. 2011
    ..We recommend caution when using P. ramosa isolates as the presence of multiple genotypes may influence the outcome and interpretation of some experiments...
  10. ncbi Strong inbreeding depression in a Daphnia metapopulation
    Christoph R Haag
    Universitat Basel, Zoologisches Institut, Switzerland
    Evolution 56:518-26. 2002
    ..However, the finding of low inbreeding depression in the monoclonal populations suggests that inbred and outbred genotypes might have about equal chances of establishing new populations...
  11. ncbi The first-generation Daphnia magna linkage map
    Jarkko Routtu
    Zoologisches Institut, Evolutionsbiologie, Universitat Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    BMC Genomics 11:508. 2010
    ..It also enables comparative studies between D. magna and D. pulex, for which a linkage map already exists...
  12. ncbi The influence of pool volume and summer desiccation on the production of the resting and dispersal stage in a Daphnia metapopulation
    Florian Altermatt
    Zoologisches Institut, Universitat Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Oecologia 157:441-52. 2008
    ..The substantial production of ephippia by populations in small pools suggests that these populations might be important for both the dynamics and global stability of metapopulations...
  13. ncbi Genetic diversity of Daphnia magna populations enhances resistance to parasites
    Florian Altermatt
    Zoologisches Institut, Universitat Basel, Vesalgasse 1, CH 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Ecol Lett 11:918-28. 2008
    ..Our experiment demonstrated a monoculture effect in independently replicated semi-natural zooplankton populations, indicating that the monoculture effect may be relevant beyond agriculture...
  14. ncbi Expression of parasite virulence at different host population densities under natural conditions
    Annette Bieger
    Zoologisches Institut, Universitat Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Oecologia 160:247-55. 2009
    ..Eventually, after 100 days, 100% infected populations assumed a reduced carrying capacity compared to uninfected populations. We identify and discuss three reasons for the discrepancy between our experiment and the predictions...
  15. ncbi Disentangling the influence of parasite genotype, host genotype and maternal environment on different stages of bacterial infection in Daphnia magna
    Matthew D Hall
    Zoologisches Institut, Evolutionsbiologie, University of Basel, Basel 4051, Switzerland
    Proc Biol Sci 279:3176-83. 2012
    ....
  16. ncbi Resolving the infection process reveals striking differences in the contribution of environment, genetics and phylogeny to host-parasite interactions
    David Duneau
    University of Basel, Zoological Institute, Vesalgasse 1, Basel, Switzerland
    BMC Biol 9:11. 2011
    ....
  17. ncbi The effects of multiple infections on the expression and evolution of virulence in a Daphnia-endoparasite system
    Frida Ben-Ami
    Zoologisches Institut, Evolutionsbiologie, Universitat Basel, Vesalgasse 1, CH 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Evolution 62:1700-11. 2008
    ..Our results are consistent with the idea that less virulent parasite lines may be replaced by more virulent strains under conditions with high rates of multiple infections...
  18. ncbi The role of moulting in parasite defence
    David Duneau
    University of Basel, Zoological Institute, Vesalgasse 1, Basel, Switzerland
    Proc Biol Sci 279:3049-54. 2012
    ..We further show that exposure to the parasite does not induce hosts to moult earlier. We discuss the implications of our findings for host and parasite evolution and epidemiology...
  19. ncbi Pathogen dose infectivity curves as a method to analyze the distribution of host susceptibility: a quantitative assessment of maternal effects after food stress and pathogen exposure
    Frida Ben-Ami
    Zoologisches Institut, Evolutionsbiologie, Universitat Basel, Vesalgasse 1, CH 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Am Nat 175:106-15. 2010
    ..The finding of an alteration in the variance of susceptibility to infection has implications for host and parasite dynamics and can contribute to our understanding of the stability of host-parasite interactions...
  20. ncbi Cytological and molecular description of Hamiltosporidium tvaerminnensis gen. et sp. nov., a microsporidian parasite of Daphnia magna, and establishment of Hamiltosporidium magnivora comb. nov
    Karen Luisa Haag
    University of Basel, Zoological Institute, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Parasitology 138:447-62. 2011
    ..Moreover, both cytological and molecular data indicate that these species are quite distant from F. montana, the type species of the genus Flabelliforma. We therefore propose that F. magnivora also be placed in Hamiltosporidium gen. nov...
  21. ncbi Variation in phenoloxidase activity and its relation to parasite resistance within and between populations of Daphnia magna
    Patrick T Mucklow
    , , Rheinsprung 9, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Proc Biol Sci 271:1175-83. 2004
    ..Immune response is likely to be a multifactorial trait with various host and parasite characteristics playing important roles in its expression...
  22. ncbi Populations in small, ephemeral habitat patches may drive dynamics in a Daphnia magna metapopulation
    Florian Altermatt
    Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, CH 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Ecology 91:2975-82. 2010
    ..We term this an "inverse mainland-island" type metapopulation and propose that populations in small, ephemeral habitat patches may also be the driving force for metapopulation dynamics in other systems...
  23. ncbi Parasite-mediated selection in experimental Daphnia magna populations
    Marc Capaul
    Zoologisches Institut, , Rheinsprung 9, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Evolution Int J Org Evolution 57:249-60. 2003
    ..Our study shows that parasite-mediated selection can strongly alter the outcome of clonal competition. The results suggest that parasites may influence microevolution in Daphnia populations during periods of asexual reproduction...
  24. ncbi Apparent seasonality of parasite dynamics: analysis of cyclic prevalence patterns
    Sandra Lass
    Département de Biology, Unité d Ecologie et Evolution, Universite de Fribourg, Chemin du Musee 10, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
    Proc Biol Sci 273:199-206. 2006
    ..Thus, the apparent seasonality in O. bayeri prevalence is characterized by a decline during host diapause followed by horizontal spread of the parasite during the host's asexual growth phase...
  25. ncbi Host sexual dimorphism and parasite adaptation
    David Duneau
    University of Basel, Zoological Institute, Basel, Switzerland
    PLoS Biol 10:e1001271. 2012
    ..Considering those possibilities can help shed light on host-parasite interactions, and impact epidemiological and medical science...
  26. ncbi The genotype specific competitive ability does not correlate with infection in natural Daphnia magna populations
    Florian Altermatt
    Zoologisches Institut, Universitat Basel, Basel, Switzerland
    PLoS ONE 2:e1280. 2007
    ..The inbreeding-infection hypothesis predicts that the susceptible individuals are less fit due to inbreeding depression...
  27. ncbi Male-biased sex-ratio distortion caused by Octosporea bayeri, a vertically and horizontally-transmitted parasite of Daphnia magna
    Olivia Roth
    Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Int J Parasitol 38:969-79. 2008
    ..Male production may thus be beneficial for the parasite when horizontal transmission has a large pay-off as males may contribute more effectively to parasite spread than females...
  28. ncbi Variable-number tandem repeats as molecular markers for biotypes of Pasteuria ramosa in Daphnia spp
    Laurence Mouton
    Zoologisches Institut der Universitat Basel, Evolutionsbiologie, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Appl Environ Microbiol 73:3715-8. 2007
    ..The allelic polymorphisms at 14 loci in laboratory and geographically diverse soil samples showed that VNTRs may serve as biomarkers for the genetic characterization of P. ramosa isolates...
  29. ncbi Sex-specific effects of a parasite evolving in a female-biased host population
    David Duneau
    University of Basel, Zoological Institute, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    BMC Biol 10:104. 2012
    ..To explore this hypothesis, we characterized host sex-specific effects of the parasite Pasteuria ramosa, a bacterium evolving in naturally, strongly, female-biased populations of its host Daphnia magna...
  30. ncbi A quantitative test of the relationship between parasite dose and infection probability across different host-parasite combinations
    Frida Ben-Ami
    Zoologisches Institut, Evolutionsbiologie, Universitat Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Proc Biol Sci 275:853-9. 2008
    ..Our analysis suggests that among 5 out of the 14 host clone-parasite isolate combinations that resulted in appreciable infections, non-genetic host heterogeneity plays an important role...
  31. ncbi The Dscam homologue of the crustacean Daphnia is diversified by alternative splicing like in insects
    Daniela Brites
    Zoologisches Institut, Evolutionsbiologie, Universitat Basel, Vesalgasse 1, Switzerland
    Mol Biol Evol 25:1429-39. 2008
    ..The genealogy of the Dscam gene family from vertebrates and invertebrates confirmed that the highly diversified form of the gene evolved from a nondiversified form before the split of insects and crustaceans...
  32. ncbi Time-shift experiments as a tool to study antagonistic coevolution
    Sabrina Gaba
    Universitat Basel, Zoologisches Institut, Evolutionsbiologie, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Trends Ecol Evol 24:226-32. 2009
    ..Here we discuss how time-shift experiments together with modelling can shed new insights on the underlying processes of antagonistic coevolution...
  33. ncbi A selective advantage to immigrant genes in a Daphnia metapopulation
    Dieter Ebert
    Zoologisches Institut, Universitat Basel, Rheinsprung 9, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Science 295:485-8. 2002
    ..This can affect the persistence of local populations and the entire metapopulation...
  34. ncbi Responses of a bacterial pathogen to phosphorus limitation of its aquatic invertebrate host
    Paul C Frost
    Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario K9J7B8 Canada
    Ecology 89:313-8. 2008
    ..Our results provide strong evidence that elemental food quality can significantly influence the incidence and intensity of infectious disease in invertebrate hosts...
  35. ncbi Challenging the trade-off model for the evolution of virulence: is virulence management feasible?
    Dieter Ebert
    Ecologie et Evolution, Departement de Biologie, Universite de Fribourg, Chemin du Musee 10, Switzerland
    Trends Microbiol 11:15-20. 2003
    ..Direct selection against virulence itself might be a more rewarding approach to managing the evolution of virulence...
  36. ncbi Evidence for strong host clone-parasite species interactions in the Daphnia microparasite system
    Ellen Decaestecker
    Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Catholic University of Leuven, Ch De Beriotstraat 32, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
    Evolution 57:784-92. 2003
    ..This may reflect a cost of defense, so that the cumulative cost of being resistant to all parasite species might be too high...
  37. ncbi Empirical support for optimal virulence in a castrating parasite
    Knut Helge Jensen
    Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
    PLoS Biol 4:e197. 2006
    ..This is the first experimental study to demonstrate that the production of propagules is highest at intermediate levels of virulence and that parasite genetic variability is available to drive the evolution of virulence in this system...
  38. ncbi Parasite-mediated selection in experimental metapopulations of Daphnia magna
    Christoph R Haag
    Universite de Fribourg, Department de Biologie, Unité d Ecologie et d Evolution, GH 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
    Proc Biol Sci 271:2149-55. 2004
    ..Taken together, our results suggest that parasite strains that invade local host populations can lead to evolutionary changes in the genetic composition of the host population and that this change is parasite-species specific...
  39. ncbi Mixed inoculations of a microsporidian parasite with horizontal and vertical infections
    Dita B Vizoso
    Departement de Biologie, Unité d écologie and évolution, Universite de Fribourg, Chemin du Musee 10, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
    Oecologia 143:157-66. 2005
    ..Whether this challenges the current views of virulence evolution depends on the definitions used...
  40. ncbi Ecological implications of parasites in natural Daphnia populations
    Ellen Decaestecker
    Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Catholic University of Leuven, Ch De Beriotstraat 32, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
    Oecologia 144:382-90. 2005
    ..Consistent with epidemiological models, these results indicate that parasite mediated host damages influence the population dynamics of both hosts and parasites...
  41. ncbi Dose-dependent infection rates of parasites produce the Allee effect in epidemiology
    Roland R Regoes
    Experimental Ecology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, ETH Zentrum NW, CH 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
    Proc Biol Sci 269:271-9. 2002
    ..The analysis further suggests that negative correlations of the parasite dose with host lifespan and the parasite reproduction rate helps the parasite to overcome the invasion constraints of the Allee-type dynamics...
  42. ncbi Phylogenetic characterization and prevalence of "Spirobacillus cienkowskii," a red-pigmented, spiral-shaped bacterial pathogen of freshwater Daphnia species
    Jorge L M Rodrigues
    Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
    Appl Environ Microbiol 74:1575-82. 2008
    ..The broad geographic distribution, wide host range, and high virulence of S. cienkowskii suggest it plays an important role in the ecology and evolution of daphniids...
  43. ncbi Host-parasite 'Red Queen' dynamics archived in pond sediment
    Ellen Decaestecker
    Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Charles De Beriotstraat 32, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
    Nature 450:870-3. 2007
    ..In contrast, from the moment the parasite was first found in the sediments, we observed a steady increase in virulence over time, associated with higher fitness of the parasite...
  44. ncbi Genetic and immunological comparison of the cladoceran parasite Pasteuria ramosa with the nematode parasite Pasteuria penetrans
    Liesbeth M Schmidt
    Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
    Appl Environ Microbiol 74:259-64. 2008
    ....
  45. ncbi The coexistence of hybrid and parental Daphnia: the role of parasites
    Justyna Wolinska
    Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dubendorf, Switzerland
    Proc Biol Sci 273:1977-83. 2006
    ..More generally, we suggest that if hybrids coexist in sympatry with parental taxa, the infection patterns as observed under natural conditions may be rather temporal and unstable...
  46. ncbi Persistence of host and parasite populations subject to experimental size-selective removal
    Katja Pulkkinen
    Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyvaskyla, P O Box 35, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland
    Oecologia 149:72-80. 2006
    ..Our results highlight the potential role of predation in shaping the epidemiology and community structure of host-parasite systems...
  47. ncbi Parasite-host specificity: experimental studies on the basis of parasite adaptation
    Tom J Little
    Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
    Evolution 60:31-8. 2006
    ..ramosa specificity is a stably inherited trait, it can evolve rapidly, and it is controlled by few genes in the host. These findings are consistent with the idea of a rapid, ongoing arms race between the bacterium and its host...
  48. ncbi Test of synergistic interaction between infection and inbreeding in Daphnia magna
    Christoph R Haag
    Universite de Fribourg, Departement de Biologie, Unité d Ecologie et d Evolution, Chemin du Musee 10, CH 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
    Evolution 57:777-83. 2003
    ..Our findings also indicate that there is variation for specific resistance to different species of parasites in the meta-population from which the hosts for this study were obtained...
  49. ncbi Octosporea bayeri: fumidil B inhibits vertical transmission in Daphnia magna
    Marc Zbinden
    Departement de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution, Universite de Fribourg, Chemin du Musee 10, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
    Exp Parasitol 109:58-61. 2005
    ..This technique allowed Daphnia to survive and reproduce and inhibited vertical transmission of the parasite. The method presented here may be of general interest for other aquatic host-parasite systems involving microsporidia...
  50. ncbi Covariation of mitochondrial genome size with gene lengths: evidence for gene length reduction during mitochondrial evolution
    Andre Schneider
    Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musee 10, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
    J Mol Evol 59:90-6. 2004
    ..Our data are therefore in agreement with the idea that gene length evolves as a consequence of selection for smaller genomes, either to avoid accumulation of deleterious mutations or triggered by selection for a replication advantage...
  51. ncbi Physiology of immunity in the water flea Daphnia magna: environmental and genetic aspects of phenoloxidase activity
    Patrick T Mucklow
    , CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland
    Physiol Biochem Zool 76:836-42. 2003
    ..Our results suggest adaptive variation in PO activity and suggest that its expression is costly. These costs may influence the evolution of the PO activity level and the maintenance of its genotypic variation...
  52. ncbi In deep trouble: habitat selection constrained by multiple enemies in zooplankton
    Ellen Decaestecker
    Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Catholic University of Leuven, Charles De Beriotstraat 32, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
    Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 99:5481-5. 2002
    ..This tradeoff highlights a substantial cost of predator-induced changes in habitat selection behavior. Tradeoffs caused by multiple enemies may explain genetic polymorphism for habitat selection behavior in many natural populations...
  53. ncbi Genetic diversity and genetic differentiation in Daphnia metapopulations with subpopulations of known age
    Christoph R Haag
    Unité d Ecologie et d Evolution, Departement de Biologie, Universite de Fribourg, CH 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
    Genetics 170:1809-20. 2005
    ....