Resources modulate developmental shifts but not infection tolerance upon coinfection in an insect system

Abstract

Energetic resources fuel immune responses and parasite growth within organisms, but it is unclear whether energy allocation is sufficient to explain changes in infection outcomes under the threat of multiple parasites. We manipulated diet in flour beetles (Tribolium confusum) infected with two natural parasites to investigate the role of resources in shifting metabolic and immune responses after single and co-infection. Our results suggest that gregarine parasites alter the within-host energetic environment, and by extension juvenile development time, in a diet- dependent manner. Gregarines do not affect host resistance to acute bacterial infection but do stimulate the expression of an alternative set of immune genes and promote damage to the gut, ultimately contributing to reduced survival regardless of diet. Thus, energy allocation is not sufficient to explain the immunological contribution to coinfection outcomes, emphasizing the importance of mechanistic insight for predicting the impact of coinfection across levels of biological organization.