• ECTS

    6 credits

  • Component

    Faculty of Science

Description

The general objective of this course is to deepen the concepts necessary for the study of symbiotic interactions, whether parasitic or mutualistic. For that we will approach the specificities but also the ubiquity of the parasitic way of life in the tree of life. The defense mechanisms of host organisms, the notions of promotion and manipulation, the consequences of host-symbiont interactions on life history traits as well as the influence of these interactions in the diversification of organisms will be discussed.

The practical work will be an opportunity to deepen these concepts on some major models of interactions involving symbionts (viruses, bacteria, unicellular and multicellular eukaryotes) and hosts (uni- and multicellular).

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Objectives

- To know the biology of parasitic and symbiotic interactions (diversity, morpho-anat-physio related to the interaction)

- Know the life cycles of fundamental symbiotic and parasitic organisms including the concepts of promotion and manipulation

- Address the molecular aspects of host-symbiont interactions (defense and avoidance strategies and mechanisms, including immuno-biological interactions, extended phenotype-behavior, resistance, tolerance, bypassing host defenses, promotion, manipulation)

- Interactions and evolution (symbionts as drivers of evolution, evolution of symbiotic interactions, co-evolution, co-adaptations, co-specifications, Red Queen).

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Knowledge control

Continuous assessment : 100%.

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