| title: | Immune function in the ecological context: oxidative stress, carotenoid-based signals and parasite resistance |
|---|---|
| reg no: | ETF6222 |
| project type: | Estonian Science Foundation research grant |
| status: | accepted |
| institution: | University of Tartu |
| head of project: | Peeter Hõrak |
| duration: | 01.01.2005 - 31.12.2008 |
| description: | The project aims at (1) Detection of the cost of immune responses and explanation of its possible mechanisms in the context of expression of carotenoid-based signal traits and parasite resistance. (2) Explanation of relative importance of different antioxidant modulators and regulators in situations of abundance and limitation of exogenous antioxidants. Elucidation of the possible role of oxidative stress in formation of reproductive costs. (3) Establishing the primary biological role of carotenoids in the signalling context. (4) Explanation of genetic basis of variation in disease resistance and humoral immunocompetence. Using free-living breeding great tits and captive greenfinches as study objects, the following hypotheses will be tested: a) Immune challenge with non-pathogenic foreign antigen causes oxidative stress, which is modulated by the endogenous and exogenous antioxidants; b) Physical work load excerted by the reproductive effort causes oxidative stress; c) Primary biological role of carotenoids is to signal the sufficient levels of other antioxidants. (Hence Manipulation of non-carotenoid antioxidant levels should affect the expression of carotenoid-based signals). d) Resistance to coccidiosis and Sindbis virus infection, as well as humoral immunocompetence and expression of carotenoid-based ornaments in greenfinches are related to variation in MHC haplotypes. (Isolation and sequencing of MHC class I and class IIb genes will be initiated.) |
| project group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no | name | institution | position | |
| 1. | Peeter Hõrak | University of Tartu | senior researcher | |
| 2. | Ulvi Karu | University of Tartu | ||
| 3. | Indrek Ots | University of Tartu | senior researcher | |
| 4. | Urmas Saarma | University of Tartu | senior scientist | |
| 5. | Lauri Saks | University of Tartu | Ph.D. student | |
| 6. | Lea Tummeleht | University of Tartu | ||