DOI: 10.5061/dryad.33k09
title: Data from: Evolution of defence cocktails: antimicrobial peptide combinations reduce mortality and persistent infection

description: The simultaneous expression of costly immune effectors such as multiple
 antimicrobial peptides is a hallmark of innate immunity of multicellular
 organisms, yet the adaptive advantage remains unresolved. Here, we test
 current hypotheses on the evolution of such defence cocktails. We use RNAi
 gene knock-down to explore, the effects of three highly expressed
 antimicrobial peptides, displaying different degrees of activity in vitro
 against Staphylococcus aureus, during an infection in the beetle Tenebrio
 molitor. We find that a defensin confers no survival benefit but reduces
 bacterial loads. A coleoptericin contributes to host survival without
 affecting bacterial loads. An attacin has no individual effect.
 Simultaneous knock-down of the defensin with the other AMPs results in
 increased mortality and elevated bacterial loads. Contrary to common
 expectations, the effects on host survival and bacterial load can be
 independent. The expression of multiple AMPs increases host survival and
 contributes to the control of persisting infections and tolerance. This is
 an emerging property that explains the adaptive benefit of defence
 cocktails.
description: survival_singleKD_ten1Survival data of the control and tenecin 1 knock-down beetles over 35 days after infection with Staphylococcus aureus of inejction of a saline solution. Experiment 1.survival_simpleKD_ten1.csvCFU_singleKD_ten1Number of CFU of Staphylococcus aureus recovered from Tenebrio molitor along time in control and tenecin 1 knock down beetles. Experiment 1.CFU_simpleKD_ten1.csvsurvival_doubleKD_ten1ten2_ten1ten4Survival data of Tenebrio molitor after infection with Staphylococcus aureus or a saline solution over 35 days in control, tenecin 1 and tenecin 2 or tenecin 1 and tenecin 4 knock down beetles. Experiment 2.CFU_doubleKD_ten1ten2_ten1ten4Number of Staphylococcus aureus CFU recovered from Tenebrio molitor across time after infection in control, tenecin one and tenecin 2 or tenecin 1 and tenecin 4 beetles. Experiment 2.survival_singleKD_ten2_ten4Survival data of Tenebrio molitor after infection with Staphylococcus aureus or injection of a saline solution in control, tenecin 2 knock down and tenecin 4 knock down beetles over 35 days. Experiment 3.survival_simpleKD_ten2_ten4.csvCFU_singleKD_ten2_ten4Number of CFU of Staphylococcus aureus recovered from Tenebrio molitor across time after infection in control, tenecin 2 or tenecin 4 knock down beetles. Experiment 3.CFU_simpleKD_ten2_ten4.csvsingleKD_ten1KD_deltact_CFUData on the efficiency of the knock down by qPCR in the single knock down of tenecin 1 in relationship to the number of CFU of Staphylococcus aureus recovered from tenecin 1 knock down and control beetles.simpleKD_ten1KD_deltact_CFU.csvdoubleKD_ten1ten2KD_deltaCt_CFUData on the efficiency of the knock down by qPCR in the double knock down of tenecin 1 and tenecin 2 in relationship to the number of CFU of Staphylococcus aureus recovered from beetls of each treatment.doubleKD_ten1ten4KD_deltaCt_CFUData on the efficiency of the knock down by qPCR in the double knock down of tenecin 1 and tenecin 4 in relationship to the number of CFU of Staphylococcus aureus recovered from beetls of each treatment.singleKD_ten2_deltactData on the efficiency of the knock down by qPCR in the single knock down of tenecin 2 in tenecin 2 knock down and control beetles.singleKD_ten4_deltactData on the efficiency of the knock down by qPCR in the single knock down of tenecin 4 in tenecin 4 knock down and control beetles.