Heads or tails: host-parasite interactions in the Drosophila-Wolbachia system.
Appl Environ Microbiol
; 70(9): 5366-72, 2004 Sep.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-15345422
ABSTRACT
Wolbachia strains are endosymbiotic bacteria typically found in the reproductive tracts of arthropods. These bacteria manipulate host reproduction to ensure maternal transmission. They are usually transmitted vertically, so it has been predicted that they have evolved a mechanism to target the host's germ cells during development. Through cytological analysis we found that Wolbachia strains display various affinities for the germ line of Drosophila. Different Wolbachia strains show posterior, anterior, or cortical localization in Drosophila embryos, and this localization is congruent with the classification of the organisms based on the wsp (Wolbachia surface protein) gene sequence. This embryonic distribution pattern is established during early oogenesis and does not change until late stages of embryogenesis. The posterior and anterior localization of Wolbachia resembles that of oskar and bicoid mRNAs, respectively, which define the anterior-posterior axis in the Drosophila oocyte. By comparing the properties of a single Wolbachia strain in different host backgrounds and the properties of different Wolbachia strains in the same host background, we concluded that bacterial factors determine distribution, while bacterial density seems to be limited by the host. Possible implications concerning cytoplasmic incompatibility and evolution of strains are discussed.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Wolbachia
/
Drosophila
/
Interações Hospedeiro-Parasita
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Appl Environ Microbiol
Ano de publicação:
2004
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Grécia