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Wolbachia transmission in a naturally bi‐infected Drosophila simulans strain from New‐Caledonia
Author(s) -
Merçot Hervé,
Poinsot Denis
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1046/j.1570-7458.1998.00269.x
Subject(s) - wolbachia , biology , cytoplasmic incompatibility , backcrossing , host (biology) , zoology , drosophila (subgenus) , strain (injury) , rickettsiales , genetics , arthropod , lepidoptera genitalia , parasite hosting , insect , phenotype , virology , gene , botany , ecology , anatomy , world wide web , computer science
Abstract Wolbachia are maternally‐transmitted endocellular bacteria infecting several arthropod species. In order to study the possibility of Wolbachia segregation in a naturally bi‐infected host, isofemale lines from a bi‐infected Drosophila simulans (Sturtevant) strain from Nouméa (New Caledonia) were backcrossed using uninfected males carrying the same nuclear background. Uninfected males were used to avoid the cytoplasmic incompatibility syndrome (CI) associated with the presence of Wolbachia in males. Each line was established using a female infected simultaneously by the two different Wolbachia variants w Ha and w No. The backcross led to some individuals carrying only one type of infection being recovered among the progeny of the bi‐infected foundress females. Rarely, uninfected individuals were also recovered. Isolated for the first time in its natural host, w No exhibited a significantly weaker CI phenotype than the isolated w Ha variant. Infection fate when backcross conditions were relaxed varied depending on rearing conditions of the host. Under favourable conditions, the infection was generally maintained, while it was frequently lost under unfavourable conditions. This result probably reflects the direct fitness dependence of the symbiont on its host.