Project name: Wolbachia endosymbiont of Drosophila ananassae

Description: Wolbachia. This group of bacteria are associated with a variety of invertebrate species, some as pathogens, some in a symbiotic or other type of relationship. Typically these organisms are transmitted maternally from mother to daughter transovarially (through the egg) although these bacteria can affect their hosts reproductive capabilities in order to enhance transmission. One way they do this is cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), which results in embryonic death due to the mating of two parents that exhibit different statuses. An example of this is the mating of an infected male with an uninfected female resulting in CI. The net outcome is the increase of hosts carrying the bacteria in the next generation, thereby increasing transmission.

Last updated: 2009-03-20