The Antiviral Effects of the Symbiont Bacteria Wolbachia in Insects

Author(s)

Pimentel, Andre C. ^[1] ; Cesar, Cassia S. ^[1] ; Martins, Marcos ^[1] ; Cogni, Rodrigo ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Ecol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Review article
• Source: FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY; v. 11, JAN 29 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Wolbachia is a maternally transmitted bacterium that lives inside arthropod cells. Historically, it was viewed primarily as a parasite that manipulates host reproduction, but more recently it was discovered that Wolbachia can also protect Drosophila species against infection by RNA viruses. Combined with Wolbachia's ability to invade insect populations due to reproductive manipulations, this provides a way to modify mosquito populations to prevent them transmitting viruses like dengue. In this review, we discuss the main advances in the field since Wolbachia's antiviral effect was discovered 12 years ago, identifying current research gaps and potential future developments. We discuss that the antiviral effect works against a broad range of RNA viruses and depends on the Wolbachia lineage. We describe what is known about the mechanisms behind viral protection, and that recent studies suggest two possible mechanisms: activation of host immunity or competition with virus for cellular resources. We also discuss how association with Wolbachia may influence the evolution of virus defense on the insect host genome. Finally, we investigate whether the antiviral effect occurs in wild insect populations and its ecological relevance as a major antiviral component in insects. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/03997-2 - On the host-symbiont-natural enemy interaction: from parasitism to mutualism
• Grantee: Cássia de Souza Siqueira Cesar
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 15/08307-3 - Evolution of virus resistance in D. melanogaster: effects of the endosymbiont Wolbachia and polymorphisms in the gene pastrel in a selection experiment
• Grantee: Rodrigo Cogni
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• FAPESP's process: 13/25991-0 - Ecological genomics of insects: climate adaptations and evolution of ecological interactions
• Grantee: Rodrigo Cogni
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/01295-8 - Quantitative description of a drosophilid community and its natural enemies in an Atlantic Forest altitudinal gradient
• Grantee: Marcos Aurélio Martins Oliveira da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master