Wolbachia reduces virus infection in a natural population of Drosophila

Autor(es)

Cogni, Rodrigo ^[1] ; Ding, Shuai Dominique ^[2] ; Pimentel, Andre C. ^[1] ; Day, Jonathan P. ^[2] ; Jiggins, Francis M. ^[2]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

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

^[2] Univ Cambridge, Dept Genet, Cambridge - England

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY; v. 4, n. 1 NOV 25 2021.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Wolbachia is a maternally transmitted bacterial symbiont that is estimated to infect approximately half of arthropod species. In the laboratory it can increase the resistance of insects to viral infection, but its effect on viruses in nature is unknown. Here we report that in a natural population of Drosophila melanogaster, individuals that are infected with Wolbachia are less likely to be infected by viruses. By characterising the virome by metagenomic sequencing and then testing individual flies for infection, we found the protective effect of Wolbachia was virus-specific, with the prevalence of infection being up to 15% greater in Wolbachia-free flies. The antiviral effects of Wolbachia may contribute to its extraordinary ecological success, and in nature the symbiont may be an important component of the antiviral defences of insects. Cogni et al. report a protective effect of Wolbachia on viral infection of a natural Drosophila population through metagenomics sequencing of the virome. This study provides new evidence showing that Wolbachia confers viral resistance in natural population of flies. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 15/08307-3 - Evolução de resistência a vírus em D. melanogaster: efeito do endossimbionte Wolbachia e de polimorfismos no gene pastrel em um experimento de seleção
• Beneficiário: Rodrigo Cogni
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Exterior - Pesquisa
• Processo FAPESP: 13/25991-0 - Ecologia genômica de insetos: adaptações ao clima e evolução de interações ecológicas
• Beneficiário: Rodrigo Cogni
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Jovens Pesquisadores