Counting rare Wolbachia endosymbionts using digital droplet PCR.

ABSTRACT: Wolbachia is the most widespread animal-associated intracellular microbe, living within the cells of over half of insect species. Since they can suppress pathogen replication and spread rapidly through insect populations, Wolbachia is at the vanguard of public health initiatives to control mosquito-borne diseases. Wolbachia's abilities to block pathogens and spread quickly are closely linked to their abundance in host tissues. The most common method for counting Wolbachia is quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), yet qPCR can be insufficient to count rare Wolbachia, necessitating tissue pooling and consequently compromising individual-level resolution of Wolbachia dynamics. Digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) offers superior sensitivity, enabling t

SUBMITTER: Njogu AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11661144 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature