Prophage-encoded <i>Hm-oscar</i> gene recapitulates <i>Wolbachia</i>-induced male-killing in the tea tortrix moth <i>Homona magnanima</i>.

ABSTRACT: Wolbachia are maternally transmitted bacterial symbionts that are ubiquitous among arthropods. They can hijack host reproduction in various ways, including male-killing (MK), where the sons of infected mothers are killed during development. The recent discovery of MK-associated Wolbachia genes, i.e., oscar in Ostrinia moths and wmk in Drosophila flies, stimulates our interest in the diversity and commonality of MK mechanisms, which remain largely unclear. We recently discovered that a Wolbachia symbiont of the moth Homona magnanima carries an MK-associated prophage region encoding homologs of oscar (Hm-oscar) and wmk (wmk-1-4). Here, we investigated the effects of these genes in the native host. Upon transi

SUBMITTER: Arai H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11996169 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature