Evolutionarily stable infection by a male-killing endosymbiont in Drosophila innubila: molecular evidence from the host and parasite genomes.

ABSTRACT: Maternally inherited microbes that spread via male-killing are common pathogens of insects, yet very little is known about the evolutionary duration of these associations. The few examples to date indicate very recent, and thus potentially transient, infections. A male-killing strain of Wolbachia has recently been discovered in natural populations of Drosophila innubila. The population-level effects of this infection are significant: approximately 35% of females are infected, infected females produce very strongly female-biased sex ratios, and the resulting population-level sex ratio is significantly female biased. Using data on infection prevalence and Wolbachia transmission rates, infected cytoplasmic lineages are estimated to experience a approximately 5% selective advantage relative to

SUBMITTER: Dyer KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1448788 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature