Comparative Genomics of Two Closely Related Wolbachia with Different Reproductive Effects on Hosts.

ABSTRACT: Wolbachia pipientis are obligate intracellular bacteria commonly found in many arthropods. They can induce various reproductive alterations in hosts, including cytoplasmic incompatibility, male-killing, feminization, and parthenogenetic development, and can provide host protection against some viruses and other pathogens. Wolbachia differ from many other primary endosymbionts in arthropods because they undergo frequent horizontal transmission between hosts and are well known for an abundance of mobile elements and relatively high recombination rates. Here, we compare the genomes of two closely related Wolbachia (with 0.57% genome-wide synonymous divergence) that differ in their reproductive effects on hosts. wVitA induces a sperm-egg incompatibility (also known as cytoplasmic incompatibili

SUBMITTER: Newton IL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4898810 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature