Mechanisms of Horizontal Cell-to-Cell Transfer of Wolbachia spp. in Drosophila melanogaster.

ABSTRACT: Wolbachia is an intracellular endosymbiont present in most arthropod and filarial nematode species. Transmission between hosts is primarily vertical, taking place exclusively through the female germ line, although horizontal transmission has also been documented. The results of several studies indicate that Wolbachia spp. can undergo transfer between somatic and germ line cells during nematode development and in adult flies. However, the mechanisms underlying horizontal cell-to-cell transfer remain largely unexplored. Here, we establish a tractable system for probing horizontal transfer of Wolbachia cells between Drosophila melanogaster cells in culture using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). First, we show that horizontal transfer is independent of cell-to-cell contact and can ef

SUBMITTER: White PM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5359480 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature