Common and unique strategies of male killing evolved in two distinct Drosophila symbionts.

ABSTRACT: Male killing is a selfish reproductive manipulation caused by symbiotic bacteria, where male offspring of infected hosts are selectively killed. The underlying mechanisms and the process of their evolution are of great interest not only in terms of fundamental biology, but also their potential applications. The two bacterial Drosophila symbionts, Wolbachia and Spiroplasma, have independently evolved male-killing ability. This raises the question whether the underlying mechanisms share some similarities or are specific to each bacterial species. Here, we analyse pathogenic phenotypes of D. bifasciata infected with its natural male-killing Wolbachia strain and compare them with those of D. melanogaster infected with male-killing Spiroplasma We show that male progeny infected with the Wolbach

SUBMITTER: Harumoto T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5897628 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature