Isolation of a natural DNA virus of Drosophila melanogaster, and characterisation of host resistance and immune responses.

ABSTRACT: Drosophila melanogaster has played a key role in our understanding of invertebrate immunity. However, both functional and evolutionary studies of host-virus interaction in Drosophila have been limited by a dearth of native virus isolates. In particular, despite a long history of virus research, DNA viruses of D. melanogaster have only recently been described, and none have been available for experimental study. Here we report the isolation and comprehensive characterisation of Kallithea virus, a large double-stranded DNA virus, and the first DNA virus to have been reported from wild populations of D. melanogaster. We find that Kallithea virus infection is costly for adult flies, reaching high titres in both sexes and disproportionately reducing survival in males, and movement and late fecu

SUBMITTER: Palmer WH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6002114 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature