Wolbachia and host germline components compete for kinesin-mediated transport to the posterior pole of the Drosophila oocyte.

ABSTRACT: Widespread success of the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia across insects and nematodes is due to efficient vertical transmission and reproductive manipulations. Many strains, including wMel from Drosophila melanogaster, exhibit a specific concentration to the germplasm at the posterior pole of the mature oocyte, thereby ensuring high fidelity of parent-offspring transmission. Transport of Wolbachia to the pole relies on microtubules and the plus-end directed motor kinesin heavy chain (KHC). However, the mechanisms mediating Wolbachia's association with KHC remain unknown. Here we show that reduced levels of the host canonical linker protein KLC results in dramatically increased levels of Wolbachia at the oocyte's posterior, suggesting that KLC and some key associated host cargos outcompe

SUBMITTER: Russell SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6110520 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature