Functional analysis of RIP toxins from the Drosophila endosymbiont Spiroplasma poulsonii.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Insects frequently live in close relationship with symbiotic bacteria that carry out beneficial functions for their host, like protection against parasites and viruses. However, in some cases, the mutualistic nature of such associations is put into question because of detrimental phenotypes caused by the symbiont. One example is the association between the vertically transmitted facultative endosymbiont Spiroplasma poulsonii and its natural host Drosophila melanogaster. Whereas S. poulsonii protects its host against parasitoid wasps and nematodes by the action of toxins from the family of Ribosome Inactivating Proteins (RIPs), the presence of S. poulsonii has been reported to reduce host's life span and to kill male embryos by a toxin called Spaid. In this work, we inves

SUBMITTER: Garcia-Arraez MG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6383259 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature