A single mutation weakens symbiont-induced reproductive manipulation through reductions in deubiquitylation efficiency.

ABSTRACT: Animals interact with microbes that affect their performance and fitness, including endosymbionts that reside inside their cells. Maternally transmitted Wolbachia bacteria are the most common known endosymbionts, in large part because of their manipulation of host reproduction. For example, many Wolbachia cause cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) that reduces host embryonic viability when Wolbachia-modified sperm fertilize uninfected eggs. Operons termed cifs control CI, and a single factor (cifA) rescues it, providing Wolbachia-infected females a fitness advantage. Despite CI's prevalence in nature, theory indicates that natural selection does not act to maintain CI, which varies widely in strength. Here, we investigate the genetic and functional basis of CI-strength variation observed among

SUBMITTER: Beckmann JF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8488622 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature