Endosymbiotic Male-Killing Spiroplasma Affects the Physiological and Behavioral Ecology of Macrocheles-Drosophila Interactions.

ABSTRACT: While many arthropod endosymbionts are vertically transmitted, phylogenetic studies reveal repeated introductions of hemolymph-dwelling Spiroplasma into Drosophila. Introductions are often attributed to horizontal transmission via ectoparasite vectors. Here, we test if mites (Macrocheles subbadius) prefer to infect Spiroplasma poulsonii MSRO (Melanogaster sex ratio organism)-infected flies and if MSRO infection impairs fly resistance against secondary mite attack. First, we tested if mites prefer MSRO⁺ or MSRO^- flies using pairwise choice tests across fly ages. We then tested whether mite preferences are explained by changes in fly physiology, specifically increased metabolic rate (measured as CO₂ production). We hypothesize that

SUBMITTER: Horn CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8824201 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature