Cell-based analysis reveals that sex-determining gene signals in Ostrinia are pivotally changed by male-killing Wolbachia.

ABSTRACT: Wolbachia, a maternally transmitted bacterium, shows male-killing, an adaptive phenotype for cytoplasmic elements, in various arthropod species during the early developmental stages. In lepidopteran insects, lethality of males is accounted for by improper dosage compensation in sex-linked genes owing to Wolbachia-induced feminization. Herein, we established Ostrinia scapulalis cell lines that retained sex specificity per the splicing pattern of the sex-determining gene doublesex (Osdsx). We found that Wolbachia transinfection in male cell lines enhanced the female-specific splice variant of Osdsx (Osdsx^F ) while suppressing the male-specific variant (Osdsx^M ), indicating that Wolbachia affects sex-d

SUBMITTER: Herran B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9837667 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature