Publications

does a parthenogenesis-inducing wolbachia induce vestigial cytoplasmic incompatibility?	wolbachia is a maternally inherited bacterium that manipulates the reproduction of its host. recent studies have shown that male-killing strains can induce cytoplasmic incompatibility (ci) when introgressed into a resistant host. phylogenetic studies suggest that transitions between ci and other wolbachia phenotypes have also occurred frequently, raising the possibility that latent ci may be widespread among wolbachia. here, we investigate whether a parthenogenesis-inducing wolbachia strain can ...	2011	21221516
functional test of the influence of wolbachia genes on cytoplasmic incompatibility expression in drosophila melanogaster.	wolbachia are inherited intracellular bacteria that infect a broad range of invertebrate hosts. they commonly manipulate host reproduction in a variety of ways and thereby favour their invasion into host populations. while the biology of wolbachia has been extensively studied at the ecological and phenotypic level, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between wolbachia and their hosts. recent comparative genomics studies of wolbachia strains have revealed put ...	2011	20854481
remarkable abundance and evolution of mobile group ii introns in wolbachia bacterial endosymbionts.	the streamlined genomes of ancient obligate endosymbionts generally lack transposable elements, as a consequence of their intracellular confinement. yet, the genomes of wolbachia, one of the most abundant bacterial endosymbionts on earth, are littered with transposable elements, in particular insertion sequences (iss). this paradox raises the question of whether or not such a mobile dna proliferation reflects a special feature of iss. in this study, we focused on another class of transposable el ...	2011	20819906
the genetics and evolution of obligate reproductive parasitism in trichogramma pretiosum infected with parthenogenesis-inducing wolbachia.	parthenogenesis-inducing (pi) wolbachia belong to a class of intracellular symbionts that distort the offspring sex ratio of their hosts toward a female bias. in many pi wolbachia-infected species sex ratio distortion has reached its ultimate expression-fixation of infection and all-female populations. this is only possible with thelytokous pi symbionts as they provide an alternative form of reproduction and remove the requirement for males and sexual reproduction. many populations fixed for pi ...	2011	20442735
bacterial diversity in solenopsis invicta and solenopsis geminata ant colonies characterized by 16s amplicon 454 pyrosequencing.	social insects harbor diverse assemblages of bacterial microbes, which may play a crucial role in the success or failure of biological invasions. the invasive fire ant solenopsis invicta (formicidae, hymenoptera) is a model system for understanding the dynamics of invasive social insects and their biological control. however, little is known about microbes as biotic factors influencing the success or failure of ant invasions. this pilot study is the first attempt to characterize and compare micr ...	2011	21243351
intraspecific specialization of the generalist parasitoid cotesia sesamiae revealed by polydnavirus polymorphism and associated with different wolbachia infection.	as a result of an intense host-parasite evolutionary arms race, parasitic wasps frequently display high levels of specialization on very few host species. for instance, in braconid wasps very few generalist species have been described. however, within this family, cotesia sesamiae is a generalist species that is widespread in sub-saharan africa and develops on several lepidopteran hosts. in this study, we tested the hypothesis that c. sesamiae may be a cryptic specialist when examined at the int ...	2011	21255170
variable infection frequency and high diversity of multiple strains of wolbachia pipientis in perkinsiella planthoppers.	this survey of wolbachia infections in populations of the planthoppers perkinsiella saccharicida and perkinsiella vitiensis revealed variable frequencies, low-titer infections, and high phylogenetic diversities of strains. these observations add to the growing realization that wolbachia infections may be extremely common within invertebrates and yet occur infrequently within populations and at low titer within individuals.	2011	21278277
mechanisms promoting the long-term persistence of a wolbachia infection in a laboratory-adapted population of drosophila melanogaster.	intracellular bacteria of the genus wolbachia are widespread endosymbionts across diverse insect taxa. despite this prevalence, our understanding of how wolbachia persists within populations is not well understood. cytoplasmic incompatibility (ci) appears to be an important phenotype maintaining wolbachia in many insects, but it is believed to be too weak to maintain wolbachia in drosophila melanogaster, suggesting that wolbachia must also have other effects on this species. here we estimate the ...	2011	21283625
transcriptomics of the bed bug (cimex lectularius).	bed bugs (cimex lectularius) are blood-feeding insects poised to become one of the major pests in households throughout the united states. resistance of c. lectularius to insecticides/pesticides is one factor thought to be involved in its sudden resurgence. despite its high-impact status, scant knowledge exists at the genomic level for c. lectularius. hence, we subjected the c. lectularius transcriptome to 454 pyrosequencing in order to identify potential genes involved in pesticide resistance.	2011	21283830
complete bacteriophage transfer in a bacterial endosymbiont (wolbachia) determined by targeted genome capture.	bacteriophage flux can cause the majority of genetic diversity in free-living bacteria. this tenet of bacterial genome evolution generally does not extend to obligate intracellular bacteria owing to their reduced contact with other microbes and a predominance of gene deletion over gene transfer. however, recent studies suggest intracellular coinfections in the same host can facilitate exchange of mobile elements between obligate intracellular bacteria-a means by which these bacteria can partiall ...	2011	21292630
detection of rickettsia and a novel haemaphysalis shimoga symbiont bacterium in ticks in thailand.	in this study, we identified two haemaphysalis species present at the khao yai national park in thailand and investigated the presence of rickettsia in these ticks. a total of 166 haemaphysalis specimens were collected randomly under leaves along visitor paths at five locations in the park. male and female adults of two different haemaphysalis species, h. shimoga and h. lagrangei, were identified. polymerase chain reaction (pcr) analysis revealed rickettsia bacteria in these two haemaphysalis sp ...	2011	21318277
identification and characterization of the cofactor-independent phosphoglycerate mutases of dirofilaria immitis and its wolbachia endosymbiont.	drug treatments for heartworm disease have not changed significantly in the last decade. due to concerns about possible drug resistance and their lower efficacy against adult worms, there is a need for the development of new antifilarial drug therapies. the recent availability of genomic sequences for the related filarial parasite brugia malayi and its wolbachia endosymbiont enables genome-wide searching for new drug targets. phosphoglycerate mutase (pgm) enzymes catalyze the critical isomerizat ...	2011	21324604
diversity of endosymbionts in the potato psyllid, bactericera cockerelli (triozidae), vector of zebra chip disease of potato.	zebra chip disease is an emerging, serious disease of solanaceous crops and the causal agent is a bacterium "candidatus liberibacter solanacearum" (cls), also known as "candidatus liberibacter psyllaurous", which is transmitted by the potato psyllid, bactericera cockerelli (šulc). we performed bacterial tag-encoded flx amplicon pyrosequencing (btefap) of the 16s rdna genes to determine the bacterial microbiota in adult insects from cls-uninfected and cls-infected strains of b. cockerelli and pot ...	2011	21327558
further insights into the strange role of bacterial endosymbionts in whitefly, bemisia tabaci: comparison of secondary symbionts from biotypes b and q in china.	the percentage infection of secondary symbionts (ss) (wolbachia, arsenophonus, rickettsia, hamiltonella, fritschea and cardinium) in the exotic bemisia tabaci (genn.) invaders, commonly known as biotypes b and q from china, were determined by pcr. in total, 373 biotype b and 1830 biotype q individuals were screened for the presence of ss. biotype b was more abundant than biotype q from 2005 to 2006, and biotype q was more abundant from 2007 to 2009. each of the ss, with the exception of fritsche ...	2011	21329550
a wolbachia symbiont in aedes aegypti disrupts mosquito egg development to a greater extent when mosquitoes feed on nonhuman versus human blood.	a vertebrate bloodmeal is required by female mosquitoes of most species to obtain nutrients for egg maturation. the yellowfever mosquito, aedes aegypti (l.), feeds predominantly on humans, despite having the capacity to use blood from other hosts for this process. here, we report that female ae. aegypti infected with a virulent strain of the intracellular bacterium wolbachia pipientis (wmelpop) from drosophila melanogaster (meigen) have a reduced ability to use blood for egg development. blood f ...	2011	21337952
differentially expressed genes in silkworm cell cultures in response to infection by wolbachia and cardinium endosymbionts.	wolbachia and cardinium are bacterial endosymbionts that are widely distributed amongst arthropods. both cause reproductive alterations, such as cytoplasmic incompatibility, parthenogenesis and feminization. here we studied differentially expressed genes in wolbachia- and cardinium-infected bm-aff3 silkworm cells using a silkworm microarray. wolbachia infection did not alter gene expression or induce or suppress immune responses. in contrast, cardinium infection induced many immune-related genes ...	2011	21349119
recombination in wolbachia endosymbionts of filarial nematodes?		2011	21350051
biological vector control of mosquito-borne diseases.		2011	21351390
the wmelpop strain of wolbachia interferes with dopamine levels in aedes aegypti.	wolbachia is an intracellular bacterium that has been stably transinfected into the mosquito vector of dengue, aedes aegypti. this inherited infection causes a range of metabolic and phenotypic alterations in the mosquito, which might be related to neuronal abnormalities. in order to determine if these alterations were caused by the manipulation of neuroamines by this bacterium, we studied the expression of genes involved in the dopamine biosynthetic pathway and also measured the amount of dopam ...	2011	21356077
mitochondrial dna effects on fitness in drosophila subobscura.	we tested different fitness components on a series of conspecific mtdna haplotypes, detected by rflps in drosophila subobscura. additionally, haplotype viii, endemic to the canary islands, was tested upon its own native nuclear dna background and upon that of the rest of mtdnas tested herein. we found that both nuclear and mitochondrial dna can have a significant effect upon their hosts' fitness, and that negative selection is one of the mechanisms that can intervene in this species' mtdna haplo ...	2011	21364694
wolbachia infections in anopheles gambiae cells: transcriptomic characterization of a novel host-symbiont interaction.	the endosymbiotic bacterium wolbachia is being investigated as a potential control agent in several important vector insect species. recent studies have shown that wolbachia can protect the insect host against a wide variety of pathogens, resulting in reduced transmission of parasites and viruses. it has been proposed that compromised vector competence of wolbachia-infected insects is due to up-regulation of the host innate immune system or metabolic competition. anopheles mosquitoes, which tran ...	2011	21379333
ccl17 controls mast cells for the defense against filarial larval entry.	filarial parasites have to trespass many barriers to successfully settle within their mammalian host, which is equipped with mechanical borders and complex weaponry of an evolved immune system. however, little is known about mechanisms of early local events in filarial infections. in this study, bone marrow-derived dendritic cells not only upregulated activation markers cd40 and cd80 upon in vitro stimulation with filarial extracts, but also secreted ccl17, a chemokine known to be produced upon ...	2011	21398605
Metagenomic profile of the bacterial communities associated with Ixodes ricinus ticks.	Assessment of the microbial diversity residing in arthropod vectors of medical importance is crucial for monitoring endemic infections, for surveillance of newly emerging zoonotic pathogens, and for unraveling the associated bacteria within its host. The tick Ixodes ricinus is recognized as the primary European vector of disease-causing bacteria in humans. Despite I. ricinus being of great public health relevance, its microbial communities remain largely unexplored to date. Here we evaluate the ...	2011	22022422
wolbachia endosymbiont infection in two indian butterflies and female-biased sex ratio in the red pierrot, talicada nyseus.	the maternally inherited obligate bacteria wolbachia is known to infect various lepidopteran insects. however, so far only a few butterfly species harbouring this bacterium have been thoroughly studied. the current study aims to identify the infection status of these bacteria in some of the commonly found butterfly species in india. a total of nine butterfly species belonging to four different families were screened using pcr with wolbachia-specific wsp and ftsz primers. the presence of the wolb ...	2011	22116282
introduction to the alpha-proteobacteria: wolbachia and bartonella, rickettsia, brucella, ehrlichia, and anaplasma.	wolbachia is an obligate intracellular endosymbiont and likely mutualist living within the heartworm dirofilaria immitis and a number of other filarial nematodes in the family onchocercidae. the bacterial infection is passed from worm to worm transovarially; the organisms are in ovarian cells, the developing microfilariae, and multiply and persist in all later developmental stages through the mosquito and into the next host. besides being present in the ovaries of the adult worms, they also are ...	2011	22152604
Bacterium blocks transmission of dengue by mosquitoes.		2011	21880685
the bacteriophage woric is the active phage element in wri of drosophila simulans and represents a conserved class of wo phages.	the alphaproteobacterium wolbachia pipientis, the most common endosymbiont in eukaryotes, is found predominantly in insects including many drosophila species. although wolbachia is primarily vertically transmitted, analysis of its genome provides evidence for frequent horizontal transfer, extensive recombination and numerous mobile genetic elements. the genome sequence of wolbachia in drosophila simulans riverside (wri) is available along with the integrated bacteriophages, enabling a detailed e ...	2011	22085419
Anti-Wolbachia Surface Protein Antibodies Are Present in the Urine of Dogs Naturally Infected with Dirofilaria immitis with Circulating Microfilariae But Not in Dogs with Occult Infections.	Abstract Heartworm infection (Dirofilaria immitis) can cause kidney damage due to the presence of circulating microfilariae (mf) that contribute to the production and deposit of immune complexes. It has been shown that mf are a major source of Wolbachia antigen during active infection. Here the authors compared urine samples from 19 naturally infected dogs with (mf+) and 12 without (mf-) microfilariae for the presence of proteinuria and anti-Wolbachia Surface Protein (-WSP) IgG in ELISA. Kidne ...	2011	21919732
new mariner elements in anastrepha species (diptera: tephritidae).	mariner-like elements (mle) are members from class ii of transposable elements also known as dna transposons. these elements have a wide distribution among different groups of organisms, including insects, which can be explained by horizontal and vertical gene-transfer. mle families have been described in tephritid flies and other genera. during screening for wolbachia bacteria in fruit flies of the genus anastrepha, we discovered two sequences related to mariner-like elements. based on these se ...	2011	22068943
a feedback loop between wolbachia and the drosophila gurken mrnp complex influences wolbachia titer.	although much is known about interactions between bacterial endosymbionts and their hosts, little is known concerning the host factors that influence endosymbiont titer. wolbachia endosymbionts are globally dispersed throughout most insect species and are the causative agent in filarial nematode-mediated disease. our investigation indicates that gurken (grk), a host gene encoding a crucial axis determinant, has a cumulative, dosage-sensitive impact on wolbachia growth and proliferation during dr ...	2011	22193955
effects of wolbachia on fitness of culex quinquefasciatus (diptera; culicidae).	wolbachia are α-proteobacteria that were first reported in culex pipiens mosquitoes early in the twentieth century. since then, the effect of wolbachia on their host's reproduction has drawn attention and has been increasingly investigated. given the extreme complexity of this interaction, new study cases are welcomed to enhance its understanding. the present work addressed the influence of wolbachia on cx. quinquefasciatus, the cosmopolitan member of the cx. pipiens complex. samples of a cx. qu ...	2011	21907309
comparison of the gut microbiota from soldier and worker castes of the termite reticulitermes grassei.	the bacterial microbiota from the whole gut of soldier and worker castes of the termite reticulitermes grassei was isolated and studied. in addition, the 16s rdna bacterial genes from gut dna were pcr-amplified using bacteria-selective primers, and the 16s rdna amplicons subsequently cloned into escherichia coli. sequences of the cloned inserts were then used to determine closest relatives by comparison with published sequences and with sequences from our previous work. the clones were found to ...	2011	22069152
vertical and horizontal transmission drive bacterial invasion.	a huge variety of arthropod species is infected with endosymbiotic wolbachia bacteria that manipulate their host's reproduction to invade populations. in addition to vertical transmission from mother to offspring through the egg cytoplasm, it has been demonstrated through phylogenetic analyses and natural transfer experiments that horizontal transmission of wolbachia (i.e. contagion) can occur between arthropod hosts. more recently, factors influencing horizontal transfer have also been explored ...	2011	21884292
distribution and molecular characterization of wolbachia endosymbionts and filarial nematodes in maryland populations of the lone star tick (amblyomma americanum).	the lone star tick amblyomma americanum is host to a wide diversity of endosymbiotic bacteria. we identified a novel wolbachia symbiont infecting a. americanum. multilocus sequence typing phylogenetically placed the endosymbiont in the increasingly diverse f supergroup. we assayed a total of 1031 ticks (119 females, 78 males and 834 nymphs in 89 pools) from 16 maryland populations for infection. infection frequencies in the natural populations were approximately 5% in females and <2% (minimum in ...	2011	21410491
Occasional males in parthenogenetic populations of Asobara japonica (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): low Wolbachia titer or incomplete coadaptation?	Wolbachia are endosymbiotic bacteria known to manipulate the reproduction of their hosts. Some populations of the parasitoid wasp Asobara japonica are infected with Wolbachia and reproduce parthenogenetically, while other populations are not infected and reproduce sexually. Wolbachia-infected A. japonica females regularly produce small numbers of male offspring. Because all females in the field are infected and infected females are not capable of sexual reproduction, male production seems to be ...	2011	21934703
Filarial and Wolbachia Genomics.	Filarial nematode parasites, the causative agents of a spectrum of acute and chronic diseases including lymphatic filariasis and river blindness, threaten the wellbeing and livelihood of hundreds of millions of people in the developing regions of the world. The 2007 publication on a draft assembly of the 95 Mb genome of the human filarial parasite Brugia malayi - representing the first helminth parasite genome to be sequenced - has been followed in rapid succession by projects that have resulted ...	2011	22098559
wolbachia symbiont infections induce strong cytoplasmic incompatibility in the tsetse fly glossina morsitans.	tsetse flies are vectors of the protozoan parasite african trypanosomes, which cause sleeping sickness disease in humans and nagana in livestock. although there are no effective vaccines and efficacious drugs against this parasite, vector reduction methods have been successful in curbing the disease, especially for nagana. potential vector control methods that do not involve use of chemicals is a genetic modification approach where flies engineered to be parasite resistant are allowed to replace ...	2011	22174680
effects of parasitic sex-ratio distorters on host genetic structure in the armadillidium vulgare-wolbachia association.	in the pill bug armadillidium vulgare (crustacea, oniscidea), wolbachia facilitates its spread through vertical transmission via the eggs by inducing feminization of genetic males. the spread of feminizing wolbachia within and across populations is therefore expected to influence mitochondrial dna (mtdna) genetic structure by hitchhiking. to test this hypothesis, we analysed nuclear and mtdna genetic structure, and wolbachia prevalence in 13 populations of the pill bug host. wolbachia prevalence ...	2011	22188300
parasites of vectors - ixodiphagus hookeri and its wolbachia symbionts in ticks in the netherlands.	abstract:	2011	22152674
dirofilaria immitis and wolbachia pipientis: a thorough investigation of the symbiosis responsible for canine heartworm disease.	canine heartworm disease wreaks havoc inside canines all throughout the modern world, including the usa. any region where mosquitoes thrive will provide efficient dog-to-dog transportation for the microfilaria of the infectious nematode dirofilaria immitis. veterinary scientists have recently discovered both phylogenetic and biochemical evidence for the obligate symbiosis of d. immitis and the bacteria wolbachia pipientis. as a result, veterinarians have initiated testing of antibiotic therapies ...	2011	21922235
wolbachia enhance drosophila stem cell proliferation and target the germline stem cell niche.	wolbachia are widespread maternally transmitted intracellular bacteria that infect most insect species and are able to alter the reproduction of innumerous hosts. the cellular bases of these alterations remain largely unknown. here, we report that drosophila mauritiana infected with a native wolbachia wmau strain produces about four times more eggs than the noninfected counterpart. wolbachia infection leads to an increase in the mitotic activity of germline stem cells (gscs), as well as a decrea ...	2011	22021671
absence of wolbachia endobacteria in chandlerella quiscali: an avian filarial parasite.	abstract chandlerella quiscali is a filarial nematode parasite of the common grackle (quiscalus quiscula), a widespread bird species found throughout most of north america. worms collected from wild-caught birds were morphologically identified as c. quiscali and tested for the presence of wolbachia, an alphaproteobacterial endosymbiont required for reproduction and maturation by many filarial species. although various methods, including pcr, in situ hybridization and immunohistology, were empl ...	2011	22032328
anti-filarial activity of antibiotic therapy is due to extensive apoptosis after wolbachia depletion from filarial nematodes.	filarial nematodes maintain a mutualistic relationship with the endosymbiont wolbachia. depletion of wolbachia produces profound defects in nematode development, fertility and viability and thus has great promise as a novel approach for treating filarial diseases. however, little is known concerning the basis for this mutualistic relationship. here we demonstrate using whole mount confocal microscopy that an immediate response to wolbachia depletion is extensive apoptosis in the adult germline, ...	2011	22072969
fifty-year trend towards suppression of wolbachia-induced male-killing by its butterfly host, hypolimnas bolina.	some intracellular symbionts of arthropods induce a variety of reproductive alterations in their hosts, and the alterations tend to spread easily within the host populations. a few cases involving the spread of alteration-inducing wolbachia bacteria in natural populations with time have been reported, but the investigations on the increasing trend in counteracting the bacterial effect on hosts in natural populations (i.e., increased resistance in hosts against the alterations) have been limited. ...	2011	21870980
dengue fever: mosquitoes attacked from within.		2011	21866151
culture independent survey of the microbiota of the glassy-winged sharpshooter (homalodisca vitripennis) using 454 pyrosequencing.	the glassy-winged sharpshooter, homalodisca vitripennis (germar), is an invasive pest that has spread across the southern and western united states. h. vitripennis is highly polyphagous and voracious, feeding on at least 100 plant species and consuming up to 100 times its weight in xylem fluid daily. the insect is a vector of the phytopathogen xylella fastidiosa (wells), which is the causative agent of pierce's disease in grapevines. to evaluate the microbial flora associated with h. vitripenni ...	2011	22182607
cytoplasmic incompatibility as a means of controlling culex pipiens quinquefasciatus mosquito in the islands of the south-western indian ocean.	the use of the bacterium wolbachia is an attractive alternative method to control vector populations. in mosquitoes, as in members of the culex pipiens complex, wolbachia induces a form of embryonic lethality called cytoplasmic incompatibility, a sperm-egg incompatibility occurring when infected males mate either with uninfected females or with females infected with incompatible wolbachia strain(s). here we explore the feasibility of the incompatible insect technique (iit), a species-specific co ...	2011	22206033
wolbachia infections that reduce immature insect survival: predicted impacts on population replacement.	the evolutionary success of wolbachia bacteria, infections of which are widespread in invertebrates, is largely attributed to an ability to manipulate host reproduction without imposing substantial fitness costs. here, we describe a stage-structured model with deterministic immature lifestages and a stochastic adult female lifestage. simulations were conducted to better understand wolbachia invasions into uninfected host populations. the model includes conventional wolbachia parameters (the leve ...	2011	21975225
wolbachia strain wmel induces cytoplasmic incompatibility and blocks dengue transmission in aedes albopictus.	wolbachia inherited bacteria are able to invade insect populations using cytoplasmic incompatibility and provide new strategies for controlling mosquito-borne tropical diseases, such as dengue. the overreplicating wmelpop strain was recently shown to strongly inhibit the replication of dengue virus when introduced into aedes aegypti mosquitoes, as well as to stimulate chronic immune up-regulation. here we show that stable introduction of the wmel strain of drosophila melanogaster into aedes albo ...	2011	22123944
wolbachia-mediated antibacterial protection and immune gene regulation in drosophila.	the outcome of microbial infection of insects is dependent not only on interactions between the host and pathogen, but also on the interactions between microbes that co-infect the host. recently the maternally inherited endosymbiotic bacteria wolbachia has been shown to protect insects from a range of microbial and eukaryotic pathogens. mosquitoes experimentally infected with wolbachia have upregulated immune responses and are protected from a number of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, pla ...	2011	21980455
targeting the wolbachia cell division protein ftsz as a new approach for antifilarial therapy.	the use of antibiotics targeting the obligate bacterial endosymbiont wolbachia of filarial parasites has been validated as an approach for controlling filarial infection in animals and humans. availability of genomic sequences for the wolbachia (wbm) present in the human filarial parasite brugia malayi has enabled genome-wide searching for new potential drug targets. in the present study, we investigated the cell division machinery of wbm and determined that it possesses the essential cell divis ...	2011	22140592
[endosymbionts of arthropods and nematodes: allies to fight infectious diseases?].	arthropods and nematodes are important protagonists in human health because either they act as vectors of pathogens (bacteria, protozoa, viruses or fungus), or are themselves parasites. fighting infectious diseases is based essentially on vaccination (prevention) or chemotherapeutic (curative) approaches in human, but one can envisage as an alternative to reduce the number of vectors or limit their ability to spread pathogens. such strategies controling dissemination will undoubtedly benefit fro ...	2011	22130021
genetic diversity, population structure and wolbachia infection status in a worldwide sample of drosophila melanogaster and d. simulans populations.	drosophila melanogaster and its close relatives have been extremely important model species in the development of population genetic models that serve to explain patterns of diversity in natural populations, a major goal of evolutionary biology. a detailed picture of the evolutionary history of these species is beginning to emerge, as the relative importance of forces including demographic changes and natural selection is established. a continuing aim is to characterise levels of genetic diversi ...	2011	22022599
analysis of transcriptional regulation of tetracycline responsive genes in brugia malayi.	the wolbachia endosymbiont of the human filarial parasites is necessary for parasite reproduction, making it an attractive chemotherapeutic target. previous studies have demonstrated that mrna levels of several nuclearly encoded genes are altered as a result of exposure to antibiotics that eliminate the endosymbiont, suggesting that they may be involved in maintaining the parasite-endosymbiont relationship. here, we tested the hypothesis that the increase in mrna levels of certain nuclearly enco ...	2011	21944995
ecology. mosquito trials.		2011	22076370
wolbachia effects on host fitness and the influence of male aging on cytoplasmic incompatibility in aedes polynesiensis (diptera: culicidae).	the endosymbiotic bacteria wolbachia manipulate host reproduction by inducing a form of sterility known as cytoplasmic incompatibility (ci), promoting the invasion of infection into natural host populations. ci has received attention for use in applied strategies to control insect vectors of disease. thus, to understand both naturally occurring wolbachia invasions and evaluate potential applied strategies, it is important to understand wolbachia interactions with its host, including impacts on f ...	2011	21936319
wolbachia induces reactive oxygen species (ros)-dependent activation of the toll pathway to control dengue virus in the mosquito aedes aegypti.	wolbachia are maternally transmitted symbiotic bacteria that can spread within insect populations because of their unique ability to manipulate host reproduction. when introduced to nonnative mosquito hosts, wolbachia induce resistance to a number of human pathogens, including dengue virus (denv), plasmodium, and filarial nematodes, but the molecular mechanism involved is unclear. in this study, we have deciphered how wolbachia infection affects the aedes aegypti host in inducing resistance to d ...	2011	22123956
Constraints on the use of lifespan-shortening Wolbachia to control dengue fever.	Dengue fever, a viral disease spread by the mosquito Aedes aegypti, affects 50-100 million people a year in many tropical countries. Because the virus must incubate within mosquito hosts for two weeks before being able to transmit the infection, shortening the lifespan of mosquitoes may curtail dengue transmission. We developed a continuous time reaction-diffusion model of the spatial spread of Wolbachia through a population of A. aegypti. This model incorporates the lifespan-shortening effects ...	2011	22192469
temperature affects the tripartite interactions between bacteriophage wo, wolbachia, and cytoplasmic incompatibility.	wolbachia infections are a model for understanding intracellular, bacterial symbioses. while the symbiosis is often studied from a binary perspective of host and bacteria, it is increasingly apparent that additional trophic levels can influence the symbiosis. for example, wolbachia in arthropods harbor a widespread temperate bacteriophage, termed wo, that forms virions and rampantly transfers between coinfections. here we test the hypothesis that temperatures at the extreme edges of an insect's ...	2011	22194999
molecular characterization of bemisia tabaci populations in tunisia: genetic structure and evidence for multiple acquisition of secondary symbionts.	a survey was conducted during 2009-2010 seasons to identify the distribution of bemisia tabaci (gennadius) biotypes in tunisia. the genetic affiliation of collected populations was determined by polymerase chain reaction (pcr)-restriction fragment-length polymorphism (taqi) of the mitochondrial cytochrom oxidase i (mtcoi) gene. results, validated by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, allowed the clustering of sampled sweetpotato whiteflies into b and q biotypes. as b. tabaci harbors the obli ...	2011	22251681
genetic and cytogenetic analysis of the american cherry fruit fly, rhagoletis cingulata (diptera: tephritidae).	the american eastern cherry fruit fly, rhagoletis cingulata, a pest of cherries in the western hemisphere, invaded europe in 1983, and since then dispersed to several european countries. information on the genetics and cytogenetics of this pest is very scarce. the mitotic karyotype and detailed photographic maps of the salivary gland polytene chromosomes of r. cingulata are presented here. the mitotic metaphase complement consists of six pairs of chromosomes with the sex chromosomes being very s ...	2011	22447527
wolbachia endobacteria in a natural population of culex quinquefasciatus from filariasis endemic villages of south india and its phylogenetic implication.	understanding wolbachia mosquito interactions have been recognized as an important concept to develop novel vector control strategies. the prevalence of wolbachia endobacteria in a natural population of the filariasis vector culex quinquefasciatus was determined by the polymerase chain reaction method. earlier workers had estimated the infection rates of wolbachia with only one or very few individuals per species. in our study large number of specimens were assayed, and a total of 750 adult cule ...	2011	22433886
maintenance of a male-killing wolbachia in drosophila innubila by male-killing dependent and male-killing independent mechanisms.	many maternally inherited endosymbionts manipulate their host's reproduction in various ways to enhance their own fitness. one such mechanism is male killing (mk), in which sons of infected mothers are killed by the endosymbiont during development. several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the advantages of mk, including resource reallocation from sons to daughters of infected females, avoidance of inbreeding by infected females, and, if transmission is not purely maternal, the facilitati ...	2011	22380432
gut microbiota in nymph and adults of the giant mesquite bug (thasus neocalifornicus) (heteroptera: coreidae) is dominated by burkholderia acquired de novo every generation.	the coreid bug thasus neocalifornicus brailovsky and barrera, commonly known as the giant mesquite bug, is a ubiquitous insect of the southwestern united states. both nymphs and adults are often found aggregated on mesquite trees (prosopis spp.: fabaceae) feeding on seedpods and plant sap. we characterized the indigenous bacterial populations of nymphs and adults of this species by using molecular and phylogenetic techniques and culturing methods. results show that this insect's bacterial gut co ...	2011	22251722
a test using wolbachia bacteria to identify eurasian source populations of cabbage seedpod weevil, ceutorhynchus obstrictus (marsham), in north america.	previous research using mitochondrial haplotypes indicates that north american populations of cabbage seedpod weevil, ceutorhynchus obstrictus (marsham), originated from at least two separate introductions from source populations in eurasia. we tested this hypothesis by comparing the genetic variation of symbiotic wolbachia bacteria in c. obstrictus among seven north american and four european populations. because wolbachia are maternally inherited, infections acquired by a host species at one g ...	2011	22251682
detection and phylogenetic analysis of wolbachia in the asiatic rice leafroller, cnaphalocrocis medinalis, in chinese populations.	wolbachia are a group of intracellular inherited endosymbiontic bacteria infecting a wide range of insects. in this study the infection status of wolbachia (rickettsiales: rickettsiaceae) was measured in the asiatic rice leafroller, cnaphalocrocis medinalis (guenée) (lepidoptera: pyralidae), from twenty locations in china by sequencing wsp, ftsz and 16s rdna genes. the results showed high infection rates of wolbachia in c. medinalis populations. wolbachia was detected in all geographically separ ...	2011	22233324
molecular subgrouping of wolbachia and bacteriophage wo infection among some indian drosophila species.		2011	22227942
cloning and sequence analysis of partial genomic dna coding for htra-type serine protease of wolbachia from human lymphatic filarial parasite, wuchereria bancrofti.	periplasmic serine proteases of htra type of wolbachia have been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of filarial disease.	2011	23508470
challenges and future perspective for dengue vector control in the western pacific region.	dengue remains a significant public health issue in the western pacific region. in the absence of a vaccine, vector control is the mainstay for dengue prevention and control. in this paper we describe vector surveillance and vector control in the western pacific countries and areas. vector surveillance and control strategies used by countries and areas of the western pacific region vary. vector control strategies include chemical, biological and environmental management that mainly target larval ...	2011	23908883
wolbachia as an "infectious" extrinsic factor manipulating host signaling pathways.	wolbachia pipientis is a widespread endosymbiont of filarial nematodes and arthropods. while in worms the symbiosis is obligate, in arthropods wolbachia induces several reproductive manipulations (i.e., cytoplasmic incompatibility, parthenogenesis, feminization of genetic males, and male-killing) in order to increase the number of infected females. these various phenotypic effects may be linked to differences in host physiology, and in particular to endocrine-related processes governing growth, ...	2011	22654845
Evolutionary genomics of a temperate bacteriophage in an obligate intracellular bacteria (Wolbachia).	Genome evolution of bacteria is usually influenced by ecology, such that bacteria with a free-living stage have large genomes and high rates of horizontal gene transfer, while obligate intracellular bacteria have small genomes with typically low amounts of gene exchange. However, recent studies indicate that obligate intracellular species that host-switch frequently harbor agents of horizontal transfer such as mobile elements. For example, the temperate double-stranded DNA bacteriophage WO in Wo ...	2011	21949820
Successful establishment of Wolbachia in Aedes populations to suppress dengue transmission.	Genetic manipulations of insect populations for pest control have been advocated for some time, but there are few cases where manipulated individuals have been released in the field and no cases where they have successfully invaded target populations. Population transformation using the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia is particularly attractive because this maternally-inherited agent provides a powerful mechanism to invade natural populations through cytoplasmic incompatibility. When Wolbachia ...	2011	21866160
wolbachia and its implications for the immunopathology of filariasis.	filarial infections are characterized by immunopathological phenomena, that are responsible for the onset of often dramatic pathological outcomes, such as blindness (onchocerca volvulus) and elephantiasis (w. bancrofti). in addition, the long-term survival (as long as 10 years) of these parasites in otherwise immunocompetent hosts indicates that these nematodes are capable of manipulating the host immune response. the ground-breaking discovery of the bacterial endosymbiont wolbachia, which resid ...	2011	22214329
wolbachia-mediated persistence of mtdna from a potentially extinct species.	drosophila quinaria is polymorphic for infection with wolbachia, a maternally transmitted endosymbiont. wolbachia-infected individuals carry mtdna that is only distantly related to the mtdna of uninfected individuals, and the clade encompassing all mtdna haplotypes within d. quinaria also includes the mtdna of several other species of drosophila. nuclear gene variation reveals no difference between the wolbachia-infected and uninfected individuals of d. quinaria, indicating that they all belong ...	2011	21595768
[symbiotic bacteria, which modify reproduction processes of drosophila melanogaster].	cytoplasmic bacteria-symbionts are actively investigated all over the world for the last ten years. the scale of their spreading in natural and laboratory populations of invertebrates, especially arthropods, is impressing scientists' imagination. ways of their intraspecific and interspecific transmission are various. the nature and mechanisms of their interaction both between themselves and with their hosts are extremely diverse. cytoplasmic incompatibility, parthenogenesis, male-killing, femini ...	2011	21598659
stage-specific proteomic expression patterns of the human filarial parasite brugia malayi and its endosymbiont wolbachia.	global proteomic analyses of pathogens have thus far been limited to unicellular organisms (e.g., protozoa and bacteria). proteomic analyses of most eukaryotic pathogens (e.g., helminths) have been restricted to specific organs, specific stages, or secretomes. we report here a large-scale proteomic characterization of almost all the major mammalian stages of brugia malayi, a causative agent of lymphatic filariasis, resulting in the identification of more than 62% of the products predicted from t ...	2011	21606368
comparative evaluation of a point-of-care immunochromatographic test snap 4dx with molecular detection tests for vector-borne canine pathogens in hong kong.	abstract there are no comprehensive studies on the performance of commonly used point-of-care diagnostic enzyme immunoassay for common arthropod-borne canine pathogens. a comparative evaluation of an immunochromatographic test for these infections with a comprehensive polymerase chain reaction (pcr) test panel was performed on 100 pet dogs and 100 stray dogs without obvious clinical symptoms. of the 162 positive test results from both immunochromatographic test and pcr, there was 85.2% concordan ...	2011	21612526
rickettsia, ehrlichia, anaplasma, and bartonella in ticks and fleas from dogs and cats in bangkok.	abstract flea and tick specimens (5-10 fleas or ticks) on dogs and cats from various sites in bangkok were tested by polymerase chain reaction and dna sequencing to detect dna of bacteria rickettsia (glta and 17 kda genes), anaplasmataceae (16s rrna gene), and bartonella (pap31 and its genes). we confirmed that rickettsia sp. related to rickettsia felis was detected in 66 of 98 (67.4%) flea specimens from dogs, whereas 8 bartonella henselae and 2 bartonella clarridgeiae were detected in 10 of 54 ...	2011	21612535
a fluorescent-based method for rapid wolbachia detection in the drosophila germline and somatic tissues.	wolbachia is a globally distributed bacterial endosymbiont present in arthropods and nematodes. the advent of sensitive pcr-based approaches has greatly facilitated the identification of wolbachia-infected individuals and analysis of populations infection levels. here, a complementary visual fluorescence-based wolbachia screening approach is described. through the use of the fluorescent-dye syto-11, wolbachia can be efficiently detected in various insect tissues, including ovaries. syto-11 also ...	2011	21622788
a new model and method for understanding wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility.	wolbachia are intracellular bacteria transmitted almost exclusively vertically through eggs. in response to this mode of transmission, wolbachia strategically manipulate their insect hosts' reproduction. in the most common manipulation type, cytoplasmic incompatibility, infected males can only mate with infected females, but infected females can mate with all males. the mechanism of cytoplasmic incompatibility is unknown; theoretical and empirical findings need to converge to broaden our underst ...	2011	21572955
wolbachia prophage dna adenine methyltransferase genes in different drosophila-wolbachia associations.	wolbachia is an obligatory intracellular bacterium which often manipulates the reproduction of its insect and isopod hosts. in contrast, wolbachia is an essential symbiont in filarial nematodes. lately, wolbachia has been implicated in genomic imprinting of host dna through cytosine methylation. the importance of dna methylation in cell fate and biology calls for in depth studing of putative methylation-related genes. we present a molecular and phylogenetic analysis of a putative dna adenine met ...	2011	21573076
wolbachia uses host micrornas to manipulate host gene expression and facilitate colonization of the dengue vector aedes aegypti.	the obligate endosymbiont wolbachia pipientis is found in a wide range of invertebrates where they are best known for manipulating host reproduction. recent studies have shown that wolbachia also can modulate the lifespan of host insects and interfere with the development of human pathogens in mosquito vectors. despite considerable study, very little is known about the molecular interactions between wolbachia and its hosts that might mediate these effects. using microarrays, we show that the mic ...	2011	21576469
wolbachia screening in spiders and assessment of horizontal transmission between predator and prey.	recent studies have revealed that the prevalence of wolbachia in arthropods is attributable not only to its vertical transmission, but also to its horizontal transfer. in order to assess the horizontal transmission of wolbachia between predator and prey, arthropods belonging to 11 spider families and six insect families were collected in the same field of rice. the distribution of wolbachia in these arthropods was detected by diagnostic pcr amplification of the wsp (wolbachia outer surface prote ...	2011	21584395
onchocerciasis: the role of wolbachia bacterial endosymbionts in parasite biology, disease pathogenesis, and treatment.	the discovery of wolbachia intracellular bacteria within filarial nematodes, including onchocerca volvulus, the causative agent of onchocerciasis or "river blindness," has delivered a paradigm shift in our understanding of the parasite's biology, to where we now know that the bacterial endosymbionts are essential for normal development of larvae and embryos and may support the long-term survival of adult worms. the apparent mutualistic dependency has also offered a novel approach to the treatmen ...	2011	21734243
regulation of wolbachia ankyrin domain encoding genes in drosophila gonads.	the maternally inherited obligatory intracellular bacterium wolbachia is a reproductive parasite of many insect species. wolbachia evades the host immune system, uses the mitotic apparatus to ensure infection of daughter cells, migrates through the host to the gonads and causes reproductive phenotypes, most commonly cytoplasmic incompatibility (ci), i.e. incompatibility of sperm from infected males and eggs from uninfected females. due to the interconnected facts that wolbachia is not ex-ávivo c ...	2011	21726632
macrofilaricidal activity in wuchereria bancrofti after 2 weeks treatment with a combination of rifampicin plus doxycycline.	infection with the filarial nematode wuchereria bancrofti can lead to lymphedema, hydrocele, and elephantiasis. since adult worms cause pathology in lymphatic filariasis (lf), it is imperative to discover macrofilaricidal drugs for the treatment of the infection. endosymbiotic wolbachia in filariae have emerged as a new target for antibiotics which can lead to macrofilaricidal effects. in ghana, a pilot study was carried out with 39 lf-infected men; 12 were treated with 200ôçëmg doxycycline/day ...	2011	21687646
male mating competitiveness of a wolbachia-introgressed aedes polynesiensis strain under semi-field conditions.	lymphatic filariasis (lf), a global public health problem affecting approximately 120 million people worldwide, is a leading cause of disability in the developing world including the south pacific. despite decades of ongoing mass drug administration (mda) in the region, some island nations have not yet achieved the threshold levels of microfilaremia established by the world health organization for eliminating transmission. previously, the generation of a novel aedes polynesiensis strain (cp) inf ...	2011	21829750
survey of wolbachia and its phage wo in the uzifly exorista sorbillans (diptera: tachinidae).	wolbachia are cytoplasmically inherited alpha-proteobacteria well known for inducing a variety of reproductive abnormalities in the diverse arthropod hosts they infect. despite their obligate intracellular lifestyle which usually protects bacteria from phage infection, wolbachia harbor a widespread temperate phage called wo. evidences of horizontal phage transfers indicate that this phage could promote genetic exchanges between strains leading to evolutionary changes in the genomes of wolbachia, ...	2011	21739251
filariasis in africa--treatment challenges and prospects.	lymphatic filariasis (lf) and onchocerciasis are parasitic nematode infections that are responsible for a major disease burden in the african continent. disease symptoms are induced by the immune reactions of the host, with lymphoedema and hydrocoele in lf, and dermatitis and ocular inflammation in onchocerciasis. wuchereria bancrofti and onchocerca volvulus, the species causing lf and onchocerciasis in africa, live in mutual symbiosis with wolbachia endobacteria, which cause a major part of the ...	2011	21722251
spatial waves of advance with bistable dynamics: cytoplasmic and genetic analogues of allee effects.	abstract unlike unconditionally advantageous "fisherian" variants that tend to spread throughout a species range once introduced anywhere, "bistable" variants, such as chromosome translocations, have two alternative stable frequencies, absence and (near) fixation. analogous to populations with allee effects, bistable variants tend to increase locally only once they become sufficiently common, and their spread depends on their rate of increase averaged over all frequencies. several proposed manip ...	2011	21828986
new insights into the evolution of wolbachia infections in filarial nematodes inferred from a large range of screened species.	wolbachia are intriguing symbiotic endobacteria with a peculiar host range that includes arthropods and a single nematode family, the onchocercidae encompassing agents of filariases. this raises the question of the origin of infection in filariae. wolbachia infect the female germline and the hypodermis. some evidences lead to the theory that wolbachia act as mutualist and coevolved with filariae from one infection event: their removal sterilizes female filariae; all the specimens of a positive s ...	2011	21731626
wolbachia bacteria reside in host golgi-related vesicles whose position is regulated by polarity proteins.	wolbachia pipientis are intracellular symbiotic bacteria extremely common in various organisms including drosophila melanogaster, and are known for their ability to induce changes in host reproduction. these bacteria are present in astral microtubule-associated vesicular structures in host cytoplasm, but little is known about the identity of these vesicles. we report here that wolbachia are restricted only to a group of golgi-related vesicles concentrated near the site of membrane biogenesis and ...	2011	21829485
characterization of an intergenic polymorphic site (pp-hc1a_5) in wolbachia pipientis (wpip).	wolbachia pipientis (wpip) is an intracellular bacterium causing cytoplasmic incompatibility in arthropods, including mosquitoes of the culex pipiens complex. here, we present a method useful for genotyping within the wpip group. primers were designed using a tandem repeat finder program to amplify an intergenic, polymorphic site (pp-hc1a_5) of wpip. the polymorphic site is located between genes that code for polynucleotide phosphorylase and a hypothetical protein (c1a_5). comparison of these wp ...	2011	21676204
Hybrid selection for sequencing pathogen genomes from clinical samples.	ABSTRACT: We have adapted a solution hybrid selection protocol to enrich pathogen DNA in clinical samples dominated by human genetic material. Using mock mixtures of human and Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite DNA as well as clinical samples from infected patients, we demonstrate an average of approximately 40-fold enrichment of parasite DNA after hybrid selection. This approach will enable efficient genome sequencing of pathogens from clinical samples, as well as sequencing of endosymbioti ...	2011	21835008
can wolbachia be used to control malaria?	malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by plasmodium parasites transmitted by the infectious bite of anopheles mosquitoes. vector control of malaria has predominantly focused on targeting the adult mosquito through insecticides and bed nets. however, current vector control methods are often not sustainable for long periods so alternative methods are needed. a novel biocontrol approach for mosquito-borne diseases has recently been proposed, it uses maternally inherited endosymbioti ...	2011	21881776
Deep mitochondrial divergence within a Heliconius butterfly species is not explained by cryptic speciation or endosymbiotic bacteria.	ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Cryptic population structure can be an indicator of incipient speciation or historical processes. We investigated a previously documented deep break in the mitochondrial haplotypes of Heliconius erato chestertonii to explore the possibility of cryptic speciation, and also the possible presence of endosymbiont bacteria that might drive mitochondrial population structure. RESULTS: Among a sample of 315 individuals from 16 populations of western Colombia, two principal mtDNA ...	2011	22151691
Ocular onchocerciasis: current management and future prospects.	This paper reviews the current management of onchocerciasis and its future prospects. Onchocerciasis is a disease affecting millions of people in Africa, South and Central America, and Yemen. It is spread by the blackfly as a vector and caused by the filarial nematode, Onchocerca volvulus. A serious attempt was made by the Onchocerciasis Control Program between 1975 and 2002 to eliminate the vector in eleven of the endemic countries in West Africa, and with remarkable success. Formerly, the trea ...	2011	22069350
Differentially expressed profiles in the larval testes of Wolbachia infected and uninfected Drosophila.	ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Wolbachia are endosymbiotic bacteria that are frequently found in arthropods and nematodes. These maternally inherited bacteria manipulate host reproduction by several mechanisms including cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). CI is the most common phenotype induced by Wolbachia and results in the developmental arrest of embryos derived from crosses between Wolbachia-infected males and uninfected females. Although the molecular mechanisms of CI are currently unknown, several s ...	2011	22145623
wolbachia strain walbb enhances infection by the rodent malaria parasite plasmodium berghei in anopheles gambiae mosquitoes.	wolbachia, a common bacterial endosymbiont of insects, has been shown to protect its hosts against a wide range of pathogens. however, not all strains exert a protective phenotype on their host. here we assess the affect of two divergent wolbachia strains, walbb from aedes albopticus and wmelpop from drosophila melanogaster, on the vector competence of anopheles gambiae challenged with plasmodium berghei. we show the walbb strain significantly increases p. berghei oocyst levels in the mosquito m ...	2011	22210220
Endosymbiotic bacteria associated with nematodes, ticks and amoebae.	Endosymbiosis is a mutualistic, parasitic or commensal symbiosis in which one symbiont is living within the body of another organism. Such symbiotic relationship with free-living amoebae and arthropods has been reported with a large biodiversity of microorganisms, encompassing various bacterial clades and to a lesser extent some fungi and viruses. By contrast, current knowledge on symbionts of nematodes is still mainly restricted to Wolbachia and its interaction with filarial worms that lead to ...	2011	22126456