Publications

detection of wolbachia dna in blood from dogs infected with dirofilaria immitis.	dirofilaria immitis is the causative agent of heartworm disease in canines and felines, and pulmonary dirofilariasis in man. it harbors a symbiotic intracellular bacterium from the genus wolbachia that plays an important role in its biology and contributes to the inflammatory pathology of the heartworm. this endosymbiont is sensitive to the tetracycline family of antibiotics prompting its use in the treatment of filariasis. to track wolbachia during treatment, primers were designed based on the ...	2010	20457156
co-infection and localization of secondary symbionts in two whitefly species.	whiteflies are cosmopolitan phloem-feeding pests that cause serious damage to many crops worldwide due to direct feeding and vectoring of many plant viruses. the sweetpotato whitefly bemisia tabaci (gennadius) and the greenhouse whitefly trialeurodes vaporariorum (westwood) are two of the most widespread and damaging whitefly species. to complete their unbalanced diet, whiteflies harbor the obligatory bacterium portiera aleyrodidarum. b. tabaci further harbors a diverse array of secondary symbio ...	2010	20462452
massively parallel pyrosequencing-based transcriptome analyses of small brown planthopper (laodelphax striatellus), a vector insect transmitting rice stripe virus (rsv).	the small brown planthopper (laodelphax striatellus) is an important agricultural pest that not only damages rice plants by sap-sucking, but also acts as a vector that transmits rice stripe virus (rsv), which can cause even more serious yield loss. despite being a model organism for studying entomology, population biology, plant protection, molecular interactions among plants, viruses and insects, only a few genomic sequences are available for this species. to investigate its transcriptome and d ...	2010	20462456
do variable compensatory mechanisms explain the polymorphism of the dependence phenotype in the asobara tabida-wolbachia association?	wolbachia are symbiotic intracellular bacteria, which are classified as reproductive parasites. although generally facultative, wolbachia is necessary for asobara tabida (hymenoptera), because aposymbiotic females do not produce any offspring. interestingly, the ovarian phenotype of aposymbiotic females is variable: some females do not produce any eggs, whereas others do produce some eggs, but these are aborted. here, we show that the ovarian phenotype of aposymbiotic females is highly polymorph ...	2010	20482609
molecular characterization and localization of the obligate endosymbiotic bacterium in the birch catkin bug kleidocerys resedae (heteroptera: lygaeidae, ischnorhynchinae).	in contrast to specific bacterial symbionts of many stinkbugs, which are harboured extracellularly in the lumina of midgut sacs or tubular outgrowths, the obligate endosymbiont of birch catkin bug kleidocerys resedae (heteroptera: lygaeidae) resides in a red-coloured, raspberry-shaped mycetome, localized abdominally, close to the midgut section. phylogenetic analysis, based on the 16s rrna gene and the groel (chaperonin) gene, showed that the bacteria belong to the gamma-subdivision of the prote ...	2010	20500529
a divergent cardinium found in daddy long-legs (arachnida: opiliones).	recent studies indicate that a newly described bacterial endosymbiont, cardinium, is widespread in arthropods and induces different reproductive manipulations in hosts. in this study, we used a portion of the 16s rrna gene of the cardinium to screen 16 opilionid species from the suborder palptores. we found the incidence of cardinium in these opiliones was significantly higher than in other pooled arthropods (31.2% versus 7.2%, p=0.007). phylogenetic analyses using maximum parsimony (mp) and bay ...	2010	20515696
the mushroom habitat as an ecological arena for global exchange of wolbachia.	wolbachia infect a variety of arthropod and nematode hosts, but in arthropods, host phylogenetic relationships are usually poor predictors of strain similarity. this suggests that new infections are often established by horizontal transmission. to gain insight into the factors affecting the probability of horizontal transmission among host species, we ask how host phylogeny, geographical distribution and ecology affect patterns of wolbachia strain similarity. we used multilocus sequence typing ( ...	2010	20529071
wolbachia strains typing in different geographic population spider, hylyphantes graminicola (linyphiidae).	the wolbachia endosymbiont of spiders has not been extensively examined. in order to investigate the distribution, evolutionary history, and reproductive phenotype of wolbachia in spiders in china, we tested 11 geographic populations of hylyphantes graminicola. wolbachia infection has been detected in each population. 10 wolbachia strains have been characterized by multilocus sequence typing (mlst). phylogenetic analyses indicated that eight wolbachia strains in h. graminicola belonged to superg ...	2011	20533041
endosymbiont dna in endobacteria-free filarial nematodes indicates ancient horizontal genetic transfer.	wolbachia are among the most abundant symbiotic microbes on earth; they are present in about 66% of all insect species, some spiders, mites and crustaceans, and most filarial nematode species. infected filarial nematodes, including many pathogens of medical and veterinary importance, depend on wolbachia for proper development and survival. the mechanisms behind this interdependence are not understood. interestingly, a minority of filarial species examined to date are naturally wolbachia-free.	2010	20543958
association between toll-like receptor 2 (tlr2) polymorphisms and asymptomatic bancroftian filariasis.	lymphatic filariasis is mainly caused by the filarial nematodes wuchereria bancrofti and brugia malayi. wolbachia, intracellular symbiotic bacteria in filarial parasite, is known to induce immune response predominantly through toll-like receptor 2 (tlr2). this study was performed to investigate the association between polymorphisms of the tlr2 gene and susceptibility to asymptomatic bancroftian filariasis. a total of 142 unrelated asymptomatic bancroftian filariasis patients and 151 endemic norm ...	2010	20549240
sex and stripping: the key to the intimate relationship between wolbachia and host?	wolbachia pipientis is known to infect only arthropods and nematodes (mainly filarial worms). a unique feature shared by the two phyla is the ability to replace the exoskeleton, a process known as ecdysis. this shared characteristic is thought to reflect a common ancestry. arthropod moulting is induced by the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20e) and a role for ecdysteroids in nematode ecdysis has also been suggested. removing wolbachia from filarial worms impairs the host's development. from ...	2010	20585501
microbial symbionts in insects influence down-regulation of defense genes in maize.	diabrotica virgifera virgifera larvae are root-feeding insects and significant pests to maize in north america and europe. little is known regarding how plants respond to insect attack of roots, thus complicating the selection for plant defense targets. diabrotica virgifera virgifera is the most successful species in its genus and is the only diabrotica beetle harboring an almost species-wide wolbachia infection. diabrotica virgifera virgifera are infected with wolbachia and the typical gut flor ...	2010	20596533
the bacteria wolbachia in filariae, a biological russian dolls' system: new trends in antifilarial treatments.	filarial nematode species can host wolbachia bacterial endosymbionts. to understand the symbiosis, a higher level of complexity should be considered, taking in account the tripartite association between wolbachia, filariae and mammals. this overview article discusses the biology of wolbachia in filariae, including their distribution and phylogeny, mechanisms of action, inflammatory consequences on mammal host and biological control implications for filariases. potential directions for future res ...	2010	20597434
wolbachia infection in the tribe naupactini (coleoptera, curculionidae): association between thelytokous parthenogenesis and infection status.	several parthenogenetic species of broad-nosed weevils exist, some of them of economic importance because of their pest status. screening of the maternally inherited wolbachia bacterium in 29 weevils of the tribe naupactini, using multilocus sequence typing allowed us to assess a significant correlation between asexuality and infection, and suggests an involvement of wolbachia in the origin of this reproductive mode. the nine wolbachia strains retrieved from the naupactini belong to the b superg ...	2010	20597993
artificial triple wolbachia infection in aedes albopictus yields a new pattern of unidirectional cytoplasmic incompatibility.	obligately intracellular wolbachia bacteria infect numerous invertebrates and often manipulate host reproduction to facilitate the spread of infection. an example of reproductive manipulation is wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility (ci), which occurs commonly in insects. this ci has been the focus both of basic scientific studies of naturally occurring invasion events and of applied investigations on the use of wolbachia as a vehicle to drive desired genotypes into insect populations (" ...	2010	20601501
construction and characterisation of a bac library made from field specimens of the onchocerciasis vector simulium squamosum (diptera: simuliidae).	a bacterial artificial chromosome (bac) library was made from wild-caught simulium squamosum, which is an important vector of human onchocerciasis. the library is composed of 12,288 bacs, with an average insert size of 128 kb, and is expected to contain ~1.54 gb of cloned dna. random bac-end sequencing generated over 95 kb of dna sequence data from which putative s. squamosum gene sequences and novel repetitive dna families were identified, including dna transposons, retrotransposons and simple ...	2010	20603211
endosymbiont costs and benefits in a parasitoid infected with both wolbachia and cardinium.	theory suggests that maternally inherited endosymbionts can promote their spread and persistence in host populations by enhancing the production of daughters by infected hosts, either by improving overall host fitness, or through reproductive manipulation. in the doubly infected parasitoid wasp encarsia inaron, wolbachia manipulates host reproduction through cytoplasmic incompatibility (ci), but cardinium does not. we investigated the fitness costs and/or benefits of infection by each bacterium ...	2011	20606691
adaptation via symbiosis: recent spread of a drosophila defensive symbiont.	recent studies have shown that some plants and animals harbor microbial symbionts that protect them against natural enemies. here we demonstrate that a maternally transmitted bacterium, spiroplasma, protects drosophila neotestacea against the sterilizing effects of a parasitic nematode, both in the laboratory and the field. this nematode parasitizes d. neotestacea at high frequencies in natural populations, and, until recently, almost all infections resulted in complete sterility. several lines ...	2010	20616278
intergenomic arms races: detection of a nuclear rescue gene of male-killing in a ladybird.	many species of arthropod are infected by deleterious inherited micro-organisms. typically these micro-organisms are inherited maternally. consequently, some, particularly bacteria of the genus wolbachia, employ a variety of strategies that favour female over male hosts. these strategies include feminisation, induction of parthenogenesis and male-killing. these strategies result in female biased sex ratios in host populations, which lead to selection for host factors that promote male production ...	2010	20628578
the transmission efficiency of tomato yellow leaf curl virus by the whitefly bemisia tabaci is correlated with the presence of a specific symbiotic bacterium species.	tomato yellow leaf curl virus (tylcv) (geminiviridae: begomovirus) is exclusively vectored by the whitefly bemisia tabaci (gennadius) (hemiptera: aleyrodidae). tylcv transmission depends upon a 63-kda groel protein produced by the vector's endosymbiotic bacteria. b. tabaci is a species complex comprising several genetically distinct biotypes that show different secondary-symbiont fauna. in israel, the b biotype harbors hamiltonella, and the q biotype harbors wolbachia and arsenophonus. both biot ...	2010	20631135
a virulent wolbachia infection decreases the viability of the dengue vector aedes aegypti during periods of embryonic quiescence.	a new approach for dengue control has been proposed that relies on life-shortening strains of the obligate intracellular bacterium wolbachia pipientis to modify mosquito population age structure and reduce pathogen transmission. previously we reported the stable transinfection of the major dengue vector aedes aegypti with a life-shortening wolbachia strain (wmelpop-cla) from the vinegar fly drosophila melanogaster. here, we report a further characterization of the phenotypic effects of this viru ...	2010	20644622
wolbachia pipientis: an expanding bag of tricks to explore for disease control.	wolbachia pipientis are maternally inherited, endosymbiotic bacteria that are widespread among insects. two recent studies have demonstrated that wolbachia inhibits the ability of medically significant pathogens, including filarial nematodes, dengue virus and plasmodium to form infections in the mosquito vector, aedes aegypti. we highlight the added value of these traits for wolbachia based biocontrol strategies and evaluate the evidence for the idea that the insect immune response is responsibl ...	2010	20647151
high rates of homologous recombination in the mite endosymbiont and opportunistic human pathogen orientia tsutsugamushi.	orientia tsutsugamushi is an intracellular alpha-proteobacterium which resides in trombiculid mites, and is the causative agent of scrub typhus in east asia. the genome sequence of this species has revealed an unprecedented number of repeat sequences, most notably of the genes encoding the conjugative properties of a type iv secretion system (t4ss). although this observation is consistent with frequent intragenomic recombination, the extent of homologous recombination (gene conversion) in this s ...	2010	20651929
intragenomic conflict in populations infected by parthenogenesis inducing wolbachia ends with irreversible loss of sexual reproduction.	the maternally inherited, bacterial symbiont, parthenogenesis inducing (pi) wolbachia, causes females in some haplodiploid insects to produce daughters from both fertilized and unfertilized eggs. the symbionts, with their maternal inheritance, benefit from inducing the production of exclusively daughters, however the optimal sex ratio for the nuclear genome is more male-biased. here we examine through models how an infection with pi-wolbachia in a previously uninfected population leads to a geno ...	2010	20667099
phylogenetic analysis and rapid identification of the whitefly, bemisia afer, in china.	the phylogenetic relationship between the whitefly bemisia afer (priesner & hosny) (hemiptera: aleyrodidae) from china and other populations among the world were analyzed based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase i (mtcoi) gene. phylogenetic analysis of mtcoi sequences and those of reference b. afer sequences showed that the populations of the species could be separated into 5 clades (i-v). there were at least two clades of the species from china (iv and v). these data suggested that b. afer ...	2010	20673071
variations of immune parameters in terrestrial isopods: a matter of gender, aging and wolbachia.	ecological factors modulate animal immunocompetence and potentially shape the evolution of their immune systems. not only environmental parameters impact on immunocompetence: aging is one major cause of variability of immunocompetence between individuals, and sex-specific levels of immunocompetence have also been frequently described. moreover, a growing core of data put in light that vertically transmitted symbionts can dramatically modulate the immunocompetence of their hosts. in this study, w ...	2010	20676599
prevalence of selected vector-borne organisms and identification of bartonella species dna in north american river otters (lontra canadensis).	trapper-killed north american river otters (lontra canadensis) in north carolina, usa, were screened for multiple vector-borne bacteria known to be pathogenic to mammals. blood was collected from 30 carcasses in 2006, from 35 in 2007, and from one live otter in 2008. samples were screened using conventional polymerase chain reaction (pcr) tests for dna from bartonella spp., ehrlichia spp., and spotted fever group rickettsia spp. all samples were negative for rickettsia spp. twelve of 30 samples ...	2010	20688703
wolbachia and termite association: present status and future implications.		2010	20689172
asymmetric wolbachia segregation during early brugia malayi embryogenesis determines its distribution in adult host tissues.	wolbachia are required for filarial nematode survival and fertility and contribute to the immune responses associated with human filarial diseases. here we developed whole-mount immunofluorescence techniques to characterize wolbachia somatic and germline transmission patterns and tissue distribution in brugia malayi, a nematode responsible for lymphatic filariasis. in the initial embryonic divisions, wolbachia segregate asymmetrically such that they occupy only a small subset of cells in the dev ...	2010	20689574
sampling biases of the bg-sentinel trap with respect to physiology, age, and body size of adult aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae).	currently, aedes aegypti (l.) control strategies are being developed that involve manipulation of the vector at the adult stage (e.g., the use of the bacterial endosymbiont wolbachia to shorten the life span of the vector population). these novel strategies demand adult sampling methods to measure changes in population size, structure (age, sex ratio), and, ultimately, the success of the program. each sampling method presents certain biases. once these biases are defined, methods used to estimat ...	2010	20695281
superinfection of cytoplasmic incompatibility-inducing wolbachia is not additive in orius strigicollis (hemiptera: anthocoridae).	cytoplasmic incompatibility (ci) allows the intracellular, maternally inherited bacterial symbiont wolbachia to invade arthropod host populations by inducing infertility in crosses between infected males and uninfected females. the general pattern is consistent with a model of sperm modification, rescued only by egg cytoplasm infected with the same strain of symbiont. the predacious flower bug orius strigicollis is superinfected with two strains of wolbachia, wous1 and wous2. typically, superinf ...	2011	20700141
the native wolbachia endosymbionts of drosophila melanogaster and culex quinquefasciatus increase host resistance to west nile virus infection.	the bacterial endosymbiont wolbachia pipientis has been shown to increase host resistance to viral infection in native drosophila hosts and in the normally wolbachia-free heterologous host aedes aegypti when infected by wolbachia from drosophila melanogaster or aedes albopictus. wolbachia infection has not yet been demonstrated to increase viral resistance in a native wolbachia-mosquito host system.	2010	20700535
[infection with wolbachia does not influence crossing over in drosophila melanogaster].	the influence of infection with endosymbiotic bacteria wolbachia on crossingover in drosophila melanogaster between the white and cut genes in the x chromosome was studied. reciprocal crosses have been conducted between infected and non-infected fruit fly strains. the results showed no significant effect of wolbachia infection on the crossingover rates in d. melanogaster between the white and cut genes in x-chromosome.	2010	20722287
expression of a doublesex homologue is altered in sexual mosaics of ostrinia scapulalis moths infected with wolbachia.	a homologue of the sex-determining gene doublesex, osdsx, was identified in the adzuki bean borer ostrinia scapulalis. three isoforms of the osdsx transcript (osdsx(m), osdsx(fl) and osdsx(fs)) differing in length were found. osdsx(m) was specifically found in males, and contained an 852-bp orf encoding a protein of 284 amino acids. osdsx(fl) and osdsx(fs) were found in females, and had the same 813-bp orf encoding a protein of 271 amino acids. the osdsx gene was inferred to have six exons and f ...	2010	20728536
the wolbachia endosymbiont as an anti-filarial nematode target.	human disease caused by parasitic filarial nematodes is a major cause of global morbidity. the parasites are transmitted by arthropod intermediate hosts and are responsible for lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) or onchocerciasis (river blindness). within these filarial parasites are intracellular alpha-proteobacteria, wolbachia, that were first observed almost 30 years ago. the obligate endosymbiont has been recognized as a target for anti-filarial nematode chemotherapy as evidenced by the lo ...	2010	20730111
multiple gains and losses of wolbachia symbionts across a tribe of fungus-growing ants.	although the intracellular bacterium wolbachia is ubiquitous in insects, it has a unique relationship with new world ants on which particular bacterial strains have specialized. however, data are from distantly related hosts and detailed phylogenetic information which could reveal transmission dynamics are lacking. here, we investigate host-wolbachia relationships in the monophyletic fungus-growing ant tribe attini, screening 23 species and using multilocus sequence typing to reliably identify w ...	2010	20738784
lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis.	lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis are parasitic helminth diseases that constitute a serious public health issue in tropical regions. the filarial nematodes that cause these diseases are transmitted by blood-feeding insects and produce chronic and long-term infection through suppression of host immunity. disease pathogenesis is linked to host inflammation invoked by the death of the parasite, causing hydrocoele, lymphoedema, and elephantiasis in lymphatic filariasis, and skin disease and bl ...	2010	20739055
costs and benefits of wolbachia infection in immature aedes albopictus depend upon sex and competition level.	bacterial endosymbionts induce various effects on hosts and can dramatically impact host fitness and development. an example is provided by obligate, maternally-inherited wolbachia, which infect a broad range of invertebrates. wolbachia are capable of altering host reproduction, thereby promoting infection spread. wolbachia also pose direct physiological costs and benefits to hosts, complicating their categorization as parasites or mutualists. this study examines for an effect of wolbachia infec ...	2010	20807539
strong expression of tgf-beta in human host tissues around subcutaneous dirofilaria repens.	dirofilaria repens and other dirofilaria species are widely distributed parasitic nematodes of carnivores, which occasionally are transmitted to men, causing subcutaneous nodules. in humans, it usually occurs only as single male or female filariae without production of microfilariae. the non-productive living or dead dirofilaria worms in subcutaneous biopsies from 15 human patients permitted us to study the role of the pleiotropic and immunoregulatory cytokine transforming growth factor beta (tg ...	2011	20809419
effects of doxycycline on the endosymbiont wolbachia in dirofilaria immitis (leidy, 1856)--naturally infected dogs.	dirofilaria immitis carries intracellular endosymbiotic bacteria of the genus wolbachia, known to be vital for the worms and sensitive to tetracycline antibiotics. with the purpose of studying the interaction between d. immitis and the endosymbiont wolbachia sp., heartworm naturally infected microfilaremic or antigenemic dogs were treated with doxycycline (10mg/kg/day of the drug in three cycles of 21 days each, with 6-month intervals). blood samples were collected on days 0, 7 and 21 of each tr ...	2010	20810215
bacteriocyte-like cells harbour wolbachia in the ovary of drosophila melanogaster (insecta, diptera) and zyginidia pullula (insecta, hemiptera).	wolbachia is the most widespread bacterial endosymbiont in insects. it is responsible for a variety of reproductive alterations of the hosts. wolbachia is transmitted through the germline from mother to offspring and, in rare cases, between individuals. this implies that acquired properties (through symbiosis with wolbachia) can become heritable. we investigated the transovarial inheritance of wolbachia in two phylogenetically distant insects, drosophila melanogaster and zyginidia pullula. we de ...	2010	20817243
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
elimination of lymphatic filariasis: do we have the drugs to complete the job?	lymphatic filariasis is targeted for elimination globally through mass drug administration (mda) with diethylcarbamazine or ivermectin monotherapy, or either drug in combination with albendazole. however, many countries that have implemented mda annually for over 5 years are yet to interrupt transmission. this review describes the current drugs used in mda and highlights the challenges facing the who global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (gpelf).	2010	20847694
onchocerca armillata contains the endosymbiotic bacterium wolbachia and elicits a limited inflammatory response.	human onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a debilitating disease caused by the filarial nematode onchocerca volvulus. many, but not all, filarial nematodes carry within their tissues endosymbiotic, rickettsia-like bacteria of the genus wolbachia. onchocerca spp. infections in cattle offer the most relevant, analogous host-parasite model system. west african cattle are commonly co-infected with four onchocerca spp.; two of these are wolbachia-positive (onchocerca gutturosa and oncho ...	2010	20850932
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
effects of dietary folic acid level and symbiotic folate production on fitness and development in the fruit fly drosophila melanogaster.	folic acid is a vitamin for probably all animals. when converted to folate forms, it is used in dna synthesis and amino acid metabolism. literature suggests insects must consume folates, folates do not affect others, is a toxin for some, and that a few insects synthesize it. it has been reported that drosophila melanogaster does not consistently need dietary folate because it can synthesize it. this seems unlikely since animals generally lack this ability. more likely, folates thought to have be ...	2010	20855945
detection of anaplasma bovis dna in the peripheral blood of domestic dogs in japan.	the prevalence of ehrlichia and anaplasma in 1,427 dogs from 32 japanese prefectures was evaluated by pcr and dna nucleotide sequencing. pcr screening demonstrated that 18 dogs (1.3%) were positive for anaplasmataceae. sequence analysis revealed that 14 of the amplicons were most closely related to wolbachia spp., symbionts of dirofilaria immitis, whereas three were identified as anaplasma bovis. the remaining amplicon could not be sequenced. almost the entire sequence of 16s rrna (1,452 bp) fro ...	2010	20859003
wolbachia infection lowers fertile sperm transfer in a moth.	the endosymbiotic bacterium wolbachia pipientis manipulates host reproduction by rendering infected males reproductively incompatible with uninfected females (cytoplasmic incompatibility; ci). ci is believed to occur as a result of wolbachia-induced modifications to sperm during maturation, which prevent infected sperm from initiating successful zygote development when fertilizing uninfected females' eggs. however, the mechanism by which ci occurs has been little studied outside the genus drosop ...	2010	20880864
elevated levels of plasma angiogenic factors are associated with human lymphatic filarial infections.	lymphatic dilatation, dysfunction, and lymphangiogenesis are hallmarks of patent lymphatic filariasis, observed even in those with subclinical microfilaremia, through processes associated, in part, by vascular endothelial growth factors (vegfs). a panel of pro-angiogenic factors was measured in the plasma of subjects from filaria-endemic regions using multiplexed immunological assays. compared with endemic normal control subjects, those with both subclinical microfilaremia, and those with longst ...	2010	20889885
cytoplasmic feminizing elements in a two-population model: infection dynamics, gene flow modification, and the spread of autosomal suppressors.	we investigate the dynamics of a cytoplasmic parasitic element with feminizing effect in a two-population model. we assume that the host species has a zz/zw sex determination system. our analysis reveals that the feminizer and the w chromosome can stably coexist by dominating different populations if the transmission rate differs significantly between the populations and migration is sufficiently weak. in the equilibrium of coexistence, genetic influx at any host autosomal locus is strongly enha ...	2010	20939837
decoupling of host-symbiont-phage coadaptations following transfer between insect species.	transferring endosymbiotic bacteria between different host species can perturb the coordinated regulation of the host and bacterial genomes. here we use the most common maternally transmitted bacteria, wolbachia pipientis, to test the consequences of host genetic background on infection densities and the processes underlying those changes in the parasitoid wasp genus nasonia. introgressing the genome of nasonia giraulti into the infected cytoplasm of n. vitripennis causes a two-order-of-magnitud ...	2010	20944019
lipoprotein biosynthesis as a target for anti-wolbachia treatment of filarial nematodes.	abstract:	2010	20946650
wolbachia stimulates immune gene expression and inhibits plasmodium development in anopheles gambiae.	the over-replicating wmelpop strain of the endosymbiont wolbachia pipientis has recently been shown to be capable of inducing immune upregulation and inhibition of pathogen transmission in aedes aegypti mosquitoes. in order to examine whether comparable effects would be seen in the malaria vector anopheles gambiae, transient somatic infections of wmelpop were created by intrathoracic inoculation. upregulation of six selected immune genes was observed compared to controls, at least two of which ( ...	2010	20949079
the emerging role of wolbachia species in heartworm disease.	heartworm disease was first recognized in dogs more than 100 years ago and is still prevalent among dogs and found in cats worldwide. the complications of heartworm disease can be devastating, and treatment carries risks. wolbachia spp are gram-negative bacteria that infect filarial nematodes, including dirofilaria immitis, and elicit an inflammatory response in cats and dogs. antimicrobial therapy directed against these bacteria has resulted in decreased microfilarial loads, inhibition of the d ...	2010	20949416
wolbachia-mediated resistance to dengue virus infection and death at the cellular level.	dengue is currently the most important arthropod-borne viral disease of humans. recent work has shown dengue virus displays limited replication in its primary vector, the mosquito aedes aegypti, when the insect harbors the endosymbiotic bacterium wolbachia pipientis. wolbachia-mediated inhibition of virus replication may lead to novel methods of arboviral control, yet the functional and cellular mechanisms that underpin it are unknown.	2010	20976219
infection incidence and relative density of the bacteriophage wo-b in aedes albopictus mosquitoes from fields in thailand.	we have used real-time quantitative pcr to measure, for the first time, the relative phage wo-b orf7 density and infection incidence in aedes albopictus mosquitoes from fields in thailand. our results showed that the infection incidence of phage wo-b in this mosquito, sampled from geographically different places in thailand, was 97.9%. average relative densities of the offspring were different when collected from diverse parts and reared under the same conditions in the laboratory. our results a ...	2010	20981548
strain-specific differences in mating, oviposition, and host-seeking behavior between wolbachia-infected and uninfected aedes albopictus.	wolbachia are maternally inherited bacteria that cause various reproductive alterations in their arthropod hosts, including cytoplasmic incompatibility. in this study, we compared mating, oviposition, and host-seeking behavior of wolbachia-infected (houston [hou], gainesville [gnv]) and houston uninfected (ht1) aedes albopictus. in mating assays with virgin mosquitoes, mating success of wolbachia-infected males was significantly higher than uninfected strains. mating success was highest with hou ...	2010	21033053
higher-dose, more frequent treatment of wuchereria bancrofti.		2010	21039221
multiple endosymbionts in populations of the ant formica cinerea.	many insects, including ants, are infected by maternally inherited wolbachia endosymbiotic bacteria though other secondary endosymbionts have not been reported in ants. it has been suggested that the ability of wolbachia to invade and remain in an ant population depends on the number of coexisting queens in a colony. we study the genetic and social structure of populations in the ant formica cinerea which is known to have populations with either monogynous or polygynous colonies. we screen popul ...	2010	21040533
a simple protocol to obtain highly pure wolbachia endosymbiont dna for genome sequencing.	most genome sequencing projects using intracellular bacteria face difficulties in obtaining sufficient bacterial dna free of host contamination. we have developed a simple and rapid protocol to isolate endosymbiont dna virtually free from fly and mosquito host dna. we purified dna from six wolbachia strains in preparation for genome sequencing using this method, and achieved up to 97% pure wolbachia sequence, even after using frozen insects. this is a significant improvement for future wolbachia ...	2010	21047535
mito-nuclear genetic comparison in a wolbachia infected weevil: insights on reproductive mode, infection age and evolutionary forces shaping genetic variation.	maternally inherited endosymbionts like wolbachia pipientis are in linkage disequilibrium with the mtdna of their hosts. therefore, they can induce selective sweeps, decreasing genetic diversity over many generations. this sex ratio distorter, that is involved in the origin of parthenogenesis and other reproductive alterations, infects the parthenogenetic weevil naupactus cervinus, a serious pest of ornamental and fruit plants.	2010	21050430
prevalence of wolbachia supergroups a and b in bemisia tabaci (hemiptera: aleyrodidae) and some of its natural enemies.	wolbachia, a bacterial symbiont, is maternally transmitted in arthropods and nematodes. we report a systematic survey of wolbachia taxonomy in the sweetpotato whitefly, bemisia tabaci (gennadius) (hemiptera: aleyrodidae), and in some of its natural enemies. for the first time, wolbachia infections in b. tabaci are correlated with various whitefly genetic groups, host plants, and natural enemies as well as with geographical regions. polymerase chain reaction using 16s rdna and fisz genes revealed ...	2010	21061989
a comparative study on the functional response of wolbachia-infected and uninfected forms of the parasitoid wasp trichogramma brassicae.	trichogramma species (hymenoptera: trichogrammatidae) are haplo-diploid egg parasitoids that are frequently used as biological control agents against lepidopteran pests. these wasps display two reproductive modes, including arrhenotoky (bisexuality) and thelytoky (unisexuality). thelytokous forms are often associated with the presence of endosymbiotic wolbachia bacteria. the use of thelytokous wasps has long been considered as a way to enhance the efficacy of biological control. the present stud ...	2010	21062211
a single dose of doxycycline in combination with diethylcarbamazine for treatment of bancroftian filariasis.	standard treatment of lymphatic filariasis with diethylcarbamazine (dec) is associated with systemic adverse reactions, thought to be due to the release of microfilariae material and wolbachia endosymbiotic bacteria into the blood. combination treatments with doxycycline for 3-8 weeks are more effective than standard treatment. however, long-term use of antibiotics may contribute to drug resistance and are not practical for use in remote areas. we assessed whether a single dose of doxycycline co ...	2010	21073054
touchdown-touchup nested pcr for low-copy gene detection of benzimidazole-susceptible wuchereria bancrofti with a wolbachia endosymbiont imported by migrant carriers.	a novel, sensitive and specific touchdown-touchup nested pcr (tnpcr) technique based on two useful molecular markers, a wuchereria bancrofti β-tubulin gene involved in benzimidazole susceptibility and a wolbachia ftsz gene involved in cell division, was developed to simultaneously detect the parasite w. bancrofti (w1) with its wolbachia endosymbiont (w2) from both microfilaremic and post-treatment samples of at-risk migrant carriers infected with geographical w. bancrofti isolates. the detection ...	2010	21074526
infection with the wmel and wmelpop strains of wolbachia leads to higher levels of melanization in the hemolymph of drosophila melanogaster, drosophila simulans and aedes aegypti.	introduction of the life-shortening strain of wolbachia pipientis, wmelpop, into the key dengue vector, aedes aegypti, and the anti-pathogen effects in wolbachia-infected hosts highlights the need for more research into its interactions with its original host, drosophila melanogaster, and the novel mosquito host. the visual difference in darkness between the eggs of wmelpop wolbachia-infected and uninfected mosquito hosts after egg deposition led to further investigation into melanization levels ...	2010	21075139
improved accuracy of the transcriptional profiling method of age grading in aedes aegypti mosquitoes under laboratory and semi-field cage conditions and in the presence of wolbachia infection.	transcriptional profiling is an effective method of predicting age in the mosquito aedes aegypti in the laboratory, however, its effectiveness is limited to younger mosquitoes. to address this we used a microarray to identify new gene candidates that show significant expression changes in older mosquitoes. these genes were then used to create a revised model, which upon evaluation in both laboratory and semi-field conditions, proved to have improved accuracy overall and for older mosquitoes. in ...	2010	21114562
multiple wolbachia determinants control the evolution of cytoplasmic incompatibilities in culex pipiens mosquito populations.	wolbachia are maternally inherited endosymbionts that can invade arthropod populations through manipulation of their reproduction. in mosquitoes, wolbachia induce embryonic death, known as cytoplasmic incompatibility (ci), whenever infected males mate with females either uninfected or infected with an incompatible strain. although genetic determinants of ci are unknown, a functional model involving the so-called mod and resc factors has been proposed. natural populations of culex pipiens mosquit ...	2010	21114563
many compatible wolbachia strains coexist within natural populations of culex pipiens mosquito.	maternally inherited wolbachia often manipulate the reproduction of arthropods to promote their transmission. in most species, wolbachia exert a form of conditional sterility termed cytoplasmic incompatibility (ci), characterized by the death of embryos produced by the mating between individuals with incompatible wolbachia infections. from a theoretical perspective, no stable coexistence of incompatible wolbachia infections is expected within host populations and ci should induce the invasion of ...	2010	21119702
molecular approaches to identify cryptic species and polymorphic species within a complex community of fig wasps.	cryptic and polymorphic species can complicate traditional taxonomic research and both of these concerns are common in fig wasp communities. species identification is very difficult, despite great effort and the ecological importance of fig wasps. herein, we try to identify all chalcidoid wasp species hosted by one species of fig, using both morphological and molecular methods. we compare the efficiency of four different dna regions and find that its2 is highly effective for species identificati ...	2010	21124735
dynamics of the "popcorn" wolbachia infection in outbred aedes aegypti informs prospects for mosquito vector control.	forty percent of the world's population is at risk of contracting dengue virus, which produces dengue fever with a potentially fatal hemorrhagic form. the wmelpop wolbachia infection of drosophila melanogaster reduces life span and interferes with viral transmission when introduced into the mosquito aedes aegypti, the primary vector of dengue virus. wolbachia has been proposed as an agent for preventing transmission of dengue virus. population invasion by wolbachia depends on levels of cytoplasm ...	2010	21135075
understanding feline heartworm infection: disease, diagnosis, and treatment.	feline heartworm disease is a very different clinical entity from canine heartworm disease. in cats, the arrival and death of immature heartworms in the pulmonary arteries can cause coughing and dyspnea as early as 3 months postinfection. adult heartworms suppress the function of pulmonary intravascular macrophages and thus reduce clinical disease in chronic feline heartworm infection. approximately 80% of asymptomatic cats self-cure. median survival time for symptomatic cats is 1.5 years, or 4 ...	2010	21147476
infectious diseases. australia to test 'mosquito vaccine' against human disease.		2010	21148356
infectious speciation revisited: impact of symbiont-depletion on female fitness and mating behavior of drosophila paulistorum.	the neotropical drosophila paulistorum superspecies, consisting of at least six geographically overlapping but reproductively isolated semispecies, has been the object of extensive research since at least 1955, when it was initially trapped mid-evolution in flagrant statu nascendi. in this classic system females express strong premating isolation patterns against mates belonging to any other semispecies, and yet uncharacterized microbial reproductive tract symbionts were described triggering hyb ...	2010	21151959
wolbachia infection and mitochondrial diversity in the canine heartworm (dirofilaria immitis).	many species of filarial nematodes are infected with wolbachia pipientis, a maternally inherited endosymbiont. in addition to manipulating host reproduction, these bacteria also affect the evolution of the mitochondrial dna with which they are transmitted. selective sweeps can establish a single mitochondrial lineage within a wolbachia-infected population and purge genetic diversity. while this phenomenon has been studied in insect model systems, it has not been thoroughly examined in a filarial ...	2010	21171866
shape change in viable eggs of the collembolan folsomia candida provides insight into the role of wolbachia endosymbionts.	the endosymbiotic bacteria of the genus wolbachia that infect the collembolan species folsomia candida are responsible for facilitating parthenogenetic reproduction in their hosts. this study made empirical observations of the development of eggs of f. candida which contained normal populations of wolbachia and of eggs which were cured of wolbachia by treatment with the antibiotic rifampicin. a marked increase in egg size accompanied by a significant change in shape from spherical to discoid occ ...	2010	21174352
dispersal and survival of aedes albopictus (diptera: culicidae) males in italian urban areas and significance for sterile insect technique application.	the dispersal and survival of laboratory-reared aedes albopictus skuse males were investigated during the summer of 2007 in three northern italy urban localities by mark-release-recapture techniques. two marking methods were compared: one group of males was dusted with fluorescent pigments on the body (fp), and the other group was obtained from a strain whose natural infection of wolbachia had been removed (wb0). fp- and wb0-marked males were released as adults and pupae, respectively, in one fi ...	2010	21175057
bacterial diversity of field-caught mosquitoes, aedes albopictus and aedes aegypti, from different geographic regions of madagascar.	symbiotic bacteria are known to play important roles in the biology of insects, but the current knowledge of bacterial communities associated with mosquitoes is very limited and consequently their contribution to host behaviors is mostly unknown. in this study, we explored the composition and diversity of mosquito-associated bacteria in relation with mosquitoes' habitats. wild aedes albopictus and aedes aegypti were collected in three different geographic regions of madagascar. culturing methods ...	2010	21175696
a simple and distinctive microbiota associated with honey bees and bumble bees.	specialized relationships with bacteria often allow animals to exploit a new diet by providing a novel set of metabolic capabilities. bees are a monophyletic group of hymenoptera that transitioned to a completely herbivorous diet from the carnivorous diet of their wasp ancestors. recent culture-independent studies suggest that a set of distinctive bacterial species inhabits the gut of the honey bee, apis mellifera. here we survey the gut microbiotae of diverse bee and wasp species to test whethe ...	2010	21175905
a worm's best friend: recruitment of neutrophils by wolbachia confounds eosinophil degranulation against the filarial nematode onchocerca ochengi.	onchocerca ochengi, a filarial parasite of cattle, represents the closest relative of the human pathogen, onchocerca volvulus. both species harbour wolbachia endosymbionts and are remarkable in that adult female worms remain viable but sessile for many years while surrounded by host cells and antibodies. the basis of the symbiosis between filariae and wolbachia is thought to be metabolic, although a role for wolbachia in immune evasion has received little attention. neutrophils are attracted to ...	2010	21177682
bacterial endosymbiont localization in hyalesthes obsoletus, the insect vector of bois noir in vitis vinifera.	one emerging disease of grapevine in europe is bois noir (bn), a phytoplasmosis caused by "candidatus phytoplasma solani" and spread in vineyards by the planthopper hyalesthes obsoletus (hemiptera: cixiidae). here we present the first full characterization of the bacterial community of this important disease vector collected from bn-contaminated areas in piedmont, italy. length heterogeneity pcr and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis targeting the 16s rrna gene revealed the presenc ...	2010	21183640
insertion sequence inversions mediated by ectopic recombination between terminal inverted repeats.	transposable elements are widely distributed and diverse in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, as exemplified by dna transposons. as a result, they represent a considerable source of genomic variation, for example through ectopic (i.e. non-allelic homologous) recombination events between transposable element copies, resulting in genomic rearrangements. ectopic recombination may also take place between homologous sequences located within transposable element sequences. dna transposons are typically ...	2010	21187977
effects of wolbachia on mtdna variation and evolution in natural populations of tetranychus urticae koch.	we investigated the effects of wolbachia infection on mtdna variation in spider mites by sequencing a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase i (coi) gene from 198 individuals of known infection status. four wolbachia strains were described in the current study, namely wurtori1, wurtori2, wurtori3 and wurtcon1. as predicted, the haplotype and nucleotide diversity were lower in infected individuals than in uninfected individuals. however, these mtdna haplotype data are not entirely concor ...	2011	21199022
diversity and infection prevalence of endosymbionts in natural populations of the chestnut weevil: relevance of local climate and host plants.	many insects are ubiquitously associated with multiple endosymbionts, whose infection patterns often exhibit spatial and temporal variations. how such endosymbiont variations are relevant to local adaptation of the host organisms is of ecological interest. here, we report a comprehensive survey of endosymbionts in natural populations of the chestnut weevil curculio sikkimensis, whose larvae are notorious pests of cultivated chestnuts and also infest acorns of various wild oaks. from 968 insects ...	2010	21199036
the tsetse fly glossina fuscipes fuscipes (diptera: glossina) harbours a surprising diversity of bacteria other than symbionts.	three different bacterial species are regularly described from tsetse flies. however, no broad screens have been performed to investigate the existence of other bacteria in this medically and agriculturally important vector insect. utilising both culture dependent and independent methods we show that kenyan populations of glossina fuscipes fuscipes harbour a surprising diversity of bacteria. bacteria were isolated from 72% of flies with 23 different bacterial species identified. the firmicutes p ...	2011	21203841
assessment of bacterial diversity in the cattle tick rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus through tag-encoded pyrosequencing.	ticks are regarded as the most relevant vectors of disease-causing pathogens in domestic and wild animals. the cattle tick, rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus, hinders livestock production in tropical and subtropical parts of the world where it is endemic. tick microbiomes remain largely unexplored. the objective of this study was to explore the r. microplus microbiome by applying the bacterial 16s tag-encoded flx-titanium amplicon pyrosequencing (btefap) technique to characterize its bacterial ...	2011	21211038
syto11 staining vs fish staining: a comparison of two methods to stain wolbachia pipientis in cell cultures.	the aedes albopictus c7-10 cell line was infected with wolbachia strains wri and walbb to create c7-10r and c7-10b cell lines, respectively. we compared two different methods, fluorescence in situ hybridization staining and syto11 staining, to describe these new wolbachia infections in c7-10.	2011	21214605
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
assessing key safety concerns of a wolbachia-based strategy to control dengue transmission by aedes mosquitoes.	mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever, chikungunya or malaria affect millions of people each year and control solutions are urgently needed. an international research program is currently being developed that relies on the introduction of the bacterial endosymbiont wolbachia pipientis into aedes aegypti to control dengue transmission. in order to prepare for open-field testing releases of wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, an intensive social research and community engagement program was unde ...	2010	21225190
malaria vector control: from past to future.	malaria is one of the most common vector-borne diseases widespread in the tropical and subtropical regions. despite considerable success of malaria control programs in the past, malaria still continues as a major public health problem in several countries. vector control is an essential part for reducing malaria transmission and became less effective in recent years, due to many technical and administrative reasons, including poor or no adoption of alternative tools. of the different strategies ...	2011	21229263
current evidence on the use of antifilarial agents in the management of bancroftian filariasis.	many trials have explored the efficacy of individual drugs and drug combinations to treat bancroftian filariasis. this narrative review summarizes the current evidence for drug management of bancroftian filariasis. diethylcarbamazine (dec) remains the prime antifilarial agent with a well-established microfilaricidal and some macrofilaricidal effects. ivermectin (ivm) is highly microfilaricidal but minimally macrofilaricidal. the role of albendazole (alb) in treatment regimens is not well establi ...	2010	21234244
male killing and incomplete inheritance of a novel spiroplasma in the moth ostrinia zaguliaevi.	bacteria of the genus spiroplasma are widely found in plants and arthropods. some of the maternally transmitted spiroplasma endosymbionts in arthropods are known to kill young male hosts (male killing). here, we describe a new case of spiroplasma-induced male killing in a moth, ostrinia zaguliaevi. the all-female trait caused by spiroplasma was maternally inherited for more than 11 generations but was spontaneously lost in several lineages. antibiotic treatment eliminated the spiroplasma infecti ...	2011	21234752
spiders do not escape reproductive manipulations by wolbachia.	maternally inherited bacteria that reside obligatorily or facultatively in arthropods can increase their prevalence in the population by altering their hosts' reproduction. such reproductive manipulations have been reported from the major arthropod groups such as insects (in particular hymenopterans, butterflies, dipterans and beetles), crustaceans (isopods) and mites. despite the observation that endosymbiont bacteria are frequently encountered in spiders and that the sex ratio of particular sp ...	2011	21235755
wolbachia come of age.		1998	21238270
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