Comparative genomics of closely related Wolbachia strains infecting Drosophila

• Cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) is the most common form of reproductive manipulation induced by the vertically inherited endosymbiont Wolbachia. The phenotype causes partial or complete sterility in crosses between infected males and non-infected females, thus benefiting infected females in the population and the spread of the bacteria. Because of these properties, CI-inducing Wolbachia has been implicated as a mean for biological pest control. Although CI has been known for several decades, the first CI-associated genes, cifA and cifB, were only recently discovered. In this study, we sequenced five complete Wolbachia genomes (wSan, wYak, wTei, wAu, wMa,) and performed comparative genomic analyses between these and four previously published complete Wolbachia genomes (wRi, wNo, wHa, wMel), that have all had their CI properties tested in the same genetic host background, Drosophila simulans STC. Using these genomes, we investigate what types of genes differ between closely related Wolbachia strains and compare the sequences from some of the strains in their natural host vs. after transfer to D. simulans STC. We find that phage-associated and hypothetical genes are likely to vary more between genomes and that very few mutations have occurred when strains were transferred to D. simulans. Furthermore, we investigate the evolution of the known CI genes and take advantage of the highly similar genomes of some strains as well as their complex CI properties to identify further genes associated with both mod and resc functions of CI.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Evolutionsbiologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Evolutionary Biology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Biologi med inriktning mot molekylär evolution

Biology with specialization in Molecular Evolution

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)