赤拟谷盗和杂拟谷盗的生殖隔离研究

赤拟谷盗和杂拟谷盗是两个同域发生的近缘储粮害虫。为明确它们的生殖隔离程度和机制,本研究比较分析了赤拟谷盗和杂拟谷盗雄虫对同种和异种雌虫的交配选择;赤拟谷盗与杂拟谷盗交配后,测定了精子在异种雌体内的存活情况;将赤拟谷盗和杂拟谷盗进行正反杂交,研究其F1代、F2代和回交代杂种是否产生及其雌雄比。结果显示,赤拟谷盗和杂拟谷盗雄虫对同种雌虫的爬跨率和交配率高于其对异种雌虫的爬跨率和交配率,表明赤拟谷盗和杂拟谷盗种间性隔离不完全;赤拟谷盗和杂拟谷盗交配后精子在异种雌体内是存活的,杂交所产的F1代卵为受精卵,说明交配后完成了精子传送和受精过程,表明种间机械隔离和配子隔离不完全;赤拟谷盗和杂拟谷盗的杂种F1代自交和回交产生了F2代和回交代,表明种间不存在杂种不育;一些杂交组合产生的F2代和回交代数量少且存在雌雄性比偏离,表明种间存在部分杂种不活和杂种衰败。本研究明确了赤拟谷盗和杂拟谷盗的生殖隔离机制,这对于揭示它们的物种进化关系有着重要意义。     

片突菱纹叶蝉感染枣疯植原体与Wolbachia的检测及系统发育分析

[目的]探讨片突菱纹叶蝉Hishimonus lamellatus Cai et Kuo不同种群中枣疯植原体与沃尔巴克氏体Wolbachia的感染情况和Wolbachia在不同器官组织分布,明确枣园菱纹叶蝉中Wolbachia的感染类型和分类地位,为研究Wolbachia感染对枣疯植原体潜在介体叶蝉生物学及生态学影响奠定基础.[方法]通过枣疯植原体和Wolbachia的基因特异性引物对片突菱纹叶蝉田间自然种群和实验室种群进行分子检测和鉴定.[结果]田间采集的片突菱纹叶蝉成虫植原体感染率在55％-61％之间,而Wolbachia感染率为3％-4％.田间采集的片突菱纹叶蝉自然种群经室内饲养,在1-4龄若虫中检测到Wolbachia,2-5龄若虫中检测到了植原体.片突菱纹叶蝉实验室饲养无植原体种群在其卵巢、卵和若虫中发现感染Wolbachia,在其唾液腺和消化道也检测到了Wolbachia,感染率在58％-100％之间.基于Wolbachia的wsp基因构建系统发育树,发现片突菱纹叶蝉体内的2个Wolbachia株系同属于B大组,但不同于B大组其他株系,属于新株系wLam1和wLam2.[结论]片突菱纹叶蝉成虫采自田间种群可以感染枣疯植原体和Wolbachia,无植原体叶蝉实验室饲养种群成虫感染Wolbachia显著高于田间种群,片突菱纹叶蝉体内2个Wolbachia株系属于B大组.这一研究结果为Wolbachia作为介体叶蝉生物防治剂进一步利用提供了基础信息.     

美棘蓟马体内Wolbachia感染的时空分布

【目的】明确共生菌Wolbachia在美棘蓟马Echinothrips americanus体内的时空分布动态。【方法】基于Wolbachia的外膜蛋白基因(wsp)序列设计特异引物构建标准质粒,用绝对荧光定量PCR的方法测定美棘蓟马不同发育阶段(卵、若虫、预蛹、蛹、成虫)和雌雄成虫不同组织(头、胸、腹、腹末3节)中Wolbachia的wsp基因拷贝数,分析美棘蓟马共生菌Wolbachia的感染情况。【结果】美棘蓟马体内Wolbachia拷贝数随美棘蓟马发育进程逐渐增大,雌性成虫期Wolbachia拷贝数显著高于卵和若虫期;雌雄成虫不同组织中的拷贝数存在差异,雌性成虫腹部Wolbachia拷贝数显著高于头部、胸部和腹末3节,雄性成虫胸部和腹部Wolbachia拷贝数显著高于头部和腹末3节。美棘蓟马性别和组织与体内Wolbachia拷贝数存在显著的交互作用。【结论】本研究结果表明,美棘蓟马体内的Wolbachia感染状态不仅受宿主发育阶段的影响,而且与性别及分布位置有很大关系,为进一步了解该蓟马的发生、定植和扩散机理提供理论依据。     

转染从灰飞虱提取的Wolbachia对豆叶螨繁殖适合度和寿命的影响

【目的】Wolbachia是广泛存在于节肢动物体内的一类母系遗传的共生菌, 能够通过多种机制调节节肢动物的生殖。近年来, 为了更进一步地探究Wolbachia与寄主之间的互作机制, 许多研究者展开了Wolbachia的人工转染研究。【方法】我们在实验室条件下将灰飞虱Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén)感染的Wolbachia提取纯化后, 利用显微注射的方法导入豆叶螨Tetranychus phaselus Ehara体内。研究了注入从灰飞虱提取的Wolbachia和豆叶螨自然感染Wolbachia对豆叶螨繁殖适合度和寿命的影响, 并测定了两种Wolbachia的密度随豆叶螨日龄增长的变化情况。【结果】结果显示, 外源Wolbachia在豆叶螨体内的拷贝数极低, 仅为自然感染豆叶螨体内Wolbachia拷贝数的0.5%左右。与自然感染的Wolbachia不同, 外源Wolbachia在豆叶螨种群中不能引起胞质不亲和, 但能够显著降低雌螨的产卵量。【结论】本研究表明, 来自灰飞虱的Wolbachia具有抑制豆叶螨种群扩张的潜在能力, 对豆叶螨生物防治具有一定的应用价值。     

雌性截形叶螨中Wolbachia抑制Spiroplasma

【目的】探究截形叶螨中Wolbachia与Spiroplasma这两种共生菌之间的竞争关系,评估叶螨交配类型对其寿命的影响。【方法】对不同共生菌感染类型的雌螨在不同交配类型以及不同日龄的情况下其体内共生菌滴度进行定量PCR检测,对不同交配类型的雌螨寿命进行记录,利用SPSS19.00(IBM)分析交配类型、成螨日龄对共生菌滴度的影响,以及叶螨交配类型对寿命的影响。【结果】不同交配类型以及不同日龄的雌螨,其体内共生菌滴度存在显著差异;对于Wolbachia滴度,单感染Wolbachia雌螨与双感染在4日龄、10日龄有差异;对于Spiroplasma滴度,单感染Spiroplasma雌螨均显著高于双感染;双感染中Wolbachia滴度显著高于Spiroplasma;双感染雌螨与同一感染或不感染品系雄螨交配后的存活时间长于与单感染Spiroplasma雄螨交配,单感染Spiroplasma雌螨与同一感染或不感染品系雄螨交配后的存活时间长于与双感染雄螨交配。【结论】交配类型和成螨日龄影响共生菌滴度;Wolbachia的存在抑制Spiroplasma;交配类型会对雌螨寿命产生影响。     

Wolbachia对苹果蠹蛾生殖调控的作用

【背景】苹果蠹蛾是重要的果树害虫和检疫对象。研究显示,苹果蠹蛾体内所含的Wolbachia属于具有诱导胞质不亲和(CI)现象的A组中Dor亚组。本研究目的在于摸清苹果蠹蛾体内的Wolbachia对宿主的生殖调控是否具有诱导胞质不亲和的功能。【方法】通过饲喂抗生素消除苹果蠹蛾体内的Wolbachia,比较感染与消除Wolbachia的苹果蠹蛾生态适合度以及Wolbachia感染对苹果蠹蛾生殖的影响。【结果】消除Wolbachia后,苹果蠹蛾F_1、F_2代各虫态的发育历期、产卵量、孵化率和蛹的存活率与对照无显著差异;Wolbachia对苹果蠹蛾成虫的寿命、产卵前期、平均产卵量和性别比例均无影响。不同处理苹果蠹蛾之间的杂交试验结果表明,4种杂交的苹果蠹蛾都能产卵,且卵可以正常孵化。【结论与意义】在自然状态下苹果蠹蛾体内的Wolbachia不能诱导其宿主的胞质不亲和现象。     

显微注射青霉素G获得单感染Wolbachia和单感染Cardinium白背飞虱品系

Wolbachia和Cardinium都是广泛存在于节肢动物体内的一类母系遗传的共生细菌, 可以通过不同方式操纵寄主的生殖行为。Wolbachia和Cardinium感染同一寄主在自然界比较常见, 但是在某些可以同时感染Wolbachia和Cardinium的寄主中其单感染品系较难发现。本研究检测了云南文山(YN)、 海南三亚(HN)这2个不同地理种群中Wolbachia和Cardinium的感染情况; 以双感染Wolbachia和Cardinium的白背飞虱Sogatella furcifera海南种群为实验材料, 运用显微注射方法对双感染Wolbachia和Cardinium的白背飞虱若虫注射不同浓度青霉素G以获得单感染品系。结果表明： 白背飞虱自然种群中单感染Wolbachia比率极低, 本实验用到的海南种群未检测到单感染Wolbachia成虫; 通过显微注射青霉素G的方法可以从白背飞虱双感染品系中筛选获得单感染品系, 当青霉素G注射浓度为0.2%(w/v), 注射龄期为5龄时得到单感染品系效率最高; F5代的检测结果显示显微注射得到的单感染品系可以稳定遗传。本研究为获得单感染品系白背飞虱提供了快捷方法, 同时为其他双感染Wolbachia和Cardinium节肢动物不同感染品系的筛选提供参考。     

Wolbachia在北京地区小菜蛾种群中的感染

Wolbachia是一类广泛分布于节肢动物体内,可以引起其寄主生殖行为改变的细胞内共生细菌。小菜蛾Plutella xylostella(L.)是常见的鳞翅目害虫,严重危害十字花科植物。通过对Wolbahcia的wsp基因的PCR扩增及克隆测序,明确Wolbachia在北京地区小菜蛾野生种群内及其个体体内的分布情况。研究发现,在北京地区小菜蛾的野生种群中,感染了一种Wolbahcia,将其命名为wXyl,并在GenBank中进行注册;在小菜蛾成虫的个体体内,其胸部,腹部及足内都有Wolbachia分布,而且所感染的Wolbachia完全相同。wXyl属于Wolbachia B组中的Pip亚组。研究首次发现在我国小菜蛾的野生种群内有Wolbachia感染的现象。     

营养质量对雄性赤拟谷盗生长发育、抗饥饿和资源再获取能力的影响

昆虫的生长发育、抗饥饿和资源再获取能力对其生存、生殖和性选择非常重要。本文研究了营养质量对赤拟谷盗Tribolium castaneum(Herbst)生长发育、抗饥饿和资源再获取能力的影响。结果表明,三个营养处理下雄性赤拟谷盗的生长发育性状（幼虫重、发育历期、蛹重和成虫重）均存在显著性差异,在高营养质量下生长的雄性赤拟谷盗发育更快,体重更大,且各生长发育性状间存在显著性相关。营养质量对雄性赤拟谷盗成虫的抗饥饿能力没有显著影响,但对其资源再获取能力有显著影响,表现为在高营养质量下生长的雄性赤拟谷盗成虫比在低营养质量下生长的具有更高的资源再获取能力。雄性赤拟谷盗抗饥饿能力和资源再获取能力之间存在显著性相关,但是雄性赤拟谷盗抗饥饿能力和资源再获取能力除了与发育历期存在显著性相关外,与其它生长发育性状不存在显著性相关。本文还对这些实验结果的性选择意义进行了讨论。     

二斑叶螨两种群中Wolbachia诱导的胞质不亲和作用的影响因子比较研究

Wolbachia诱导胞质不亲和（cytoplasmic incompatibility, CI）是对寄主的生殖调控中最常见的一种方式,在不同种群中CI表达的差异较大。以二斑叶螨Tetranychus urticae辽宁兴城（LN）和江苏徐州（JS）两个地理种群为实验材料,经筛选获得100%感染Wolbachia和不感染Wolbachia的品系,通过杂交实验和实时定量PCR的方法研究寄主遗传背景、雄螨日龄、温度以及雄螨体内Wolbachia菌量等因子对我国二斑叶螨体内Wolbachia诱导CI能力的影响。结果表明：1,3,5和7日龄的雄螨诱导的CI的强度没有差异,表明雄螨日龄对我国二斑叶螨体内Wolbachia诱导CI的能力没有影响。二斑叶螨分别放在20℃的低温、 25℃的适温和30℃的高温条件下饲养时,Wolbachia诱导CI的能力也没有任何变化,表明温度对我国二斑叶螨体内Wolbachia诱导CI的能力也没有影响。江苏徐州种群所感染Wolbachia菌量显著高于辽宁兴城种群,并且这两个种群感染Wolbachia菌量都随着雄螨日龄的增大而显著增加,表明Wolbachia菌量对我国二斑叶螨体内Wolbachia诱导CI的能力没有影响;江苏徐州种群内Wolbachia不能诱导CI可能是Wolbachia株系与寄主的遗传背景共同作用的结果。研究结果为进一步了解Wolbachia的生殖调控机理提供了重要依据。     

Wolbachia感染对拟澳洲赤眼蜂寿命、生殖力和嗅觉反应的影响

研究了通过共享同一寄主卵,短管赤眼蜂Trichogramma pretiosum体内共生的Wolbachia被水平传递到拟澳洲赤眼蜂T. confusum体内后,Wolbachia对新宿主拟澳洲赤眼蜂的影响。结果表明： Wolbachia的侵染能使拟澳洲赤眼蜂进行不完全的产雌孤雌生殖,增加拟澳洲赤眼蜂子代雌性比例,但却导致了雌蜂寿命缩短和繁殖力降低的生理损失。Wolbachia感染的当代处女蜂及其建立的种群连续5代(F₁～F₅),其子代雌蜂百分率分别为79.17%、76.60%、68.66%、72.58%、68.15%和64.06%,基本上呈现出逐代降低的趋势,并越来越接近对照的63.85%。处女蜂及F₁～F₅代雌蜂的平均寿命分别为4.33、5.50、5.60、6.68、7.32和7.50天,而未感染交配雌蜂寿命为7.59 天;处女蜂及F₁～F₅代雌蜂平均产卵量分别为11.33、70.00、86.41、93.90、102.92和124.38粒/雌,除F₅代外,均显著低于未感染交配雌蜂的产卵量134.81粒/雌。用四臂嗅觉仪测定了Wolbachia新宿主拟澳洲赤眼蜂对寄主小菜蛾的嗅觉反应,结果表明Wolbachia的侵染具轻微干扰拟澳洲赤眼蜂嗅觉反应的负面影响。未感染Wolbachia的拟澳洲赤眼蜂及Wolbachia供体短管赤眼蜂对寄主小菜蛾具较强的嗅觉反应,其雌蜂在小菜蛾腹部鳞片正己烷提取液和小菜蛾卵表正己烷提取液处理区内滞留时间显著或极显著长于对照区。而感染Wolbachia的拟澳洲赤眼蜂F₂代和F₃代雌蜂,尽管在小菜蛾腹部鳞片正己烷提取液处理区内滞留时间比对照区长,但没有达到显著水平;其F₂代雌蜂在小菜蛾卵表正己烷提取液处理区内滞留时间与对照区相比,也没有达到显著水平。随Wolbachia在拟澳洲赤眼蜂种群中垂直感染代数的增加,拟澳洲赤眼蜂对寄主小菜蛾的嗅觉反应恢复正常,在Wolbachia感染后的 F₄～F₆代,雌蜂在两种提取液处理区内的滞留时间均显著或极显著长于对照区。     

Male-killing Wolbachia in a flour beetle

The bacteria in the genus Wolbachia are cytoplasmically inherited symbionts of arthropods. Infection often causes profound changes in host reproduction, enhancing bacterial transmission and spread in a population. The reproductive alterations known to result from Wolbachia infection include cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), parthenogenesis, feminization of genetic males, fecundity enhancement, male killing and, perhaps, lethality Here, we report male killing in a third insect, the black flour beetle Tribolium madens, based on highly female-biased sex ratios of progeny from females infected with Wolbachia. The bias is cytoplasmic in nature as shown by repeated backcrossing of infected females with males of a naturally uninfected strain. Infection also lowers the egg hatch rates significantly to approximately half of those observed for uninfected females. Treatment of the host with antibiotics eliminated infection, reverted the sex ratio to unbiased levels and increased the percentage hatch. Typically Wolbachia infection is transmitted from mother to progeny, regardless of the sex of the progeny; however, infected T. madens males are never found. Virgin females are sterile, suggesting that the sex-ratio distortion in T. madens results from embryonic male killing rather than parthenogenesis. Based on DNA sequence data, the male-killing strain of Wolbachia in T. madens was indistinguishable from the CI-inducing Wolbachia in Tribolium confusum, a closely related beetle. Our findings suggest that host symbiont interaction effects may play an important role in the induction of Wolbachia reproductive phenotypes.     

Population dynamics of noncytoplasmic incompatibility-inducing Wolbachia in Nilaparvata lugens and its effects on host adult life span and female fitness

Wolbachia are bacteria that live intracellularly in a wide variety of arthropods. They are maternally inherited and can affect both reproduction and fitness of its host. When infected males mate with uninfected females or females infected by a different Wolbachia strain, there is often a failure of karyogamy, which is usually attributed to cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). We measured the strength of CI induced by Wolbachia and the fitness effects in three Chinese populations of the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens from Hainan, Yunnan, and Guangxi provinces, respectively. No evidence for CI was found in any of the populations, whereas an enhanced fecundity and shortened longevity were observed only in the Hainan population. The infection density was significantly higher in the Hainan population than in the Guangxi population. The Wolbachia strain infecting the three populations appeared to be the same based on the nucleotide sequence of the wsp gene. Therefore, the variable effects of Wolbachia on host fitness seem to be the result of differences in the host genetic background and Wolbachia infection density. The ability of the non-CI-inducing Wolbachia to maintain themselves in their hosts may be attributed to their positive effects on host fecundity and efficient maternal transmission.     

Asymmetrical interactions between Wolbachia and Spiroplasma endosymbionts coexisting in the same insect host

We investigated the interactions between the endosymbionts Wolbachia pipientis strain wMel and Spiroplasma sp. strain NSRO coinfecting the host insect Drosophila melanogaster. By making use of antibiotic therapy, temperature stress, and hemolymph microinjection, we established the following strains in the same host genetic background: the SW strain, infected with both Spiroplasma and Wolbachia; the S strain, infected with Spiroplasma only; and the W strain, infected with Wolbachia only. The infection dynamics of the symbionts in these strains were monitored by quantitative PCR during host development. The infection densities of Spiroplasma exhibited no significant differences between the SW and S strains throughout the developmental course. In contrast, the infection densities of Wolbachia were significantly lower in the SW strain than in the W strain at the pupal and young adult stages. These results indicated that the interactions between the coinfecting symbionts were asymmetrical, i.e., Spiroplasma organisms negatively affected the population of Wolbachia organisms, while Wolbachia organisms did not influence the population of Spiroplasma organisms. In the host body, the symbionts exhibited their own tissue tropisms: among the tissues examined, Spiroplasma was the most abundant in the ovaries, while Wolbachia showed the highest density in Malpighian tubules. Strikingly, basically no Wolbachia organisms were detected in hemolymph, the principal location of Spiroplasma. These results suggest that different host tissues act as distinct microhabitats for the symbionts and that the lytic process in host metamorphosis might be involved in the asymmetrical interactions between the coinfecting symbionts.     

Molecular evidence for single Wolbachia infections among geographic strains of the flour beetle Tribolium confusum.

Infections with the rickettsial microorganism Wolbachia are cytoplasmically inherited and occur in a wide range of insect species and several other arthropods. Wolbachia infection often results in unidirectional cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI): crosses between infected males and uninfected females are incompatible and show a reduction of progeny or complete inviability. Unidirectional CI can also occur when males harbouring two incompatible Wolbachia strains are crossed with females infected with only one of the two strains. In the flour beetle Tribolium confusum, Wolbachia infections are of particular interest because of the severity of incompatibility. Typically, no progeny results from the incompatible cross, whereas only partial incompatibility is observed in most other hosts. Werren et al. (1995a) reported that Wolbachia infections in T. confusum consist of two bacterial strains belonging to distinct phylogenic groups, based on PCR amplification and sequence analysis of the bacterial cell division gene ftsZ. However, Fialho & Stevens (1996) showed that eight strains of T. confusum were infected with a single and common incompatibility type. Here we report analysis of the ftsZ gene by specific PCR amplification. Diagnostic restriction enzyme assays revealed no evidence of double infections in 11 geographic strains of T. confusum, including the strain examined by Werren et al. (1995a). Further, sequence analysis of the Wolbachia ftsZ gene and an internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region in two of these strains displayed no nucleotide variation or evidence of polymorphisms. Results suggest that T. confusum is infected with B-group Wolbachia only.     

Male-killing Wolbachia in Drosophila: a temperature-sensitive trait with a threshold bacterial density

Inherited microorganisms that disturb the reproduction of their host have been characterized from a number of host taxa. To understand the general principles underlying the genetic and mechanistic basis of interactions, study of different agents in model host species is required. To this end, the nature and genetics of the maternally inherited sex-ratio trait of Drosophila bifasciata were investigated. Successful curing of affected lines with antibiotics demonstrated this trait was associated with the presence of a bacterium, and molecular systematic analysis demonstrated an association between the presence of the trait and infection with an A group Wolbachia. The penetrance and heritability of the trait did not vary with maternal age. Exposure to elevated temperatures did reduce trait penetrance but did not affect heritability. Examination of the effect of temperature on bacterial density in eggs revealed a decrease in bacterial density following exposure of the parent to elevated temperature, consistent with the hypothesis that male killing in D. bifasciata requires a threshold density of Wolbachia within eggs. The male offspring produced following exposure to elevated temperatures were infected with Wolbachia on emergence as adults. Crossing studies demonstrated a weak cytoplasmic incompatibility phenotype exhibited by Wolbachia in these males. The results are discussed with respect to the incidence of male killing within the clade Wolbachia, the general nature of Wolbachia-host interactions, and the prospects for using this association to investigate the mechanism of male killing.     

Infection density of Wolbachia endosymbiont affected by co-infection and host genotype

Infection density is among the most important factors for understanding the biological effects of Wolbachia and other endosymbionts on their hosts. To gain insight into the mechanisms of infection density regulation, we investigated the adzuki bean beetles Callosobruchus chinensis and their Wolbachia endosymbionts. Double-infected, single-infected and uninfected host strains with controlled nuclear genetic backgrounds were generated by introgression, and infection densities in these strains were evaluated by a quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique. Our study revealed previously unknown aspects of Wolbachia density regulation: (i) the identification of intra-specific host genotypes that affect Wolbachia density differently and (ii) the suppression of Wolbachia density by co-infecting Wolbachia strains. These findings shed new light on symbiont-symbiont and host-symbiont interactions in the Wolbachia-insect endosymbiosis and strongly suggest that Wolbachia density is determined through a complex interaction between host genotype, symbiont genotype and other factors.     

Wolbachia bacteria effects after experimental interspecific transfers in terrestrial isopods.

Wolbachia bacteria are intracellular parasites, vertically transmitted from mothers to offspring through the cytoplasm of the eggs. They manipulate the reproduction of their hosts to increase in frequency in host populations. In terrestrial isopods for example, Wolbachia are responsible for the full feminization of putative males, therefore increasing the proportion of females, the sex by which they are transmitted. Vertical transmission, however, is not the only means for Wolbachia propagation. Infectious (i.e., horizontal) transmission between different host species or taxa is required to explain the fact that the phylogeny of Wolbachia does not parallel that of their hosts. The aim of this study was to investigate, by experimental transinfections, whether Wolbachia strains could be successfully transferred to a different, previously uninfected isopod host. While Wolbachia survived in all the studied recipient species, vertical transmission was efficient only in cases where donor and recipient species were closely related. Even in this case, Wolbachia strains did not always keep their ability to entirely feminize their host, a deficiency that can be link to a low bacterial density in the host tissues. In addition, Wolbachia infection was associated with a decrease in host fertility, except when the bacterial strain came from the same host population as the recipient animals. This suggest that Wolbachia could be adapted to local host populations. It therefore seems that isopod Wolbachia are highly adapted to their host and can hardly infect another species of hosts. The successful infection of a given Wolbachia strain into a new isopod host species therefore probably requires a strong selection on bacterial variants.     

Virulence, multiple infections and regulation of symbiotic population in the Wolbachia-Asobara tabida symbiosis

The density and regulation of microbial populations are important factors in the success of symbiotic associations. High bacterial density may improve transmission to the next generation, but excessive replication could turn out to be costly to the host and result in higher virulence. Moreover, differences in virulence may also depend on the diversity of symbionts. Using the maternally transmitted symbiont Wolbachia, we investigated how bacterial density and diversity are regulated and influence virulence in host insects subject to multiple infection. The model we used was the wasp Asobara tabida that naturally harbors three different Wolbachia strains, of which two are facultative and induce cytoplasmic incompatibility, whereas the third is necessary for the host to achieve oogenesis. Using insect lines infected with different subsets of Wolbachia strains, we show that: (i) some traits of A. tabida are negatively affected by Wolbachia; (ii) the physiological cost increases with the number of co-infecting strains, which also corresponds to an increase in the total bacterial density; and (iii) the densities of the two facultative Wolbachia strains are independent of one another, whereas the obligatory strain is less abundant when it is alone, suggesting that there is some positive interaction with the other strains.     

Population dynamics of the Wolbachia infection causing cytoplasmic incompatibility in Drosophila melanogaster.

Field populations of Drosophila melanogaster are often infected with Wolbachia, a vertically transmitted microorganism. Under laboratory conditions the infection causes partial incompatibility in crosses between infected males and uninfected females. Here we examine factors influencing the distribution of the infection in natural populations. We show that the level of incompatibility under field conditions was much weaker than in the laboratory. The infection was not transmitted with complete fidelity under field conditions, while field males did not transmit the infection to uninfected females and Wolbachia did not influence sperm competition. There was no association between field fitness as measured by fluctuating asymmetry and the infection status of adults. Infected field females were smaller than uninfecteds in some collections from a subtropical location, but not in other collections from the same location. Laboratory cage studies showed that the infection did not change in frequency when populations were maintained at a low larval density, but it decreased in frequency at a high larval density. Monitoring of infection frequencies in natural populations indicated stable frequencies in some populations but marked fluctuations in others. Simple models suggest that the infection probably provides a fitness benefit for the host in order to persist in populations. The exact nature of this benefit remains elusive.