Mitochondrial DNA variants help monitor the dynamics of Wolbachia invasion
into host populations |
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Authors: | H L Yeap G Ra?i? N M Endersby-Harshman S F Lee E Arguni H Le Nguyen A A Hoffmann |
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Institution: | 1.Pest and Environmental Adaptation
Research Group (PEARG), School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, The University of
Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia;2.Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Gadjah
Mada, Jl. Farmako, Sekip Utara, Yogyakarta, Indonesia;3.Laboratory of Medical Entomology,
National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam |
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Abstract: | Wolbachia is the most widespread endosymbiotic bacterium of insects and
other arthropods that can rapidly invade host populations. Deliberate releases of
Wolbachia into natural populations of the dengue fever mosquito,
Aedes aegypti, are used as a novel biocontrol strategy for dengue
suppression. Invasion of Wolbachia through the host population relies on
factors such as high fidelity of the endosymbiont transmission and limited
immigration of uninfected individuals, but these factors can be difficult to measure.
One way of acquiring relevant information is to consider mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
variation alongside Wolbachia in field-caught mosquitoes. Here we used
diagnostic mtDNA markers to differentiate infection-associated mtDNA haplotypes from
those of the uninfected mosquitoes at release sites. Unique haplotypes associated
with Wolbachia were found at locations outside Australia. We also performed
mathematical and qualitative analyses including modelling the expected dynamics of
the Wolbachia and mtDNA variants during and after a release. Our analyses
identified key features in haplotype frequency patterns to infer the presence of
imperfect maternal transmission of Wolbachia, presence of immigration and
possibly incomplete cytoplasmic incompatibility. We demonstrate that ongoing
screening of the mtDNA variants should provide information on maternal leakage and
immigration, particularly in releases outside Australia. As we demonstrate in a case
study, our models to track the Wolbachia dynamics can be successfully
applied to temporal studies in natural populations or Wolbachia release
programs, as long as there is co-occurring mtDNA variation that differentiates
infected and uninfected populations. |
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