Structural organization and distribution of the symbiotic bacteria <Emphasis Type="Italic">Wolbachia</Emphasis> during spermatogenesis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Drosophila simulans</Emphasis>

Electron microscopy and morphometric analysis have shown that the symbiotic bacteria Wolbachia occur the testis cells D. simulans during spermatogenesis and are absent in mature spermatids. Bacteria did not affect the structural organization of testis cells, which have a typical morphology during morphogenesis. Bacteria were distributed along the meiotic spindle microtubules near the mitochondria. They increased in number in spermatids at the stage of elongation. Endosymbionts aggregated at the spermatid distal end and contained many vacuoles but were absent at the spermatid proximal end near the nuclei. It was shown for the first time that the diameter of spermatids in a strongly infected line was two of three times that in a noninfected line. We hypothesize that the increase in the number of endosymbionts during spermatid elongation can affect the chromatin condensation in the spermatozoon.Translated from Ontogenez, Vol. 36, No. 1, 2005, pp. 41–50.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Dudkina, Kiseleva.