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Updated: Jul 19, 2026
Wolbachia Bacterial Infection in Drosophila
Published on: February 25, 2007
Increased male mating rate in Drosophila is associated with Wolbachia infection
F E Champion de Crespigny1, T D Pitt, N Wedell
1School of Biology, The University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. f.decrespigny@exeter.ac.uk
Abstract:
The maternally inherited bacterium Wolbachia pipientis infects 25-75% of arthropods and manipulates host reproduction to improve its transmission. One way Wolbachia achieves this is by inducing cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), where crosses between infected males and uninfected females are inviable. Infected males suffer reduced fertility through CI and reduced sperm production. However, Wolbachia induce lower levels of CI in nonvirgin males. We examined the impact of Wolbachia on mating behaviour in male Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans, which display varying levels of CI, and show that infected males mate at a higher rate than uninfected males in both species. This may serve to increase the spread of Wolbachia, or alternatively, may be a behavioural adaptation employed by males to reduce the level of CI. Mating at high rate restores reproductive compatibility with uninfected females resulting in higher male reproductive success thus promoting male promiscuity. Increased male mating rates also have implications for the transmission of Wolbachia.
Insights
Male insects infected with Wolbachia bacteria exhibit increased mating rates. This behavior may enhance the spread of Wolbachia or serve as an adaptation to overcome reduced fertility caused by cytoplasmic incompatibility.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Behavioral Ecology
Background:
- Wolbachia pipientis is a maternally inherited bacterium infecting a significant proportion of arthropods.
- Wolbachia manipulates host reproduction, notably through cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), to enhance its transmission.
- Infected males experience reduced fertility and sperm production due to CI, with varying levels observed in non-virgin males.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of Wolbachia infection on the mating behavior of male Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans.
- To determine if infected males exhibit altered mating rates compared to uninfected males in species with differing CI levels.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of mating behavior in Wolbachia-infected versus uninfected male Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans.
- Observation and quantification of mating rates in controlled experimental settings.
Main Results:
- Wolbachia-infected males demonstrated significantly higher mating rates than uninfected males in both Drosophila species studied.
- This increased mating propensity was observed across species exhibiting different levels of cytoplasmic incompatibility.
Conclusions:
- Increased mating rates in infected males may be a strategy to promote Wolbachia transmission or an adaptation to mitigate CI-induced fertility issues.
- Higher mating frequency by infected males can restore reproductive compatibility with uninfected females, potentially increasing male reproductive success and promoting promiscuity.
- The observed behavioral changes have significant implications for the evolutionary dynamics and spread of Wolbachia within arthropod populations.
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