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Genome evolution of Wolbachia strain wPip from the Culex pipiens group

Lisa Klasson1, Thomas Walker, Mohammed Sebaihia

  • 1Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research and Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Molecular Biology and Evolution
|June 14, 2008
PubMed

Insights

The Wolbachia pipientis wPip genome reveals extensive prophage and ankyrin repeat genes, highlighting evolutionary flexibility and providing a model for reproductive manipulation in mosquitoes.

Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Microbiology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Wolbachia pipientis strain wPip induces cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) in Culex mosquitoes.
  • Wolbachia are intracellular bacteria with diverse interactions, including symbiosis and parasitism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present the complete genome sequence of the B-supergroup Wolbachia strain wPip.
  • To compare the wPip genome with other Wolbachia strains (wMel, wBm) to understand evolutionary dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Whole-genome sequencing of Wolbachia pipientis strain wPip.
  • Comparative genomics analysis with Wolbachia strains wMel (A-supergroup) and wBm (D-supergroup).

Main Results:

  • The wPip genome (1.48 Mbp) contains 1386 coding sequences (CDSs).
  • wPip genome shows extensive gene order rearrangement but shares a core gene set with other Wolbachia.
  • wPip genome has significantly more prophage and ankyrin repeat (ANK) encoding genes compared to wMel and wBm.

Conclusions:

  • The wPip genome demonstrates significant evolutionary flexibility in Wolbachia, particularly in prophage and ANK-encoding genes.
  • The wPip genome provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of host reproductive manipulation.
  • This system serves as a model for studying host-Wolbachia interactions and speciation.

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