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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Wolbachia Bacterial Infection in Drosophila
Published on: February 25, 2007
Wolbachia infection and mitochondrial diversity in the canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis)
Diana H Belanger1, Susan L Perkins
1Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA. dbelanger@amnh.org
Background And Aims:
Many species of filarial nematodes are infected with Wolbachia pipientis, a maternally inherited endosymbiont. In addition to manipulating host reproduction, these bacteria also affect the evolution of the mitochondrial DNA with which they are transmitted. Selective sweeps can establish a single mitochondrial lineage within a Wolbachia-infected population and purge genetic diversity. While this phenomenon has been studied in insect model systems, it has not been thoroughly examined in a filarial nematode.
Materials And Methods:
Patterns of mitochondrial diversity were examined in Dirofilaria immitis, a Wolbachia-infected species.
Results:
The levels of genetic diversity observed in canine heartworm were much lower than those in related species not known to be hosts of Wolbachia.
Conclusion:
RESULTS suggest that a maternally inherited endosymbiont can depress mitochondrial diversity in a filarial host.
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