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Symbiont-mediated cytoplasmic incompatibility: what have we learned in 50 years?

J Dylan Shropshire1,2, Brittany Leigh1,2, Seth R Bordenstein1,2,3,4

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States.

Elife
|September 25, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) is a common reproductive manipulation where specific bacteria cause embryo lethality. This phenomenon, driven by bacterial genes, impacts arthropod speciation and disease control efforts.

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Microbial genetics
  • Reproductive biology

Background:

  • Cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) is a widespread reproductive manipulation mediated by maternally inherited bacteria.
  • CI results in embryo lethality when females lack the same bacterial symbiont strain as the male, but not when strains match.
  • This mechanism drives the proliferation of specific bacterial symbionts across arthropod populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI).
  • To highlight the role of bacteriophage genes (cifA and cifB) in CI.
  • To discuss the implications of CI in disease vector control and speciation.

Main Methods:

  • This review synthesizes existing experimental, conceptual, and quantitative research on CI.
  • It examines the genetic basis of CI, focusing on the cifA and cifB genes.
  • The review considers the ecological and evolutionary impacts of CI.

Main Results:

  • CI is a significant driver of bacterial symbiont frequency in arthropods.
  • The bacteriophage genes cifA and cifB are central to the CI mechanism.
  • CI has been successfully deployed in strategies to control mosquito populations.

Conclusions:

  • CI is a powerful evolutionary force with significant implications for host-symbiont interactions.
  • Further research into the molecular mechanisms of CI is crucial.
  • Understanding CI is vital for developing novel strategies against vector-borne diseases and for studying speciation.
Keywords:
CifACifBWolbachiacytoplasmic incompatibilityendosymbiosisevolutionary biologygeneticsgenomicsprophage WO

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