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Updated: Nov 3, 2025
Generation of Monoclonal Cultures from Wolbachia-infected Drosophila melanogaster JW18 Cell Line
Published on: June 27, 2025
Differential gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster and D. nigrosparsa infected with the same Wolbachia strain
Matsapume Detcharoen1, Martin P Schilling2, Wolfgang Arthofer2
1Molecular Ecology Group, Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstr. 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria. mdetcharoen@gmail.com.
Abstract:
Wolbachia are maternally inherited endosymbionts that infect nearly half of all arthropod species. Wolbachia manipulate their hosts to maximize their transmission, but they can also provide benefits such as nutrients and resistance against viruses to their hosts. The Wolbachia strain wMel was recently found to increase locomotor activities and possibly trigger cytoplasmic incompatibility in the transinfected fly Drosophila nigrosparsa. Here, we investigated, in females of both D. melanogaster and D. nigrosparsa, the gene expression between animals uninfected and infected with wMel, using RNA sequencing to see if the two Drosophila species respond to the infection in the same or different ways. A total of 2164 orthologous genes were used. The two fly species responded to the infection in different ways. Significant changes shared by the fly species belong to the expression of genes involved in processes such as oxidation-reduction process, iron-ion binding, and voltage-gated potassium-channel activity. We discuss our findings also in the light of how Wolbachia survive within both the native and the novel host.
Insights
Wolbachia endosymbionts impact gene expression differently in Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila nigrosparsa. Shared gene expression changes involve oxidation-reduction, iron binding, and potassium channel activity.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Entomology
Background:
- Wolbachia are common endosymbionts in arthropods, influencing host reproduction and health.
- The wMel Wolbachia strain has shown effects on host locomotion and reproductive compatibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the gene expression responses of Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila nigrosparsa to wMel Wolbachia infection.
- To identify conserved and species-specific genetic changes induced by Wolbachia.
Main Methods:
- RNA sequencing was performed on female D. melanogaster and D. nigrosparsa, both uninfected and infected with wMel.
- Analysis focused on 2164 orthologous genes to compare transcriptional changes between species.
Main Results:
- Drosophila species exhibited distinct gene expression profiles in response to wMel infection.
- Shared significant gene expression changes were observed in processes like oxidation-reduction, iron-ion binding, and voltage-gated potassium channel activity.
Conclusions:
- The host species-specific response to Wolbachia infection highlights complex host-endosymbiont interactions.
- Understanding these genetic responses is crucial for comprehending Wolbachia's survival and impact in native and novel hosts.
