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Temperature effects on cellular host-microbe interactions explain continent-wide endosymbiont prevalence
Michael T J Hague1, J Dylan Shropshire1, Chelsey N Caldwell1
1Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT 59812, USA.
Current Biology : CB
|December 17, 2021
Summary
Temperature impacts the transmission of the endosymbiont Wolbachia in fruit flies. Cooler conditions reduce Wolbachia abundance, affecting its spread and adaptation, which has implications for biocontrol strategies.
Area of Science:
- Microbial Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Maternally transmitted endosymbionts like Wolbachia are crucial for host fitness but require efficient intergenerational transmission.
- The global prevalence and population frequency variations of Wolbachia remain poorly understood, despite their commonality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explain the global prevalence of wMel Wolbachia in Drosophila melanogaster by investigating temperature-dependent transmission.
- To identify genetic and environmental factors influencing Wolbachia abundance and maternal transmission efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Integration of genomic, cellular, and phenotypic analyses.
- Development and application of mathematical models.
- Comparative analysis of temperate and tropical wMel variants in Drosophila melanogaster.
Main Results:
- Cooling temperatures reduce wMel Wolbachia cellular abundance during host oogenesis, causing temperature-dependent maternal transmission.
- Temperate wMel variants exhibit more efficient germline targeting in cold conditions compared to tropical variants, suggesting rapid adaptation.
- Specific wMel alleles, including a derived stop codon in WspB, correlate with thermal sensitivity and global temperature patterns.
Conclusions:
- Temperature is a key environmental determinant of Wolbachia spread, abundance, and equilibrium frequencies.
- Host-microbe co-adaptation to temperate climates influences Wolbachia transmission dynamics.
- Findings support the targeted use of locally adapted Wolbachia strains for biocontrol of arboviruses.
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