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Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Generation of Monoclonal Cultures from Wolbachia-infected Drosophila melanogaster JW18 Cell Line
06:09

Generation of Monoclonal Cultures from Wolbachia-infected Drosophila melanogaster JW18 Cell Line

Published on: June 27, 2025

864

Distribution and phenotypic effect of Wolbachia in natural population of Indian Drosophila

Kopal Singhal1, Sujata Mohanty

  • 1Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Journal of Vector Borne Diseases
|January 22, 2026
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Wolbachia bacteria were found in three Indian Drosophila species, with infection improving reproductive success in D. melanogaster. This study provides baseline data on Wolbachia distribution and host fitness in India.

Area of Science:

  • Microbial Ecology
  • Genetics
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Wolbachia, an alpha-proteobacteria, is maternally transmitted and influences host reproductive fitness.
  • Specific Wolbachia strains (wMel, wRi) in Drosophila hosts are key for controlling arboviral diseases via mosquito population transfection.
  • Understanding Wolbachia biology and host-symbiont interactions is crucial for its use as a biocontrol agent.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the distribution of Wolbachia strains in Indian Drosophila hosts.
  • To assess the impact of Wolbachia infection on the reproductive fitness of Drosophila species in India.

Main Methods:

  • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Sanger sequencing were employed to identify Wolbachia strains in Indian Drosophila species.
  • Laboratory-established Drosophila lines, both naturally Wolbachia-infected (control) and antibiotic-treated (uninfected), were used for host-phenotype experiments.

Main Results:

  • Wolbachia was detected in only three Indian Drosophila species: D. melanogaster, D. simulans, and D. ananassae.
  • The frequency of Wolbachia distribution was not correlated with the host's ecological background.
  • Wolbachia infection conferred a reproductive fitness advantage in D. melanogaster, but tetracycline treatment failed to eliminate Wolbachia from D. ananassae.

Conclusions:

  • The findings confirm the host-specific nature of Wolbachia infections.
  • This study presents the first report on Wolbachia distribution and its phenotypic effects in Indian Drosophila hosts.
  • Identifying and evaluating Wolbachia strains in natural populations is vital for developing effective biocontrol strategies, particularly for mosquito-borne diseases.
Keywords:
DistributionIndiaPhenotypic effect

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