Endosymbiotic Wolbachia bacteria are, to date, considered the most widespread symbionts in arthropods and are the cornerstone of major biological control strategies. Such a high prevalence is based on the ability of Wolbachia to manipulate their hosts' reproduction. One manipulation called cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) is based on the death of the embryos generated by crosses between infected males and uninfected females or between individuals infected with incompatible Wolbachia strains. CI can be seen as a modification‐rescue system (or mod‐resc) in which paternal Wolbachia produce mod factors, inducing embryonic defects, unless the maternal Wolbachia produce compatible resc factors. Transgenic experiments in Drosophila melanogaster and Saccharomyces cerevisiae converged towards a model where the cidB Wolbachia gene is involved in the mod function while cidA is involved in the resc function. However, as cidA expression in Drosophila males was required to observe CI, it has been proposed that cidA could be involved in both resc and mod functions. A recent correlative study in natural Culex pipiens mosquito populations has revealed an association between specific cidA and cidB variations and changes in mod phenotype, also suggesting a role for both these genes in mod diversity. Here, by studying cidA and cidB genomic repertoires of individuals from newly sampled natural C. pipiens populations harbouring wPipIV strains from North Italy, we reinforce the link between cidB variation and mod phenotype variation fostering the involvement of cidB in the mod phenotype diversity. However, no association between any cidA variants or combination of cidA variants and mod phenotype variation was observed. Taken together our results in natural C. pipiens populations do not support the involvement of cidA in mod phenotype variation.

In arthropods, Wolbachia endosymbionts induce conditional sterility, called cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), resulting from embryonic lethality. CI penetrance (i.e., embryonic death rate) varies depending on host species and Wolbachia strains involved. All Culex pipiens mosquitoes are infected by the endosymbiotic alphaproteobacteria Wolbachia wPip. CI in Culex, characterized as a binary “compatible/incompatible” phenomenon, revealed an unparalleled diversity of patterns linked to the amplification-diversification of cidA and cidB genes. Here, we accurately studied CI penetrance variations in the light of cid genes divergence by generating a C. pipiens compatibility matrix between 11 lines hosting different phylogenetic wPip groups and exhibiting distinct cid gene repertoires. We showed, as expected, that crosses involving wPip from the same group were mostly compatible. In contrast, only 22% of the crosses involving different wPip groups were compatible, while 54% were fully incompatible. For the remaining 24% of the crosses, “intermediate” compatibilities were reported, and a cytological observation of the first zygotic division confirmed the occurrence of “canonical” CI phenotypes in a fraction of the eggs. Backcross experiments demonstrated that intermediate compatibilities were not linked to host genetic background but to the Wolbachia strains involved. This previously unstudied intermediate penetrance CI was more severe and frequent in crosses involving wPip-IV strains exhibiting cid variants markedly divergent from other wPip groups. Our data demonstrate that CI is not always a binary compatible/incompatible phenomenon in C. pipiens but that intermediate compatibilities putatively resulting from partial mismatch due to Cid proteins divergence exist in this species complex. IMPORTANCE Culex pipiens mosquitoes are infected with wPip. These endosymbionts induce a conditional sterility called CI resulting from embryonic deaths, which constitutes a cornerstone for Wolbachia antivectorial methods. Recent studies revealed that (i) two genes, cidA and cidB, are central in Wolbachia-CI mechanisms, and (ii) compatibility versus incompatibility between mosquito lines depends on the wPip phylogenetic groups at play. Here, we studied CI variations in relation to wPip groups and cid genes divergence. We showed, as expected, that the crosses involving wPip from the same group were compatible. In contrast, 78% of the crosses involving different wPip groups were partially or fully incompatible. In such crosses, we reported defects during the first zygotic division, a hallmark of CI. We showed that CI was more severe and frequent in crosses involving wPip-IV strains exhibiting cid variants, which markedly diverge from those of other wPip groups.

Sexual selection may hinder gene flow across contact zones when hybrid recognition signals are discriminated against. We tested this hypothesis in a unimodal hybrid zone between Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus where a pattern of reinforcement was described and lower hybrid fitness documented. We presented mice from the border of the hybrid zone with a choice between opposite sex urine from the same subspecies versus hybrids sampled in different locations across the zone. While no preference was evidenced in domesticus mice, musculus males discriminated in favour of musculus signals and against hybrid signals. Remarkably, the pattern of hybrid unattractiveness did not vary across the hybrid zone. Moreover, allopatric populations tested in the same conditions did not discriminate against hybrid signals, indicating character displacement for signal perception or preference. Finally, habituation-discrimination tests assessing similarities between signals pointed out that hybrid signals differed from the parental ones. Overall, our results suggest that perception of hybrids as unattractive has evolved in border populations of musculus after the secondary contact with domesticus. We discuss the mechanisms involved in hybrid unattractiveness, and the potential impact of asymmetric sexual selection on the hybrid zone dynamics and gene flow between the two subspecies.

Background: Wolbachia are the most widely spread endosymbiotic bacteria, present in a wide variety of insects and two families of nematodes. As of now, however, relatively little genomic data has been available. The Wolbachia symbiont can be parasitic, as described for many arthropod systems, an obligate mutualist, as in filarial nematodes or a combination of both in some organisms. They are currently classified into 16 monophyletic lineage groups ("supergroups"). Although the nature of these symbioses remains largely unknown, expanded Wolbachia genomic data will contribute to understanding their diverse symbiotic mechanisms and evolution. Results: This report focuses on Wolbachia infections in three pseudoscorpion species infected by two distinct groups of Wolbachia strains, based upon multi-locus phylogenies. Geogarypus minor harbours wGmin and Chthonius ischnocheles harbours wCisc, both closely related to supergroup H, while Atemnus politus harbours wApol, a member of a novel supergroup S along with Wolbachia from the pseudoscorpion Cordylochernes scorpioides (wCsco). Wolbachia supergroup S is most closely related to Wolbachia supergroups C and F. Using target enrichment by hybridization with Wolbachia-specific biotinylated probes to capture large fragments of Wolbachia DNA, we produced two draft genomes of wApol. Annotation of wApol highlights presence of a biotin operon, which is incomplete in many sequenced Wolbachia genomes. Conclusions: The present study highlights at least two symbiont acquisition events among pseudoscorpion species. Phylogenomic analysis indicates that the Wolbachia from Atemnus politus (wApol), forms a separate supergroup ("S") with the Wolbachia from Cordylochernes scorpioides (wCsco). Interestingly, the biotin operon, present in wApol, appears to have been horizontally transferred multiple times along Wolbachia evolutionary history.

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BackgroundDengue virus remains a major threat in Vietnam, while chikungunya virus is expected to become one. Surveillance was conducted from 2012 to 2014 in Vietnam to assess the presence of dengue and chikungunya viruses in patients hospitalized with acute fever in five Vietnam provinces neighboring Lao PDR and Cambodia. Surveillance was extended to mosquitoes present in the vicinity of the patients’ households.ResultsA total 558 human serum samples were collected along with 1104 adult mosquitoes and 12,041 larvae from 2250 households. Dengue virus was found in 17 (3%) human serum samples and in 9 (0.8%) adult mosquitoes. Chikungunya virus was detected in 2 adult mosquitoes (0.18%) while no chikungunya virus was detected in humans. Differing densities of mosquito populations were found, with the highest in the Long An Province border with Cambodia. Long An Province also displayed the lowest rate of infection, despite a very high Breteau Index, high human population density and presence of the main cross border road system. The highest incidence was found in Dac Nong Province, where the Breteau and Container indices were the second lowest. Dengue virus was detected in five Aedes albopictus, three Aedes aegypti and one Culex vishnui. Chikungunya virus was detected in two Ae. aegypti. All infected mosquitoes belonged to haplotypes described in other parts of the world and a number of novel haplotypes were found among uninfected mosquitoes.ConclusionsDengue is considered to be regularly introduced to Vietnam from Cambodia, mostly through human movement. The data reported here provides a complementary picture. Due to intensive international trade, long-distance transportation of mosquito populations may play a role in the regular importation of dengue in Vietnam through Ho Chi Minh City. It is important to decipher the movement of mosquitoes in Vietnam, not only at the Lao PDR and Cambodia borders but also through international trade routes. Mosquito surveillance programs should address and follow mosquito populations instead of mosquito species.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-017-2422-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Mice recognize other mice by identifying chemicals that confer a molecular signature to urinary marks. Such molecules may be involved in species recognition, and previous behavioral studies have related divergence of sexual preference between 2 subspecies of the house mouse (Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus) to urinary odors. To characterize the differences between odors of males of the 2 subspecies and their first-generation offspring, the urinary volatile molecules were examined via gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Seven molecules were present in the samples from mice of at least one group. Their quantity varied among groups: M. m. domesticus showed a quantitatively richer panel of odorants in their urine when compared with M. m. musculus. The hybrids showed a more complex picture that was not directly related to one or the other parental subspecies. These quantitative differences may contribute to the specificity of the odorant bouquet of the 2 subspecies.

Abstract Background Wolbachia are the most widely spread endosymbiotic bacteria, present in a wide variety of insects and two families of nematodes, but so far, relatively little genomic data is available. The Wolbachia symbiont can be a parasite, as described for many arthropods, or an obligate mutualist, as in filarial nematodes. Although, the nature of these symbioses remains largely unknown, diverse Wolbachia genomic data will contribute to understanding their diverse symbiotic mechanisms. Results Our study focuses on Wolbachia infections in pseudoscorpion species collected in Montpellier (France) and indicates two distinct groups of Wolbachia : Geogarypus minor harbors Wolbachia ( w Gmin) and Chthonius ischnocheles harbors Wolbachia ( w Cisc), both related to supergroup H and Atemnus politus harbours Wolbachia ( w Apol), forming a novel divergent clade with Wolbachia from the pseudoscorpion Cordylochernes scorpioides . This later clade forms a new supergroup S, most closely related to Wolbachia supergroups C and F. Our data suggest multiple symbiont acquisition events within the evolutionary history of pseudoscorpions. Using target enrichment by hybridization with Wolbachia -specific biotinylated probes to capture large fragments of Wolbachia DNA, we produced a draft genome of w Apol characterized by a moderate Wolbachia size (1,445,964bp) containing a moderate number of transposable elements and WO bacteriophage insertions (total of 77,522 bp). Conclusions Our analyses indicate that w Apol forms a diverget clade. Annotation highlights complete biochemical pathways which are incomplete in many sequenced Wolbachia genomes, such as vitamin B and the cytochrome bd ubiquinol oxidase pathway. Further, the biotin operon appears to have been horizontally transferred multiple times along the Wolbachia evolutionary history.