Wolbachia infection increases recapture rate of field-released Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Wolbachia pipientis is a commonly occurring endosymbiont with well-characterised effects on host reproductive biology associated with its infection of the gonads. Wolbachia infections are also widespread in somatic tissues and consequently they have the potential to play a much broader role in host biology. Recently, Wolbachia was shown to alter the locomotion of Drosophila melanogaster in response to food cues in the laboratory. To determine whether this laboratory-based phenotype might translate to real differences for insects in the field, we performed a simple mark-release-recapture experiment with Wolbachiainfected D. melanogaster in a forested habitat. We demonstrate that infected flies are recaptured at twice the rate of uninfected flies, although infection does not affect the distance traveled by those flies recaptured. The differences in recapture could be explained by infection-induced changes in physiology or behavior. If generalizable, such changes may affect the interpretation of behavioral studies for Wolbachia-infected insects and have potential implications for the dynamics of Wolbachia infections in natural populations, including situations where Wolbachia-infected insects are being released for biological control.

The transcriptome of the mosquito Aedes fluviatilis (Diptera: Culicidae), and transcriptional changes associated with its native Wolbachia infection

“…These three include sulfakinin, a digestive regulator in insects [79], and 2 taste receptors, including an ionotropic receptor and a gustatory receptor linked to sugar feeding [80]. Wolbachia infection can influence host olfaction at the behavioural [81, 82] and molecular level [11], and in the case of w MelPop, also dramatically alters feeding behaviour [83]. These effects could possibly contribute to a minor change in olfactory response or potentially behaviour in response to w Flu infection.…”

Diet-Induced Nutritional Stress and Pathogen Interference in Wolbachia-Infected Aedes aegypti

“…CI-causing Wolbachia strains prevent or restrict viable egg production when uninfected females mate with Wolbachia -infected male insects, while Wolbachia -infected females can successfully breed with either infected or uninfected males. Infection can affect other host physiological processes including oogenesis [8], chemosensory perception [9] and parasitism [10]. Some strains form mutualistic relationships with their hosts, contributing resources [11], or enhancing fitness [12], while others are metabolically dependent on their hosts, and the resources they consume [13, 14].…”

Wolbachia Influences the Production of Octopamine and Affects Drosophila Male Aggression

“…Wolbachia has been shown to increase general locomotor activity in a parasitoid wasp (59) and in artificially transinfected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (60). In D. melanogaster, however, Wolbachia-mediated changes to Drosophila olfactory-motivated locomotor activity are highly varied and are determined by the surrounding environment and host species although baseline locomotor behaviors are apparently not affected by infection (27,28). As wMelPop is known to establish high infection densities and halves the adult life span of its host when flies are reared at 29°C (24), the observed reduction in aggressive behavior may be due to a general malaise associated with infection.…”

“…Wolbachia bacteria are maternally transmitted and are best known for their ability to manipulate host sex determination or reproductive systems in order to promote germ line transmission (17, 18). Wolbachia bacteria have also been shown to influence host metabolic pathways (19-21), provide protection from pathogens (22, 23), influence host life span (24), and play a role in host speciation events (25).Wolbachia infections have been correlated to changes in behaviors, including male mating frequencies (11), mate discrimination (26), and responses to olfactory cues (27)(28)(29). Wolbachia can also induce host selective mate avoidance, i.e., causing the host to avoid mates harboring another, incompatible symbiont variant, which could contribute to driving host speciation events (25).…”

“…Wolbachia infections have been correlated to changes in behaviors, including male mating frequencies (11), mate discrimination (26), and responses to olfactory cues (27)(28)(29). Wolbachia can also induce host selective mate avoidance, i.e., causing the host to avoid mates harboring another, incompatible symbiont variant, which could contribute to driving host speciation events (25).…”