The Obligate Mutualist Wigglesworthia glossinidia Influences Reproduction, Digestion, and Immunity Processes of Its Host, the Tsetse Fly

• DOI: 10.1128/aem.00741-08
• Publication Date: 2008-08-09T00:45:05Z
• Authors: Roshan Pais; Claudia Lohs; Yineng Wu; Jingwen Wang; Serap Aksoy
• Keywords: Obligate; Blood meal; Glossinidae; Tsetse fly; Intracellular parasite

ABSTRACT Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are vectors for trypanosome parasites, the agents of deadly sleeping sickness disease in Africa. also harbor two maternally transmitted enteric mutualist endosymbionts: primary intracellular obligate Wigglesworthia glossinidia and secondary commensal Sodalis glossinidius . Both endosymbionts to intrauterine progeny through milk gland secretions viviparous female. We administered various antibiotics either continuously by per os supplementation host blood meal diet or discretely hemocoelic injections into fertile females an effort selectively eliminate symbionts study their individual functions. A symbiont-specific PCR amplification assay fluorescence situ hybridization analysis were used evaluate symbiont infection outcomes. Tetracycline rifampin treatments eliminated all tsetse but reduced fecundity treated females. Ampicillin did not affect localized bacteriome organ retained female fecundity. The resulting ampicillin-treated females, however, lacked still harbored Our results confirm presence physiologically distinct populations: bacteriome-localized involved with nutritional symbiosis free-living responsible maternal transmission progeny. evaluated reproductive fitness, longevity, digestion, vectorial competence that devoid absence completely abolished fertility males. male -free adult displayed longevity costs significantly compromised digestion ability. Finally, while young newly hatched adults without was comparable wild-type counterparts, older higher susceptibility infections, indicating a role mutualistic immunobiology. ability rear lack will now enable functional investigations this ancient symbiosis.