title: A feedback loop between Wolbachia and the Drosophila gurken mRNP complex influences Wolbachia titer.
abstract: Although much is known about interactions between bacterial endosymbionts and their hosts, little is known concerning the host factors that influence endosymbiont titer. Wolbachia endosymbionts are globally dispersed throughout most insect species and are the causative agent in filarial nematode-mediated disease. Our investigation indicates that gurken (grk), a host gene encoding a crucial axis determinant, has a cumulative, dosage-sensitive impact on Wolbachia growth and proliferation during Drosophila oogenesis. This effect appears to be mediated by grk mRNA and its protein-binding partners Squid and Hrp48/Hrb27C, implicating the grk mRNA-protein (mRNP) complex as a rate-limiting host factor controlling Wolbachia titer. Furthermore, highly infected flies exhibit defects that match those occurring with disruption of grk mRNPs, such as nurse cell chromatin disruptions and malformation of chorionic appendages. These findings suggest a feedback loop in which Wolbachia interaction with the grk mRNP affects both Wolbachia titer and grk mRNP function.
authors.affiliation: MCD Biology, University of California, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA. lrserbus@ucsc.edu
authors.forename: Laura R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Serbus
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferreccio
authors.forename: Mariya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhukova
authors.forename: Chanel L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: McMorris
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kiseleva
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D008870:Microtubules / Q000502:physiology; D009865:Oocytes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009866:Oogenesis; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D013559:Symbiosis; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D020577:Wolbachia / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; C083730:grk protein, Drosophila; C026452:messenger ribonucleoprotein; C081480:sqd protein, Drosophila