title: Sex-specific behavioural symptoms of viral gut infection and Wolbachia in Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: All organisms are infected with a range of symbionts spanning the spectrum of beneficial mutualists to detrimental parasites. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a good example, as both endosymbiotic Wolbachia, and pathogenic Drosophila C Virus (DCV) commonly infect it. While the pathophysiology and immune responses against both symbionts are the focus of intense study, the behavioural effects of these infections have received less attention. Here we report sex-specific behavioural responses to these infections in D. melanogaster. DCV infection caused increased sleep in female flies, but had no detectable effect in male flies. The presence of Wolbachia did not reduce this behavioural response to viral infection. We also found evidence for a sex-specific cost of Wolbachia, as male flies infected with the endosymbiont became more lethargic when awake. We discuss these behavioural symptoms as potentially adaptive sickness behaviours.
authors: Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, United Kingdom; Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, United Kingdom. Electronic address: pedro.vale@ed.ac.uk.
authors: Pedro F
authors: PF
authors: Vale
authors: Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, United Kingdom.
authors: Michael D
authors: MD
authors: Jardine
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000821:virology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D007304:Insect Viruses / Q000502:physiology*; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D012890:Sleep; D013559:Symbiosis; D020577:Wolbachia / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: DCV; Drosophila; Host–parasite interactions; Locomotor activity; Sickness behaviour; Wolbachia