title: Impact of gut microbiota on the fly's germ line.
abstract: Unlike vertically transmitted endosymbionts, which have broad effects on their host's germ line, the extracellular gut microbiota is transmitted horizontally and is not known to influence the germ line. Here we provide evidence supporting the influence of these gut bacteria on the germ line of Drosophila melanogaster. Removal of the gut bacteria represses oogenesis, expedites maternal-to-zygotic-transition in the offspring and unmasks hidden phenotypic variation in mutants. We further show that the main impact on oogenesis is linked to the lack of gut Acetobacter species, and we identify the Drosophila Aldehyde dehydrogenase (Aldh) gene as an apparent mediator of repressed oogenesis in Acetobacter-depleted flies. The finding of interactions between the gut microbiota and the germ line has implications for reproduction, developmental robustness and adaptation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elgart
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: Shay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: Orit
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Salton
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: Yulia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gnainsky
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, The Hebrew University, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Heifetz
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Soen
mesh_terms: D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase