Wolbachia Enhance Drosophila Stem Cell Proliferation and Target the Germline Stem Cell Niche

Wolbachia are widespread maternally transmitted intracellular bacteria that infect most insect species and are able to alter the reproduction of innumerous hosts. The cellular bases of these alterations remain largely unknown. Here, we report that Drosophila mauritiana infected with a native Wolbach...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2011-11, Vol.334 (6058), p.990-992
Main Authors: Fast, Eva M., Toomey, Michelle E., Panaram, Kanchana, Desjardins, Danielle, Kolaczyk, Eric D., Frydman, Horacio M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Apoptosis
Bacteria
Bacteriology
Biological and medical sciences
Cell Proliferation
Drosophila
Drosophila - cytology
Drosophila - microbiology
Drosophila - physiology
Drosophila mauritiana
Egg production
Female
Female animals
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Germ cells
Germ Cells - cytology
Germ Cells - physiology
Infections
Insects
Male
Microbiology
Mitosis
Oogenesis
Parasite hosts
Pathogenicity, virulence, toxins, bacteriocins, pyrogens, host-bacteria relations, miscellaneous strains
Stem Cell Niche - physiology
Stem cells
Stem Cells - cytology
Stem Cells - physiology
Up-Regulation
Wolbachia
Wolbachia - physiology
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Summary:Wolbachia are widespread maternally transmitted intracellular bacteria that infect most insect species and are able to alter the reproduction of innumerous hosts. The cellular bases of these alterations remain largely unknown. Here, we report that Drosophila mauritiana infected with a native Wolbachia wMau strain produces about four times more eggs than the noninfected counterpart. Wolbachia infection leads to an increase in the mitotic activity of germline stem cells (GSCs), as well as a decrease in programmed cell death in the germarium. Our results suggest that up-regulation of GSC division is mediated by a tropism of Wolbachia for the GSC niche, the cellular microenvironment that supports GSCs.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1209609