Microbe Profile: Wolbachia: a sex selector, a viral protector and a target to treat filarial nematodes

Wolbachia is the most widespread genus of endosymbiotic bacteria in the animal world, infecting a diverse range of arthropods and nematodes. A broad spectrum of associations from parasitism to mutualism occur, with a tendency to drive reproductive manipulation or influence host fecundity to spread i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Microbiology (Society for General Microbiology) 2018-11, Vol.164 (11), p.1345-1347
Main Authors: Taylor, Mark J, Bordenstein, Seth R, Slatko, Barton
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Arthropods - microbiology
Filarioidea - microbiology
Genome, Bacterial - genetics
Host Specificity - physiology
Humans
Microbe Profile
Symbiosis - physiology
Wolbachia - genetics
Wolbachia - physiology
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Summary:Wolbachia is the most widespread genus of endosymbiotic bacteria in the animal world, infecting a diverse range of arthropods and nematodes. A broad spectrum of associations from parasitism to mutualism occur, with a tendency to drive reproductive manipulation or influence host fecundity to spread infection through host populations. These varied effects of Wolbachia are exploited for public health benefits. Notably, the protection of insect hosts from viruses is being tested as a potential control strategy for human arboviruses, and the mutualistic relationship with filarial nematodes makes Wolbachia a target for antibiotic therapy of human and veterinary nematode diseases.
ISSN:1350-0872
1465-2080
DOI:10.1099/mic.0.000724