Abstract
AbstractThe endosymbiotic bacteriaWolbachiacan invade insect populations by modifying host reproduction through cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), an effect that results in embryonic lethality whenWolbachia-carrying males mate withWolbachia-free females. Here we describe a transgenic system for recreating CI in the major arbovirus vectorAedes aegyptiusing CI factor (cif) genes fromwAlbB, aWolbachiastrain currently being deployed to reduce dengue transmission. CI-like sterility was induced whencifAandcifBwere co-expressed in testes; this sterility could be rescued by maternalcifAexpression, thereby reproducing the pattern ofWolbachia-induced CI. Expression ofcifBalone was associated with extensive DNA damage and disrupted spermatogenesis. The strength of rescue by maternalcifAexpression was dependent on the comparative levels ofcifA/cifBexpression in males. These findings are consistent with CifB acting as a toxin and CifA as an antitoxin, with CifA attenuating CifB toxicity in both the male germline and in developing embryos.
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory