Transgenic cytoplasmic incompatibility persists across age and temperature variation in Drosophila melanogaster
Isabella T. Ritchie,
Kelly T. Needles,
Brittany A. Leigh,
Rupinder Kaur,
Seth R. Bordenstein
Affiliations
Isabella T. Ritchie
Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Microbiome Innovation Center, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Corresponding author
Kelly T. Needles
Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Microbiome Innovation Center, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
Brittany A. Leigh
Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Microbiome Innovation Center, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
Rupinder Kaur
Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Microbiome Innovation Center, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; The Pennsylvania State University, Departments of Biology and Entomology, University Park, PA 16802, USA; The Pennsylvania State University, Microbiome Center, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, University Park, PA 16802, USA
Seth R. Bordenstein
Vanderbilt University, Department of Biological Sciences, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Microbiome Innovation Center, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; The Pennsylvania State University, Departments of Biology and Entomology, University Park, PA 16802, USA; The Pennsylvania State University, Microbiome Center, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Corresponding author
Summary: Environmental stressors can impact the basic biology and applications of host-microbe symbioses. For example, Wolbachia symbiont densities and cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) levels can decline in response to extreme temperatures and host aging. To investigate whether transgenic expression of CI-causing cif genes overcomes the environmental sensitivity of CI, we exposed transgenic male flies to low and high temperatures as well as aging treatments. Our results indicate that transgenic cif expression induces nearly complete CI regardless of temperature and aging, despite severe weakening of Wolbachia-based wild-type CI. Strong CI levels correlate with higher levels of cif transgene expression in young males. Altogether, our results highlight that transgenic CI persists against common environmental pressures and may be relevant for future control applications involving the cifA and cifB transgenes.
