Work

No evidence that male killing (MK) Wolbachia in Drosophila innubila protects against Drosophila innubila Nudivirus (DiNV) infection

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Wolbachia can influence host-pathogen interactions, particularly through its protective effects against RNA viruses in insects.Although prior studies failed to find any evidence for Wolbachia protecting against DNA viruses, the viruses utilized in those studies were usually not pathogens found in natural Drosophila populations.In this study, we compared survival, viral genome copy number, and infectious-virus production (as measured by flow cytometry after cell culture infection) between W⁺ and W⁻ flies following Drosophila innubila Nudivirus (DiNV) infection.We found no evidence in any of these assays that Wolbachia protects D. innubila against DiNV.

Source: microPublication biology

DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.002246

Authors: Taiye S. Adewumi, Abigail Lewis, Robert L. Unckless

Institution: University of Kansas

Language: English

Topic: Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences

Subfield: Insect Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, Division of Environmental Biology