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The
molecular basis of
host-bacteria interactions
Interactions between microbes and eukaryote hosts are common and have
independently evolved numerous times. Among bacterial
endosymbionts, the interaction between the intracellular parasite Wolbachia and its insect host is
one of the most successful. Wolbachia are gram-negative obligate
intracellular bacteria carried by millions of arthropod and nematode
hosts worldwide. Wolbachia
also maintain a symbiotic relationship with many pathogenic filarial
nematodes such as Brugia malayi,
known for causing elephantiasis, and Onchocerca
volvulus, associated with the condition Onchocerciasis (River
blindness). An estimated 120 million people are afflicted with
Elephantiasis and 18 million with African river blindness.
Consequently, a top priority of WHO (World Health Organization) and TDR
(Tropical Disease Research Foundation) is the development of new drugs
to combat filarial diseases.
Although Wolbachia have been the subject of intense ecological,
evolutionary, and
population genetic investigations, little attention
has been directed toward the molecular and cell biology of Wolbachia/host interactions.
This neglect is surprising given Wolbachia's
amazing ability to manipulate host cellular processes to their own
advantage. Our lab has begun to address this issue by
exploring host-Wolbachia
interactions involved in Wolbachia-induced
cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), maternal-transmission and
replication.
For highlights of the progress we have made in this area over the past
five years see here:
Wolbachia-induced
CI (arthropods)
Mechanism
of maternal Wolbachia
transmission
Wolbachia in nematodes
Relevant publications:
Tram U, Fredrick K,
Werren
JH, Sullivan W. (2006) Paternal chromosome segregation
during the first mitotic division determines Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic
incompatibility phenotype. J Cell Sci.
119: 3655-63
Ferree PM, Sullivan
W. (2006) A Genetic Test of the Role of the Maternal
Pronucleus in Wolbachia-Induced Cytoplasmic Incompatibility in
Drosophila melanogaster.
Genetics
173(2): 839-47.
Ferree, P.M., H.M.
Frydman, J.M. Li, J. Cao, E. Wieschaus, W. Sullivan. (2005)
Wolbachia utilize
host microtubules and dynein for anterior localization in the Drosophila oocyte. PLoS
Pathogens 2: 0111-0124.
Tram,
U., P. Ferree, and W. Sullivan.
(2003) Identification of Wolbachia-host
interacting factors through cytological analysis.
Microbes
Infect 5(11): 999-1011.
Tram,
U., and W. Sullivan (2002) Role of delayed nuclear envelope
breakdown and mitosis in Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic
incompatibility. Science.
296: 1124-1126.
This material is based
upon work supported by the National Science
Foundation under Grant No. 0091265.
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