A male-killing Wolbachia endosymbiont is concealed by another endosymbiont and a nuclear suppressor

Abstract

AU Bacteria: Pleaseconfirmthatallheadinglevelsarerepresentedcorrectly that live inside the cells of insect hosts (endosymbionts) : can alter the reproduction of their hosts, including the killing of male offspring (male killing, MK). MK has only been described in a few insects, but this may reflect challenges in detecting MK rather than its rarity. Here, we identify MK Wolbachia at a low frequency (around 4%) in natural populations of Drosophila pseudotakahashii. MK Wolbachia had a stable density and maternal transmission during laboratory culture, but the MK phenotype which manifested mainly at the larval stage was lost rapidly. MK Wolbachia occurred alongside a second Wolbachia strain expr..