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  • Wolbachia influences the production of octopamine and affects Drosophila male aggression

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    Author(s)
    Rohrscheib, Chelsie E
    Bondy, Elizabeth
    Josh, Peter
    Riegler, Markus
    Eyles, Darryl
    van Swinderen, Bruno
    Weible, Michael W
    Brownlie, Jeremy C
    Griffith University Author(s)
    Rohrscheib, Chelsie
    Brownlie, Jeremy
    Weible, Michael W.
    Bondy, Liz
    Year published
    2015
    Metadata
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    Abstract
    Wolbachia bacteria are endosymbionts that infect approximately 40% of all insect species and are best known for their ability to manipulate host reproductive systems. Though the effect Wolbachia infection has on somatic tissues is less well understood, when present in cells of the adult Drosophila melanogaster brain, Wolbachia exerts an influence over behaviors related to olfaction. Here, we show that a strain of Wolbachia influences male aggression in flies, which is critically important in mate competition. A specific strain of Wolbachia was observed to reduce the initiation of aggressive encounters in Drosophila males ...
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    Wolbachia bacteria are endosymbionts that infect approximately 40% of all insect species and are best known for their ability to manipulate host reproductive systems. Though the effect Wolbachia infection has on somatic tissues is less well understood, when present in cells of the adult Drosophila melanogaster brain, Wolbachia exerts an influence over behaviors related to olfaction. Here, we show that a strain of Wolbachia influences male aggression in flies, which is critically important in mate competition. A specific strain of Wolbachia was observed to reduce the initiation of aggressive encounters in Drosophila males compared to the behavior of their uninfected controls. To determine how Wolbachia was able to alter aggressive behavior, we investigated the role of octopamine, a neurotransmitter known to influence male aggressive behavior in many insect species. Transcriptional analysis of the octopamine biosynthesis pathway revealed that two essential genes, the tyrosine decarboxylase and tyramine ߭hydroxylase genes, were significantly downregulated in Wolbachia-infected flies. Quantitative chemical analysis also showed that total octopamine levels were significantly reduced in the adult heads.
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    Journal Title
    Applied and Environmental Microbiology
    Volume
    81
    Issue
    14
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00573-15
    Copyright Statement
    © 2015 American Society for Microbiology. The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal's website for access to the definitive, published version.
    Subject
    Behavioural Ecology
    Neurogenetics
    Publication URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10072/154188
    Collection
    • Journal articles

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