By John Timmer
When last we met the Wolbachia bacteria, they were being referred to as a "gonad-chomping parasite." That would seem to have negative connotations, but the gonads in question were those belonging to a mosquito that transmits Dengue fever, and infections with Wolbachia can help block the spread of that virus. At the time, we mentioned that blocking Dengue was just one of many unusual talents. So, today, we'll take the time to give you details on the rest of them.
The many strains of Wolbachia can do some amazing things to their insect hosts: changing their sex, killing their offspring, and possibly even creating new species. And, in the process, they might just provide enough benefits for their hosts to make it all worthwhile.
Wolbachia is a bacterial genus that may include a variety of species—the difference between a species and a strain is very fuzzy at the bacterial level, and the Wolbachia genus is unusually diverse. But one thing that is clear is that the organisms can infect an extraordinarily large range of hosts, including all sorts of arthropods (insects, spiders, isopods) to the very distantly related nematode worms. Estimates based on insects we've studied suggest that at least 65 percent of the known species carry Wolbachia. Translate that out to the estimates of total insect species, and you get a total of 106 different species that can play host to these bacteria.
Lots of bacteria find homes on the surface of organisms, and even more inside their orifices and guts. Wolbachia is a bit more aggressive. It actually enters individual cells and finds a home for itself there. In the process, it's able to interact with and manipulate the cells' components. For example, when a cell divides, it creates a structure called a spindle that helps make sure each of the new cells gets the right number of chromosomes. Wolbachia is able to latch on to the spindle, and make sure the new cells also get a healthy dose of bacteria as well. It's also figured out a way to hitch rides on the protein motors that move materials around inside of cells, and use those to help move it around within the organism.
The bacteria is tough enough to survive for at least a week after its host's death, allowing it to spread to new organisms. Once it gets there, that's where the real fun can begin.
more
http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2011/10/meet-wolbachia-the-male-killing-gender-bending-gonad-chomping-bacteria.ars
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