Infection with the wMel and wMelPop strains of Wolbachia leads to higher levels of melanization in the hemolymph of Drosophila melanogaster, Drosophila simulans and Aedes aegypti.
Autor(es): Thomas Pune; Kenny Nichola; Eyles Darryl; Moreira Luciano A; O'Neill Scott L; Asgari Sassan
Resumo: Introduction of the life-shortening strain of Wolbachia pipientis, wMelPop, into the key dengue vector, Aedes aegypti, and the anti-pathogen effects in Wolbachia-infected hosts highlights the need for more research into its interactions with its original host, Drosophila melanogaster, and the novel mosquito host. The visual difference in darkness between the eggs of wMelPop Wolbachia-infected and uninfected mosquito hosts after egg deposition led to further investigation into melanization levels of the insects. Both D. melanogaster and A. aegypti infected with wMelPop showed increased levels of melanization, especially in females. This result was also seen in D. melanogaster and Drosophila simulans infected with the closely related wMel strain. D. simulans infected with other strains of Wolbachia did not display this difference. HPLC analysis of hemolymph from mosquitoes showed that this difference was not due to dopamine levels in the host as they were no different in wMelPop-infected and control mosquitoes before or after blood feeding.
Palavras-Chave: Wolbachia; Aedes aegypti; Drosophila melanogaster; Prophenoloxidase; Melanization; Immunity; Dopamine
Imprenta: Developmental and Comparative Immunology, v. 35, n. 3, p. 360-365, 2011
Identificador do objeto digital: 10.1016/j.dci.2010.11.007
Descritores: Aedes aegypti - Pathogenesis ; Aedes aegypti - Dengue ; Aedes aegypti - Immunology
Data de publicação: 2011
