PS 71-133
Autophagy and isopenicillin N synthase gene expression in relation to Wolbachia abundance in the collembolan Folsomia candida
Wolbachia are widespread intracellular bacteria that control host sex and have been detected in the parthenogenetic collembolan Folsomia candida. Wolbachia infection is essential for host reproduction; thus, Wolbachia population growth could be regulated by the host. However, little is known about these regulatory mechanisms in F. candida. Autophagy (specifically the ATG8a gene) is involved in Wolbachia regulation in certain animals. Additionally, the FcIPNS gene of F. candida was recently discovered; this gene is transferred from microbes and encodes a functional isopenicillin N synthase. Thus, FcIPNS is expected to play a role in bacterial control in the host. However, the role of FcIPNS and ATG8a genes in regulating Wolbachia infection in collembolans is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the relationships between FcIPNS and ATG8a gene expression and Wolbachia abundance in F. candida during various life stages.
Results/Conclusions
Our study revealed that the FcIPNS and ATG8a genes are responsible for regulating Wolbachia populations during the F. candida life stages, but each gene exhibits a different regulatory mechanism. As F. candida proliferate, the Wolbachia population increases at the collembolan maturity stage. A negative correlation was observed between FcIPNS gene expression and the Wolbachia population; however, ATG8a gene expression and Wolbachia abundance only displayed a weak positive correlation with F. candida growth. This study is an important first step of further and deeper investigations into the regulation of the symbiotic relationship between Folsomia candida and Wolbachia.