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Science 28 February 1986:
Vol. 231. no. 4741, pp. 990 - 992
DOI: 10.1126/science.3945814
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Articles

Science, Vol 231, Issue 4741, 990-992
Copyright © 1986 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Male-killing bacteria in a parasitic wasp

JH Werren, SW Skinner, and AM Huger

A rod-shaped bacterium has been isolated that kills male eggs of the wasp Nasonia vitripennis, a pupal parasite of flies. Only some wasps of this species express this son-killer trait, and these wasps have bacterial infections in various organs. The bacterium was isolated from son-killer wasp tissue and from the hemolymph of fly pupae parasitized by wasps expressing the son-killer trait. Bacteria are apparently transferred to parasitized fly pupae during wasp oviposition, and developing wasp offspring are subsequently infected perorally. Sex-ratio distortion by microorganisms is found in a variety of plants and animals. The infectious peroral transmission of this trait variety of plants and animals. The infectious peroral transmission of this trait is in contrast to the typical pattern of cytoplasmic inheritance of sex-ratio distortion in these other systems.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Population Biology of Cytoplasmic Incompatibility: Maintenance and Spread of Cardinium Symbionts in a Parasitic Wasp.
S. J. Perlman, S. E. Kelly, and M. S. Hunter (2008)
Genetics 178, 1003-1011
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Impact of Male-Killing Bacteria on Host Evolutionary Processes.
J. Engelstadter and G. D. D. Hurst (2007)
Genetics 175, 245-254
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Isolation, Pure Culture, and Characterization of "Candidatus Arsenophonus arthropodicus," an Intracellular Secondary Endosymbiont from the Hippoboscid Louse Fly Pseudolynchia canariensis.
C. Dale, M. Beeton, C. Harbison, T. Jones, and M. Pontes (2006)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 72, 2997-3004
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Incidence of Male-Killing Rickettsia spp. ({alpha}-Proteobacteria) in the Ten-Spot Ladybird Beetle Adalia decempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).
J. H. G. von der Schulenburg, M. Habig, J. J. Sloggett, K. M. Webberley, D. Bertrand, G. D. D. Hurst, and M. E. N. Majerus (2001)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 67, 270-277
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Male-Killing Wolbachia in Drosophila: A Temperature-Sensitive Trait With a Threshold Bacterial Density.
G. D. D. Hurst, A. P. Johnson, J. H. G. v. d. Schulenburg, and Y. Fuyama (2000)
Genetics 156, 699-709
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Phylogenetic stains: ribosomal RNA-based probes for the identification of single cells.
E. DeLong, G. Wickham, and N. Pace (1989)
Science 243, 1360-1363
   Abstract »    PDF »
A "selfish" B chromosome that enhances its transmission by eliminating the paternal genome.
U Nur, J. Werren, D. Eickbush, W. Burke, and T. Eickbush (1988)
Science 240, 512-514
   Abstract »    PDF »
Cultivation of the Drosophila Sex-Ratio Spiroplasma.
K. J. HACKETT, D. E. LYNN, D. L. WILLIAMSON, A. S. GINSBERG, and R. F. WHITCOMB (1986)
Science 232, 1253-1255
   Abstract »    PDF »


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