Evidence of natural Wolbachia infections in field populations of Anopheles gambiae

Francesco Baldini, Nicola Segata, Julien Pompon, Perrine Marcenac, W. Robert Shaw, Roch K. Dabiré, Abdoulaye Diabaté, Elena A. Levashina () and Flaminia Catteruccia ()
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Francesco Baldini: University of Perugia
Nicola Segata: University of Trento, Centre for Integrative Biology
Julien Pompon: UPR9022 CNRS, U963 Inserm, University de Strasbourg, 15 rue R. Descartes
Perrine Marcenac: Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue
W. Robert Shaw: Imperial College London
Roch K. Dabiré: Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé/Centre Muraz, O1 BP 390
Abdoulaye Diabaté: Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé/Centre Muraz, O1 BP 390
Elena A. Levashina: Vector Biology Unit, Max-Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Chariteplatz 1
Flaminia Catteruccia: University of Perugia

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Wolbachia are maternally transmitted intracellular bacteria that invade insect populations by manipulating their reproduction and immunity and thus limiting the spread of numerous human pathogens. Experimental Wolbachia infections can reduce Plasmodium numbers in Anopheles mosquitoes in the laboratory, however, natural Wolbachia infections in field anophelines have never been reported. Here we show evidence of Wolbachia infections in Anopheles gambiae in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene identified Wolbachia sequences in both female and male germlines across two seasons, and determined that these sequences are vertically transmitted from mother to offspring. Whole-genome sequencing of positive samples suggests that the genetic material identified in An. gambiae belongs to a novel Wolbachia strain, related to but distinct from strains infecting other arthropods. The evidence of Wolbachia infections in natural Anopheles populations promotes further investigations on the possible use of natural Wolbachia–Anopheles associations to limit malaria transmission.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4985

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