Table_5_Three feminizing Wolbachia strains in a single host species: comparative genomics paves the way for identifying sex reversal factors.XLSX

IntroductionEndosymbiotic bacteria in the genus Wolbachia have evolved numerous strategies for manipulating host reproduction in order to promote their own transmission. This includes the feminization of males into functional females, a well-studied phenotype in the isopod Armadillidium vulgare. Despite an early description of this phenotype in isopods and the development of an evolutionary model of host sex determination in the presence of Wolbachia, the underlying genetic mechanisms remain elusive.MethodsHere we present the first complete genomes of the three feminizing Wolbachia (wVulC, wVulP, and wVulM) known to date in A. vulgare. These genomes, belonging to Wolbachia B supergroup, contain a large number of mobile elements such as WO prophages with eukaryotic association modules. Taking advantage of these data and those of another Wolbachia-derived feminizing factor integrated into the host genome (f element), we used a comparative genomics approach to identify putative feminizing factors.ResultsThis strategy has enabled us to identify three prophage-associated genes secreted by the Type IV Secretion System: one ankyrin repeat domain-containing protein, one helix-turn-helix transcriptional regulator and one hypothetical protein. In addition, a latrotoxin-related protein, associated with phage relic genes, was shared by all three genomes and the f element.ConclusionThese putative feminization-inducing proteins shared canonical interaction features with eukaryotic proteins. These results pave the way for further research into the underlying functional interactions.

引言：Wolbachia属的共生细菌已演化出多种策略以操控宿主的繁殖，从而促进自身的传播。这包括将雄性转变为功能性雌性，这一现象在等足目甲虫Armadillidium vulgare中已被广泛研究。尽管在甲虫中早已描述了这一表型，且在Wolbachia存在的情况下构建了宿主性别决定的进化模型，但其背后的遗传机制仍扑朔迷离。
方法：在此，我们首次呈现了A. vulgare中三种已知雌性化Wolbachia（wVulC、wVulP和wVulM）的完整基因组。这些基因组属于Wolbachia B超组，包含大量可移动元件，如具有真核相关模块的WO前噬菌体。利用这些数据以及整合到宿主基因组中的另一个源自Wolbachia的雌性化因子（f因子）的数据，我们采用比较基因组学方法来识别潜在的雌性化因子。
结果：这一策略使我们能够识别出由IV型分泌系统分泌的三个与噬菌体相关基因：一个含有ankyrin重复结构域的蛋白、一个螺旋-转角-螺旋转录调控因子以及一个假定的蛋白。此外，与噬菌体遗迹基因相关的latrotoxin相关蛋白在所有三个基因组以及f因子中均被发现。
结论：这些潜在的雌性化诱导蛋白与真核蛋白共享了典型的相互作用特征。这些结果为深入研究其潜在的功能性相互作用铺平了道路。