Transcriptomic analysis of Spiroplamsa infection induced changes in gene expression in reproductive tissues of female and male Glossina fuscipes fuscipes

We collected female and male Glossina fuscipes fuscipes from the field (Uganda) and determined the Spiroplasma infections status of each individual. We used RNA-seq to investigate the effects of Spiroplasma on the male and female gene expression in the reproductive tissues. We observed that Spiroplasma infection induces sex-biased expressional changes in genes that encode proteins critical for tsetse`s reproductive success. The following Spiroplasma infection status and Glossina fuscipes fuscipes sex combinations were analyzed: 1) Spi- female; 2) Spi+ female; 3) Spi- male; 4) Spi+ male. Three female or male reproductive tracks were pooled into distinct biological replicates, creating two or three biological replicates.