Table_7_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.

介绍： Wolbachia属的共生细菌已经进化出多种策略以操纵宿主的繁殖，从而促进自身的传播。这包括将雄性转化为功能性雌性，这是在等足类生物Armadillidium vulgare中研究较为深入的表型。尽管早在等足类生物中对该表型进行了描述，并且已经发展出在Wolbachia存在下的宿主性别决定的进化模型，但其潜在的遗传机制仍然难以捉摸。
方法：在本研究中，我们首次呈现了三种已知在A. vulgare中导致雌性化的Wolbachia（wVulC、wVulP和wVulM）的完整基因组。这些基因组属于Wolbachia B超群，其中包含大量移动元件，如具有真核关联模块的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种来源于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鉴定潜在的雌性化因子。
结果：这一策略使我们能够鉴定出由IV型分泌系统分泌的三个与噬菌体相关基因：一个包含ankyrin重复结构域的蛋白质、一个螺旋-转角-螺旋转录调控蛋白和一个假设蛋白质。此外，一个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因子中均有发现。
结论：这些潜在的雌性化诱导蛋白与真核蛋白共享了经典的相互作用特征。这些结果为深入研究其潜在的功能性相互作用开辟了道路。