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属的共生细菌已进化出多种策略来操纵宿主繁殖，以促进其自身的传播。这包括将雄性转化为功能性雌性，在等足目动物Armadillidium vulgare中，这是一种已广泛研究的表型。尽管在等足目动物中对该表型的早期描述以及Wolbachia存在下的宿主性别决定进化模型的发展，但潜在的遗传机制仍晦涩难解。
方法
在此，我们首次呈现了三种已知在A. vulgare中使雄性雌化的Wolbachia（wVulC、wVulP和wVulM）的完整基因组。这些基因组属于Wolbachia B超级群，含有大量可移动元件，如与真核生物相关联的WO前噬菌体。利用这些数据和整合到宿主基因组中的另一个Wolbachia衍生雌化因子（f因子）的数据，我们采用比较基因组学方法，以识别潜在的雌化因子。
结果
此策略使我们能够鉴定出由IV型分泌系统分泌的三个前噬菌体相关基因：一种含锚蛋白重复结构域的蛋白质、一种螺旋-环-螺旋转录调控蛋白以及一种假定的蛋白质。此外，与噬菌体遗迹基因相关联的拉托毒素相关蛋白在所有三个基因组以及f因子中均被发现。
结论
这些潜在的雌化诱导蛋白与真核生物蛋白共享了经典的相互作用特征。这些发现为深入探究潜在的分子功能相互作用奠定了基础。