Microbial Misandry: Discovery of a Spiroplasma Male-Killing Toxin

Jessamyn I Perlmutter; Seth R Bordenstein

doi:10.1016/j.chom.2018.05.011

Microbial Misandry: Discovery of a Spiroplasma Male-Killing Toxin

Cell Host Microbe. 2018 Jun 13;23(6):689-690. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2018.05.011.

Authors

Jessamyn I Perlmutter¹, Seth R Bordenstein²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. Electronic address: jperlmutter16@hotmail.com.
² Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.

PMID: 29902429
DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2018.05.011

Abstract

Bacteria-induced male killing evolved to enhance maternal transmission of the bacteria. Despite significance to arthropod evolution and vector control potential, the genetic basis behind this selfish microbial trait has remained mysterious. In recent work, Harumoto and Lemaitre (2018) describe a Spiroplasma poulsonii male-killing toxin sought for over half a century.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Comment

MeSH terms

Animals
Drosophila / microbiology
Male
Phenotype
Spiroplasma*
Symbiosis
Toxins, Biological*

Substances

Toxins, Biological

Grants and funding

R21 AI133522/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States