Application of Wolbachia in Invertebrate Vector Control

By: Chinagozi Ugwu

Introduction to Wolbachia

Wolbachia are intracellular gram-negative bacteria that cause many physiological and reproductive effects. Many invertebrates are infected by wolbachia and the bacteria’s success may be credited to the diverse phenotypes that result from infection. The phenotypes range from mutualism to parasitism. Wolbachia has the ability to change chromosomal sex determination, kills males selectively, influence sperm competition and generate cytoplasmic incompatibility in early embryo, etc. Inheritance by maternally transmitting wolbachia through cytoplasm of eggs is also an effective infection pathway used by the bacteria.

In arthropods and many other invertebrates, Wolbachia can modify host reproduction in a variety of ways such as: reproductive incompatibility in most species; the lytokous parthenongenesis in haplodiploid species, male-killing in several insect and feminization of genetic males in isopod crustaceans. The facultative or obligate endosymbiont relationships between Wolbachia and their host allow them to persist in host populations but Wolbachia are hardly ever found to be beneficial to their. Recently, Wolbachia , was found to be medically important vector borne infections. These bacteria could be used for population replacement and suppression of vector organisms such Aedes aegypti mosquito which spreads dengue and yellow fever, Culex pipiens mosquito which spreads West Nile Virus and anopheles mosquito that act as the malaria and filarial vectors.

Physiological and reproductive Effects of Wolbachia

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Section 2

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Pathogen Exclusion in Vector Mosquitoes with Wolbachia

Mosquitoes are flying insects in the Culicidae family, with more than 2000 different species. The males and females mosquitoes both feed on nectar but the females of some species of mosquito are capable of sucking blood from humans and animals. The hematophagic activity of female mosquitoes is essential for production of eggs and has made them one of the deadliest known disease vectors that claim millions of lives each year. [1][2]

Mosquitoes act as vectors for a variety of parasites and pathogens. Many mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile Virus, Dengue Fever, Malaria, Yellow fever are transmitted by different species of mosquitoes. Yellow Fever, West Nile Virus and Dengue Fever are all caused by a family of viruses called Flaviviridae. Culex pipiens mosquitoes act as the primary vectors for the West Nile Virus in America while female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are the disease vectors that transmit Dengue Fever and Yellow Fever. The vector-borne infectious disease, malaria can be caused by one of four types of Plasmodium parasites that can infect humans, with Plasmodium falciparum causing the most dangerous infection. Malaria is transmitted by infected female Anopheles mosquito. [3]

Include some current research in each topic, with at least one figure showing data.

Conclusion

Overall paper length should be 3,000 words, with at least 3 figures.

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Edited by student of Joan Slonczewski for BIOL 238 Microbiology, 2009, Kenyon College.