The Wolbachia mobilome in Culex pipiens includes a putative plasmid

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 1051
• Main Authors: Reveillaud, Julie, Bordenstein, Sarah R., Cruaud, Corinne, Shaiber, Alon, Esen, Özcan C., Weill, Mylène, Makoundou, Patrick, Lolans, Karen, Watson, Andrea R., Rakotoarivony, Ignace, Bordenstein, Seth R., Eren, A. Murat
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 05-03-2019; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 38/47; 45/22; 45/23; 45/77; 631/208/212/2305; 631/326/41/2142; Animals; Aquatic insects; Arthropods; Bacteriophages - genetics; Biodiversity and Ecology; Culex - microbiology; Culex pipiens; Culicidae; Dengue fever; Environmental Sciences; Epidemics; Female; France; Genes; Genome, Bacterial - genetics; Genomes; Host Microbial Interactions - genetics; Humanities and Social Sciences; Insects; Metagenome - genetics; Metagenomics - methods; Mosquito Vectors - microbiology; Mosquitoes; multidisciplinary; Nematodes; Ovary - microbiology; Phages; Plasmids - genetics; Reproductive behavior; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sequence Analysis, DNA; Symbiosis - genetics; Vector-borne diseases; Vectors; Viral diseases; Viruses; Wolbachia; Wolbachia - genetics; Wolbachia - virology; France
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08973-w

Wolbachia
is a genus of obligate intracellular bacteria found in nematodes and arthropods worldwide, including insect vectors that transmit dengue, West Nile, and Zika viruses.
Wolbachia
’s unique ability to alter host reproductive behavior through its temperate bacteriophage WO has enabled the development of new vector control strategies. However, our understanding of
Wolbachia
’s mobilome beyond its bacteriophages is incomplete. Here, we reconstruct near-complete
Wolbachia
genomes from individual ovary metagenomes of four wild
Culex pipiens
mosquitoes captured in France. In addition to viral genes missing from the
Wolbachia
reference genome, we identify a putative plasmid (pWCP), consisting of a 9.23-kbp circular element with 14 genes. We validate its presence in additional
Culex pipiens
mosquitoes using PCR, long-read sequencing, and screening of existing metagenomes. The discovery of this previously unrecognized extrachromosomal element opens additional possibilities for genetic manipulation of
Wolbachia
.
Wolbachia
bacteria live within the cells of many insects, including the mosquito
Culex pipiens
. Here, the authors analyse new and existing
Wolbachia
metagenomes from
C. pipiens
mosquitoes and find evidence of a plasmid, which may facilitate genetic manipulation of these bacteria for vector control applications.