News From the Field

Insect gene allows reproductive organs to cope with harmful bacteria


May 17, 2018

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A damaging bacteria with the ability to pass itself from insect mothers to eggs meets its genomic match in the tiny Nasoniaparasitic wasp, a team of researchers has found. Offspring of insects infected with the bacteria Wolbachia often die or are converted from male to female. While high levels of Wolbachia in the ovaries are key for the bacteria's transmission to insect offspring, too much Wolbachia comes at a heavy cost.Full Story

Source
Vanderbilt University

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