One strain may hide another: Cryptic male-killing Wolbachia

March 30, 2023/in Scholarly Literature

One strain may hide another: Cryptic male-killing Wolbachia

Tags: Cytoplasmic incompatibility, Wolbachia
E. A. Hornett and G. D. D. Hurst, PLOS Biology, 21:e3002076. 2023.

While heritable symbionts are common in insects, strains that act as male-killers are considered rare. This Primer explores a new study in PLOS Biology which reveals a novel male-killer hidden by co-infection and host resistance, highlighting the complexity of host-microbial interactions in natural systems.