CHARACTERIZATION OF BACTERIOPHAGE THAT INFECT WOLBACHIA

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Our laboratory is interested in developing tools for genetically modifying a widespread symbiont of invertebrates known as Wolbachia. These bacteria are extremely widespread in arthropods and filarial nematodes and have an obligate intracellular lifestyle. These bacteria infect nearly all of the major insect-vectors of human disease (including mosquitoes and tsetse flies), and are also implicated in the major symptoms of filarial-associated diseases such as elephantiasis and river blindness. We aim to characterize the structure, function, and evolution of bacteriophage that infect Wolbachia with the long-range goal of using the Wolbachia bacteriophage as a transduction tool or for phage therapy of human filarial diseases.