"Three genomes, two organisms, one host: Interactions between the bacterium Wolbachia pipientis, its WO bacteriophage and Drosophila"

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Wolbachia pipientis are proteobacteria that have maintained symbiotic associations with host insects for millions of years. These bacteria exist within the cytoplasm of host cells, preferentially cells of the ovaries and testes, and are therefore endosymbionts. There are several intriguing aspects about this relationship between Wolbachia and flies which are currently being examined in my laboratory. First, the host does not seem to recognize the presence of Wolbachia because it does not mount a typical anti-bacterial immune response. My laboratory has been studying the mechanisms that enable these bacteria to survive and replicate inside host cells, and we have shown that the host and bacteria cooperate to reduce potential cellular and DNA damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are generated at high levels in infected cells, and both host and bacterial antioxidant enzymes are recruited to neutralize them. This is the first time that cooperation of this type has been described between animal cells and bacteria.