Nate Lo

The intracellular bacterium Wolbachia pipientis in termites

Termite intracellular bacterium. Photo: L. Sacchi

The last decade or so has seen an explosion of interest into bacteria that live inside the cells of invertebrates, and especially those that are passed onto offspring via the eggs. Perhaps the most famous of these bacteria is Wolbachia pipientis, which is present in up to 75% of all insects, as well as many other invertebrates. It is probably the most common parasite on earth. W. pipientis is transmitted through the eggs but not the sperm, and thus has a tendency to favour the production of females over males. Intriguing effects of harbouring the bacterium include: feminization of genetic males, male-killing, infertility and parthenogenesis (turning females into virgin mothers). W. pipientis is known to be able to spread rapidly throughout insect populations. The eventual incorporation of 'useful' genes into its genome (eg which inhibit growth of other parasites like that which causes Malaria) is a significant line of research. W. pipientis is one of the first vertically transmitted bacteria to be shown to commonly engage in sex. Together with some Italian colleagues, I have discovered a genetically novel form of W. pipientis, living in termite societies. I am now interested in determining the effect of this bacterium on host biology, examining its infection patterns within colonies, and examining its movement within termite populations.

Publications relevant to this research in list: 8, 21