Summary: Insect
Biochemistry
and
Molecular
Biology
Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 35 (2005) 691­698
Interactions among multiple genomes: Tsetse, its symbionts
and trypanosomes
Serap AksoyÃ, Rita V.M. Rio
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 College St., 606 LEPH, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
Accepted 11 February 2005
Abstract
Insect-borne diseases exact a high public health burden and have a devastating impact on livestock and agriculture. To date,
control has proved to be exceedingly difficult. One such disease that has plagued sub-Saharan Africa is caused by the protozoan
African trypanosomes (Trypanosoma species) and transmitted by tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae). This presentation describes the
biology of the tsetse fly and its interactions with trypanosomes as well as its symbionts. Tsetse can harbor up to three distinct
microbial symbionts, including two enterics (Wigglesworthia glossinidia and Sodalis glossinidius) as well as facultative Wolbachia
infections, which influence host physiology. Recent investigations into the genome of the obligate symbiont Wigglesworthia have
revealed characteristics indicative of its long co-evolutionary history with the tsetse host species. Comparative analysis of the
commensal-like Sodalis with free-living enterics provides examples of adaptations to the host environment (physiology and ecology),

Source: Aksoy, Serap - School of Public Health, Yale University

Collections: Biology and Medicine