CRBM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France.
Microbiol Spectr. 2019 Mar;7(2). doi: 10.1128/microbiolspec.BAI-0018-2019.
The endosymbionts encompass a large group of intracellular bacteria of biomedical and veterinary relevance, closely related to , , and . This genus of Gram-negative members of the does not infect vertebrates but is instead restricted to ecdysozoan species, including terrestrial arthropods and a family of parasitic filarial nematodes, the Onchocercidae. The profoundly impact not only the ecology and evolution but also the reproductive biology of their hosts, through a wide range of symbiotic interactions. Because they are essential to the survival and reproduction of their filarial nematode hosts, they represent an attractive target to fight filariasis. Their abilities to spread through insect populations and to affect vector competence through pathogen protection have made a staple for controlling vector-borne diseases. Estimated to be present in up to 66% of insect species, the are probably the most abundant endosymbionts on earth. Their success resides in their unique capacity to infect and manipulate the host germ line to favor their vertical transmission through the maternal lineage. Because the resist genetic manipulation and growth in axenic culture, our understanding of their biology is still in its infancy. Despite these limitations, the "-omics" revolution combined with the use of well-established and emerging experimental host models is accelerating our comprehension of the host phenotypes caused by , and the identification of effectors is ongoing.
内共生体包含一大组具有生物医学和兽医相关性的细胞内细菌，与 、 和 密切相关。这种革兰氏阴性成员的属不会感染脊椎动物，而是仅限于节肢动物门的物种，包括陆地节肢动物和一类寄生的丝虫，旋尾目。这些内共生体不仅深刻地影响了宿主的生态和进化，还通过广泛的共生相互作用影响了宿主的生殖生物学。由于它们对寄生线虫宿主的生存和繁殖至关重要，因此它们成为对抗丝虫病的有吸引力的目标。它们通过昆虫种群传播和通过病原体保护影响媒介能力的能力使 成为控制媒介传播疾病的主要手段。估计在多达 66%的昆虫物种中存在， 可能是地球上最丰富的内共生体。它们的成功在于它们独特的感染和操纵宿主生殖系的能力，以有利于通过母系垂直传播。由于 抵抗遗传操作和在无菌培养中的生长，我们对它们的生物学的理解仍处于起步阶段。尽管存在这些限制，但“组学”革命结合使用成熟和新兴的实验宿主模型正在加速我们对 引起的宿主表型的理解，并且 效应物的鉴定仍在进行中。
