Drosophila melanogaster infected with Wolbachia strain wMelCS prefer cooler temperatures

Abstract

1. Temperature plays a fundamental role in the dynamics of host–pathogeninteractions. Wolbachia is an endosymbiotic bacteria that infects about 40% of arthropodspecies, which can affect host behaviour and reproduction. Yet, the effect of Wolbachiaon host thermoregulatory behaviour is largely unknown, despite its use in disease vectorcontrol programs in thermally variable environments.2. Here, a thermal gradient was used to test whether Drosophila melanogaster infectedwith Wolbachia strain wMelCS exhibited different temperature preferences (Tp)touninfected ies.3. It was found that Wolbachia-infected ies preferred a cooler mean temperature(Tp= 25.06 ± 0.25∘C) than uninfected ies (Tp= 25.78 ± 0.24∘C).4. This nding suggests that Wolbachia-infected hosts might seek out cooler microcli-mates to reduce exposure to, and lessen the consequences of, high temperatures. Thisnding has generated hypotheses that will be fruitful in areas of research for explor-ing the mechanisms by which the change in Tpoccurs in this complex and signicanthost–pathogen–environment interaction