ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microbial Symbioses
This article is part of the Research TopicNew Frontiers in Wolbachia Biology 2025View all 8 articles
Wolbachia-Induced Cytoplasmic Incompatibility Triggers Intergenerational Dysregulation of the Small RNA Regulatory Network in Offspring
Provisionally accepted
- 1Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, China
- 2Zibo Central Hospital, Shandong, China
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The intracellular symbiont Wolbachia, which is widespread among insects, may induce cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) between hosts with different infection statuses. Increasing evidence indicates that symbiotic bacteria can influence host reproduction, metabolism, and other biological processes by modulating non-coding small RNAs. However, it is still unclear how Wolbachia-induced CI affects the offspring reproduction. In this study, using Drosophila melanogaster as a model system, small RNA and transcriptome sequencing were conducted on the reproductive systems of the offspring resulting from crosses between Wolbachia-infected males and uninfected females. By comparing F1 males and females to their respective paternal or maternal lines, we identified distinct intergenerational discrepancies. The male offspring of the CI cross showed a significant upregulation of immune-related genes and a notable downregulation of reproductive-related genes. Moreover, the microRNA regulatory network in the testes of the offspring was significantly disrupted, with the target genes directly involved in embryonic development, energy metabolism, immune regulation, and reproductive behavior. Additionally, increased transposable element (TE) expression and piRNA dysregulation were observed in the testes of male offspring. Overall, this study offered new insights into the intergenerational regulatory effects of Wolbachia-induced CI and its potential mechanisms.
Keywords: Cytoplasmic incompatibility, immune, miRNA, piRNA, Wolbachia
Received: 10 Dec 2025; Accepted: 30 Jan 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Dou and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Tian-chu Li
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