据10月30日的《科学》杂志报道，昆虫的某种特别细菌的感染可以保护这些昆虫免受一大批RNA病毒的侵害。
研究人员说，这一发现可能对未来在人群中减少昆虫传播的疾病有帮助。在一篇Brevium中, Lauren Hedges及其同僚显示，Wolbachia 细菌感染可在许多昆虫中具有抗病毒的效果，而这种细菌可在线虫类、甲壳类、节肢类动物及许多其它类的昆虫中找到。
研究人员用蝇类来证明当这些蝇类昆虫感染了多种致死性的RNA病毒时，蝇类昆虫的Wolbachia 感染可延缓其死亡的发生。这一死亡的延迟与病毒在Wolbachia-感染的蝇类昆虫体内的积聚相对应，而这种相关性可能表明蝇类体内的这种细菌具有一种正面的选择性优势。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原始出处：
Science 31 October 2008: DOI: 10.1126/science.1162418
Wolbachia and Virus Protection in Insects
Lauren M. Hedges, Jeremy C. Brownlie, Scott L. O'Neill, Karyn N. Johnson*
Wolbachia pipientis bacteria are common endosymbionts of insects that are best known for their ability to increase their prevalence in populations by manipulating host reproductive systems. However, there are examples of Wolbachia that exist in nature that seem to induce no reproductive parasitism trait and yet are able to invade populations. We demonstrate a fitness benefit for Wolbachia-infected insects that may explain this paradox. Drosophila melanogaster flies infected with Wolbachia are less susceptible to mortality induced by a range of RNA viruses. The antiviral protection associated with Wolbachia infection might be exploited in future strategies to reduce transmission of pathogens by insects.
School of Integrative Biology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia.
