Wolbachia are maternally inherited intracellular bacteria notable for their exceptionally broad distribution among insect species. Despite their importance, particularly as reproductive manipulators, only a limited number of studies have addressed the functions of Wolbachia genes, largely due to the absence of well-established transinfection systems and reliable genetic engineering tools for these intracellular bacteria. In this study, we developed a transinfection system using Ostrinia furnacalis cultured cells and its male-killing strain wFur. Moreover, we identified two wFur genes, whose expression inhibited cell proliferation and exhibited cytotoxicity, through an in-house functional screening system of wFur genes. This strategy can be readily extended to investigations of other Wolbachia species, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of Wolbachia gene functions.
Katsuma et al. (Mon,) studied this question.