Insertion sequences (ISs), arguably the smallest and most numerous autonomous
transposable elements (TEs), are important players in shaping their host genomes. This …

Wolbachia bacteria inhabit the cells of about half of all arthropod species, an unparalleled
success stemming in large part from selfish invasive strategies. Cytoplasmic incompatibility …

Intracellular endosymbiotic bacteria are found in many terrestrial arthropods and have a
profound influence on host biology. A basic question about these symbionts is why they …

Many eukaryotes have obligate associations with microorganisms that are transmitted
directly between generations. A model for heritable symbiosis is the association of aphids, a …

Obligate insect–bacterium nutritional mutualism is among the most sophisticated forms of
symbiosis, wherein the host and the symbiont are integrated into a coherent biological entity …

The smallest reported bacterial genome belongs to Tremblaya princeps, a symbiont of
Planococcus citri mealybugs (PCIT). Tremblaya PCIT not only has a 139 kb genome, but …

Symbiont-mediated nutritional mutualisms can contribute to the host fitness of insects,
especially for those that feed exclusively on nutritionally unbalanced diets. Here, we …

The bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia manipulates arthropod reproduction to facilitate its
maternal spread through host populations. The most common manipulation is cytoplasmic …

Many animals are dependent on microbial partners that provide essential nutrients lacking
from their diet. Ticks, whose diet consists exclusively on vertebrate blood, rely on maternally …

Many benthic marine animal populations are established and maintained by free-swimming
larvae that recognize cues from surface-bound bacteria to settle and metamorphose. Larvae …