ISSN: 2640-2637
Authors: Rahman KMZ* and Helder H
Filarial nematodes including Wuchereria bancrofti, Onchocerca volvulous, Brugia malayi, B. timori and Loa loa cause some of the most common parasitic infections in humans including elephantiasis, blindness and skin lesions. Wolbachia, an α-proteobacterium is the most widespread endosymbiotic bacterium widely present in various insect species, in parasitic nematodes of animals and also in the plant-parasite nematode, Radopholus similis. In insects, they harbour in male and female germlines and in a variety of somatic tissues. In filarial nematodes, they live as reproductive endosymbionts in ovarian tissues, oocytes and oogonia and newly forming embryos within the uterus and affect moulting, reproduction and survival of the host nematode. They provide essential metabolites such as riboflavin, haem and nucleotides to the host nematodes, but they cannot synthesize some vitamins, coenzyme A, NAD, biotin, folate, ubiquinone, lipoic acid etc. de novo due to incomplete biochemical pathways, and derive those from host nematodes. Thus, there is an obligate symbiotic relationship between Wolbachia and host nematode. Antibiotic treatment against Wolbachia has been proved as a promising target for prevention of filariasis which can break the parasitic cycle. Genomic studies regarding embryological, cellular and molecular aspects of Wolbachia and filarial nematode are still limited. Further research in this area could employ Wolbachia-filarial nematode interactions as a potential therapeutic target to reduce or prevent filarial infections.
Keywords: Wolbachia; Filarial Nematode; Brugia Malayi; Blastomere; Aldolase
