Abstract: Gut microbes have been recently recognized for their ability to contribute to Drosophila form, fitness, and function. Multiple recent studies have shown that Wolbachia, an intracellular bacterium that is passed from mother to offspring, can influence numerous phenotypes in insect systems including viral resistance, regulation of diet selection and tolerance of different temperatures. Drosophila sechellia are dietary specialists that evolved to feed on the fruit of a single plant, Morinda citrifolia, which has high concentrations of toxins including octanoic acid (OA). When multiple isolated lines of D. sechellia were compared for toxin resistance phenotypes we found that while all were resistant, they varied substantially in resistance. Upon investigation, we found that one notable difference between these lines was the presence of Wolbachia in those with increased resistance. However, the role of Wolbachia in OA resistance remains unknown.To determine if Wolbachia and fly associated microbes in general contribute to toxin resistance, we performed survival assays in flies with and without Wolbachia to determine whether they contribute to OA resistance. Findings from this study will aid in current understanding of the numerous roles that microbes play in organismal fitness, dietary specialization, and phenotypes more generally.
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