Transposable elements (TEs) are genomic parasites, which activity is tightly controlled in germline cells. Using Sindbis virus, it was recently demonstrated that viral infections affect TE transcript amounts in somatic tissues. However, the strongest evolutionary impacts are expected in gonads, because that is where the genomes of the next generations lie. Here, we investigated this aspect using the Drosophila melanogaster Sigma virus. It is particularly relevant in the genome/TE interaction given its tropism to ovaries, which is the organ displaying the more sophisticated TE control pathways. Our results in Drosophila simulans flies allowed us to confirm the existence of a strong homeostasis of the TE transcriptome in ovaries upon infection, which, however, rely on TE-derived small RNA modulations. In addition, we performed a meta-analysis of RNA-seq data and propose that the immune pathway that is triggered upon viral infection determines the direction of TE transcript modulation in somatic tissues.

中文翻译：

---

果蝇中经卵巢传播的 DMelSV 感染对卵巢转座元件转录没有影响，但会增加其在体细胞中的数量


转座元件（TE）是基因组寄生虫，其活性在生殖细胞中受到严格控制。最近使用辛德比斯病毒证明，病毒感染会影响体组织中的 TE 转录物数量。然而，预计最强烈的进化影响是在性腺中，因为那是下一代基因组所在的地方。在这里，我们使用果蝇西格玛病毒研究了这个方面。鉴于其对卵巢的趋向性，它在基因组/TE 相互作用中特别相关，而卵巢是显示更复杂的 TE 控制途径的器官。我们在模拟果蝇中的结果使我们能够确认感染后卵巢中 TE 转录组存在强大的稳态，然而，这依赖于 TE 衍生的小 RNA 调节。此外，我们对 RNA-seq 数据进行了荟萃分析，并提出病毒感染时触发的免疫途径决定了体组织中 TE 转录调节的方向。