Visualization of infection dynamics in the JW18 cell line.

(A) Schematic of Wolbachia detection by RNA Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH) using a sensitive and specific set of 48 5’-fluorescently-labeled oligos that bind in series to the 23s rRNA of the Wolbachia within a host cell. (B) Wolbachia-infected JW18 cells labeled by 23s rRNA FISH probe can detect different infection levels in a highly specific manner. Scale bar 5μm. (C) Wolbachia infection within the JW18 population is steadily maintained at 14% of the total cells in the population. Of the Wolbachia infected cells, the majority (73%) of cells have a low Wolbachia infection (1–10 bacteria per cell), 13.5% contain a medium Wolbachia infection (11–30 bacteria), and 13.5% of the infected JW18 cells have a high infection level (>30 bacteria) (n = 793 cells). See S1–S3 Figs for further characterization of JW18 cells.