Cultivation of the <i>Drosophila</i> Sex-Ratio Spiroplasma

Abstract

Uncultivable for more than 25 years, the sex-ratio spiroplasma of Drosophila willistoni grew in a tissue culture medium (H-2) containing an embryo-derived lepidopteran cell line (IPLB-TN-R(2)). After adaptation, it grew in a cell-free H-2 medium. This success demonstrates the usefulness of cell culture systems for cultivation of fastidious microorganisms and facilitates study of the sex-ratio trait in Drosophila.