Midichloria mitochondrii

“Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii” is an intracellular bacterium with a unique lifestyle. Discovered in 2006 by a joint effort of the parasitologists of Pavia and Milano, it was found to have the capacity to enter the mitochondria of the cells of its host, the medically important tick Ixodes ricinus. Fascinated by this peculiar form of symbiosis, we are using multiple approaches to try to understand this system.