FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR A MEMBRANE-BOUND ENDOSYMBIONT WITHIN THE DINOFLAGELLATE PERIDINIUM FOLIACEUM1

The fine structure of the binucleate, fucoxanthin-containing dinoflagellate Peridinium foliaceum (Stein) Biechler was re-examined for evidence of an endosymbiout. The eucaryotic nucleus, chloroplasts and associated ribosome-dense cytoplasm were separated by a single invaginating membrane from the rest of the dinoflagellate cell. The triple membrane-enclosed eyespot, mesocaryotic nucleus, trichocysts and accumulation bodies resided in the dinoflagellate cytoplasm. These observations suggest that P. foliaceum contains a membrane-bound endosymbiont, similar to that already described for the closely related species. P. balticum (Levander) Lemmermann.     

不同寄主植物的烟粉虱(Bemisia tabaci)内共生菌传毒相关GroEL蛋白的一致性

通过对7种寄主植物上B型烟粉虱北京种群的内共生菌传毒相关groEL基因进行PCR扩增和测序,结合已有的相关序列,构建了groEL基因及其编码的GroEL蛋白的分子系统树。结果表明：烟粉虱内共生菌产生的groEL基因是一个非常保守的基因,北京不同寄主植物的烟粉虱内共生菌与IsraelB型烟粉虱内共生菌的groEL基因亲源关系非常近,位于同一进化分支,其编码的GroEL蛋白的分子系统树也基本上是一致的。不同物种的groEL基因及其编码的GroEL蛋白分别位于不同的分支,说明groEL基因及其编码的GroEL蛋白的分子系统树可以用于分析物种间的进化关系。氨基酸序列比较表明：烟粉虱内共生菌GroEL具有原核GroEL的保守氨基酸、ATP酶活性位点、多肽结合位点和GroES连接位点,为典型的hsp60。不同来源烟粉虱内共生菌GroEL有少数几个保守氨基酸发生了置换,可能不是GroEL功能的重要位点。说明在容易变异的细菌基因组中,groEL基因为了维持其正常重要的生理功能,会通过保持功能位点的稳定性来应对不同生态因素的影响。     

铃木氏果蝇不同地理种群中Wolbachia的检测和系统发育分析

铃木氏果蝇Drosophila suzukii是原产于东南亚地区的重要果树害虫, 近年来传入北美和欧洲等地区造成严重的危害。本研究利用Wolbachia的16S rDNA和wsp基因特异引物（分别为16S-F/16S-R和81F/691R）对铃木氏果蝇7个地理种群（中国的5个种群、 韩国的1个种群和美国的1个种群）的Wolbachia进行了PCR检测并对检测结果进行了比较; 对感染个体体内Wolbachia的16S rDNA基因片段进行测序, 确定了我国铃木氏果蝇体内Wolbachia的分类地位。基于Wolbachia的16S rDNA基因特异引物检测结果发现, 我国5个铃木氏果蝇种群广泛感染Wolbachia（感染率36.7%~80.0%）, 而韩国和美国2个种群均未检测到该菌的感染。而利用wsp基因特异引物无法检测到该菌。基于Wolbachia的16S rDNA基因构建系统发育树表明, 我国铃木氏果蝇种群感染的Wolbachia全部属于A组。这些结果为研究Wolbachia感染对铃木氏果蝇生物学及生态学的影响奠定了基础。     

植物病毒病媒介昆虫的传毒特性和机制研究进展

植物病毒病是农作物的“癌症”, 至今缺少有效的防治方法。目前已知80%的植物病毒病依赖于媒介昆虫传播, 而媒介昆虫对植物病毒的传播是一个昆虫、 病毒、 寄主植物互作的过程, 历经获毒、 持毒和传毒等多个阶段, 昆虫体内一系列病毒受体或蛋白参与了这个过程。昆虫传播病毒的方式有口针携带式、 前肠保留式和体内循环式3类, 它们各自对应的持久性为非持久性、 半持久性和持久性, 不同昆虫获取这3类病毒的获毒时间、 在体内存留位置和传毒时间也各不相同。 这个过程受到媒介昆虫的性别及龄期、 寄主植物、 环境条件、 昆虫体内共生菌等多种因素的影响。与之相关的蛋白主要有病毒衣壳蛋白(CP)、 次要衣壳蛋白（CPm）、 GroEL蛋白、 辅助因子(HC)和下颚口针蛋白等。近年来对植物病毒基因组的研究也取得了很大的进展, 对昆虫传毒机制的研究正受到越来越广泛的关注。本文综述了近年来该领域内的相关研究进展, 包括昆虫传播植物病毒的传毒方式、 影响传毒效率的因素、 传毒机制特别是昆虫体内与病毒传播可能相关的受体等。     

Multi-approach comparative study of the two most prevalent genotypes of pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Chile

The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris, is able to colonize various habitats and form genetically distinct biotypes worldwide. In Chile, few genotypes are dominating in space and time and are qualified as “superclones”. Here, we compared in the laboratory different biological features of the most common clones of A. pisum collected from pea (Ap1) and alfalfa (Ap2) fields, in order to gain some insight on their differential ability to colonize broad bean plants. We also studied their probing behavior, profiled their proteome and characterized their community of endosymbionts. We found that the Ap1 genotype performed better on Vicia faba and realized more salivation events in phloem than Ap2. In addition, Ap1 presented a higher prevalence of the endosymbiont Serratia symbiotica. Among the total of 40 proteins that were differentially expressed, 14 and 26 were upregulated in Ap1 and Ap2 genotypes, respectively. The symbionin from Buchnera aphidicola was found to be upregulated in Ap1. A field experiment showed that both genotypes were able to colonize wild legumes, with Ap1 reproducing better on Vicia nigricans than Ap2. However, Ap2 exhibited higher reproduction in the other three wild legumes, suggesting higher invasiveness capacity on wild plants. Variation in the ability to colonize, feeding behavior and the putative involvement of differentially regulated proteins between Ap1 and Ap2 are discussed in relation to their respective endosymbiotic composition, nutritional lifestyle and consequences on their “superclone” status.     

鳞翅目昆虫内共生菌研究进展

内共生菌(endosymbionts)与其昆虫宿主的共生关系是普遍存在的，它们彼此相互依赖、相互影响、协同进化。近年来，关于昆虫内共生菌的研究多以半翅目(Hemiptera)和双翅目(Diptera)昆虫为主，但数量不断增加的研究表明鳞翅目(Lepidoptera)昆虫与其体内共生菌的互作模式和机制也正在受到越来越多的关注。鳞翅目昆虫种类多，分布广，主要作为植食者、传粉者在生态系统中发挥作用，而其绝大部分幼虫会对农林业生产造成巨大经济损失。鳞翅目昆虫体内共生菌群落多样性相对较低，主要以次生共生菌Wolbachia为主，少数也感染有Spiroplasma，Arsenophonus及Rickettsia。它们常呈严格的母系垂直传播，也会发生一定比例的水平传播，在宿主的生长发育、生殖调控、环境适应、遗传进化方面发挥重要作用。目前一般采用诊断性聚合酶链反应、高通量扩增子测序、宏基因组测序等方法检测内共生菌。但鳞翅目昆虫内共生菌研究领域存在一些难点，包括：大多数内共生菌无法离体培养；丰度较低的内共生菌的生物学功能难以确定。基于鳞翅目昆虫内共生菌的分布及该领域的难点，建议未来的研究重点应放在次生共生菌及其生物学功能上。     

Polynucleobacter necessarius, an obligate bacterial endosymbiont of the hypotrichous ciliate Euplotes aediculatus, is a member of the β-subclass of Proteobacteria

Abstract An almost full length 16S rRNA gene of the obligate bacterial endosymbiont Polynucleobacter necessarius was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction in combination with site-specific primers. The amplified DNA was directly sequenced and compared with other bacterial 16S rRNA sequences. P. necessarius belongs to the β-subclass of Proteobacteria and shows the closest relationship to Alcaligenes eutrophus, Burkholderia solanacearum , and B. pickettii . In situ hybridization with a specific oligonucleotide probe corroborated the assignment of the retrieved sequence to P. necessarius .     

Widespread Wolbachia infection in terrestrial isopods and other crustaceans

Wolbachia bacteria are obligate intracellular alpha-Proteobacteria of arthropods and nematodes. Although widespread among isopod crustaceans, they have seldom been found in non-isopod crustacean species. Here, we report Wolbachia infection in fourteen new crustacean species. Our results extend the range of Wolbachia infections in terrestrial isopods and amphipods (class Malacostraca). We report the occurrence of two different Wolbachia strains in two host species (a terrestrial isopod and an amphipod). Moreover, the discovery of Wolbachia in the goose barnacle Lepas anatifera (subclass Thecostraca) establishes Wolbachia infection in class Maxillopoda. The new bacterial strains are closely related to B-supergroup Wolbachia strains previously reported from crustacean hosts. Our results suggest that Wolbachia infection may be much more widespread in crustaceans than previously thought. The presence of related Wolbachia strains in highly divergent crustacean hosts suggests that Wolbachia endosymbionts can naturally adapt to a wide range of crustacean hosts. Given the ability of isopod Wolbachia strains to induce feminization of genetic males or cytoplasmic incompatibility, we speculate that manipulation of crustacean-borne Wolbachia bacteria might represent potential tools for controlling crustacean species of commercial interest and crustacean or insect disease vectors.     

Genetic conflict,kin and the origins of novel genetic systems

Genetic conflict may have played an important role in the evolution of novel genetic systems. The ancestral system of eumendelian genetics is highly symmetrical. Those derived from it (e.g. thelytokous parthenogenesis, haplodiploidy and parent-specific allele expression) are more asymmetrical in the genetic role played by maternal versus paternal alleles. These asymmetries may have arisen from maternal–paternal genetic conflict, or cytonuclear conflict, or from an interaction between them. Asymmetric genetic systems are much more common in terrestrial and freshwater taxa than in marine taxa. We suggest three reasons for this, based on the relative inhospitability of terrestrial environments to three types of organism: (i) pathogens—departure from the marine realm meant escape from many pathogens and parasites, reducing the need for sexual reproduction; (ii) symbionts—symbionts are no more important in the terrestrial realm than the marine realm but are more likely to be obligately intracellular and vertically transmitted, making them more likely to disrupt their host''s genetic systems; (iii) Gametes and embryos—because neither gametes nor embryos can be shed into air as easily as into seawater, the mother''s body is a more important environment for both types of organisms in the terrestrial realm than in the marine realm. This environment of asymmetric kinship (with neighbours more closely related by maternal alleles than by paternal alleles) may have helped to drive asymmetries in expression and transmission.