Host-symbiont conflicts: positive selection on an outer membrane protein of parasitic but not mutualistic Rickettsiaceae

The Rickettsiaceae is a family of intracellular bacterial symbionts that includes both vertically transmitted parasites that spread by manipulating the reproduction of their host (Wolbachia in arthropods) and horizontally transmitted parasites (represented by Cowdria ruminantium), and mutualists (Wolbachia pipientis in nematode worms). We have investigated the nature of natural selection acting on an outer membrane protein, the wsp gene in Wolbachia and its homologue map1 in Cowdria, thought likely to be involved in host-parasite interactions in these bacteria. The ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitution rates (d(N)/d(S)) at individual amino acid sites or at lineages within the gene's phylogeny was estimated using maximum likelihood models of codon substitution. The first hypothesis we tested was that this protein is under positive selection in the parasitic but not in the mutualistic Rickettsiaceae. This hypothesis was supported as positive selection and was detected in Cowdria and arthropod Wolbachia sequence evolution but not in the evolution of Wolbachia sequences from nematodes. Furthermore, this selection was concentrated outside the transmembrane region of the protein and, therefore, in the regions of the protein that may interact with the host. The second hypothesis tested was that positive selection would be stronger in the strains of arthropod Wolbachia that distort the host sex ratio than in those that induce cytoplasmic incompatibility. However, we found no support for this hypothesis. In conclusion, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that antagonistic coevolution causes faster evolution of surface protein sequences in parasites than in mutualists. Confirmation of this conclusion awaits the replication of these results both in additional genes and across more bacterial taxa. The regions of the wsp and map1 genes we identified as likely to be involved in host-parasite arms races should be examined in future studies of parasite virulence and host immune responses, and during the design of vaccines.     

Wolbachia--a new bacteria causing sex ratio bias in the two-spot lady-bird Adalia bipunctata L

Some of the male-killing lines of the two-spot ladybird Adalia bipunctata L. isolated from the populations of Moscow and Tomsk and having a female-biased sex ratio were found to be infected with a bacterium of the genus Wolbachia. This fact is the first demonstration of the ability of Wolbachia to kill males of a host insect. The coexistence of females infected with different male-killing bacteria was recorded in the population of Moscow.     

History of infection with different male-killing bacteria in the two-spot ladybird beetle Adalia bipunctata revealed through mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis

The two-spot ladybird beetle Adalia bipunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is host to four different intracellular maternally inherited bacteria that kill male hosts during embryogenesis: one each of the genus Rickettsia (alpha-Proteobacteria) and Spiroplasma (Mollicutes) and two distinct strains of Wolbachia (alpha-Proteobacteria). The history of infection with these male-killers was explored using host mitochondrial DNA, which is linked with the bacteria due to joint maternal inheritance. Two variable regions, 610 bp of cytochrome oxidase subunit I and 563 bp of NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5, were isolated from 52 A. bipunctata with known infection status and different geographic origin from across Eurasia. Two outgroup taxa were also considered. DNA sequence analysis revealed that the distribution of mitochondrial haplotypes is not associated with geography. Rather, it correlates with infection status, confirming linkage disequilibrium between mitochondria and bacteria. The data strongly suggest that the Rickettsia male-killer invaded the host earlier than the other taxa. Further, the male-killing Spiroplasma is indicated to have undergone a recent and extensive spread through host populations. In general, male-killing in A. bipunctata seems to represent a highly dynamic system, which should prove useful in future studies on the evolutionary dynamics of this peculiar type of symbiont-host association.     

Incidence of male-killing Rickettsia spp. (alpha-proteobacteria) in the ten-spot ladybird beetle Adalia decempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

The diversity of endosymbiotic bacteria that kill male host offspring during embryogenesis and their frequencies in certain groups of host taxa suggest that the evolution of male killing and the subsequent spread of male-killing symbionts are primarily determined by host life history characteristics. We studied the 10-spot ladybird beetle, Adalia decempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), in which male killing has not been recorded previously, to test this hypothesis, and we also assessed the evolution of the male killer identified by DNA sequence analysis. Our results show that A. decempunctata harbors male-killing Rickettsia (alpha-proteobacteria). Male-killing bacteria belonging to the genus Rickettsia have previously been reported only for the congeneric two-spot ladybird beetle, Adalia bipunctata L. Phylogenetic analysis of Rickettsia DNA sequences isolated from different populations of the two host species revealed a single origin of male killing in the genus Rickettsia. The data also indicated possible horizontal transfer of symbionts between host species. In addition, A. bipunctata is known to bear at least four different male-killing symbionts in its geographic range two of which coexist in the two locations from which A. decempunctata specimens were obtained for the present study. Since only a single male-killing taxon was found in A. decempunctata, we assume that the two closely related ladybird beetle species must differ in the number and/or geographic distribution of male killers. We discuss the importance of these findings to our understanding of the evolution and dynamics of symbiotic associations between male-killing bacteria and their insect hosts.     

Different rates of nucleotide substitutions in Wolbachia endosymbionts of arthropods and nematodes: arms race or host shifts?

The genus Wolbachia encompasses intracellular bacteria found in arthropods and in filarial nematodes. In arthropods, Wolbachia is primarily a reproductive parasite and shows relatively frequent horizontal transfer between host species, while in nematodes it appears to be a mutualist and is strictly vertically transmitted. We can expect that different selective pressures are acting on their genomes. Here we present an analysis of three Wolbachia genes, wsp, ftsZ and dnaA. In wsp of arthropod Wolbachia, an excess of non-synonymous substitutions was observed, providing evidence for positive selection. In nematode Wolbachia, no evidence for positive selection was found. Pressure for amino acid variation in wsp of arthropod Wolbachia could derive either from an arms race with the host or from the occurrence of more frequent hosts shifts due to horizontal transmission. In nematode Wolbachia, the lack of positively selected sites could result from the absence of an arms race, or from the homogeneity of the biochemical environment they exist in (ensured by strict vertical transmission). In ftsZ minor differences in substitution patterns were observed between arthropod and nematode Wolbachia, only in the 3'-portion of the gene. dnaA showed comparable patterns of variation in both lineages, with evidence for strong conservation.     

Evolutionarily stable infection by a male-killing endosymbiont in Drosophila innubila: molecular evidence from the host and parasite genomes

Maternally inherited microbes that spread via male-killing are common pathogens of insects, yet very little is known about the evolutionary duration of these associations. The few examples to date indicate very recent, and thus potentially transient, infections. A male-killing strain of Wolbachia has recently been discovered in natural populations of Drosophila innubila. The population-level effects of this infection are significant: approximately 35% of females are infected, infected females produce very strongly female-biased sex ratios, and the resulting population-level sex ratio is significantly female biased. Using data on infection prevalence and Wolbachia transmission rates, infected cytoplasmic lineages are estimated to experience a approximately 5% selective advantage relative to uninfected lineages. The evolutionary history of this infection was explored by surveying patterns of polymorphism in both the host and parasite genomes, comparing the Wolbachia wsp gene and the host mtDNA COI gene to five host nuclear genes. Molecular data suggest that this male-killing infection is evolutionarily old, a conclusion supported with a simple model of parasite and mtDNA transmission dynamics. Despite a large effective population size of the host species and strong selection to evolve resistance, the D. innubila-Wolbachia association is likely at a stable equilibrium that is maintained by imperfect maternal transmission of the bacteria rather than partial resistance in the host species.     

Molecular evidence for the endosymbiont <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Wolbachia</Emphasis> in a non-filaroid nematode, <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Angiostrongylus cantonensis</Emphasis>

Wolbachia harbored by most filarial parasites, is critical to both embryogenesis and microfilarial development, and may lead to inflammation and pathogenesis in infected hosts. Based on alignment of the sequences from the wsp, ftsZ, and 16S rRNA genes, Wolbachia was demonstrated to exist in Angiostrongylus cantonensis, a non-filaroid nematode. Although the wsp gene may not be the best candidate for evolutionary analysis of Wolbachia, this gene has been sequenced from a broader coverage of the host species, making it feasible to be used for phylogenetic analysis in this study. The results from both Neighbor-joining and Maximum parsimony methods showed that this novel Wolbachia does not belong to any of the known groups (C or D) of nematode-derived Wolbachia. In addition, the wsp gene sequence of this newly identified endosymbiont revealed a high degree of identity (98%) with that from Diaea circumlita c2, tentatively classified into the putative group G. This suggests that Wolbachia from A. cantonensis could represent a deeply branched lineage in Wolbachia evolution or the occurrence of horizontal transfer between infected hosts. In conclusion, the findings provide some insights into our understanding of the evolution of Wolbachia, particularly the isolate from A. cantonensis.     

Phylogeny and PCR-based classification of Wolbachia strains using wsp gene sequences.

Wolbachia are a group of intracellular inherited bacteria that infect a wide range of arthropods. They are associated with a number of different reproductive phenotypes in their hosts, such as cytoplasmic incompatibility, parthenogenesis and feminization. While it is known that the bacterial strains responsible for these different host phenotypes form a single clade within the alpha-Proteobacteria, until now it has not been possible to resolve the evolutionary relationships between different Wolbachia strains. To address this issue we have cloned and sequenced a gene encoding a surface protein of Wolbachia (wsp) from a representative sample of 28 Wolbachia strains. The sequences from this gene were highly variable and could be used to resolve the phylogenetic relationships of different Wolbachia strains. Based on the sequence of the wsp gene from different Wolbachia isolates we propose that the Wolbachia pipientis clade be initially divided into 12 groups. As more sequence information becomes available we expect the number of such groups to increase. In addition, we present a method of Wolbachia classification based on the use of group-specific wsp polymerase chain reaction (PGR) primers which will allow Wolbachia isolates to be typed without the need to clone and sequence individual Wolbachia genes. This system should facilitate future studies investigating the distribution and biology of Wolbachia strains from large samples of different host species.     

Revisiting <Emphasis Type="Italic">Wolbachia</Emphasis> Supergroup Typing Based on WSP: Spurious Lineages and Discordance with MLST

The obligate intracellular bacteria Wolbachia are taxonomically subdivided into eight supergroups (named A-H). Supergroup typing of strains has been mostly based on phylogenetic inference of the Wolbachia surface protein (wsp), a gene that recently has been shown to experience high rates of recombination. This brings into question its suitability not only for microtaxonomy, but also for supergroup classification of the genus. A Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) scheme for Wolbachia has recently been developed that types strains based on five conserved genes, thus providing a rigorous supergroup annotation of strains. Here we report striking discrepancies in supergroup designation between MLST and wsp inferences, and propose a revision of current methods for Wolbachia supergroup typing. Transfer of whole wsp gene sequences between supergroups A and B has occurred. Furthermore, as a result of intragenic recombination, wsp phylogeny creates spurious basal lineages that are not supported by MLST. For example, the proposed supergroup G, based upon wsp alone, likely represents only a wsp recombinant clade. Removal of supergroup G is advised until and unless the existence of this lineage is substantiated by other sequence information (e.g., MLST). We recommend a full characterization MLST for a correct strain typing, while, based on the current data set, use of a single MLST gene can be effective for supergroup designation of A and B strains. Finally, we note that the sharing of wsp sequences between A and B strains indicates a strong genetic cohesiveness of Wolbachia strains, supporting designation of these bacteria within the same species, W. pipientis.     

The value of an egg: resource reallocation in ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) infected with male-killing bacteria

Male-killing bacteria are thought to persist in host populations by vertical transmission and conferring direct and/or indirect fitness benefits to their hosts. Here, we test the role of indirect fitness benefits accrued from resource reallocation in species that engage in sibling egg cannibalism. We found that a single-egg meal significantly increased larval survival in 12 ladybird species, but the value of an egg (to survival) differed substantially between species. Next, we tested the impact of three male-killing bacteria on larval survival in one ladybird species, Adalia bipunctata. Spiroplasma reduced larval survival, whereas Wolbachia and Rickettsia had no effect. However, Spiroplasma-infected larvae showed the greatest response to a single-egg meal. The indirect fitness benefit obtained from a single egg is thus so large that even male-killing bacteria with direct fitness costs can persist in host populations. This study supports the hypothesis that fitness compensation via resource reallocation can explain male-killing bacteria persistence.     

茶尺蠖和灰茶尺蠖内共生菌Wolbachia的分子检测及序列分析

【目的】对茶尺蠖Ectropis obliqua及其近缘种灰茶尺蠖E.grisescens体内共生菌Wolbachia进行分子鉴定,确定两者体内Wolbachia的感染率及其进化地位,为进一步探讨其对茶尺蠖和灰茶尺蠖的潜在影响提供科学依据。【方法】采用Wolbachia的16S r RNA、fts Z和wsp基因特异性引物,通过PCR扩增法检测了我国3个茶尺蠖地理种群(浙江杭州、余杭和江苏无锡)和3个灰茶尺蠖地理种群(浙江新昌、湖北浠水和江西南昌)中Wolbachia的感染情况,并进行测序和序列分析。【结果】茶尺蠖和灰茶尺蠖都感染了Wolbachia,灰茶尺蠖的Wolbachia感染率为100%,但茶尺蠖的Wolbachia感染率在22%~95%,且PCR产物电泳得到的条带微弱。wsp序列在茶尺蠖和灰茶尺蠖种间、种内无差异;但16S r RNA序列在茶尺蠖和灰茶尺蠖种间、种内差异为0.362%~0.727%之间;茶尺蠖样本未成功扩增出fts Z序列,灰茶尺蠖样本获得2条fts Z基因序列差异为1.647%。基于Wolbachia的16S r RNA和wsp基因构建的系统发育树表明,本研究中茶尺蠖和灰茶尺蠖种群所感染的Wolbachia全部属于B组的Pip亚组。【结论】茶尺蠖和灰茶尺蠖均被B组Pip亚组的Wolbachia感染,但感染率相差很大,这为研究Wolbachia对茶尺蠖和灰茶尺蠖生物学及生态学的影响奠定了基础。     

Super-infections of Wolbachia in byturid beetles and evidence for genetic transfer between A and B super-groups of Wolbachia

Wolbachia are maternally inherited bacteria responsible for altering host reproduction. The two main groups found in insects, A and B, are based on molecular characterization using ribosomal, ftsZ, wsp (Wolbachia surface protein) or groE genes. We have used the wsp and ftsZ genes to study Wolbachia in byturid beetles. Byturus affinis contained a single copy of the ftsZ gene which grouped with A ftsZ sequences and a single copy of the wsp gene which grouped with B wsp sequences. This suggests that genetic exchange between A and B groups has occurred in the Wolbachia of this beetle. FtsZ and wsp sequences that were identical or nearly identical to those of B. affinis were found in B. tomentosus, suggesting that it also contains the same recombinant Wolbachia genotype. Most other byturids had more than one wsp sequence with at least one from the A and B groups, suggesting multiple copies of bacterial genes or multiple infections. B. ochraceus and B. unicolor both had four distinct wsp gene sequences. All the byturids had a closely related A wsp sequence and most a closely related B wsp sequence. Therefore, there appears to be an association between specific A and B wsp types.     

Male-killing Wolbachia in two species of insect

The inherited bacterium Wolbachia spreads through the manipulation of host reproduction, and has been suggested to be an important factor in arthropod evolution, from host speciation to the evolution of sex-determination systems. Past work has shown that members of this group may produce cytoplasmic incompatibility, feminize genetically male hosts, and induce host parthenogenesis. Here, we report an expansion of the range of reproductive manipulations produced by members of this clade, recording Wolbachia strains that kill male hosts during embryogenesis in two host species, the ladybird Adalia bipunctata, and the butterfly Acraea encedon. Both male-killing bacteria belong to the B group of Wolbachia. However, phylogenetic analyses were unable to resolve whether the bacteria in the two species are monophyletic, or represent independent origins of male-killing among the B-group Wolbachia. We also found significant divergence within the wsp gene of Wolbachia strains found in different A. bipunctata individuals, suggesting this host species contains two Wolbachia strains, diverged in wsp sequence but monophyletic. Our observations reinforce the notion that Wolbachia may be an important agent driving arthropod evolution, and corroborates previous suggestions that male-killing behaviour is easily evolved by invertebrate symbionts.     

Mosaic nature of the wolbachia surface protein

Lateral gene transfer and recombination play important roles in the evolution of many parasitic bacteria. Here we investigate intragenic recombination in Wolbachia bacteria, considered among the most abundant intracellular bacteria on earth. We conduct a detailed analysis of the patterns of variation and recombination within the Wolbachia surface protein, utilizing an extensive set of published and new sequences from five main supergroups of Wolbachia. Analysis of nucleotide and amino acid sequence variations confirms four hypervariable regions (HVRs), separated by regions under strong conservation. Comparison of shared polymorphisms reveals a complex mosaic structure of the gene, characterized by a clear intragenic recombining of segments among several distinct strains, whose major recombination effect is shuffling of a relatively conserved set of amino acid motifs within each of the four HVRs. Exchanges occurred both within and between the arthropod supergroups. Analyses based on phylogenetic methods and a specific recombination detection program (MAXCHI) significantly support this complex partitioning of the gene, indicating a chimeric origin of wsp. Although wsp has been widely used to define macro- and microtaxonomy among Wolbachia strains, these results clearly show that it is not suitable for this purpose. The role of wsp in bacterium-host interactions is currently unknown, but results presented here indicate that exchanges of HVR motifs are favored by natural selection. Identifying host proteins that interact with wsp variants should help reveal how these widespread bacterial parasites affect and evolve in response to the cellular environments of their invertebrate hosts.     

中国南方双斑长跗萤叶甲地理种群遗传结构及Wolbachia感染

[目的]双斑长跗萤叶甲Monolepta hieroglyphica为多食性害虫,可取食为害多种农作物.本研究旨在探究中国南方地区分布的双斑长跗萤叶甲地理种群的遗传多样性、遗传结构及种群间的遗传分化程度与基因流水平,探究共生菌Wolbachia 在中国南方双斑长跗萤叶甲地理种群中的多样性和感染情况.[方法]以线粒体CO...     

神农架林区6种盖蛛体内Wolbachia的感染检测

采用Wolbachiawsp基因的1对通用引物81F和691R检测了神农架林区6种盖蛛的Wolbachia感染情况。检测结果表明,只有1头双线盖蛛（Neriene limbatinella）感染了Wolbachia,且对检测到的Wolbachia品系进行系统发育分析结果表明,双线盖蛛感染的Wolbachia品系属于Wolbachia品系分类的B组。     

小麦和大豆蚜虫中内共生菌Wolbachia的感染检测和系统发育分析

Wolbachia是一类在节肢动物中广泛感染的胞内共生菌。为了了解其在我国蚜虫中的感染情况, 本研究通过扩增wsp基因片段对采集自我国多个地区的3种小麦蚜虫（荻草谷网蚜Sitobion miscanthi、 麦二叉蚜Schizaphis graminum和禾谷缢管蚜Rhopalosiphum padi）和1种大豆蚜虫（大豆蚜Aphis glycines）样品进行了内共生菌Wolbachia的感染检测。结果显示： 3种小麦蚜虫中均未检测出Wolabchia。大豆蚜也仅在采集自北京和杭州的种群中发现了Wolbachia的感染, 感染率分别为95.8%和22.9%, 并且所检测的个体均为单株系感染。wsp基因序列的比对分析显示, 大豆蚜感染的Wolbachia株系与多个亲缘关系较远的昆虫物种中所感染的Wolbachia株系间具有高度一致的基因序列。wsp基因序列构建的系统发育关系和序列一致性均表明大豆蚜感染的Wolbachia株系属于B大组CauB组。本研究为今后探讨Wolbachia在我国蚜虫中的寄主范围和株系多样性提供了数据支持。     

Patterns and relative rates of nucleotide and insertion/deletion evolution at six chloroplast intergenic regions in new world species of the Lecythidaceae

Insertions and deletions (indels) in chloroplast noncoding regions are common genetic markers to estimate population structure and gene flow, although relatively little is known about indel evolution among recently diverged lineages such as within plant families. Because indel events tend to occur nonrandomly along DNA sequences, recurrent mutations may generate homoplasy for indel haplotypes. This is a potential problem for population studies, because indel haplotypes may be shared among populations after recurrent mutation as well as gene flow. Furthermore, indel haplotypes may differ in fitness and therefore be subject to natural selection detectable as rate heterogeneity among lineages. Such selection could contribute to the spatial patterning of cpDNA haplotypes, greatly complicating the interpretation of cpDNA population structure. This study examined both nucleotide and indel cpDNA variation and divergence at six noncoding regions (psbB-psbH, atpB-rbcL, trnL-trnH, rpl20-5'rps12, trnS-trnG, and trnH-psbA) in 16 individuals from eight species in the Lecythidaceae and a Sapotaceae outgroup. We described patterns of cpDNA changes, assessed the level of indel homoplasy, and tested for rate heterogeneity among lineages and regions. Although regression analysis of branch lengths suggested some degree of indel homoplasy among the most divergent lineages, there was little evidence for indel homoplasy within the Lecythidaceae. Likelihood ratio tests applied to the entire phylogenetic tree revealed a consistent pattern rejecting a molecular clock. Tajima's 1D and 2D tests revealed two taxa with consistent rate heterogeneity, one showing relatively more and one relatively fewer changes than other taxa. In general, nucleotide changes showed more evidence of rate heterogeneity than did indel changes. The rate of evolution was highly variable among the six cpDNA regions examined, with the trnS-trnG and trnH-psbA regions showing as much as 10% and 15% divergence within the Lecythidaceae. Deviations from rate homogeneity in the two taxa were constant across cpDNA regions, consistent with lineage-specific rates of evolution rather than cpDNA region-specific natural selection. There is no evidence that indels are more likely than nucleotide changes to experience homoplasy within the Lecythidaceae. These results support a neutral interpretation of cpDNA indel and nucleotide variation in population studies within species such as Corythophora alta.     

三色书虱体内共生微生物Wolbachia的wsp基因的分子检测

采用常规PCR和巢式PCR方法对三色书虱Liposcelis tricolor体内的共生微生物Wolbachia的wsp基因进行分子检测;通过Wolbachia的通用引物以及A、B亚群引物分别比较了常规PCR和巢式PCR对wsp基因扩增的灵敏性。从三色书虱体内扩增出了610bp的Wolbachia的wsp基因片段,500bp的WolbachiaA亚群的wsp基因片段和450bp的Wolbachia B亚群的wsp基因片段。扩增结果说明三色书虱被A和B两个亚群的Wolbachia混合感染;巢式PCR比常规PCR更为灵敏。     

Diversity and phylogeny of Wolbachia infecting Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) populations from China

Wolbachia are a common and widespread group of symbiotic bacteria found in the reproductive tissues of arthropods. Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) is an important pest causing considerable economic losses of fruits and vegetables in several southern provinces of China. In this study, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with general Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) primers was used to test the presence of Wolbachia in 1,500 individuals of B. dorsalis from five geographical populations of China. We detected 19 individuals of B. dorsalis infected by Wolbachia, and the infection rates of different populations varied. Comparison of wsp gene sequences from 19 individuals and search of the GenBank identified four new sequences, probably representing four Wolbachia strains. Sequence comparison showed that the four Wolbachia strains from B. dorsalis in China belonged to three groups (Kue, Mel, and Cuc). Phylogenetic analysis of the wsp sequences suggests that geographical isolation of Wolbachia exists among the populations of B. dorsalis in China, and gene flow of Wolbachia might have occurred between B. dorsalis populations of China and Thailand. Phylogenetic analysis performed on the host mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene and wsp gene suggests that host has coevolved with Wolbachia.