Social parasitism in fire ants (Solenopsis spp.): a potential mechanism for interspecies transfer of Wolbachia

One possible mechanism for interspecific transfer of Wolbachia is through the intimate contact between parasites and their hosts. We surveyed 10 species of fly parasitoids (Pseudacteon spp.) and one inquiline social parasite, Solenopsis daguerrei, for the presence and sequence identity (wsp gene) of Wolbachia. Two Wolbachia variants infecting S. daguerrei were identical to known variants infecting the two common ant host species, Solenopsis invicta and Solenopsis richteri, suggesting possible transfers of Wolbachia between this parasite and their hosts have occurred. Our data also revealed an unexpectedly high diversity of Wolbachia variants within S. daguerrei: up to eight variants were found within each individual, which, to our knowledge, is the highest reported number of Wolbachia variants infecting a single individual of any host species.     

On the ubiquity and phylogeny of Wolbachia in lice

Wolbachia are intracellular bacteria that occur in an estimated 20% of arthropod species. They are of broad interest because they profoundly affect the reproductive fitness of diverse host taxa. Here we document the apparent ubiquity and diversity of Wolbachia in the insect orders Anoplura (sucking lice) and Mallophaga (chewing lice), by detecting single or multiple infections in each of 25 tested populations of lice, representing 19 species from 15 genera spanning eight taxonomic families. Phylogenetic analyses indicate a high diversity of Wolbachia in lice, as evidenced by the identification of 39 unique strains. Some of these strains are apparently unique to lice, whereas others are similar to strains that infect other insect taxa. Wolbachia are transmitted from infected females to their offspring via egg cytoplasm, such that similar species of lice are predicted to have similar strains of Wolbachia. This predicted pattern is not supported in the current study and may reflect multiple events of recent horizontal transmission between host species. At present, there is no known mechanism that would allow for this latter mode of transmission to and within species of lice.     

Wolbachia is present in the European grapevine moth

The European grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana, has high economic impact on grapevines being one of the most harmful pests of vineyards worldwide. Wolbachia infection has not yet been reported for this moth. We systematically look for Wolbachia presence in L. botrana from three areas within the viticultural region of Alentejo (Portugal), via wsp gene specific PCR, and consistently found its presence. The interaction between the grapevine, its associated moth pest and the Wolbachia needs to be further explored, towards its potential in the development of symbiosis-based pest management strategies.     

应用巢式PCR-DGGE技术分析稻虱缨小蜂体内Wolbachia的多样性

以采集自中国杭州和菲律宾的稻虱缨小蜂Anagrus nilaparvatae为研究对象,采用巢式PCR扩增Wolbachia的16S rDNA和wsp基因片段,并用DGGE分析稻虱缨小蜂体内Wolbachia的多样性.基于16S rDNA基因的分析结果准确地检测到稻虱缨小蜂体内细菌主要是Acinetobacter sp...     

Wolbachia在玉米螟赤眼蜂内的三重感染

Wolbachia是一类广泛存在于节肢动物体内的共生菌。玉米螟赤眼蜂Trichogramma ostriniae是我国玉米田间的优势赤眼蜂种, 据报道, 赤眼蜂种内有Wolbachia感染。本文利用Wolbachia的16s rDNA和wsp基因引物通过PCR方法对玉米螟赤眼蜂的野生种群进行了调查, 发现以wsp基因为鉴定依据, 检测的所有个体都感染了3种Wolbachia ［wOstGDAa (GenBank accession no. EU157103), wOstGDAb (GenBank accession no. EU157104) 和 wOstGDB (GenBank accession no. EU157105)］。本文首次报道了野生赤眼蜂种群内Wolbachia的三重感染率几乎为100%。根据本研究的结果, 可以推测当不同种赤眼蜂寄生同一寄主时, Wolbachia可能会在不同赤眼蜂种间进行横向传播。     

湖南三地区麦氏安瘿蜂体内Wolbachia 的感染及其wsp基因序列分析

为检测麦氏安瘿蜂Andricus mairei Kieffer有无Wolbachia感染, 本研究对其岳阳、 长沙和邵阳3种群雌、 雄成虫体内Wolbachia的wsp基因进行了PCR检测, 进而对获得的基因片段进行了序列分析。结果显示, 麦氏安瘿蜂岳阳、 长沙及邵阳种群雌、 雄成虫均有Wolbachia感染, 除邵阳种群雌成虫的感染率为80%之外, 其他均为100%。3个种群Wolbachia的wsp基因序列长度皆为561 bp, 且序列完全一致。麦氏安瘿蜂Wolbachia的wsp基因序列与已知瘿蜂族(Cynipini) Neuroterus macropterus、 Biorhiza pallida及Andricus solitarius （strain 1）以及Synergini族Synergus crassicornis感染的Wolbachia的一致性达95%。除Synergini族Ceroptres cerri感染的Wolbachia属于B群（B group）之外, 瘿蜂感染的Wolbachia均属于A群（A group）。在NJ系统树中, 麦氏安瘿蜂与瘿蜂族Neuroterus macropterus、 Biorhiza pallida和Andricus solitarius （strain 1）及Synergini族Synergus crassicornis感染的Wolbachia聚合在同一分支。此外, 麦氏安瘿蜂岳阳、 长沙和邵阳种群均获得了雌、 雄成虫, 其雌性率分别为15.3%, 12.1%和19.8%, 表现出明显的雄性比偏高。结果提示与瘿蜂族的其他已报道的种类一样, Wolbachia与麦氏安瘿蜂的共生并不诱导其营产雌孤雌生殖。     

山东不同地区韭菜迟眼蕈蚊共生菌Wolbachia 的检测及鉴定

【目的】为了揭示山东省韭菜迟眼蕈蚊Bradysia odoriphaga Yang et Zhang种群共生菌 Wolbachia 的感染率及其分类地位,探讨该共生菌对韭菜迟眼蕈蚊的潜在影响。【方法】利用线粒体细胞色素氧化酶I（mtCOI）基因引物（LCO1490/HCO2198）,通过扩增测序和序列比对对采自山东省12个地区的根蛆种群进行了分类鉴定。在上述基础上,利用 Wolbachia 的16S rDNA和 wsp 基因特异引物（分别为16S-F/16S-R和81F/691R）对鉴别出的11个韭菜迟眼蕈蚊种群体内Wolbachia 感染情况进行了PCR检测;对感染个体体内 Wolbachia 依据16S rDNA基因片段序列进行分类鉴定。【结果】山东省12个根蛆种群中,11个种群为韭菜迟眼蕈蚊种群。基于 Wolbachia 的16S rDNA基因特异引物检测结果发现,这些韭菜迟眼蕈蚊种群广泛感染 Wolbachia （感染率为6.67%~93.33%）,而利用wsp 基因特异引物检测的感染率（0.00%~40.00%）相对较低些。基于 Wolbachia 的16S rDNA基因构建系统发育树表明,这些韭菜迟眼蕈蚊种群感染的Wolbachia 全部属于A组。【结论】确定了 Wolbachia 在山东省韭菜迟眼蕈蚊体内的感染率及其分类地位,为研究 Wolbachia 对韭菜迟眼蕈蚊生物学及生态学的影响奠定了基础。     

我国蚊虫体内感染的Wolbachia的wsp基因序列测定与分析

测定了我国尖音库蚊复合组和白纹伊蚊蚊虫体内感染的Wolbachia株的wsp基因序列。核苷酸和氨基酸的同源性及系统关系分析表明,我国尖音库蚊复合组和白纹伊蚊中Wolbachia株的wsp基因序列与Pip组其它株的核苷酸及氨基酸同源性分别为98%～100%和97%～100%, 属B大组Wolbachia中的Pip组。     

朱砂叶螨体内感染的Wolbachia的wsp基因序列测定与分析

应用Wolbachia的wsp基因特异引物,通过PCR扩增法对我国朱砂叶螨Tetranychus cinnabarinus7个地理种群进行了检测。在采自黑龙江佳木斯、安徽安庆、江苏镇江和浙江慈溪的4个地理种群中扩增出了596bp左右的Wolbachia的wsp基因片段,而在河北威县、山东滨州和湖北赤壁3个地理种群中未发现这个Wolbachia特征基因片段,表明 Wolbachia在我国朱砂叶螨中的侵染较为普遍。通过对我国朱砂叶螨体内感染的 Wolbachia的wsp基因序列进行系统发育分析,得出它们全部与B大组的Ori组的Wolbachia株十分相近或完全相同,提示它们可能是相近或相同的株。     

四种瘿蜂体内Wolbachia感染的PCR检测及感染株系的wsp基因序列分析

Wolbachia为节肢动物等的细胞质共生细菌,能对宿主的繁殖模式进行调控,包括诱导胞质不亲和、孤雌生殖、雌性化及雄性致死。本文采集了分布于美国的4种瘿蜂,利用Wolbachia的wsp基因特异性引物,对其Wolbachia的感染进行了PCR检测,证实了栎结瘤瘿蜂Callirhytis punctata Bassett和摇鼓栎瘿蜂Dryocosmus palustris Osten Sacken体内具Wolbachia共生,感染率分别为60%和36%。栎结瘤瘿蜂和摇鼓栎瘿蜂Wolbachia的wsp基因序列长度分别为564 bp和561 bp。栎结瘤瘿蜂与摇鼓栎瘿蜂Wolbachia的wsp基因序列的一致性为94%。栎结瘤瘿蜂与同为栎瘿蜂族的Andricus solitarius(strain 1)和Neuroterus macropterus,及客瘿蜂族的Synergus crassicorni的Wolbachia的wsp基因序列完全一致,与其他瘿蜂Wolbachia的wsp基因的序列一致性介于79%⁹9%之间。在NJ系统发育树中,栎结瘤瘿蜂与栎瘿蜂族的A.solitaries(strain 1),N.macropterus和B.pallida,以及客瘿蜂族的S.crassicornis的Wolbachia同属一分支,而摇鼓栎瘿蜂与栎瘿蜂族的麦氏安瘿蜂的Wolbachia聚集在同一分支。除客瘿蜂族的Ceroptres cerri感染的Wolbachia属于B群之外,其他瘿蜂感染的Wolbachia均属于A群。此外,本文采集的栎结瘤瘿蜂和摇鼓栎瘿蜂营有性生殖,说明Wolbachia的共生并不诱导其营产雌孤雌生殖。