Widespread infection and diverse infection patterns of Wolbachia in Chinese aphids. (24th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Zhe; Su, Xiao‐Min; Wen, Juan; Jiang, Li‐Yun; Qiao, Ge‐Xia
• Is Part Of: Insect science. Volume 21:Number 3(2014:Jun.)
• Page Start: 313
• Page End: 325
• Publication Date: 2014-02-24
• Subjects: Insects -- Periodicals; Entomology -- Periodicals; 595.705
• DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12102
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1672-9609

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Wolbachia</italic> are intracellular symbionts that infect a wide range of arthropods and filarial nematodes. Aphids are engaged in diverse and complex relationships with their endosymbionts. Four supergroups (A, B, M and N) of <italic>Wolbachia</italic> were previously detected in aphids and supergroups M and N were only found in aphids. In this study, we detected and described <italic>Wolbachia</italic> infections in natural populations of aphids in China. Three supergroups (A, B and M) were found in the examined aphid species. Supergroup M was preponderant, whereas supergroups A and B were only detected in certain species. Supergroup N was not found in this study. There were four infection patterns of <italic>Wolbachia</italic> in aphids, namely, infection with supergroup M alone, co‐infection with supergroups A and M, co‐infection with supergroups B and M, and co‐infection with supergroups A, B and M. The pattern of infection only with supergroup M was universal and was found in all evaluated subfamilies. Only two subfamilies, Aphidinae and Lachninae, manifested to present all four infection patterns. Three patterns were observed in Calaphidinae (M, A&M, B&M) and Eriosomatinae (M, B&M, A&B&M). Two patterns were observed in the Anoeciinae (M, A&M) and Greenideinae (M, B&M), and only one pattern (M) was observed in the remaining families and/or subfamilies of Aphidoidea. These results indicated that <italic>Wolbachia</italic> infections in Chinese aphids are widespread. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that <italic>Wolbachia</italic> supergroup M spread rapidly and recently among all host species of aphids in China. Reasons for this spread and its mechanisms are discussed along with the possible effects of <italic>Wolbachia</italic> on their aphid hosts.</p> </abstract>