Molecular evidence of Wolbachia infection in natural populations of tropical odonates.
Wolbachia are endosymbiotic bacteria that cause reproductive alterations in numerous arthropod species. Using a PCR-based method, we found that, out of 33 odonate species, four species were infected with Wolbachia. This finding represents the first record of Wolbachia infection in tropical odonates. Identical wsp gene sequences were found in the Wolbachia-infected common odonate species, Agriocnemis f. femina, collected from different locations in Thailand. The infection frequencies in several natural populations suggest that replacement of uninfected populations by Wolbachia-infected ones has recently occurred in this damselfly species.
Thipaksorn
Apisit
A
Center for Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
Jamnongluk
Wanwisa
W
Kittayapong
Pattamaporn
P
D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D007313:Insecta / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D013785:Thailand; D020577:Wolbachia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C112171:Wsp protein, Wolbachia