title: Interspecific transmission of endosymbiotic Spiroplasma by mites.
abstract: The occurrence of closely related strains of maternally transmitted endosymbionts in distantly related insect species indicates that these infections can colonize new host species by lateral transfer, although the mechanisms by which this occurs are unknown. We investigated whether ectoparasitic mites, which feed on insect haemolymph, can serve as interspecific vectors of Spiroplasma poulsonii, a male-killing endosymbiont of Drosophila. Using Spiroplasma-specific primers for PCR, we found that mites can pick up Spiroplasma from infected Drosophila nebulosa females and subsequently transfer the infection to Drosophila willistoni. Some of the progeny of the recipient D. willistoni were infected, indicating successful maternal transmission of the Spiroplasma within the new host species. However, the transmission rate of the infection from recipient flies to their offspring was low, perhaps due to low Spiroplasma density in the recipient flies.
authors: Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA. joja@mail.rochester.edu
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Jaenike
authors: Michal
authors: M
authors: Polak
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Fiskin
authors: Mada
authors: M
authors: Helou
authors: Miranda
authors: M
authors: Minhas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000502:physiology*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008925:Mites / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology; D013149:Spiroplasma / Q000502:physiology*