title: Widespread Wolbachia infection in terrestrial isopods and other crustaceans.
abstract: Wolbachia bacteria are obligate intracellular alpha-Proteobacteria of arthropods and nematodes. Although widespread among isopod crustaceans, they have seldom been found in non-isopod crustacean species. Here, we report Wolbachia infection in fourteen new crustacean species. Our results extend the range of Wolbachia infections in terrestrial isopods and amphipods (class Malacostraca). We report the occurrence of two different Wolbachia strains in two host species (a terrestrial isopod and an amphipod). Moreover, the discovery of Wolbachia in the goose barnacle Lepas anatifera (subclass Thecostraca) establishes Wolbachia infection in class Maxillopoda. The new bacterial strains are closely related to B-supergroup Wolbachia strains previously reported from crustacean hosts. Our results suggest that Wolbachia infection may be much more widespread in crustaceans than previously thought. The presence of related Wolbachia strains in highly divergent crustacean hosts suggests that Wolbachia endosymbionts can naturally adapt to a wide range of crustacean hosts. Given the ability of isopod Wolbachia strains to induce feminization of genetic males or cytoplasmic incompatibility, we speculate that manipulation of crustacean-borne Wolbachia bacteria might represent potential tools for controlling crustacean species of commercial interest and crustacean or insect disease vectors.
authors.affiliation: Université de Poitiers, CNRS UMR 6556, Laboratoire Ecologie Evolution Symbiose, 40 Avenue du Recteur Pineau, 86022 Poitiers, France.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cordaux
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pichon
authors.forename: Houda Ben Afia
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Hatira
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Doublet
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grève
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marcadé
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Braquart-Varnier
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Souty-Grosset
authors.forename: Faouzia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Charfi-Cheikhrouha
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bouchon