Bacterial endosymbionts in field-collected samples of Trialeurodes sp. nr. abutiloneus (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae).
Facultative bacterial endosymbionts are common, influential associates of arthropods, yet their movement among host species has not been well documented. Plant-mediated transmission of Rickettsia has been shown for the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. Bemisia tabaci in USA cotton fields harbors the secondary symbionts Rickettsia and Hamiltonella, and co-occurs with Trialeurodes sp. nr. abutiloneus whiteflies. To determine whether symbionts may be shared, the microbial diversity of these whiteflies on cotton across the USA was analyzed. Trialeurodes sp. nr. abutiloneus bore Portiera, Pseudomonas, Serratia, Arsenophonus and Wolbachia. No Rickettsia or Hamiltonella were detected. These results provide no evidence for horizontal transmission of symbionts between these whitefly genera.
Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Entomology and Insect Science, 410 Forbes, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. Electronic address: bcass@email.arizona.edu.
Bodil N
BN
Cass
Department of Entomology, ARO, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, P.O. Box 1021, Ramat Yishay, Israel. Electronic address: netadm@volcani.agri.gov.il.
Netta
N
Mozes-Daube
Department of Entomology, ARO, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, P.O. Box 1021, Ramat Yishay, Israel. Electronic address: iasur@volcani.agri.gov.il.
Lilach
L
Iasur-Kruh
Department of Entomology, 410 Forbes, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. Electronic address: ebond@email.arizona.edu.
Elizabeth C
EC
Bondy
Department of Entomology, 410 Forbes, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. Electronic address: suekelly@ag.arizona.edu.
Suzanne E
SE
Kelly
Department of Entomology, 410 Forbes, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. Electronic address: mhunter@ag.arizona.edu.
Martha S
MS
Hunter
Department of Entomology, ARO, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, P.O. Box 1021, Ramat Yishay, Israel. Electronic address: einat@volcani.agri.gov.il.
Einat
E
Zchori-Fein
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D003368:Gossypium / Q000469:parasitology; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013559:Symbiosis; D014481:United States
Bacteria; Distribution pattern; Symbiosis; Transmission routes