Molecular phylogenetic affiliation of <em>Wolbachia </em>and phage WO in storage pests from India

Abstract

The rich distribution and diversity of <em>Wolbachia</em> has been well investigated. The array of reproductive alterations induced by this cytoplasmically inherited α- proteobacteria has made it a successful ‘reproductive parasite’. Despite their obligate intracellular lifestyle which usually protects bacteria from phage infection, <em>Wolbachia</em> harbors a widespread temperate phage called WO. Recent studies implicate the rapid phase of evolutionary changes in <em>Wolbachia</em> genome due to the horizontal phage transfer. These changes directly reflect the varied reproductive phenotypes induced by <em>Wolbachia</em> in their hosts. The distribution and diversity of <em>Wolbachia</em> in same host species across different geographical locations in itself is interesting. Previous studies have demonstrated the absence of <em>Wolbachia</em> in storage pests, <em>Tribolium</em><em> castaneum</em> and <em>Rhyzopertha dominica</em> in laboratory stocks of Japan. Contrary to their studies, natural infections of <em>Wolbachia</em> and Phage WO in <em>T</em><em>ribolium</em><em> castaneum</em>, <em>Rhyzopertha</em><em> dominica</em> and <em>Sitophilus zeamais</em> have been reported in the current study. Of the above screened three storage pests, the first two harbours A super group and remaining one with B super group. Further, a phage WO infection was common across all the three storage pests. The analysis of the endosymbiont and its phage provides basic information which could be further exploited for biocontrol programs.