Two strains of male-killing Wolbachia in a ladybird, Coccinella undecimpunctata, from a hot climate

Ladybirds are a hot-spot for the invasion of male-killing bacteria. These maternally inherited endosymbionts cause the death of male host embryos, to the benefit of female sibling hosts and the bacteria that they contain. Previous studies have shown that high temperatures can eradicate male-killers...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2013-01, Vol.8 (1), p.e54218
Main Authors: Elnagdy, Sherif, Messing, Susan, Majerus, Michael E N
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adalia bipunctata
Analysis
Animals
Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology
Antibiotics
Aphidoidea
Bacteria
Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins - genetics
Biology
Cannibalism
Climate
Coccinellidae
Coleoptera
Coleoptera - drug effects
Coleoptera - microbiology
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
DNA sequencing
Drosophila
Eggs
Egypt
Embryos
Endosymbionts
Evolution
Female
Females
Harmonia axyridis
Health aspects
High temperature
High temperatures
Host-Pathogen Interactions - drug effects
Hot climates
Hot spots
Hot Temperature
Infection
Infections
Insects
Integrated software
Jordan
Killing
Lepidoptera
Male
Microorganisms
Molecular Sequence Data
Nucleotide sequence
Parasitology
Phylogenetics
Phylogeny
Ribosomal DNA
Rickettsia
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Sex Factors
Sex Ratio
Species Specificity
Spiroplasma
Strains (organisms)
Tetracycline - pharmacology
Wolbachia
Wolbachia - classification
Wolbachia - genetics
Wolbachia - physiology
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Summary:Ladybirds are a hot-spot for the invasion of male-killing bacteria. These maternally inherited endosymbionts cause the death of male host embryos, to the benefit of female sibling hosts and the bacteria that they contain. Previous studies have shown that high temperatures can eradicate male-killers from ladybirds, leaving the host free from infection. Here we report the discovery of two maternally inherited sex ratio distorters in populations of a coccinellid, Coccinella undecimpunctata, from a hot lowland region of the Middle East. DNA sequence analysis indicates that the male killing is the result of infection by Wolbachia, that the trait is tetracycline sensitive, and that two distinct strains of Wolbachia co-occur within one beetle population. We discuss the implications of these findings for theories of male-killing and suggest avenues for future field-work on this system.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0054218