Affiliation:
1. Department of Biomedical Convergence Science and Technology Kyungpook National University Daegu Republic of Korea
2. Department of Biology Education, Teachers College and Institute for Phylogenomics and Evolution Kyungpook National University Daegu Republic of Korea
3. Department of Biological Sciences Federal University Dutse Nigeria
4. Institute for Korean Herb‐Bio Convergence Promotion Kyungpook National University Daegu Republic of Korea
5. Phylomics Inc Daegu Republic of Korea
Abstract
AbstractWolbachia, an endosymbiotic bacterium, has a significant impact on the reproductive biology and pathogen transmission capabilities of various arthropods, including mosquitoes. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of Wolbachia in Culex molestus, a vector mosquito species, in South Korea. Mosquito samples were collected from different locations and taxonomically identified. Individual mosquito DNA was extracted, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted targeting the Wolbachia surface protein gene (wsp) and three multi‐locus sequence typing (MLST) (gatB, hcpA, and ftsZ) genes. Gel electrophoresis was performed to determine the prevalence of Wolbachia by analyzing PCR products. Our findings revealed that Wolbachia was present in 100% of the tested Culex mosquitoes from South Korea, with one major Wolbachia strain (supergroup B) detected using the wsp gene and subgrouping determined with the gatB as well as hcpA, and ftsZ. These results underscore the widespread occurrence of Wolbachia in Cx. molestus mosquito within the studied region, thus suggesting the potential for leveraging this endosymbiont to devise novel strategies for mosquito‐borne disease control. Future research should investigate the influence of Wolbachia on mosquito biology and vector competence in South Korea.
Funder
Kyungpook National University