Investigation of Wolbachia Bacteria in Different Insect Taxa

Abstract

Arthropods are the most common living species considering their population densities and distribution. However, due to the increasing world population and drought due to global warming, it is necessary to develop environmentally friendly and effective alternative strategies in terms of both health and agricultural production, especially in the fight against harmful species. In this context, Wolbachia is promising due to its relations with its hosts. However, the symbiotic structure in arthropods varies with differences such as climate, geography and ecosystem. In this study, Wolbachia infection was investigated in insects that differ in their living conditions, hosts and ecological niches: Drosohphila melanosgaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae), Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), Pulex irritans (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae), Eusomus ovulum (Coleoptera: Currioculionidae) and Lariophagus distinguendus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Wolbachia was screened with a specific Wspec F/R primer set and identified according to the sequence data of the obtained PCR products. Wolbachia was observed to have a widespread incidence in the species studied. A supergroup Wolbachia was found in fleas, vinegar flies and E. ovulum, and B supergroup Wolbachia in parsitoid bees and whiteflies. This is the first study in Turkey to report the presence of Wolbachia in E. ovulum, and it is thought that the data presented here will contribute to future studies.