First evidence of Cardinium (Sphingobacteria) in non-marine ostracods from Turkey

Abstract

ABSTRACT Endosymbiotic bacteria are extremely common and diverse in arthropods. Cardinium, maternally transmitted intracellular bacteria, can contribute to the fitness of the host and can manipulate its reproduction by feminization, cytoplasmic incompatibility, and thelytokous parthenogenesis. Non-marine ostracods can reproduce asexually as well as sexually. We studied the presence of Cardinium in non-marine ostracods collected from 43 sites in Turkey between 2014 and 2017. The presence of Cardinium in 64 specimens belonging to 24 ostracod species were tested by PCR protocol using 16S rRNA-specific primers. A total of 59 specimens belonging to 22 species showed positive result for the presence of Cardinium, with the sequences of the partial 16S rRNA assigned to the bacteria. Results showed that that majority (92 %) of ostracod species tested were found to be infected by Cardinium. It appears that the bacteria can be seen in both sexes depending on species. We report the first evidence of the presence of Cardinium in non-marine ostracods.