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Detection of Spiroplasma from the mite Macrocheles sp. (Acari; Macrochelidae) ectoparasitic to the fly Drosophila hydei (Diptera; Drosophilidae): a possible route of horizontal transmission?

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Abstract

Some members of the genus Spiroplasma are vertically transmitted endosymbionts of insects. Among them, Spiroplasma sp. Dhd, a member of the Spiroplasma poulsonii clade, is highly prevalent among worldwide populations of Drosophila hydei. Here we found that 53 out of 3,763 wild-caught D. hydei (1.4 %) were ectoparasitized by the mite that belong to the genus Macrocheles. Many of the ectoparasitized flies (79 %) had a single mite, but some flies had up to five mites. Among 59 mites subjected to Spiroplasma-specific PCR, 15 individuals were found to be positive. Infection status of Spiroplasma in flies and the associated mites were incongruent. Partial nucleotide sequences of the Spiroplasma P58 gene suggest that some of the mites are infected with a Spiroplasma, which is identical or closely related to Spiroplasma sp. Dhd. This finding provides a potential route of horizontal Spiroplasma transmission between D. hydei individuals in natural populations. In addition, a Spiroplasma strain that does not form a monophyletic group with S. poulsonii was also found from a mite individual.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partly supported by Sumitomo Foundation (No. 101193) and Grant-in-aid for Scientific Research (No. 23780056) to DK.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, Matsudo, Chiba, Japan

    Ryu Osaka & Masashi Nomura

  2. Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan

    Masayoshi Watada

  3. National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

    Daisuke Kageyama

Authors
  1. Ryu Osaka
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  2. Masayoshi Watada
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  3. Daisuke Kageyama
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  4. Masashi Nomura
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Correspondence to Daisuke Kageyama.

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Osaka, R., Watada, M., Kageyama, D. et al. Detection of Spiroplasma from the mite Macrocheles sp. (Acari; Macrochelidae) ectoparasitic to the fly Drosophila hydei (Diptera; Drosophilidae): a possible route of horizontal transmission?. Symbiosis 60, 79–84 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-013-0241-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-013-0241-3

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