engleski

COMPOSITION AND LOCALIZATION OF BACTERIAL SYMBIONTS IN THREE WHITEFLY SPECIES (HEMIPTERA: ALEYRODIDAE) FROM CROATIA, MONTENEGRO AND BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Whiteflies, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) and Siphoninus phillyreae (Haliday) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are cosmopolitan, polyphagous pests of agricultural crops. They cause damages by phloem sap feeding and phytoviruses transmission. Whiteflies harbor a primary bacterial symbiont Portiera aleyrodidarum, which supplements their diet and diverse array of secondary bacterial symbionts (SS) (genera Rickettsia, Hamiltonella, Arsenophonus, Wolbachia, Cardinium and Fritschea) which affect numerous biological aspects. B. tabaci is morphologically indistinguishable species complex which differs biologically and genetically, while the widespread and damaging are Mediterranean (MED) and Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) species. Molecular markers were used to test B. tabaci species and presence of SS, while fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used for localization of SS in the insect. MEAM1 and MED B. tabaci species were found in Montenegro, while in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina only MED species was confirmed. Multiple infections of SS were common in three whitefly species. Not all populations harbored all SS, while some SS infected each individual within the population. All confirmed bacterial symbionts were localized in the bacteriosome, while Rickettsia sp., Cardinium sp. and Hamiltonella sp. showed additional localization in other tissues as well. Unique co-infections of SS in three whitefly species confirm ancient relationships between whiteflies and SS, and possible horizontal transfer of some SS inside or between the species.

Bacterial symbionts; Bemisia tabaci; FISH; Siphoninus phillyreae; Trialeurodes vaporariorum

nije evidentirano