Journal of Insect Science (2006) 6 (46), 53-54

Y.O. Sanogo, S.L. Dobson, S.R. Bordenstein and R.J. Novak (2006)
The Wolbachia surface protein gene wspB is disrupted by a transposable element in Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus but not in North American Culex pipiens pipiens populations
Journal of Insect Science 6 (46), 53-54
in M. Adams et al. [editors] Abstracts of the Fifth International Symposium on Molecular Insect Science (May 20-24, 2006, Tucson, Arizona USA), 76 pp.
Abstract: Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say and Culex pipiens pipiens Linnaeus (Diptera, Culicidae) are sibling species incriminated as important vectors of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases worldwide. The two forms differ little morphologically and are differentiated mainly based upon ecological, behavioral, physiological and genetic traits. In their zone of sympatry, populations of Cx. p. quinquefasciatus and Cx. p. pipiens undergo extensive introgression and hybrid forms have been reported in nature. Both Cx. p. quinquefasciatus and Cx. p. pipiens are infected with the endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis. To date, little is known about Wolbachia strain diversity in Culex. Here, we report the presence of a transposable element belonging to the IS256 family (IS256wPip) associated with Wolbachia infecting both Cx. p. quinquefasciatus and Cx. p. pipiens populations. Using comparative nucleotide analyses and reverse-transcriptase PCR, we show that IS256wPip inserted into and inactivated the Wolbachia outer membrane protein wspB, a paralog of the general wsp (wspA) gene in Cx. p. quinquefasciatus. This disruption is the first case of a recent gene inactivation associated with a transposable element insertion in Wolbachia. The inactivated wspB was not observed in several geographically isolated strains of Cx. p. pipiens mosquitoes. The insertion of IS256wPip into wspB appears diagnostic of Cx. p. quinquefasciatus and may comprise a genetic candidate for discriminating Wolbachia symbionts and Culex subspecies.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Robert J. Novak, Stephen L. Dobson

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
molecular biology - genes
identification/taxonomy

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Culex quinquefasciatus
	Culex pipiens
Wolbachia (genus - entomopathogens)	Culex quinquefasciatus
Wolbachia (genus - entomopathogens)	Culex pipiens