Publications

4392

ABSTRACT Bacterial endosymbionts of the pine bark adelgid, Pineus strobi (Insecta: Hemiptera: Adelgidae), were investigated using transmission electron microscopy, 16S and 23S rRNA-based phylogeny, and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Two morphologically different symbionts affiliated with the Gammaproteobacteria were present in distinct bacteriocytes. One of them (“ Candidatus Annandia pinicola”) is most closely related to an endosymbiont of Adelges tsugae , suggesting that they originate from a lineage already present in ancient adelgids before the hosts diversified into the two major clades, Adelges and Pineus . The other P. strobi symbiont (“ Candidatus Hartigia pinicola”) represents a novel symbiont lineage in members of the Adelgidae. Our findings lend further support for a complex evolutionary history of the association of adelgids with a phylogenetically diverse set of bacterial symbionts.

Zebra chip disease (ZC), putatively caused by the fastidious bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’, is a threat to potato growers worldwide. However, little is known about biochemical shifts in different potato genotypes in response to ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ infection. To address this, ‘Red La Soda’, ‘Russet Norkotah’, and ‘FL 1867’ potato were infected with ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ 4, 3, 2, and 1 weeks before harvest to observe variability in cultivar responses to ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ infection. ZC symptoms, ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ titers, and tuber biochemistry were assessed. Red La Soda tubers exhibited greater symptoms when infected for 4 weeks than Russet Norkotah or FL 1867 tubers. ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ titers did not vary among cultivars. Tuber levels of amino acids, carbohydrates, and phenolics varied among cultivars but no consistent trends were observed. Individual amino acids and phenolics were greater in FL 1867 than Red La Soda, whereas others were greater in Red La Soda or Russet Norkotah than FL 1867. Most amino acids, carbohydrates, and phenolics were positively associated with infection duration and symptoms regardless of cultivar. Associations between most of the evaluated compounds and ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ titer were positive in Red La Soda. However, no associations between ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ quantity and compounds were observed in FL 1867 and Russet Norkotah.

ABSTRACT A gammaproteobacterial facultative symbiont of the genus Rickettsiella was recently identified in the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum . Infection with this symbiont altered the color of the aphid body from red to green, potentially affecting the host's ecological characteristics, such as attractiveness to different natural enemies. In European populations of A. pisum , the majority of Rickettsiella -infected aphids also harbor another facultative symbiont, of the genus Hamiltonella . We investigated this Rickettsiella symbiont for its interactions with the coinfecting Hamiltonella symbiont, its phenotypic effects on A. pisum with and without Hamiltonella coinfection, and its infection prevalence in A. pisum populations. Histological analyses revealed that coinfecting Rickettsiella and Hamiltonella exhibited overlapping localizations in secondary bacteriocytes, sheath cells, and hemolymph, while Rickettsiella -specific localization was found in oenocytes. Rickettsiella infections consistently altered hosts' body color from red to green, where the greenish hue was affected by both host and symbiont genotypes. Rickettsiella - Hamiltonella coinfections also changed red aphids to green; this greenish hue tended to be enhanced by Hamiltonella coinfection. With different host genotypes, Rickettsiella infection exhibited either weakly beneficial or nearly neutral effects on host fitness, whereas Hamiltonella infection and Rickettsiella - Hamiltonella coinfection had negative effects. Despite considerable frequencies of Rickettsiella infection in European and North American A. pisum populations, no Rickettsiella infection was detected among 1,093 insects collected from 14 sites in Japan. On the basis of these results, we discuss possible mechanisms for the interaction of Rickettsiella with other facultative symbionts, their effects on their hosts' phenotypes, and their persistence in natural host populations. We propose the designation “ Candidatus Rickettsiella viridis” for the symbiont.