Effects of Wolbachia Bacteria on Several Insect Species

With the exception of Gryllus firmus all other members of the genus Gryllus tested were found to be infected with Wolbachia. Gryllus rubens was found to be infected with a strain different from that found in G. integer and G. pennsylvanicus. However, specimens from the Davis, CA and Las Cruces, NM populations of G. integer were infected with both rubens- and integer-type bacteria and some individuals in Las Cruces, NM were doubly infected with both. G. pennsylvanicus populations in nearly all localities sampled on the northeastern American continent, as well as a population in Farina, IL, were found to be infected with the pennsylvanicus- and rubens-type strains, and as in G. integer some individuals were doubly infected with both strains of bacteria. Based on the incompatibilities previously reported between these species of Gryllus, as well as the degree of difference at the level of the cell division ftsZ gene between the strains of Wolbachia they harbor, we predict that the integer-, pennsylvanicus- and rubens-type strains are bidirectionally incompatible. Wolbachia may have played a role in determining the degree of hybridization between the various Gryllus species and in this manner affected their speciation.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Entomology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Giordano, Rosanna

Contributors dc:contributor

• Robertson, Hugh M.

• Biology, Microbiology

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9834678

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/86476