Relative densities of bacteriophage WO andWolbachia bacteria ofAedes albopictus mosquito during development

Abstract

Wolbachia are a group of intracellular inherited bacteria that infect a wide range of arthropods. They are related with a variety of
reproductive alterations in their host, the best known being cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). In this study, prophage WO
gp1, includingWolbachia A andWolbachia B densities were determined during mosquito development by using real-time quantitative PCR (RTQ-PCR). An interesting result
was found for the same flux of prophage WO gp1 andWolbachia B densities in larva, pupa, 3-day-old adult, and 21-day-old adult ofAedes albopictus mosquito (Wolbachia superinfection). The results determined thatWolbachia B and prophage WO gp1, developed with the same fluctuation from larval stage through adult stage. However, the same tendency
was not observed withWolbachia A and phageWO gp1. Hence, this bacteriophage gene is more closely associated withWolbachia B strain than inWolbachia A in their relative density variations. Assesment of the density data reported herein is the first to suggest the possible
association of prophage WO gp1 in CI mechanisms in consequence of the same fluctuation during development withWolbachia B gene density inAedes albopictus mosquito.