ردیابی و شیوع همزیست‌های درونی Wolbachia و Cardinium در جمعیت‌‌های کنه‌ قرمز اروپایی Panonychus ulmi

Wolbachia and Cardinium endosymbionts are maternally inherited bacteria that infect a wide range of arthropods. These endosymbionts can affect the reproductive phenotype and fitness of their hosts. Although infection with Wolbachia and Cardinium occur in many hosts, there has been no study on the dual infection symbionts in the European red mite, Panonychus ulmi. The aim of current study was to detect and determine the prevalence of Wolbachia and Cardinium in P. ulmi populations. For this purpose, sampling was performed in apple orchards of West Azarbaijan province, Urmia and Isfahan province, Semirom and Padena (two populations). For detection of endosymbints, DNA was extracted from European red mite populations by Mori Thomson method. PCR examination was performed using specific primers of Wolbachia which amplified a 600 bp fragment of the wsp gen and specific primers of Cardinium which amplified a 450 bp fragment of 16SrDNA. In all populations, the occurrence of both endosymbionts, Wolbachia and Cardinium, was confirmed by PCR detection. Sequencing and alignment of the sequenced fragments resulted in, a similarity of 98.03% for Cardinium endosymbiont with Cardinium reported in the Oppiella nova (Oribatida) mite from Australia and a similarity of 98.34% for Wolbachia endosybiont with Wolbachia reported in the Cotesia glomerata (Braconidae) parasitic wasp from Japan. After sequencing, a phylogenetic tree was constructed using MEGA7 software for both bacterial endosymbiont. The phylogenetic trees showed no phylogenetic relationship between Cardinium and Wolbachia endosymbionts and their hosts, which could indicate horizontal transmission between different hosts in addition to vertical transmission. Both symbionts were detected, using specific primers and DNA extraction 10 female mite, in four tested P.ulmi populations. Four populations appeared to be infected with Cardinium (10-100%) and infected with Wolbachia (10-70%). Tetsted populations appeared to be dually infected with both Wolbachia and Cardinium (10-60%). All populations studied in this study were infected to both symbionts, but infection to Cardinium endosymbiont was found higher than Wolbachia endosymbiont. Therefore, based on the results of this study, which shows the widespread prevalence of these two edosymbionts in European red mite populations, investigation of their effects on this mite, can be used in the population dynamic studies or management programs.