Molecular detection of Wolbachia and phage WO infection in Spodoptera litura. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

In nature the kind of association that we observe frequently between the eukaryotes and microorganisms is symbiotic, and range along the continuum between parasitism and mutualism. The genus Wolbachia contains well-known intracellular bacteria of arthropods that induce several reproductive phenotypes that benefit the transmission of the bacteria. While this process is facilitated by features of Wolbachia, particularly their ability to cause cytoplasmic incompatibility, blocking Wolbachia may produce deleterious effects, such as reduced host viability or fecundity, that inhibit successful local introductions and subsequent spatial spread, parthenogenesis, feminization, male killing and many other reproductive manipulations. The present study using PCR technology based on Wolbachia specific amplification of the ftsZ A and ftsZ B supergroup and phage WO specific amplification of orf2 and orf7 gene fragments not only confirms the presence of B supergroup Wolbachia but also reveals the presence of Wolbachia infected with phages WO in Spodoptera litura. Further, we constructed the molecular phylogeny of Wolbachia ftsZ B strain.Thereby this result creates possible implications of cytoplasmic bacteria Wolbachia and phage WO infection for the management Spodoptera litura a serious menace of agricultural crops.