Phylogenetic position and peculiar genetic traits of a midgut bacterial symbiont of the stinkbug Parastrachia japonensis.

ABSTRACT: The stinkbug Parastrachia japonensis (Hemiptera: Parastrachiidae) is known for its prolonged prereproductive nonfeeding period, maternal care of eggs in an underground nest, and maternal collection and provisioning of food (fruits) for nymphs. A previous study suggested that a bacterial symbiont is involved in uric acid recycling in this insect during the nonfeeding period, but the identity of this symbiont has not been determined. Here we characterized a novel bacterial symbiont obtained from P. japonensis. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA, gyrB, and groEL gene sequences consistently indicated that this symbiont constituted a distinct lineage in the Gammaproteobacteria that has no close relatives but is allied with gut symbionts of acanthosomatid and plataspid stinkbugs,

SUBMITTER: Hosokawa T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2897413 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature