Biology & Sustainability
Detection of Wolbachia in Numerous Orders of Insects in Central Indiana
Document Type
Poster Presentation
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Subject Area
Biology & Sustainability
Start Date
11-4-2014 8:30 AM
End Date
11-4-2014 9:30 AM
Sponsor
Lawrence Mordan (Franklin College)
Description
Wolbachia is a genus of intracellular bacteria that infects arthropods, including a large number of insects, and some nematodes and crustaceans. Wolbachia affects the sexual reproduction process in four ways: male killing, male feminization, stimulating female parthenogenesis, or killing offspring of uninfected females when a male mate is infected. Thus, Wolbachia can have a profound effect on the evolution of these organisms. The purpose of this research is to collect and identify which insect Orders, in the 33 acres of Hougham Woods Biological Field Station in Franklin, Indiana, are infected with Wolbachia. Previously published reports of Wolbachia in Indiana are limited to laboratory stocks of Drosophila at Indiana University and the University of Notre Dame. This survey includes 72 samples in 14 different insect Orders. DNA was extracted from the abdomen or gonads of each sample and PCR was performed using Wolbachia-specific primers provided by The Wolbachia Project funded by HHMI through the Marine Biological Laboratory. To date, the PCR results have indicated the presence of Wolbachia in samples from 6 of 10 insect Orders. Of special significance is the never before reported detection of Wolbachia in a dragon fly (Order Odonata). Research is continuing to complete the survey of the four remaining Orders of insects sampled and increase the areas sampled.
Detection of Wolbachia in Numerous Orders of Insects in Central Indiana
Indianapolis, IN
Wolbachia is a genus of intracellular bacteria that infects arthropods, including a large number of insects, and some nematodes and crustaceans. Wolbachia affects the sexual reproduction process in four ways: male killing, male feminization, stimulating female parthenogenesis, or killing offspring of uninfected females when a male mate is infected. Thus, Wolbachia can have a profound effect on the evolution of these organisms. The purpose of this research is to collect and identify which insect Orders, in the 33 acres of Hougham Woods Biological Field Station in Franklin, Indiana, are infected with Wolbachia. Previously published reports of Wolbachia in Indiana are limited to laboratory stocks of Drosophila at Indiana University and the University of Notre Dame. This survey includes 72 samples in 14 different insect Orders. DNA was extracted from the abdomen or gonads of each sample and PCR was performed using Wolbachia-specific primers provided by The Wolbachia Project funded by HHMI through the Marine Biological Laboratory. To date, the PCR results have indicated the presence of Wolbachia in samples from 6 of 10 insect Orders. Of special significance is the never before reported detection of Wolbachia in a dragon fly (Order Odonata). Research is continuing to complete the survey of the four remaining Orders of insects sampled and increase the areas sampled.