Molecular survey of endosymbiotic bacteria in the honeybee ectoparasite Varroa destructor in Türkiye

Abstract

Varroa destructor is recognized as the predominant ectoparasite affecting Western honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) globally, representing a significant threat to the sustainability of bee colonies. The bacterial community of the digestive system and body tissues of Varroa mites has been documented in previous studies, however, the diversity and prevalence of detected endosymbiotic bacteria remain limited. In this study, the existence of four commonly found endosymbiotic bacteria including Wolbachia, Cardinium, Spiroplasma, and Rickettsia was investigated in various Varroa mite populations collected from Turkish apiaries. Almost half of the sampled population was infected with at least one endosymbiotic bacteria. Wolbachia endosymbiont was detected as the most prevalent genus, observed in six populations followed by Cardinium present in three populations. Furthermore, Spiroplasma and Rickettsia endosymbionts were each detected in one sample. To our knowledge, this study provides the first molecular characterization of Cardinium endosymbionts in V. destructor. The identity of 16S rDNA sequences of Cardinium was 98.9% of the sequence of Cardinium reported from another mite species, Brevipalpus papayensis, in the NCBI database. The study contributes new insights into the endosymbiotic bacterial community of Varroa mites. Understanding the diversity and prevalence of endosymbiotic bacteria in Varroa mites could facilitate the development of targeted management strategies to control Varroa infestations and improve honeybee health.

Keywords

• Varroa destructor
• Endosymbiotic bacteria
• Candidatus Cardinium
• 16S rDNA

Ethical Statement

Not applicable.

Türkiye’de bal arısı ektoparaziti Varroa destructor’un endosimbiyotik bakterilerinin moleküler araştırması

Abstract

Varroa destructor, dünya genelinde bal arılarının (Apis mellifera L.) bir ektoparazit olarak kabul edilmekte ve arı kolonilerinin sürdürülebilirliği için ciddi bir tehdit oluşturmaktadır. Varroa akarlarının sindirim sistemi ve vücut dokularındaki bakteri topluluğu daha önceki çalışmalarda büyük ölçüde ortaya çıkarılmış olsa da, tespit edilen endosimbiyotik bakterilerin çeşitliliği ve yaygınlığı oldukça sınırlı kalmıştır. Bu çalışmada, Türkiye arıcılık kovanlarından toplanan çeşitli Varroa popülasyonlarında yaygın bulunan dört endosimbiyotik bakterinin (Wolbachia, Cardinium, Spiroplasma ve Rickettsia) varlığı araştırılmıştır. Örneklenen popülasyonların neredeyse yarısı en az bir endosimbiyotik bakteri ile enfekte bulunmuştur. Wolbachia endosimbiyotik bakterisi, altı popülasyonda tespit edilerek en yaygın cins olarak kaydedilmiş ve ardından üç popülasyonda bulunan Cardinium yer almıştır. Ayrıca, Spiroplasma ve Rickettsia endosimbiyotik bakterileri her biri bir örnekte tespit edilmiştir. Bu çalışma, Cardinium endosimbiyotik bakterisinin V. destructor’de ilk moleküler karakterizasyonunu sunmaktadır. Elde edilen 16S rDNA dizileri, NCBI veritabanında bulunan Brevipalpus papayensis'ten rapor edilen Cardinium dizisi ile %98.9'u ile benzerlik göstermektedir. Bu çalışma, Varroa akarlarında tespit edilen endosimbiyotik bakteri çeşitliliğinin genişlemesine katkı sunmaktadır. Varroa akarlarında bulunan endosimbiyotik bakterilerin çeşitliliği ve yaygınlığını anlamak, Varroa enfestasyonlarını kontrol etmek ve arı sağlığını iyileştirmek için hedefe yönelik kontrol stratejilerinin geliştirilmesine katkı sağlayacaktır.

Keywords

• Varroa destructor
• Endosimbiyotik bakteri
• Candidatus Cardinium
• 16S rDNA

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