Variability of mitochondrial gene COI and Wolbachia infection in popupation samples of the Anastrepha fraterculus complex (Diptera, Tephritidae) in the Neotropical Region

• Grant number: 10/52040-8
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: February 01, 2011 - July 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal researcher: Denise Selivon Scheepmaker
• Grantee: Denise Selivon Scheepmaker
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Genus Anastrepha of the tefritid fruit flies is endemic of the Neotropical Region and congregates some species that are considered of economic importance since they infest fruits of commercial value. Among these species the nominal Anastrepha fraterculus occurs from southern USA to central-north of Argentina. This species actually represent a complex of cryptic species, the fraterculus complex, whose biological entities only recently is being characterized. Phylogenetic studies employing several molecular markers, like nuclear and mitochondrial genes, showed that the complex is paraphyletic. On the other hand, it has been shown that species of the complex are infected by the bacteria endosymbionte Wolbachia. Studies on several insects showed that the presence of Wolbachia cause a decrease in the variability of mitochondrial genes since the mitochondria is transmitted together with the bacteria by the egg cytoplasm. In a given infected population occurs an association of the Wolbachia genome prevalent in that population with some of the host mitochondrial haplotype causing a sweep of others mitochondrial haplotype, a situation that may interfer with phylogenetic inferences. The present project proposes a correlated study of variability of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene (COI) with the analysis of the infection status of Wolbachia in population samples of the fraterculus complex in Brazil and in areas of Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PREZOTTO, LEANDRO F.; PERONDINI, ANDRE L. P.; HERNANDEZ-ORTIZ, VICENTE; MARINO, CELSO L.; SELIVON, DENISE. Wolbachia strains in cryptic species of the Anastrepha fraterculus complex (Diptera, Tephritidae) along the Neotropical Region. Systematic and Applied Microbiology, v. 40, n. 1, p. 59-67, JAN 2017. (10/52040-8)