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New spiroplasmas from insects and flowers: isolation, ecology, and host association
T B Clark1, R B Henegar, L Rosen
1Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705.
Abstract:
Eight spiroplasma strains from insects and one from spring flowers failed to react with antisera specific for any of the 11 described spiroplasma groups, with sera directed against spiroplasma Group I subgroups, or with sera directed against two unnumbered groups previously reported to occur in tabanid flies. Strains, all from Maryland, were isolated from the hemolymph of the spotted cucumber beetle Diabrotica undecimpunctata and the lampyrid beetle Ellychnia corrusca, and the guts of the cantharid beetles Cantharis bilineatus and C. carolinus. Other strains were obtained from a tabanid fly, Tabanus gladiator and from the firefly Photuris pennsylvanica in Maryland and from the mosquito Culex tritaeniorhynchus in Taiwan. An isolate from pooled Cicadulina bipunctella leafhoppers in Syria apparently represented a unique group. A single isolate from spring flowers in Oklahoma also appeared to be unrelated to existing groups or subgroups. One-way deformation tests using sera prepared against known beetle and tabanid spiroplasmas showed each of the above strains to be unique. Although these results strongly indicate that the nine strains studied are representatives of unique new spiroplasma groups, the formal designation of new groups awaits fulfillment of recently proposed criteria.
Insights
Nine Spiroplasma strains from insects and flowers did not match known groups. Further testing confirmed these spiroplasma strains represent unique, new groups awaiting formal classification.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Insect Pathology
- Phytopathology
Background:
- Spiroplasma are wall-less bacteria that can cause diseases in plants and insects.
- Existing classification systems group Spiroplasma into distinct serogroups based on antigenic properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize nine Spiroplasma strains isolated from various hosts and geographic locations.
- To determine if these strains belong to previously identified Spiroplasma groups or represent novel taxa.
Main Methods:
- Serological testing using antisera against known Spiroplasma groups and subgroups.
- One-way deformation tests with antisera against beetle and tabanid Spiroplasma.
- Isolation of Spiroplasma from insect hemolymph and guts, and from flower samples.
Main Results:
- None of the eight insect-derived and one flower-derived Spiroplasma strain reacted with antisera for 11 described groups or previously reported unnumbered groups.
- Strains were isolated from diverse hosts including cucumber beetles, fireflies, cantharid beetles, mosquitoes, and leafhoppers.
- One-way deformation tests indicated each strain was antigenically unique, suggesting they are distinct from known Spiroplasma.
Conclusions:
- The nine studied Spiroplasma strains appear to represent unique, new groups.
- Formal designation of these new Spiroplasma groups requires adherence to recently proposed criteria.