Global genetic diversity and geographical distribution of Bemisia tabaci and its bacterial endosymbionts

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 14; no. 3; p. e0213946
• Main Authors: Kanakala, Surapathrudu, Ghanim, Murad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 19.03.2019; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Agricultural management; Agriculture; Animals; Bacteria; Bacteria - genetics; Bayes Theorem; Bayesian analysis; Bemisia tabaci; Biodiversity; Biology and Life Sciences; Computer and Information Sciences; Cytochrome; Cytochrome oxidase; Cytochrome oxidase I; Cytochromes; Distribution; Divergence; Ecology and Environmental Sciences; Endosymbionts; Endosymbiosis; Entomology; Genetic aspects; Genetic diversity; Genetic Variation; Genomes; Geographical distribution; Hemiptera - classification; Hemiptera - genetics; Hemiptera - microbiology; Host Microbial Interactions - genetics; Infections; Insect Control; Insecticides; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mitochondria; Oxidases; People and Places; Pest control; Pests; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Population studies; Research and Analysis Methods; RNA; rRNA 16S; rRNA 23S; Species; Species diversity; Strategic planning (Business); Symbionts; Symbiosis - genetics; Viruses; Whiteflies; Wolbachia; Middle East; Asia; China; Africa; Israel; Australia; Tunisia; India
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213946
• ISSN: 1932-6203

Bemisia tabaci is one of the most threatening pests in agriculture, causing significant losses to many important crops on a global scale. The dramatic increase and availability of sequence data for B. tabaci species complex and its bacterial endosymbionts is critical for developing emerging sustainable pest management strategies which are based on pinpointing the global diversity of this important pest and its bacterial endosymbionts. To unravel the global genetic diversity of B. tabaci species complex focusing on its associated endosymbionts, along with Israeli whitefly populations collected in this study, we combined available sequences in databases, resulting in a total of 4,253 mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) sequences from 82 countries and 1,226 16S/23S rRNA endosymbiont sequences from 32 countries that were analyzed. Using Bayesian phylogenetic analysis, we identified two new B. tabaci groups within the species complex and described the global distribution of endosymbionts within this complex. Our analyses revealed complex divergence of the different endosymbiont sequences within the species complex, with overall one Hamiltonella, two Porteria (P1 and P2), two Arsenophonus (A1 and A2), two Wolbachia (super-groups O and B), four Cardinium (C1-C4) and three Rickettsia (R1-R3) groups were identified. Our comprehensive analysis provides an updated important resource for this globally important pest and its secondary symbionts, which have been a major subject for research in last three decades.