See the published version of this article at BMC Microbiology.
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Research article
Anne Duplouy
Helsingin Yliopisto
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7147-5199
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Microbiology.
Background
Phylogenetically closely related strains of maternally inherited endosymbiotic bacteria are often found in phylogenetically divergent, and geographically distant insect host species. The interspecies transfer of the symbiont Wolbachia has been thought to have occurred repeatedly, facilitating its observed global pandemic. Few ecological interactions have been proposed as potential routes for the horizontal transfer of Wolbachia within natural insect communities. These routes are however likely to act only at the local scale, but how they may support the global distribution of some Wolbachia strains remains unclear.
Results
Here, we characterize the Wolbachia diversity in butterflies from the tropical forest regions of central Africa to discuss transfer at both local and global scales. We show that numerous species from both the Mylothris (family Pieridae) and Bicyclus (family Nymphalidae) butterfly genera are infected with similar Wolbachia strains, this despite only minor interclade contacts across the life cycles of the species within their partially overlapping ecological niches. The phylogenetic distance and differences in resource use between these genera rule out the role of ancestry, hybridization, and shared host-plants in the interspecies transfer of the symbiont. Furthermore, we could not identify any shared ecological factors to explain the presence of the strains in other arthropod species from other habitats, or even ecoregions.
Conclusion
Only the systematic surveys of the Wolbachia strains from entire species communities may offer the material currently lacking for understanding how Wolbachia may transfer between highly different and unrelated hosts, as well as across environmental scales.
Keywords
Symbiosis, Vertical transmission, Horizontal transfer, Phylogeny, Lepidoptera, Interspecific interactions
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
Published
On 20 Oct, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 13 Oct, 2020
Editor assigned
On 05 Oct, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 04 Oct, 2020
Editor invited
On 04 Oct, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 30 Sep, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 27 Sep, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 27 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 10 Sep, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 10 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 10 Sep, 2020
Editor assigned
On 08 Sep, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 07 Sep, 2020
Editor invited
On 07 Sep, 2020
Version 1
Posted 20 Jul, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 27 Aug, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 19 Aug, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 17 Aug, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 15 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 31 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 30 Jul, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 28 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 28 Jul, 2020
Editor assigned
On 16 Jul, 2020
First submitted
On 15 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 15 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 15 Jul, 2020
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Microbiology. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Anne Duplouy
Helsingin Yliopisto
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7147-5199
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
Published
On 20 Oct, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 13 Oct, 2020
Editor assigned
On 05 Oct, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 04 Oct, 2020
Editor invited
On 04 Oct, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 30 Sep, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 27 Sep, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 27 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 10 Sep, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 10 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 10 Sep, 2020
Editor assigned
On 08 Sep, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 07 Sep, 2020
Editor invited
On 07 Sep, 2020
Version 1
Posted 20 Jul, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 27 Aug, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 19 Aug, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 17 Aug, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 15 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 31 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 30 Jul, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 28 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 28 Jul, 2020
Editor assigned
On 16 Jul, 2020
First submitted
On 15 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 15 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 15 Jul, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Microbiology.
Background
Phylogenetically closely related strains of maternally inherited endosymbiotic bacteria are often found in phylogenetically divergent, and geographically distant insect host species. The interspecies transfer of the symbiont Wolbachia has been thought to have occurred repeatedly, facilitating its observed global pandemic. Few ecological interactions have been proposed as potential routes for the horizontal transfer of Wolbachia within natural insect communities. These routes are however likely to act only at the local scale, but how they may support the global distribution of some Wolbachia strains remains unclear.
Results
Here, we characterize the Wolbachia diversity in butterflies from the tropical forest regions of central Africa to discuss transfer at both local and global scales. We show that numerous species from both the Mylothris (family Pieridae) and Bicyclus (family Nymphalidae) butterfly genera are infected with similar Wolbachia strains, this despite only minor interclade contacts across the life cycles of the species within their partially overlapping ecological niches. The phylogenetic distance and differences in resource use between these genera rule out the role of ancestry, hybridization, and shared host-plants in the interspecies transfer of the symbiont. Furthermore, we could not identify any shared ecological factors to explain the presence of the strains in other arthropod species from other habitats, or even ecoregions.
Conclusion
Only the systematic surveys of the Wolbachia strains from entire species communities may offer the material currently lacking for understanding how Wolbachia may transfer between highly different and unrelated hosts, as well as across environmental scales.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
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