Effects of wolbachia on rDNA-ITS2 variation and evolution in natural populations of Tetranychus urticae Koch

Abstract

In this study, rDNA-ITS2 was sequenced and analyzed to investigate the effect of Wolbachia on the rDNA of four populations of Tetranychus urticae Koch. The result showed that all four populations of T. urticae were infected with two strains of Wolbachia. They are wUrtOri1 (HM486515-HM486517) and wUrtCon1 (HM486518), belonging to the Ori group and Con group of B supergroup, respectively. There was one mutation site among 645 sites for the ITS2 fragments. All the sequenced ITS2 were classified into two haplotypes. The diversity analysis of ITS2 sequences of individuals showed that infection by Wolbachia did not significantly change the diversity of rDNA. A neutrality test using ITS2 indicated that the population of T. urticae has remained stable during evolution and is not off the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. © 2012 Systematic & Applied Acarology Society.