Arsenophonus nasoniae and Rickettsiae Infection of Ixodes ricinus Due to Parasitic Wasp Ixodiphagus hookeri

PLoS One. 2016 Feb 22;11(2):e0149950. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149950. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Arsenophonus nasoniae, a male-killing endosymbiont of chalcid wasps, was recently detected in several hard tick species. Following the hypothesis that its presence in ticks may not be linked to the direct occurrence of bacteria in tick's organs, we identified A. nasoniae in wasps emerging from parasitised nymphs. We confirmed that 28.1% of Ixodiphagus hookeri wasps parasitizing Ixodes ricinus ticks were infected by A. nasoniae. Moreover, in examined I. ricinus nymphs, A. nasoniae was detected only in those, which were parasitized by the wasp. However, in part of the adult wasps as well as in some ticks that contained wasp's DNA, we did not confirm A. nasoniae. We also found, that in spite of reported male-killing, some newly emerged adult wasp males were also infected by A. nasoniae. Additionally, we amplified the DNA of Rickettsia helvetica and Rickettsia monacensis (known to be Ixodes ricinus-associated bacteria) in adult parasitoid wasps. This may be related either with the digested bacterial DNA in wasp body lumen or with a role of wasps in circulation of rickettsiae among tick vectors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Ixodes / microbiology*
  • Ixodidae / microbiology
  • Male
  • Nymph / microbiology
  • Rickettsia / physiology*
  • Wasps / microbiology*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by APVV-0280-12 from Slovak Research and Development Agency, VEGA Nos. 2/0005/15 from the Scientific Grant Agency of Ministry of Education and Slovak Academy of Sciences, by EU grant FP7-261504 EDENext and "Fondation - IHU Méditerranée Infection."