PCR screening of the Wolbachia in some arthropods and nematodes in Khuzestan province

ABSTRACT

Wolbachia is an obligatory, intracellular alpha-proteobacterium which infect the reproductive and somatic tissues of some arthropod and nematode populations. Because there are not any available data on the presence of this bacterium in Iran, the present study was done to determine the presence of this bacterium among 30 species of arthropods and nematodes. After DNA extraction from samples, we screened Wolbachia spp. with specific primers using PCR method. A total of 770 arthropods [of 22 genera] and 41 nematodes [of 6 genera] were screened for Wolbachia. Overall 167 arthropod samples [18 colonies] from 7 genera and 1 nematode sample were found positive. Positive PCR products of 16S rDNA gene were digested with RsaI restriction enzyme and the types of Wolbachia were recognized as A supergroup of Wolbachia