Selective and stable elimination of endosymbionts from multiple ‐infected whitefly Bemisia tabaci by feeding on a cotton plant cultured in antibiotic solutions

In this study, we treatedHamiltonella‐infectedB. tabaci line,Hamiltonella‐Rickettsia‐co‐infected line andHamiltonella‐Cardinium co ‐infected line by feedingB. tabaci adults with cotton plants cultured in water containing rifampicin, ampicillin or a mixture of them, aiming to selectively curing symbiont infections and establishing stable symbiont ‐free lines. We found ampicillin selectively eliminatedCardinium without affectingPortiera,Hamiltonella andRickettsia, although they coexisted in the same host body. Meanwhile, all of the symbionts considered in our study can be removed by rifampicin. The reduction of facultative symbionts occurred at a much quicker pace than obligate symbiontPortiera during rifampicin treatment. Also, we measured the stability of symbiont elimination in whitefly successive generations and establishedRickettsia‐infected andCardinium‐infected lines which are absent in natural populations. Our results provide new protocols for selective elimination of symbionts co‐existing in a host and establishment of different symbiont‐infected host lines.
Source: Insect Science - Category: Biology Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research