Transmission, Tropism, and Biological Impacts of Torix <i>Rickettsia</i> in the Common Bed Bug <i>Cimex lectularius</i> (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)



Thongprem, Panupong ORCID: 0000-0001-6542-235X, Evison, Sophie EF, Hurst, Gregory DD ORCID: 0000-0002-7163-7784 and Otti, Oliver
(2020) Transmission, Tropism, and Biological Impacts of Torix <i>Rickettsia</i> in the Common Bed Bug <i>Cimex lectularius</i> (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, 11. 608763-.

Access the full-text of this item by clicking on the Open Access link.

Abstract

The torix group of <i>Rickettsia</i> have been recorded from a wide assemblage of invertebrates, but details of transmission and biological impacts on the host have rarely been established. The common bed bug <i>(Cimex lectularius)</i> is a hemipteran insect which lives as an obligatory hematophagous pest of humans and is host to a primary <i>Wolbachia</i> symbiont and two facultative symbionts, a BEV-like symbiont, and a torix group <i>Rickettsia</i>. In this study, we first note the presence of a single <i>Rickettsia</i> strain in multiple laboratory bed bug isolates derived from Europe and Africa. Importantly, we discovered that the <i>Rickettsia</i> has segregated in two laboratory strains, providing infected and uninfected isogenic lines for study. Crosses with these lines established transmission was purely maternal. Fluorescence <i>in-situ</i> hybridization analysis indicates <i>Rickettsia</i> infection in oocytes, bacteriomes, and other somatic tissues. We found no evidence that <i>Rickettsia</i> infection was associated with sex ratio distortion activity, but <i>Rickettsia</i> infected individuals developed from first instar to adult more slowly. The impact of <i>Rickettsia</i> on fecundity and fertility resulted in infected females producing fewer fertile eggs. However, we could not find any evidence for cytoplasmic incompatibility associated with <i>Rickettsia</i> presence. These data imply the existence of an unknown benefit to <i>C. lectularius</i> carrying <i>Rickettsia</i> that awaits further research.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: torix Rickettsia, Cimex lectularius, endosymbiont, maternal inheritance, symbiosis
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 26 Apr 2021 09:17
Last Modified: 14 Oct 2023 21:48
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.608763
Open Access URL: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb...
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3120314