The biogeographic patterns of the olive fly and its primary symbiont Candidatus Erwinia dacicola across the distribution area of the olive tree

Martinez-Sañudo, I., Perotti, M. A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3769-7126, Carofano, I., Santoiemma, G., Marri, L. and Mazzon, L. (2024) The biogeographic patterns of the olive fly and its primary symbiont Candidatus Erwinia dacicola across the distribution area of the olive tree. Scientific Reports, 14. 22483. ISSN 2045-2322 doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-73055-x

Abstract/Summary

The olive fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi, 1790), is the major insect pest of olives attacking both cultivated and wild olive. B. oleae carries a primary and vertically transmitted symbiont, the bacterium Candidatus Erwinia dacicola. As any primary symbiont it is essential for the reproduction and lifespan of the fly. The genetic 16S rRNA diversity of the primary symbiont and the mitochondrial haplotype variation of the insect host were simultaneously examined in 54 olive fly populations. The aim was to unravel the biogeographic patterns of this economically relevant host-bacteria interaction across a wide distribution area. Three symbiont haplotypes were identified. The primary symbiont showed a lower haplotype diversity than that of its host, a characteristic indicative of a long-term interaction. A significant genetic and geographic association between host and primary symbiont was observed, with an East-West genetic differentiation pattern in the Mediterranean basin, coinciding with the historical genetic distribution of the olive tree. The study shows promise, informing and aiding the development of future tools for the control of the olive fly.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/118535
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Biological Sciences > Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Publisher	Nature Publishing Group
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