Detection and Phylogenetic Affiliation of Wolbachia Endosymbiont from Drosophila Melanogaster (India)

The cellular endosymbiont Wolbachia causes reproductive alterations in arthropod and nematode species. The presence of Wolbachia in natural populations of arthropods is made possible by their ability to manipulate the physiology of their host. This study evaluated the presence of Wolbachia in laboratory populations of Drosophila melanogaster (India). Using PCR based technology, WSP was amplified from D. melanogaster which yielded a 635bp gene. Here we report a different strain of Wolbachia which is placed in phylogenetic position along with the WMel Popcorn strain and Amergiers strain of India with Wolbachia A super group. Thus by comparing our results, the probable phenotype of the new strain of Wolbachia is identified. The information will be valuable in evolutionary studies of the endosymbiont Wolbachia and strain classification. Abbreviations: WSP: Wolbachia Surface Protein PCR: Polymerase Chain Reaction MEGA: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysi