Masui S, Sasaki T, Ishikawa H
Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Zoolog Sci. 1997 Aug;14(4):701-6. doi: 10.2108/zsj.14.701.
Wolbachia, a member of rickettsia found in the cells of many arthropod species, are cytoplasmically inherited bacteria which interfere with host's sexuality and reproduction. Wolbachia strains have been phylogenetically divided into A and B groups based on the nucleotide sequences of their ftsZ genes. In an attempt to further define the phylogenetical relationship among these endosymbionts, we cloned and sequenced the entire length of the groE operon of a Wolbachia harbored by a cricket. The operon encoded two heat shock proteins, which represented the third and fourth proteins of any Wolbachia ever characterized. Also, 800 bp stretches of the groE operons of several other Wolbachia were sequenced, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the results. The groE tree defined the relationship among A group Wolbachia strains that had not been successfully resolved by the ftsZ tree, and suggested unexpected horizontal transmission of these bacteria.
沃尔巴克氏体是立克次氏体属的成员，存在于许多节肢动物物种的细胞中，是一种细胞质遗传细菌，会干扰宿主的性别和繁殖。基于ftsZ基因的核苷酸序列，沃尔巴克氏体菌株在系统发育上已被分为A组和B组。为了进一步确定这些内共生体之间的系统发育关系，我们克隆并测序了蟋蟀体内携带的一种沃尔巴克氏体groE操纵子的全长。该操纵子编码两种热休克蛋白，这是已鉴定的任何沃尔巴克氏体的第三种和第四种蛋白。此外，还对其他几种沃尔巴克氏体的groE操纵子的800 bp片段进行了测序，并根据结果构建了系统发育树。groE树确定了ftsZ树未能成功解析的A组沃尔巴克氏体菌株之间的关系，并表明这些细菌存在意外的水平转移。
