Candidatus Cardinium

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Fig. 1. Electron micrographs of ‘Candidatus Cardinium’ in ovaries of Encarsia parasitoid wasps. (a) Bacteria in a follicle cell of E. hispida. (b–d) Bacteria in sexual E. pergandiella nurse cells. (e) Bacteria in an E. hispida oocyte. Arrowheads point to MLSs; l, lipid-filled vacuoles in the oocyte; m, mitochondrion; p, protein. Bars, 0·25 µm.

Classification

Domain (Bacteria); Super Phylum (Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi group); Phylum (Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides); Class (Bacteroidetes); Order (Bacteroidales); Family (Bacteroidaceae); Genus (Candidatus Cardinium)

Species

Candidatus Cardinium

Description and Significance

‘Candidatus Cardinium’ is a bacterium from the Bacteriodetes group. It is involved in reproduction alterations of arthropod host organisms including cytoplasmic incompatibility, parthenogenesis, and feminization.

This bacterium is often located within the reproductive tissues of the host. It is often found with other arthropod-associated Bacteroidetes that alter host biology. Distantly related hosts can harbor closely related Cardinium. Closely related Cardinium also tend to cluster with closely related hosts.

Genome Structure

‘Candidatus Cardinium’ has linear 1364 bp DNA sequence.

Ecology and Pathogenesis

This bacteria is located within the reproductive tissues of the host organism. Commonly found in arthropods. Often transmitted from mother to daughter.‘Candidatus Cardinium' has the capacity to feminize the host organism. Feminization can be functional or genetic alone. In some cases, it has been shown to increase fecundity of the female host. This endosymbiont does not appear to have a negative effect on the host. It has been hypothesized that it confers a slight insectiside resistance to the host.

References

[1] Zchori-Fein, E, S. Perlman, S. Kelly, N. Katzir, M, Hunter. "Characterization of a ‘Bacteroidetes’ symbiont in Encarsia wasps (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae): proposal of ‘Candidatus Cardinium hertigii’ ". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 2004. Volume 54. p. 961-968. [2] Kenyon, S, S. Hunter, M. "Manipulation of oviposition choice of the parasitoid wasp, Encarsia pergandiella, by the endosymbiotic bacterium Cardinium ". European Society for Evolutionary Biology. 2006. Volume 20. p. 707-716. [3] Zchori-Fein, E, S. Perlman. "Distribution of the bacterial symbiont Cardinium in arthropods.". Molecular Ecology. 2004. Volume 13. p. 2009-16.

Author

Page authored by Benjamin Lowe & Brian Lovett, students of Prof. Jay Lennon at Michigan State University.

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