Abstract
Several wine production areas in Europe are afflicted by "flavescence dorée" (FD), a grape yellows caused by 'Candidatus Phytoplasma vitis', transmitted by the phloem-feeder leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus Ball (Hemiptera Cicadellidae). Symbiotic control of disease transmission, exploiting natural symbionts of the vector, could represent an innovative strategy against FD diffusion. A study was conducted to characterize the microflora associated to S. titanus specimens, collected from FD-contaminated vineyards in the Italian region of Piedmont. By length heterogeneity PCR we identified a major peak associated with almost all the individuals examined. Characterization by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis confirmed the presence of a major band corresponding to sex-ratio-distorting endosymbionts of the 'Candidatus Cardinium hertigii' group; electron microscopy of tissues of S. titanus showed bacterial cells with the typical morphology of 'Ca. Cardinium hertigii' together with cell morphologies resembling those of 'Ca. Phytoplasma vitis'. Our findings suggest that this endosymbiont, named ST1-C, described for the first time in Cicadellidae, is transovarially transmitted and could have a complex life cycle in the insect body; in addition it colocalizes with 'Ca. Phytoplasma vitis' several host tissues. These results make ST1-C an interesting candidate for the symbiotic control of FD diffusion.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 215-216 |
| Number of pages | 2 |
| Journal | Bulletin of Insectology |
| Volume | 61 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2008 |
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Keywords
- Cardinium
- Flavescence dorée phytoplasma
- Scaphoideus titanus
- Symbiotic control
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Insect Science
Cite this
Characterization of the microflora associated to Scaphoideus titanus, the insect vector of the "flavescence dorée". / Marzorati, Massimo; Pajoro, Massimo; Clementi, Emanuela; Brusetti, Lorenzo; Raddadi, Noura; Balloi, Annalisa; Tedeschi, Rosemarie; Corona, Silvia; Quaglino, Fabio; Bianco, Piero Attilio; Bandi, Claudio; Sacchi, Luciano; Alma, Alberto; Daffonchio, Daniele.
In: Bulletin of Insectology, Vol. 61, No. 1, 2008, p. 215-216.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Characterization of the microflora associated to Scaphoideus titanus, the insect vector of the "flavescence dorée"
AU - Marzorati, Massimo
AU - Pajoro, Massimo
AU - Clementi, Emanuela
AU - Brusetti, Lorenzo
AU - Raddadi, Noura
AU - Balloi, Annalisa
AU - Tedeschi, Rosemarie
AU - Corona, Silvia
AU - Quaglino, Fabio
AU - Bianco, Piero Attilio
AU - Bandi, Claudio
AU - Sacchi, Luciano
AU - Alma, Alberto
AU - Daffonchio, Daniele
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Several wine production areas in Europe are afflicted by "flavescence dorée" (FD), a grape yellows caused by 'Candidatus Phytoplasma vitis', transmitted by the phloem-feeder leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus Ball (Hemiptera Cicadellidae). Symbiotic control of disease transmission, exploiting natural symbionts of the vector, could represent an innovative strategy against FD diffusion. A study was conducted to characterize the microflora associated to S. titanus specimens, collected from FD-contaminated vineyards in the Italian region of Piedmont. By length heterogeneity PCR we identified a major peak associated with almost all the individuals examined. Characterization by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis confirmed the presence of a major band corresponding to sex-ratio-distorting endosymbionts of the 'Candidatus Cardinium hertigii' group; electron microscopy of tissues of S. titanus showed bacterial cells with the typical morphology of 'Ca. Cardinium hertigii' together with cell morphologies resembling those of 'Ca. Phytoplasma vitis'. Our findings suggest that this endosymbiont, named ST1-C, described for the first time in Cicadellidae, is transovarially transmitted and could have a complex life cycle in the insect body; in addition it colocalizes with 'Ca. Phytoplasma vitis' several host tissues. These results make ST1-C an interesting candidate for the symbiotic control of FD diffusion.
AB - Several wine production areas in Europe are afflicted by "flavescence dorée" (FD), a grape yellows caused by 'Candidatus Phytoplasma vitis', transmitted by the phloem-feeder leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus Ball (Hemiptera Cicadellidae). Symbiotic control of disease transmission, exploiting natural symbionts of the vector, could represent an innovative strategy against FD diffusion. A study was conducted to characterize the microflora associated to S. titanus specimens, collected from FD-contaminated vineyards in the Italian region of Piedmont. By length heterogeneity PCR we identified a major peak associated with almost all the individuals examined. Characterization by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis confirmed the presence of a major band corresponding to sex-ratio-distorting endosymbionts of the 'Candidatus Cardinium hertigii' group; electron microscopy of tissues of S. titanus showed bacterial cells with the typical morphology of 'Ca. Cardinium hertigii' together with cell morphologies resembling those of 'Ca. Phytoplasma vitis'. Our findings suggest that this endosymbiont, named ST1-C, described for the first time in Cicadellidae, is transovarially transmitted and could have a complex life cycle in the insect body; in addition it colocalizes with 'Ca. Phytoplasma vitis' several host tissues. These results make ST1-C an interesting candidate for the symbiotic control of FD diffusion.
KW - Cardinium
KW - Flavescence dorée phytoplasma
KW - Scaphoideus titanus
KW - Symbiotic control
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77952077545&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77952077545&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77952077545
VL - 61
SP - 215
EP - 216
JO - Bulletin of Insectology
JF - Bulletin of Insectology
SN - 1721-8861
IS - 1
ER -