ABSTRACT
The genome of “
Candidatus
Portiera aleyrodidarum,” the primary endosymbiont of the whitefly
Bemisia tabaci
(Mediterranean species), is reported. It presents a reduced genome (357 kb) encoding the capability to synthetize, or participate in the synthesis of, several amino acids and carotenoids, being the first insect endosymbiont capable of supplying carotenoids.
ABSTRACT
The sequence of the genome of “
Candidatus
Tremblaya princeps” strain PCVAL, the primary endosymbiont of the citrus mealybug
Planococcus citri
, has been determined. “
Ca
. Tremblaya princeps” presents an unusual nested endosymbiosis and harbors a gammaproteobacterial symbiont within its cytoplasm in all analyzed mealybugs. The genome sequence reveals that “
Ca
. Tremblaya princeps” cannot be considered an independent organism but that the consortium with its gammaproteobacterial symbiotic associate represents a new composite living being.
ABSTRACT
Buchnera aphidicola
BCc, the primary endosymbiont of the aphid
Cinara cedri
(subfamily Lachninae), is losing its symbiotic capacity and might be replaced by the coresident “
Candidatus
Serratia symbiotica.” Phylogenetic and morphological analyses within the subfamily Lachninae indicate two different “
Ca
. Serratia symbiotica” lineages and support the longtime coevolution of both symbionts in
C. cedri
.