The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a major holarctic pest of solanaceous crops. Presumably, this insect spread from Solanum species in central America to the Mexican plateau, and this was followed by multiple invasions of North America and Europe. Attempts are being made to control this beetle by using a genetically modified spiroplasma that occurs naturally in its gut. In the current study, spiroplasmas isolated from beetles collected in North America and Poland exhibited serologic (spiroplasma motility inhibition test) and genomic (restriction fragment length polymorphism) profiles that suggest that there were multiple spiroplasma introductions. Two serovars were identified; one is found in northern North America and at high elevations in Poland, and the other is found in southern North America and at low elevations in Poland. The patterns of genovar distribution coincide with the serovar patterns. The existence of such biovars—intraspecific taxal units reflected by serologic and genomic differences—should be taken into consideration when taxonomies are developed and strains are chosen for biocontrol.
Azeredo-EspinA. M. L.,
SchroderR. F. W.,
HuettelM. D.,
SheppardW. S.1991; Mitochondrial DNA variationin geographic populations of Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae). Experientia 47:483–485
Azeredo-EspinA. M. L.,
SchroderR. F. W.,
RoderickG. K.,
SheppardW. S.1996; Intraspecific mitochondrial DNA variation in the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Biochem. Genet. 34:253–268
ClarkH. F.,
RourkeL. B.1979; Spiroplasmas of tick origin and their pathogenicity. 155–174WhitcombR. F.,
TullyJ. G.The mycoplasmasIII Academic Press; New York, N.Y.:
ForgashA. J.1981; Insecticide resistance of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say). 34–46LashombJ. H.,
CasagrandeR.Advances in potato pest management Hutchison Ross; New York, N.Y.:
GasparichG. E.,
HackettK. J.,
ClarkE. A.,
RenaudinJ.,
WhitcombR. F.1993; Occurrence of extrachromosomal deoxyribonucleic acids in spiroplasmas associated with plants, insects, and ticks. Plasmid 29:81–93
HackettK. J.,
HenegarR. B.,
WhitcombR. F.,
LynnD. E.,
KonaiM.,
SchroderR. F.,
GasparichG. E.,
VaughnJ. L.,
CanteloW. W.1992; Distribution and biological control significance of Colorado potato beetle spiroplasmas in North America. Biol. Control 2:218–225
HareJ. D.,
KennedyG. G.1986; Genetic variation in plant-insect associations: survival of Leptinotarsa decemlineata populations on Solanum carolinense. Evolution 40:1031–1043
HsiaoT. H.1985; Ecophysiological and genetic aspects of geographic variations of the Colorado potato beetle. 63–77FerroD. N.,
VossR. H.Proceedings of Symposium on the Colorado Potato Beetle, XVIIth International Congress of Entomology. Agricultural Experiment Station Research Bulletin 704 University of Massachusetts; Amherst:
LuW.,
LoganP.1994; Genetic variation in oviposition between and within populations of Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 87:634–640
SambrookJ.,
FritschE. F.,
ManiatisT.1989Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual, 2nd ed.. I to III Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.:
TauberM. J.,
TauberC. A.,
ObryckiJ. J.,
GollandsB.,
WrightR. J.1988; Geographical variation in response to photoperiod and temperature by Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) during and after dormancy. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 81:764–773
TullyJ. G.1989; Class Mollicutes: new perspectives from plant and arthropod studies. 1–31WhitcombR. F.,
TullyJ. G.The mycoplasmasV Academic Press; New York, N.Y.:
TullyJ. G.,
RoseD. L.,
CarleP.,
BovéJ. M.,
HenegarR. B.,
WhitcombR. F.,
ColfleshD. E.,
WilliamsonD. L.1987; Revised group classification of the genus Spiroplasma (class Mollicutes), with proposed new groups XII to XXIII. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 37:357–364
WhitcombR. F.,
BovéJ. M.,
ChenT. A.,
TullyJ. G.,
WilliamsonD. L.1987; Proposed criteria for an interim serogroup classification for members of the genus Spiroplasma (class Mollicutes). Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 37:82–84
WhitcombR. F.,
HackettK. J.,
TullyJ. G.,
ClarkE. A.,
FrenchF. E.,
HenegarR. B.,
RoseD. L.,
WagnerA. S.1990; Tabanid spiroplasmas as a model for mollicute biogeography. Zentralbl. Bakteriol. Suppl. 20:931–933
WilliamsonD. L.,
TullyJ. G.,
WhitcombR. F.1979; Serological relationships of spiroplasmas as shown by combined deformation and metabolism inhibition tests. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 29:345–351
YeF.,
RenaudinJ.,
BovéJ.-M.,
LaigretF.1994; Cloning and sequencing of the replication origin (oriC) of the Spiroplasma citri chromosome and construction of autonomously replicating artificial plasmids. Curr. Microbiol. 29:23–29