wsp gene sequences from the Wolbachia of filarial nematodes

Wolbachia endosymbiotic bacteria are widespread in arthropods and are also present in filarial nematodes. Almost all filarial species so far examined have been found to harbor these endosymbionts. The sequences of only three genes have been published for nematode Wolbachia (i.e., the genes coding fo r the proteins FtsZ and catalase and for 16S rRNA). Here we present the seq uences of the genes coding for the Wolbachia surface protein (WSP) from the endosymbionts of eight species of filaria. Complete gene sequences were ob tained from the endosymbionts of two different species, Dirofilaria immitis and Brugia malayi. These sequences allowed us to design general primers fo r amplification of the wsp gene from the Wolbachia of all filarial species examined. For these species, partial WSP sequences (about 600 base pairs) w ere obtained with these primers. Phylogenetic analysis groups these nematod e wsp sequences into a coherent cluster. Within the nematode cluster, wsp-b ased Wolbachia phylogeny matches a previous phylogeny obtained with frsZ ge ne sequences, with a good consistency of the phylogeny of hosts (nematodes) and symbionts (Wolbachia). In addition, different individuals of the same host species (Dirofilaria immitis and Wuchereria bancrofti) show identical wsp gene sequences.