Recombination in Wolbachia

Wolbachia are widely distributed intracellular bacteria that cause a number of reproductive alterations in their eukaryotic hosts. Such alterations in clude the induction of parthenogenesis, feminization, cytoplasmic incompati bility, and male killing [1-11]. These important bacteria may play a role i n rapid speciation in insects [12-14], and there is growing interest in the ir potential uses as tools for biological control and genetic manipulation of pests and disease vectors [15-16]. Here, we show recombination in the Wo lbachia outer surface protein gene (wsp) between strains of Wolbachia. In a ddition, we find a possible ecological context for this recombination. Evid ence indicates either genetic exchange between Wolbachia in a parasitoid wa sp and in the fly that it parasitizes or horizontal transfer of Wolbachia b etween the parasitoid and the fly, followed by a recombination event. Resul ts have important implications for the evolution of these bacteria and the potential use of Wolbachia in biological control.