PHYLOGENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF 2 TRANSOVARIALLY TRANSMITTED ENDOSYMBIONTS OF THE BEDBUG CIMEX-LECTULARIUS (HETEROPTERA, CIMICIDAE)

Two different inherited bacterial symbionts from ovary tissue of the b edbug Cimex lectularius were characterized by gene amplification and s equencing analysis of their 16S rDNA gene. The first bacterium belongs to the Wolbachia subgroup of the alpha-Proteobacteria, the second is a member of the gamma-subdivision, and is closely related to the bacte rial parasite of the leafhopper Euscelidius variegatus (BEV) which was shown to be capable of transovarial transmission. The high similarity (>97%) between the C. lectularius symbiont and BEV indicates that the se two microorganisms belong to the same lineage and share the ability to invade distant insect hosts to fulfill their symbiotic functions a nd to establish transovarial transmission to future generations.