Wolbachia infection and its effects on mitochondrial ND5 gene variation in Aedes albopictus from Shandong Province
4 affiliations
- 1Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Institute of Preventive Medicine, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Monitoring, Early Warning, and Prevention of Infectious Diseases
- 2Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University
- 3School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University
- 4State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Academy of Military Medical Sciences
Abstract
Introduction: Wolbachia , a matrilineally inherited endosymbiont, has the potential to influence host mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diversity through cytoplasmic hitchhiking and selective sweeps. Aedes albopictus naturally harbors Wolbachia , making it an ideal model for studying host-symbiont interactions. However, Wolbachia infection in Shandong Province and its effects on host mitochondrial ND5 gene remain poorly characterized.
Methods: A total of 388 female Ae. albopictus were collected from 16 cities across 5 climatic zones in Shandong. Wolbachia infection was detected using wsp -based typing primers, and geographical distribution and climatic responses were analyzed. ND5 gene was amplified and sequenced. Haplotype networks, phylogenetic trees, and Wolbachia -ND5 association plots were constructed. Correlation analyses, neutrality tests, and AMOVA were performed to assess the associations between Wolbachia infection and ND5 genetic diversity.
Results: The overall Wolbachia infection rate was 92.8%, with coinfection A&B as the dominant type (81.4%), followed by “ w AlbB only” (6.2%) and “ w AlbA only” (5.2%) infections. The infection rate varied notably among cities (61.5–100%) and climatic regions (77.6–98.7%). The overall infection and coinfection rates were negatively correlated with temperature, while the “ w AlbA only” rate was positively correlated with precipitation. A total of 21 ND5 haplotypes, one w AlbA haplotype, and four w AlbB haplotypes were identified. Hap1 and Hap2, the ND5 haplotypes more closely associated to Wolbachia , were predominant and most broadly distributed among populations. Compared with the Wolbachia uninfected group, ND5 nucleotide diversity was reduced in the infected, “ w AlbB only,” and coinfection groups, while haplotype diversity was reduced in the “ w AlbA only” group. Neutrality tests showed significantly negative Tajima’s D and Fu’s Fs for the infected and coinfection groups, suggesting recent population expansion or selective sweeps.
Discussion: This study revealed a high Wolbachia prevalence in Shandong Ae. albopictus , with coinfection A&B dominant and notable regional heterogeneity. The low genetic diversity of both Wolbachia and ND5, combined with reduced diversity in infected groups and significant negative neutrality test values, supported Wolbachia -associated selective sweeps on host mtDNA, although findings for the “ w AlbA only” group should be interpreted cautiously due to low sample size. This study provided opportunities to better understand host-symbiont interactions, showing potential value for vector monitoring and control.
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BibTeX
@article{cai2026wolbachia,
title = {{Wolbachia infection and its effects on mitochondrial ND5 gene variation in Aedes albopictus from Shandong Province}},
author = {Tong Cai and Qiaoyi Liu and Ruoxi Xu and Zu Ma and Wenjie Liu and Yingnan Han and Qintong Sun and Yan Liu and Xinyue Cao and Taoyu Wu and Tongyan Zhao and Liping Yang and Wenkui Sun and Hengduan Zhang and Xuejun Wang},
journal = {Frontiers in Microbiology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fmicb.2026.1943745},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1943745/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Wolbachia infection and its effects on mitochondrial ND5 gene variation in Aedes albopictus from Shandong Province
AU - Tong Cai
AU - Qiaoyi Liu
AU - Ruoxi Xu
AU - Zu Ma
AU - Wenjie Liu
AU - Yingnan Han
AU - Qintong Sun
AU - Yan Liu
AU - Xinyue Cao
AU - Taoyu Wu
AU - Tongyan Zhao
AU - Liping Yang
AU - Wenkui Sun
AU - Hengduan Zhang
AU - Xuejun Wang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/06
JO - Frontiers in Microbiology
DO - 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1943745
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1943745/full
AB - Introduction: Wolbachia , a matrilineally inherited endosymbiont, has the potential to influence host mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diversity through cytoplasmic hitchhiking and selective sweeps. Aedes albopictus naturally harbors Wolbachia , making it an ideal model for studying host-symbiont interactions. However, Wolbachia infection in Shandong Province and its effects on host mitochondrial ND5 gene remain poorly characterized. Methods: A total of 388 female Ae. albopictus were collected from 16 cities across 5 climatic zones in Shandong. Wolbachia infection was detected using wsp -based typing primers, and geographical distribution and climatic responses were analyzed. ND5 gene was amplified and sequenced. Haplotype networks, phylogenetic trees, and Wolbachia -ND5 association plots were constructed. Correlation analyses, neutrality tests, and AMOVA were performed to assess the associations between Wolbachia infection and ND5 genetic diversity. Results: The overall Wolbachia infection rate was 92.8%, with coinfection A&B as the dominant type (81.4%), followed by “ w AlbB only” (6.2%) and “ w AlbA only” (5.2%) infections. The infection rate varied notably among cities (61.5–100%) and climatic regions (77.6–98.7%). The overall infection and coinfection rates were negatively correlated with temperature, while the “ w AlbA only” rate was positively correlated with precipitation. A total of 21 ND5 haplotypes, one w AlbA haplotype, and four w AlbB haplotypes were identified. Hap1 and Hap2, the ND5 haplotypes more closely associated to Wolbachia , were predominant and most broadly distributed among populations. Compared with the Wolbachia uninfected group, ND5 nucleotide diversity was reduced in the infected, “ w AlbB only,” and coinfection groups, while haplotype diversity was reduced in the “ w AlbA only” group. Neutrality tests showed significantly negative Tajima’s D and Fu’s Fs for the infected and coinfection groups, suggesting recent population expansion or selective sweeps. Discussion: This study revealed a high Wolbachia prevalence in Shandong Ae. albopictus , with coinfection A&B dominant and notable regional heterogeneity. The low genetic diversity of both Wolbachia and ND5, combined with reduced diversity in infected groups and significant negative neutrality test values, supported Wolbachia -associated selective sweeps on host mtDNA, although findings for the “ w AlbA only” group should be interpreted cautiously due to low sample size. This study provided opportunities to better understand host-symbiont interactions, showing potential value for vector monitoring and control.
SN - 1664-302X
ER -