Detection of the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia and determination of super groups present within New Zealand invertebrates : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Zoology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| dc.contributor.author | Bridgeman, Benjamin James | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-10-19T22:56:23Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-10-19T22:56:23Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2016 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Wolbachia is one of the most widespread intracellular bacterium on earth, estimated to infect between 40 and 66% of arthropod species. Where significantly screened for, there is virtually no ecosystem that Wolbachia has not managed to invade. Their impact does not come solely from their vast distribution but in their ability to modify their hosts reproductive biology. Wolbachia is a maternally inherited endosymbiont that can induce a range of host phenotypic responses, including cytoplasmic incompatibility, male death, feminization, and parthenogenesis. This holds high potential for influencing genetic diversity and speciation of its host. Wolbachia has yet to be formally identified in New Zealand native invertebrates and therefore a gap remains in the global understanding of Wolbachia distribution and diversity. The first aim of this thesis (Chapter 2) was to determine if the use of high throughput sequencing (HTS) of invertebrates could be used to identify Wolbachia sequences and establish a Wolbachia infection. seven HTS produced a positive indication for Wolbachia sequences, with six samples originating from native New Zealand invertebrate hosts. Once Wolbachia was detected the second aim (Chapter 2) was to determine which super group the Wolbachia strains detected fall into. Comparing New Zealand Wolbachia sequences to sequences obtained from GenBank, it was determined that there were two distinct strains of Wolbachia in New Zealand hosts. One strain was related to Wolbachia super group A and the other matched Wolbachia super group B. Wolbachia had now been detected in New Zealand, the next aim (Chapter 3) was to determine the presence and distribution of Wolbachia across New Zealand and across a number of native invertebrates. Wolbachia was detected in both of the main islands of New Zealand across a number of species or putative species of ground and cave weta. The final aim of this thesis was to determine the diversity of the Wolbachia detected and compare that to the diversity of the ground weta complex Hemiandrus maculifrons to determine if there was any evidence for Wolbachia affecting the genetic diversity of its host (Chapter 4). It was observed that H. maculifrons complex was infected with both strains of Wolbachia detected in New Zealand invertebrates. There was however not enough resolution to determine if Wolbachia has had a significant effect on the diversity and speciation of the ground weta host. | en |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10179/16685 | |
| dc.identifier.wikidata | Q111965532 | |
| dc.identifier.wikidata-uri | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111965532 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en |
| dc.publisher | Massey University | en |
| dc.rights | The Author | en |
| dc.subject.anzsrc | 310704 Microbial genetics | en |
| dc.title | Detection of the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia and determination of super groups present within New Zealand invertebrates : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Zoology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand | en |
| dc.type | Thesis | en |
| massey.contributor.author | Bridgeman, Benjamin | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Zoology | en |
| thesis.degree.level | Masters | en |
| thesis.degree.name | Master of Science (MSc) | en |