%0 Journal Article %J Proc Biol Sci %D 1998 %T Widespread occurrence of the micro-organism Wolbachia in ants. %A Wenseleers, T %A Ito, F %A Steven Van Borm %A Huybrechts, R %A Volckaert, F %A Billen, J %K Animals %K ants %K Biological Evolution %K Disorders of Sex Development %K Female %K Male %K polymerase chain reaction %K reproduction %K Rickettsiaceae %K Sex Determination Processes %K Social Behavior %K Species Specificity %X

For more than 20 years, sex allocation in hymenopteran societies has been a major topic in insect sociobiology. A recurring idea was that relatedness asymmetrics arising from their haplodiploid sex determination system would lead to various parent-offspring conflicts over optimal reproduction. A possible weakness of existing theory is that only interests of nuclear genes are properly accounted for. Yet, a diversity of maternally transmitted elements manipulate the reproduction of their host in many solitary arthropod groups. The bacterium Wolbachia is a striking example of such a selfish cytoplasmic element, with effects ranging from reproductive incompatibility between host strains, induction of parthenogenesis and feminization of males. This paper reports on a first PCR-based Wolbachia screening in ants. Out of 50 Indo-Australian species, 50% screened positive for an A-group strain. One of these species also harboured a B-group strain in a double infection. Various factors that might explain the unusually high incidence of Wolbachia in ants are discussed. In general, Wolbachia may represent a widespread and previously unrecognized party active in the conflicts of interest within social insect colonies.

%B Proc Biol Sci %V 265 %P 1447-52 %8 1998 Aug 07 %G eng %N 1404 %1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9721689?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1098/rspb.1998.0456