Molecular Detection and Characterization of Wolbachia pipientis from Culex quinquefasciatus Collected from Lahore, Pakistan

The gram-negative, pleomorphic endosymbiont Wolbachia is known to infect a large number of insects and other arthropods naturally. This bacterium modifies the host biology, mainly causing reproductive alterations including feminization, death of male, parthenogenesis, and importantly cytoplasmic incompatibility. Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility results in nonviable offspring and vector population suppression. In addition, this bacterium rapidly spreads and propagates within the host population. This study is the first report on Wolbachia detection and characterization from Culex quinquefasciatus collected from Lahore, Pakistan. For this purpose, mosquito adults were collected from different localities of Lahore and identified at the species level. A total of 145 pairs of ovaries were individually subjected to DNA isolation, and polymerase chain reaction amplification of three (wsp, 16S rRNA, and ftsZ) genes were investigated. In all, 128 females were found positive, representing 82.3% infection rate. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the detected endosymbiont had 100% homology with Wolbachia pipientis wPip strain and supergroup B. The detection of the local strain of Wolbachia (wPip) will be useful in investigating its potential for the control of dengue vector (Aedes aegypti) and reducing dengue transmission in Pakistan.