The role of Wolbachia in quill mites
Quill mites (Acari, Syringophilidae) are peculiar bird parasites that live inside the quills of bird feathers. Not much is known about the biology of these arthropods and there are only a few taxonomists worldwide specialised on this taxon. Dr Eliza Glowska from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań is one of these specialists and she has recently discovered Wolbachia symbionts in several quill mite species.
Phylogenetically, Wolbachia in quill mites seem to be very diverse and at least two lineages of Wolbachia in quill mites are distinct from all other strains described so far. In a collaborative project with Dr Glowska, we will investigate the molecular diversity and distribution of quill mite Wolbachia strains based on a comprehensive sample size. Further, we aim at characterising the symbiosis via fluorescence insitu imaging methods and through sequencing of multiple symbiont genomes.
This project is supported by the Sonata 10 scheme of the Polish National Science Centre (NCN 2015/19/D/NZ8/00191) awarded to Dr Eliza Glowska.
Further reading
Glowska E, Dragun-Damian A, Dabert M, Gerth M (2015) New Wolbachia supergroups detected in quill mites (Acari: Syringophilidae). Infection, Genetics and Evolution 30: 140–146.
Glowska E, Filutowska ZK, Dabert M, Gerth M (2020) Microbial composition of enigmatic bird parasites: Wolbachia and Spiroplasma are the most important bacterial associates of quill mites (Acari: Syringophilidae). MicrobiologyOpen: 00:e964.
Interesting article on quill mite biology (via the Smithsonian Insider): insider.si.edu/2014/04/bird-mites-make-quiver-quills/
Phylogenetically, Wolbachia in quill mites seem to be very diverse and at least two lineages of Wolbachia in quill mites are distinct from all other strains described so far. In a collaborative project with Dr Glowska, we will investigate the molecular diversity and distribution of quill mite Wolbachia strains based on a comprehensive sample size. Further, we aim at characterising the symbiosis via fluorescence insitu imaging methods and through sequencing of multiple symbiont genomes.
This project is supported by the Sonata 10 scheme of the Polish National Science Centre (NCN 2015/19/D/NZ8/00191) awarded to Dr Eliza Glowska.
Further reading
Glowska E, Dragun-Damian A, Dabert M, Gerth M (2015) New Wolbachia supergroups detected in quill mites (Acari: Syringophilidae). Infection, Genetics and Evolution 30: 140–146.
Glowska E, Filutowska ZK, Dabert M, Gerth M (2020) Microbial composition of enigmatic bird parasites: Wolbachia and Spiroplasma are the most important bacterial associates of quill mites (Acari: Syringophilidae). MicrobiologyOpen: 00:e964.
Interesting article on quill mite biology (via the Smithsonian Insider): insider.si.edu/2014/04/bird-mites-make-quiver-quills/