The heritable endosymbiotic bacterium Spiroplasma is found in the harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis. The proportion of beetles infected with Spiroplasma in different native H. axyridis populations varies from 2% to 49%. We investigated the polymorphism of Spiroplasma strains in samples from individual beetles from Kyoto, Vladivostok, Troitsa Bay, Novosibirsk, and Gorno-Altaisk. To identify Spiroplasma strains, we analyzed nucleotide polymorphisms of the 16S rRNA gene and the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS1). The majority of infected beetles were infected with two or more Spiroplasma strains. We measured Spiroplasma density in beetles with different infection status using quantitative PCR. The abundance of Spiroplasma in samples with a single infection is an order of magnitude lower than in samples with multiple infections. Density dependent biological effects of Spiroplasma are discussed.

Aphids are a diverse family of crop pests. Aphids formed a complex relationship with intracellular bacteria. Depending on the region of study, the species composition of both aphids and their facultative endosymbionts varies. The aim of the work was to determine the occurrence and genetic diversity of Wolbachia, Spiroplasma and Rickettsia symbionts in aphids collected in 2018–2019 in Moscow. For these purposes, 578 aphids from 32 collection sites were tested by PCR using specific primers. At least 21 species of aphids from 14 genera and four families were identified by barcoding method, of which 11 species were infected with endosymbionts. Rickettsia was found in six species, Wolbachia in two species, Spiroplasma in one species. The presence of Rickettsia in Impatientinum asiaticum, Myzus cerasi, Hyalopterus pruni, Eucallipterus tiliae, Chaitophorus tremulae and Wolbachia in Aphis pomi and C. tremulae has been described for the first time. A double infection with Rickettsia and Spiroplasma was detected in a half of pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) individuals. For the first time was found that six species of aphids are infected with Rickettsia that are genetically different from previously known. It was first discovered that A. pomi is infected with two Wolbachia strains, one of which belongs to supergroup B and is genetically close to Wolbachia from C. tremulae. The second Wolbachia strain from A. pomi belongs to the supergroup M, recently described in aphid species. Spiroplasma, which we observed in A. pisum, is genetically close to male killing Spiroplasma from aphids, ladybirds and moths. Both maternal inheritance and horizontal transmission are the pathways for the distribution of facultative endosymbiotic bacteria in aphids.

Parasitoids, which constitute about 25% of all insects and attack arthropods of virtually all taxa, are considered the most suitable vectors for horizontal transmission of the symbiotic bacterium Wolbachia among insects. The parasitoids studied in this article develop in the larvae and pupae of ladybirds. For the rst time, Wolbachia was found in parasitic wasp species of the genus Homalotylus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and from the subfamily Tetrastichinae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). To characterize the Wolbachia strains, six bacterial housekeeping genes were examined and compared with previously published Wolbachia gene sequences. The same bacterial strains were found in all individuals of each species of parasitic wasps collected in different places and at different times, which indicates the absence of contamination and testi es to the heritability of the symbionts in the studied chalcids. No evidence was found that the parasitic wasps were infected with Wolbachia , identical to the symbionts of their ladybirds hosts. We found one Wolbachia strain, w Hom-2, which is a product of bacterial recombination from unrelated insects, including ladybirds. The lack of correspondence between the molecular phylogenies of Wolbachia strains and mithochondrial DNA of their hosts indicate horizontal transfers of Wolbachia among parasitic wasps of the genus Homalotylus and from the subfamily Tetrastichinae.

В настоящей публикации представлены результаты исследования влияния контаминирования сырья биоматериалом Harmonia axyridis на качество столовых виноматериалов. В Республике Крым H. axyridis идентифицировали в 2013 году, она стала активно распространяться по всему полуострову и ежегодно наращивать свою численность. При этом повышается риск контаминации продукции виноградарства, и как следствие - снижение качества винопродукции. Установлено, что искусственное заражение мезги (виноград сорта Каберне-Совиньон) или сусла (виноград сорта Ркацители) биоматериалом H. axyridis в дозах, соответственно, 4-150 и 5-80 имаго на 10 кг не оказало влияния на количественное содержание этилового спирта, остаточных сахаров и титруемых кислот, а также величину рН в столовых сухих виноматериалах. Отмечено, что белые виноматериалы, полученные из контаминированного биоматериалом H. axyridis сырья, по сравнению с контрольными образцами характеризовались повышенной (в 1,6 раза) концентрацией летучих кислот, красные - меньшим (на 8 %) содержанием фенольных веществ. Установлено, что внесение в мезгу перед брожением раздавленных имаго H. axyridis в количестве 10 шт/ 10 кг и более приводит к существенному ухудшению органолептического качества красных столовых сухих виноматериалов, проявляющемуся в потере сортового аромата, появлению несвойственных вину лекарственных, землистых и подвальных оттенков, разлаженности вкуса, неприятном послевкусии. В случае белых столовых сухих виноматериалов введение в сусло гемолимфы H. axyridis из расчета 5 имаго на 10 кг винограда и выше обусловливает резкое искажение сенсорных характеристик виноматериалов, делая их вовсе непригодными к употреблению.The effect of contamination of primary vinification products with biomaterial of Harmonia axyridis on the quality of table wine materials was studied. Levels of ethanol, titratable acids and residual sugars as well as pH of both white and red dry table wine materials were not affected by artificial contamination of ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ crush and ‘Rkatsiteli’ must with H. axyridis at 4-150 and 5-80 imagoes per 10 kg, respectively. In relation to controls, white wine materials derived from the contaminated primary vinification products had 1.6-fold higher levels of volatile acids, with lower levels of phenolics by 8% in their red counterparts. In red dry table wine materials, addition of grape crush prior to fermentation with crushed imagoes of H. axyridis at 10 individuals per 10 kg and more resulted in a considerable deterioration of their sensory quality, manifested by loss of variety aroma, emergence of ‘medicinal’, earthy and ‘cellar’-type taints, imbalanced taste and unpleasant finish. In white dry table materials, addition of must with hemolymph of H. axyridis at 5 imagoes per 10 kg and more led to a dramatic distortion of their sensory characteristics and rendered them absolutely unsuitable for use.