Abstract: Wolbachia are intracellular bacteria widely infecting the arthropod species. In this study, the 16S rDNA specific fragment for Wolbachia was digested with endonucleases Nhe I and Vsp I, respectively, to detect and determine the type of Wolbachia within different biotypes of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) and Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton). The phylogenetic analysis of the B-type Wolbachia within B. tabaci and that within C. cephalonica was carried out based on the wsp gene. The 16S rDNA fragments of the corresponding Wolbachia were cloned, sequenced and analyzed. The results showed that the 16S rDNA fragments digested with Nhe I can be used to detect Wolbachia. The RFLP patterns of 16S rDNA digested with Vsp I of Wolbachia within B. tabaci were consistent with the expected, while within C. cephalonica not. The sequence analysis showed that genetic variation occurred within 16S rDNA fragment for B-group Wolbachia within C. cephalonica, which resulted in a different RFLP pattern from that of B. tabaci biotype Nauru. The results suggest that the RFLP pattern with Vsp I for B group Wolbachia is polymorphic. The procedure developed here may facilitate the future research on the Wolbachia detection and type determination.

Key words: Wolbachia, 16S rDNA, PCRRFLP, RFLP pattern, Bemisia tabaci, Corcyra cephalonica