Characterization of intracellular endosymbiotic bacteria in the midgut of different Camponotus species
Elsishans, C.1,2, Hölldobler, B.2, Stackebrandt, E.3, Gross, R.1
1LS für Mikrobiologie, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany
2LS für Zoologie II, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany
3DSMZ, Deutsche Sammlung für Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Mascheroder Weg 1b, D-38124 Braunschweig, Germany
Symbiotic relationships between bacteria and eucaryotic organisms developed quite often during evolution. Many insects are known to carry endosymbionts.
We characterize intracellular endosymbiotic bacteria in the midguts of Camponotus species from all over the world [1].
Using histological methods, we found that the bacteria are localized in specialized cells called bacteriocytes. These cells are intercalated between the epithelial cells of the midgut. The bacteriocytes carry a large number of rod-shaped Gram-negative bacteria free in their cytoplasm.
The 16S rDNA of the endosymbionts of 18 species of the genus Camponotus living on several continents were cloned after polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. Comparison of the 16S rDNA sequences showed the Camponotus endosymbionts to be members of the 
-subclass of Proteobacteria. They form a distinct taxonomic group, a sister taxon of the taxons defined by the tsetse fly and aphid endosymbionts possessing a common anchestor with the Enterobacteriaceae.
[1] Schröder, D. et al. ( 1996) Molecular Microbiology 21(3): 479-489
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