Varroa destructor mediated transmission of Morganella morganii between Apis cerana and Apis mellifera

Author of the article:ZHANG Yang** HUANG Qiang***

Author's Workplace：Institute of Apiculture, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China

Key Words：Morganella morganii; Apis cerana; Apis mellifera; Varroa destructor; cross-infection

Abstract：[Aim]  To investigate whether Varroa destructor could mediate the transmission of Morganella morganii between Apis cerana and Apis mellifera. [Methods]  In the same geographical area of Jiangxi Province, V. destructor mites were collected from adult worker bees of A. cerana and A. mellifera and their DNA was extracted for metagenomic sequencing. Based on sequencing data, phylogenetic analysis, principal component analysis, and ancestral component analysis were used to evaluate genetic diversity and gene flow of M. morganii between the two mite populations. [Results]  Phylogenetic analysis indicated that a subset of M. morganii collected from A. mellifera colonies clustered with M. morganii from A. cerana colonies, indicating inter-species transmission. Principal component analysis also indicated overlap between M. morganii from A. mellifera colonies and that from A. cerana colonies. Ancestral component analysis revealed that over half of the samples had mixed ancestral characteristics, and that the proportions of ancestral components in A. cerana and A. mellifera samples were similar. [Conclusion]  V. destructor mites mediate the transmission of M. morganii between A. cerana and A. mellifera honey bees.