Serologic and genomic relatedness of group XIV spiroplasma isolates from a lampyrid beetle and tabanid flies: an ecologic paradox.

Spiroplasma Group XIV strain EC-1T and other isolates from the lampyrid beetle Ellychnia corrusca (from Maryland, USA) form a serogroup with tabanid spiroplasma strains (TC-1 and TS-1) (from Tabanus calens and T. sulcifrons in Maryland). It was hypothesized that similarities among these strains reflect a transmission cycle in which lampyrid beetles serve as overwintering hosts and tabanid adults become infected and transmit a homogeneous population of spiroplasma strains during spring, summer and autumn. In this study, variations in restriction fragment length patterns suggested the presence of multiple genovars. Genotypic analysis may therefore be a companion to serology in elucidating spiroplasma diversity, and may provide clues to strain host range.