Apidologie 34 (2003) 513-524
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2003042

Genetic differences between Tropilaelaps clareae and Tropilaelaps koenigerum in Thailand based on ITS and RAPD analyses

Warisa Tangjingjai^a, Patchara Verakalasa^b, Siriporn Sittipraneed^b, Sirawut Klinbunga^c and Chariya Lekprayoon<sup>a

a</sup>  Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
^b  Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
^c  National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology

(Received 25 March 2002; revised 20 September 2002; accepted 14 February 2003)

Abstract
Tropilaelaps koenigerum was first reported in Thailand. Species-diagnostic markers of bee mites, T. clareae and T. koenigerum were examined by sequencing of ITS and RAPD analysis. A lack of intraspecific polymorphism within T. clareae and T. koenigerum ITS was observed. At an interspecific level, 19 substitutions were found. Sequence divergence between ITS of these bee mites was 3.82%. A 5 bp (TTCTC) insertion was found in T. koenigerum. Based on ITS sequences, identification of these mites was simplified to restriction analysis of the amplified ITS with Mse I and/or Sau3A I. RAPD analysis using primers OPA07, OPA11 and OPA12 revealed 16 and 20 species-specific markers of T. clareae and T. koenigerum, respectively. A UPGMA phenogram based on genetic distance between pairs of geographic samples indicated clear differentiation between T. clareae and T. koenigerum genetically. Partial differentiation of T. clareae from different host species was observed.

Key words: Tropilaelaps / bee parasite / RAPD / ITS / species-diagnostic marker / genetic diversity

Correspondence and reprints: Chariya Lekprayoon lchariya@hotmail.com

© INRA, EDP Sciences, DIB, AGIB 2003