Pea aphid symbiont relationships established by analysis of 16S rRNAs

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Abstract
The pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris) harbors two morphologically distinct procaryotic intracellular symbionts. The genes for the 16S rRNA from these symbionts have been cloned and sequenced. Comparisons with sequences of 16S rRNAs from selected procaryotes indicate that the two symbionts are evolutionarily distinct from each other and are members of the gamma-3 subdivision of the class Proteobacteria. One of the symbionts is a member of the family Enterobacteriaceae, while the other constitutes a lineage distinct from these organisms. Both symbionts appear to have only one copy of their rRNA operon.