Ultrastructural analysis supports transferring Nosema whitei Weiser 1953 to the genus Paranosema and creation a new combination, Paranosema whitei

The current ultrastructural description of Nosema whitei is in agreement with the genus definition of Paranosema [Sokolova, Y.Y., Dolgikh, V.V., Morzhina, E.V., Nassonova, E.S., Issi, I.V., Terry, R.S., Ironside, J.E., Smith, J.E., Vossbrinck, C.R., 2003. Establishment of the new genus Paranosema based on the ultrastructure and molecular phylogeny of the type species Paranosema grylli Gen. Nov., Comb. Nov (Sokolova, Selezniov, Dolgikh, Issi 1994), from the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus Deg. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 84, 159-172]. In addition to exhibiting similar spore morphology and sporogony type, N. whitei, like P. grylli and Paranosema locustae, possesses a distinct meront-sporont transitional stage in the life cycle; develops in the host fat body, and produces secretory material arranged in “tubular structures” during sporogony. Ultrastructural analysis supports the similarity of N. whitei to P. grylli and to P. locustae as predicted on the basis SSrDNA sequence data (GenBank Accession Nos. AY305323, AY305325, and AY305324). Comparative studies of these three related species provide a good example of the consistency of morphological and sequence data, and support both the placement of N. whitei inside the genus Paranosema and the validity of the new combination Paranosema whitei (Weiser) . Supported by Russian Foundation for Basic research: Grants 04-04-49314 and 03-04-49629.