Buchnera aphidicola Genome sequencing and assembly. Buchnera aphidicola

Most aphids have an obligate, mutualistic relationship with the symbiotic bacteria, Buchnera aphidicola (Proteobacteria: Gammaproteobacteria: Enterobacteriaceae) inhabiting specialized cells called bacteriocytes, which occur in the aphid's abdominal haemocoel. Rhus gall aphids (Aphididae: Eriosomatinae: Fordini) also have this symbiotic bacteria. These group live obligately on species of sumac plants (Rhus subgenus Rhus, Anacardiaceae) as the primary host for part of their life cycle to induce a large gall on a developing leaf or shoot. The gall is rich in tannin. We sequenced the complete genomes of Buchnera aphidicola in Rhus gall aphids and investigated the co-evolution of Buchnera and its host aphids within a phylogenomic framework.