Convergent patterns in the evolution of mealybug symbioses involving different intrabacterial symbionts. Genomic sequences of the manna mealybug, Trabutina mannipara and its obligate bacterial symbionts

Most pseudococcinae mealybugs harbor a unique symbiosis set up as they contain enlarged betaproteobacterial symbionts (‘Candidatus Tremblaya princeps’) which themselves contain gammaproteobacterial symbionts within their cytoplasm. Interestingly, the inner symbionts seem to originate from different ancestors, thus this association was likely established multiple times during evolution. Here we investigate the symbiosis of the manna mealybug, Trabutina mannipara using a metagenomic approach. Combining our data with previous results, we show high level of correspondence between the mealybug symbioses despite polyphyletic origin of the intrabacterial symbionts.