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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Widespread distribution and high prevalence of an alpha-proteobacterial symbiont in the tick Ixodes ricinus
Environmental Microbiology, Volume 8, No. 7, Year 2006
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Description
The tick Ixodes ricinus is responsible for the transmission of a number of bacterial, protozoan and viral diseases to humans and animals in Europe and Northern Africa. Female I. ricinus from England, Switzerland and Italy have been found to harbour an intracellular α-proteobacterium, designated IricES1, within the cells of the ovary. IricES1 is the only prokaryote known to exist within the mitochondria of any animal or multicellular organism. To further examine the distribution, prevalence and mode of transmission of IricES1, we performed polymerase chain reaction screening of I. ricinus adults from 12 countries across its geographic distribution, including tick colonies that have been maintained in the laboratory for varying periods of time. IricES1 was detected in 100% of field-collected female ticks from all countries examined (n = 128), while 44% of males were found to be infected (n = 108). Those males that are infected appear to harbour fewer bacteria than females. Sequencing of fragments of the 16S rRNA and gyrB genes revealed very low nucleotide diversity among various populations of IricES1. Transmission of IricES1 from engorged adult females to eggs was found to be 100% (n = 31). In tick colonies that had been maintained in the laboratory for several years, a relatively low prevalence was found in females (32%; n = 25). To our knowledge, IricES1 is the most widespread and highly prevalent of any tick-associated symbiont. © 2006 The Authors.
Authors & Co-Authors
Lo, Nathan
Australia, Sydney
The University of Sydney
Italy, Milan
Università Degli Studi Di Milano
Beninati, T.
Italy, Milan
Università Degli Studi Di Milano
Sassera, Davide
Italy, Milan
Università Degli Studi Di Milano
Bouman, E. A.P.
Czech Republic, Ceske Budejovice
Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Santagati, S.
Italy, Milan
Università Degli Studi Di Milano
Gern, Lise E.
Switzerland, Neuchatel
Universite de Neuchatel, Institut de Zoologie
Sambri, Vittorio
Italy, Bologna
Alma Mater Studiorum Università Di Bologna
Masuzawa, T.
Japan, Narashino
Chiba Institute of Science
Gray, Jeremy S.
Ireland, Dublin
University College Dublin
Jaenson, Thomas G.T.
Sweden, Uppsala
Evolutionsbiologiskt Centrum
Bouattour, Ali
Tunisia, Tunis
Institut Pasteur de Tunis
Kenny, M. J.
United Kingdom, Bristol
University of Bristol
Guner, E. S.
Turkey, Bebek
Boğaziçi Üniversitesi
Kharitonenkov, I. G.
Russian Federation, Moscow
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Bitam, Idir
Algeria, Algiers
Institut Pasteur - Alger
Bandi, C.
Italy, Milan
Università Degli Studi Di Milano
Statistics
Citations: 100
Authors: 16
Affiliations: 13
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1111/j.1462-2920.2006.01024.x
ISSN:
14622912
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Participants Gender
Female