Metagenomic Profile of the Bacterial Communities Associated with Ixodes ricinus Ticks

摘要: Assessment of the microbial diversity residing in arthropod vectors medical importance is crucial for monitoring endemic infections, surveillance newly emerging zoonotic pathogens, and unraveling associated bacteria within its host. The tick Ixodes ricinus recognized as primary European vector disease-causing humans. Despite I. being great public health relevance, communities remain largely unexplored to date. Here we evaluate pathogen-load microbiome single adult by using 454- Illumina-based metagenomic approaches. Genomic DNA-derived sequences were taxonomically profiled a computational approach based on BWA algorithm, allowing identification known tick-borne pathogens at strain level putative core microbiome. Additionally, assessed compared bacterial taxonomic profile nymphal pools collected from two distinct geographic regions Northern Italy means V6-16S rRNA amplicon pyrosequencing community ecological analysis. A total 108 genera belonging representatives all phyla detected rapid qualitative assessment pathogenic bacteria, such Borrelia, Rickettsia Candidatus Neoehrlichia, other with mutualistic relationship or undetermined function, Wolbachia Rickettsiella, was possible. Interestingly, analysis revealed that structure differed between examined life stages. This finding suggests environmental context (abiotic biotic factors) host-selection behaviors affect their microbiome. Our data provide most complete picture date present under natural conditions high-throughput sequencing technologies. study further demonstrates novel detection strategy microbiomes epidemiological studies.