The midgut bacterial flora of the hard tick Hyalomma anatolicum (Acari: Ixodidae) from South India as determined by molecular analyses

Authors: SANKARAPPAN ANBALAGAN, VIMALANATHAN ARUN PRASANNA, MANI KANNAN, MUTHUKALINGAN KRISHNAN

Abstract: The midgut bacterial flora of post-blood meal and starved or digested blood meal of hard ticks (Hyalomma anatolicum) from goats were analyzed using BOX PCR, ERIC PCR and 16S rDNA gene sequencing. BOX PCR and ERIC PCR showed dissimilar band patterns between microbial isolates from the midgut of the ticks. In total, 9 bacterial species belonging to 2 genera (Bacillus and Staphylococcus) were identified in the midgut of both types (post-blood meal and digested blood meal) of tick by using 16S rDNA gene sequencing. The majority of the midgut bacterial species were Staphylococcus sp. (90%) and there was a high frequency of 3 species of Staphylococcus (S. chromogenes, S. epidermidis, and S. gallinarum). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA gene sequences showed that all midgut isolates were monophyletic and showed high-frequency relationships with S. chromogenes and S. epidermidis. Further study is needed to understand the relationship between midgut bacterial community and tick-pathogen interaction.

Keywords: Midgut bacterial flora, Hyalomma anatolicum, 16S rDNA, molecular analysis

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