I know what you ate last summer: Investigating tick-host assemblages using next-generation DNA barcoding for blood-meal analysis in Ixodes scapularis

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Date

2020-01-03

Authors

Lumsden, Genevieve

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

University of Guelph

Abstract

Using next-generation DNA barcoding, my objectives were: 1) investigate the temporal window of host DNA detection from the larval blood-meal in Ixodes scapularis nymphs, and 2) apply the technique in wild host-seeking I. scapularis nymphs. Ticks fed on Oryctolagus cuniculus as larvae were reared for up to 150 days post-molt. Subsets of 30 nymphs were frozen at eleven time points after the recorded day of moult. Blood-meal detection decreased as time since moult increased for both universal (UP) and species-specific (SSP) primer sets, ranging from with 96.7% detection at 0 days post-moult to 6.7% at 5 months post-moult with the SSP primers. When applied to wild host-seeking nymphs, one host species was identified as Sciurus carolinensis in 2 samples; however, blood-meal identification was unsuccessful in 99% of 216 specimens. Next-generation DNA barcoding, as applied in this study, showed limited ability to detect remnant host DNA in lab-reared and field-caught ticks.

Description

Keywords

Ixodes scapularis, Borrelia burgdorferi, DNA barcoding, next-generation sequencing, blood-meal analysis

Citation