Applying MALDI-TOF MS to resolve morphologic and genetic similarities between two Dermacentor tick species of public health importance.

ABSTRACT: Hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) have been historically identified by morphological methods which require highly specialized expertise and more recently by DNA-based molecular assays that involve high costs. Although both approaches provide complementary data for tick identification, each method has limitations which restrict their use on large-scale settings such as regional or national tick surveillance programs. To overcome those obstacles, the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been introduced as a cost-efficient method for the identification of various organisms, as it balances performance, speed, and high data output. Here we describe the use of this technology to validate the distinction of two closely related Dermacentor tick

SUBMITTER: Galletti MFBM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11350171 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature