A novel obligate intracellular gamma-proteobacterium associated with ixodid ticks, Diplorickettsia massiliensis, Gen. Nov., Sp. Nov.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Obligate intracellular bacteria of arthropods often exhibit a significant role in either human health or arthropod ecology.

Methodology/principal findings

An obligate intracellular gamma-proteobacterium was isolated from the actively questing hard tick Ixodes ricinus using mammalian and amphibian cell lines. Transmission electron microscopy revealed a unique morphology of the bacterium, including intravacuolar localization of bacteria grouped predominantly in pairs and internal structures composed of electron-dense crystal-like structures and regular multilayer sheath-like structures. The isolate 20B was characterized to determine its taxonomic position using a polyphasic approach. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that this strain belongs to the

SUBMITTER: Mediannikov O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2903611 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature