Coxiella-Like Endosymbiont of Rhipicephalus sanguineus Is Required for Physiological Processes During Ontogeny.

ABSTRACT: Obligatory hematophagous arthropods such as lice, bugs, flies, and ticks harbor bacterial endosymbionts that are expected to complement missing essential nutrients in their diet. Genomic and some experimental evidence support this expectation. Hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are associated with several lineages of bacterial symbionts, and very few were experimentally shown to be essential to some aspects of tick's fitness. In order to pinpoint the nature of interactions between hard ticks and their symbionts, we tested the effect of massive elimination of Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLE) by antibiotics on the development and fitness of the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus). Administration of ofloxacin to engorged (blood fed) nymphs resulted in significant and acute redu

SUBMITTER: Ben-Yosef M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7188774 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature