Interactions between microbiota and immunity shape pathogen acquisition and fitness in Amblyomma spp. ticks

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60077344%3A_____%2F25%3A00640807" target="_blank" >RIV/60077344:_____/25:00640807 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2025.105493" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2025.105493</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2025.105493" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.dci.2025.105493</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Interactions between microbiota and immunity shape pathogen acquisition and fitness in Amblyomma spp. ticks

Original language description

Besides carrying pathogens, ticks also harbor commensal and mutualistic microorganisms that constitute their microbiota. This microbial community can modulate the tick immune system and influence pathogen acquisition, either facilitating or hindering colonization. Additionally, the microbiota may impact tick fitness. Although the ticks Amblyomma sculptum and Amblyomma aureolatum are important vectors of Rickettsia rickettsii, the causative agent of Brazilian spotted fever, A. sculptum is much less susceptible to infection than A. aureolatum. Intriguingly, while A. aureolatum midgut harbors an abundant microbiota, mostly composed of bacteria of the Francisella genus, A. sculptum presents a markedly reduced bacterial community. In the current study, we quantified the total bacterial load also in the salivary glands and ovaries of adult A. sculptum and A. aureolatum, besides midgut. Across all analyzed organs, bacterial loads were consistently lower in A. sculptum than in A. aureolatum, regardless of whether the ticks had fed on na & ium,ve or R. rickettsii-inoculated hosts. High-throughput sequencing of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene revealed that Francisella endosymbiont is the dominant taxon in all organs of control A. aureolatum, with the highest relative frequency in the ovaries and the lowest in the midgut. The highest relative frequency of Francisella in the ovaries correlates with the lower susceptibility of this organ to R. rickettsii, suggesting that the endosymbiosis may limit infection. No 16S rRNA gene sequences could be obtained for A. sculptum samples, likely due to their low bacterial content. To investigate the role played by the microbiota on rickettsial acquisition and tick fitness, A. aureolatum engorged females were treated with either tetracycline or ciprofloxacin. Tetracycline treatment significantly reduced bacterial loads and antimicrobial peptide transcript levels in the eggs, and this was followed by a higher acquisition of R. rickettsii by hatched larvae. Additionally, tetracycline negatively impacted tick development, reducing the molt success from the larval to the nymphal stage. These results suggest that maternal microbiota plays a role in shaping offspring immunity, pathogen susceptibility, and tick development. The multifaceted role of tick microbiota in both development and vector competence underscores its potential as a biotechnological resource for developing new strategies to control tick-borne diseases.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10606 - Microbiology

Project

<a href="/en/project/GC22-12648J" target="_blank" >GC22-12648J: The role of microbiota in shaping the tick midgut immunity and vector competence</a><br>

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Developmental and Comparative Immunology

ISSN

0145-305X

e-ISSN

1879-0089

Volume of the periodical

172

Issue of the periodical within the volume

NOV 2025

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

9

Pages from-to

105493

UT code for WoS article

001598873400001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105019753942