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Molecular detection and genetic identification of Wolbachia endosymbiont in Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks of Taiwan

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Abstract

The genetic identity of Wolbachia endosymbiont in Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks was determined for the first time in Taiwan. In total 1004 Rh. sanguineus ticks were examined for Wolbachia by polymerase chain reaction assay targeting the Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) gene. The prevalence of Wolbachia infection was detected in nymphs, females, and males with an infection rate of 55.8, 39.8, and 44%, respectively. The phylogenetic relationships were analyzed by comparing the sequences of wsp gene obtained from 60 strains of Wolbachia representing 11 strains of supergroup A and 10 strains of supergroup B. In general, seven major clades of supergroup A and six major clades of supergroup B can be easily distinguished by neighbour-joining analysis and were congruent by maximum likelihood method. All these Wolbachia strains of Taiwan were genetically affiliated to supergroups A and B with high sequence similarity of 98.3–100% and 98.6–100%, respectively. Intra- and inter-group analysis based on the genetic distance (GD) values indicated a lower level (GD < 0.017) within the group A strains of Taiwan compared with the group B (GD > 0.576) of other Wolbachia strains, as well as a lower level (GD < 0.062) within the group B strains of Taiwan compared with the group A (GD > 0.246) of other Wolbachia strains. Our results provide the first genetic identification of Wolbachia endosymbiont in Rh. sanguineus ticks collected from Taiwan, and detection of Wolbachia in male and nymphal ticks may imply the possible mechanism of transstadial transmission in Rh. sanguineus ticks.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST 108-2314-B-037-063; MOST 109-2314-B-037-077), Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. M.Sc. Program in Tropical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Li-Lian Chao, Chantel Tamar Castillo & Chien-Ming Shih

  2. Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Li-Lian Chao & Chien-Ming Shih

  3. Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Chien-Ming Shih

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  1. Li-Lian Chao
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  2. Chantel Tamar Castillo
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Correspondence to Chien-Ming Shih.

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The collection of ticks from dogs was assistant by veterinary practitioners and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of Kaohsiung Medical University (IACUC Approval No: 106142).

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Chao, LL., Castillo, C.T. & Shih, CM. Molecular detection and genetic identification of Wolbachia endosymbiont in Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks of Taiwan. Exp Appl Acarol 83, 115–130 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-020-00574-3

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