Variation in genome size of argasid and ixodid ticks. Academic Article

abstract

• The suborder Ixodida includes many tick species of medical and veterinary importance, but little is known about the genomic characteristics of these ticks. We report the first study to determine genome size in two species of Argasidae (soft ticks) and seven species of Ixodidae (hard ticks) using flow cytometry analysis of fluorescent stained nuclei. Our results indicate a large haploid genome size (1C>1000 Mbp) for all Ixodida with a mean of 1281 Mbp (1.31+/-0.07 pg) for the Argasidae and 2671 Mbp (2.73+/-0.04 pg) for the Ixodidae. The haploid genome size of Ixodes scapularis was determined to be 2262 Mbp. We observed inter- and intra-familial variation in genome size as well as variation between strains of the same species. We explore the implications of these results for tick genome evolution and tick genomics research.

authors

• Johnston, J

published proceedings

• Insect Biochem Mol Biol

author list (cited authors)

• Geraci, N. S., Spencer Johnston, J., Paul Robinson, J., Wikel, S. K., & Hill, C. A.

citation count

• 63

complete list of authors

• Geraci, Nicholas S||Spencer Johnston, J||Paul Robinson, J||Wikel, Stephen K||Hill, Catherine A

publication date

• May 2007

publisher

• Elsevier  Publisher

published in

• Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology  Journal

keywords

• Animals
• Argasidae
• Evolution, Molecular
• Female
• Flow Cytometry
• Genetic Variation
• Genome, Insect
• Ixodidae
• Male
• Phylogeny
• Sex Factors

PubMed Central ID

• 17456435

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1016/j.ibmb.2006.12.007

start page

• 399

end page

• 408

volume

• 37

issue

• 5

URL

• http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ibmb.2006.12.007