Microbiome Analysis of the Gulf Coast Tick (Amblyomma maculatum) in Southeastern Virginia
Description/Abstract/Artist Statement
Amblyomma maculatum, also known as the Gulf Coast tick, is an ectoparasite historically found throughout much of the southeastern United States. Over the past several decades, A. maculatum has expanded northwards from its historical range. Expansion of A. maculatum presents medical concerns, as this tick is a principal vector of the bacterium Rickettsia parkeri. R. parkeri is a member of the Spotted Fever group rickettsiae, which can cause disease in humans. R. parkeri prevalence in the expansion zone is considerably greater than in the historical range and exceeds that of other known tick-borne rickettsial pathogens in the United States. With this increased prevalence of R. parkeri, the study of the microbial community carried by Virginia ticks is relevant because of the importance of the microbial community to pathogen transmission and vector competence. To better understand influences of microbial community on R. parkeri prevalence and transmission we will conduct an analysis of the A. maculatum microbiome from three different locations in SE Virginia. A microbiome is the community of microorganisms that lives on and inside of an individual, and may be influenced by the environment, food sources, and the presence of other pathogens in the microbiome itself. Microbiome analysis will be conducted to examine effects of tick sex, collection location, and the presence of R. parkeri on the microbial community composition of A. maculatum. Additionally, we will consider common methodologies used to analyze microbial DNA and examine potential sources of error.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
David Gauthier
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department
Biological Sciences Department
College Affiliation
College of Sciences
Presentation Type
Poster
Disciplines
Bioinformatics | Computational Biology | Entomology | Environmental Microbiology and Microbial Ecology | Other Genetics and Genomics
Session Title
Poster Session
Location
Learning Commons Lobby @ Perry Library
Start Date
3-25-2023 8:30 AM
End Date
3-25-2023 10:00 AM
Microbiome Analysis of the Gulf Coast Tick (Amblyomma maculatum) in Southeastern Virginia
Learning Commons Lobby @ Perry Library
Amblyomma maculatum, also known as the Gulf Coast tick, is an ectoparasite historically found throughout much of the southeastern United States. Over the past several decades, A. maculatum has expanded northwards from its historical range. Expansion of A. maculatum presents medical concerns, as this tick is a principal vector of the bacterium Rickettsia parkeri. R. parkeri is a member of the Spotted Fever group rickettsiae, which can cause disease in humans. R. parkeri prevalence in the expansion zone is considerably greater than in the historical range and exceeds that of other known tick-borne rickettsial pathogens in the United States. With this increased prevalence of R. parkeri, the study of the microbial community carried by Virginia ticks is relevant because of the importance of the microbial community to pathogen transmission and vector competence. To better understand influences of microbial community on R. parkeri prevalence and transmission we will conduct an analysis of the A. maculatum microbiome from three different locations in SE Virginia. A microbiome is the community of microorganisms that lives on and inside of an individual, and may be influenced by the environment, food sources, and the presence of other pathogens in the microbiome itself. Microbiome analysis will be conducted to examine effects of tick sex, collection location, and the presence of R. parkeri on the microbial community composition of A. maculatum. Additionally, we will consider common methodologies used to analyze microbial DNA and examine potential sources of error.