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Bartonella-like bacteria carried by domestic mite species

Jan Kopecký1, Marta Nesvorná, Jan Hubert

  • 1Crop Research Institute, Drnovská 507, 161 06, Praha 6-Ruzyně, Czech Republic.

Experimental & Applied Acarology
|April 9, 2014
PubMed

Insights

A novel Bartonella-like bacteria clade was discovered in stored-product and predatory mites. These findings expand our understanding of Bartonella diversity and potential mite-host interactions.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Acarology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Bacteria of the genus Bartonella are known to infect mammals, often transmitted by arthropod vectors.
  • Bartonella species primarily target erythrocytes, causing various diseases in mammalian hosts.
  • The known hosts and transmission routes for Bartonella have historically focused on vertebrate animals and their ectoparasites.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize Bartonella-like bacteria in mites.
  • To investigate the phylogenetic relationship of these mite-associated bacteria to known Bartonella species.
  • To explore potential symbiotic relationships between these bacteria and their mite hosts.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of cloned 16S rRNA gene sequences from mites.
  • Development and application of clade-specific primers for Bartonella-like bacteria.
  • Amplification and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes from various mite species (laboratory and field strains).
  • Phylogenetic analysis to determine the evolutionary placement of identified sequences.

Main Results:

  • A distinct Bartonella-like bacterial clade was identified in stored-product mites (Acarus siro, Lepidoglyphus destructor, Tyrophagus putrescentiae) and the predatory mite Cheyletus eruditus.
  • Bartonella-like sequences were detected in 11 out of 13 tested mite strains, but not in Dermatophagoides farinae or D. pteronyssinus.
  • Phylogenetic analysis revealed these bacteria form a separate cluster, sister to Bartonellaceae, and are related to uncultured bacteria from human skin and hemipteran insects.
  • Sequence analysis indicated differences in Bartonella-like bacteria between Acarus siro and Tyrophagus putrescentiae, and species-specific sequences were found in Cheyletus eruditus.

Conclusions:

  • Mites harbor a distinct group of Bartonella-related bacteria, expanding the known host range for this bacterial genus.
  • The discovered Bartonella-like bacteria represent a novel lineage phylogenetically separate from established Bartonellaceae.
  • Further research is warranted to understand the ecological role and potential symbiotic interactions of these bacteria within mite populations.

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