A full-length 16S survey using Nanopore sequencing to uncover the bacterial microbiome in Ixodes ricinus ticks from a single UK woodland, collected across three springs (2019-2021)

Ixodes ricinus is a key vector of several bacterial pathogens, including Borrelia and Rickettsia species. To assess bacterial prevalence and diversity, we characterised the microbiome of ticks collected from a single UK woodland, comparing different woodland types, life stages (adult male, female, a...

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Main Authors: Mia L. White, Jack M. Crook, Kayleigh M. Hansford, Daniel P. Carter, Michael J. Elmore, Colin Johnston, Sara Gandy, Kuiama Lewandowski, Alexander Vaux, Karen L. Osman, Richard Vipond, Jolyon M. Medlock, Edward J Feil, Steven T. Pullan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X25000706
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author Mia L. White
Jack M. Crook
Kayleigh M. Hansford
Daniel P. Carter
Michael J. Elmore
Colin Johnston
Sara Gandy
Kuiama Lewandowski
Alexander Vaux
Karen L. Osman
Richard Vipond
Jolyon M. Medlock
Edward J Feil
Steven T. Pullan
author_facet Mia L. White
Jack M. Crook
Kayleigh M. Hansford
Daniel P. Carter
Michael J. Elmore
Colin Johnston
Sara Gandy
Kuiama Lewandowski
Alexander Vaux
Karen L. Osman
Richard Vipond
Jolyon M. Medlock
Edward J Feil
Steven T. Pullan
author_sort Mia L. White
collection DOAJ
description Ixodes ricinus is a key vector of several bacterial pathogens, including Borrelia and Rickettsia species. To assess bacterial prevalence and diversity, we characterised the microbiome of ticks collected from a single UK woodland, comparing different woodland types, life stages (adult male, female, and nymph), and sampling years (spring 2019–2021). Unlike previous studies that target short regions of the 16S rRNA gene, we used Nanopore sequencing to generate full-length 16S reads, allowing for higher taxonomic resolution. Our results showed significant microbiome differences across life stages, but not by woodland type or year. Rickettsia was the most abundant taxon, with prevalence varying by life stage and year. Borrelia was present in all life stages but absent in 2021 samples. Anaplasma abundance varied significantly by year and life stage, peaking in nymphs from Pine woodland. Bartonella was found across all woodland types, with the highest abundance in nymphs from Oak-dominated areas.
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language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases
spelling doaj-art-6dc64cfe49d84a2d80cbfd7ab55aa1c62025-08-20T03:55:48ZengElsevierTicks and Tick-Borne Diseases1877-96032025-07-0116410250610.1016/j.ttbdis.2025.102506A full-length 16S survey using Nanopore sequencing to uncover the bacterial microbiome in Ixodes ricinus ticks from a single UK woodland, collected across three springs (2019-2021)Mia L. White0Jack M. Crook1Kayleigh M. Hansford2Daniel P. Carter3Michael J. Elmore4Colin Johnston5Sara Gandy6Kuiama Lewandowski7Alexander Vaux8Karen L. Osman9Richard Vipond10Jolyon M. Medlock11Edward J Feil12Steven T. Pullan13Diagnostics & Pathogen Characterisation, UKHSA, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK; Corresponding author.Diagnostics & Pathogen Characterisation, UKHSA, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UKMedical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, UKHSA, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UKDiagnostics & Pathogen Characterisation, UKHSA, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UKDiagnostics & Pathogen Characterisation, UKHSA, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UKMedical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, UKHSA, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UKMedical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, UKHSA, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UKDiagnostics & Pathogen Characterisation, UKHSA, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UKMedical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, UKHSA, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UKDiagnostics & Pathogen Characterisation, UKHSA, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UKDiagnostics & Pathogen Characterisation, UKHSA, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UKMedical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, UKHSA, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UKThe Milner Centre for Evolution, Department for Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AZ, UKDiagnostics & Pathogen Characterisation, UKHSA, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UKIxodes ricinus is a key vector of several bacterial pathogens, including Borrelia and Rickettsia species. To assess bacterial prevalence and diversity, we characterised the microbiome of ticks collected from a single UK woodland, comparing different woodland types, life stages (adult male, female, and nymph), and sampling years (spring 2019–2021). Unlike previous studies that target short regions of the 16S rRNA gene, we used Nanopore sequencing to generate full-length 16S reads, allowing for higher taxonomic resolution. Our results showed significant microbiome differences across life stages, but not by woodland type or year. Rickettsia was the most abundant taxon, with prevalence varying by life stage and year. Borrelia was present in all life stages but absent in 2021 samples. Anaplasma abundance varied significantly by year and life stage, peaking in nymphs from Pine woodland. Bartonella was found across all woodland types, with the highest abundance in nymphs from Oak-dominated areas.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X25000706Microbiome, Ixodes ricinusOxford nanopore technologiesGenomicsTick borne disease16S sequencing
spellingShingle Mia L. White
Jack M. Crook
Kayleigh M. Hansford
Daniel P. Carter
Michael J. Elmore
Colin Johnston
Sara Gandy
Kuiama Lewandowski
Alexander Vaux
Karen L. Osman
Richard Vipond
Jolyon M. Medlock
Edward J Feil
Steven T. Pullan
A full-length 16S survey using Nanopore sequencing to uncover the bacterial microbiome in Ixodes ricinus ticks from a single UK woodland, collected across three springs (2019-2021)
Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases
Microbiome, Ixodes ricinus
Oxford nanopore technologies
Genomics
Tick borne disease
16S sequencing
title A full-length 16S survey using Nanopore sequencing to uncover the bacterial microbiome in Ixodes ricinus ticks from a single UK woodland, collected across three springs (2019-2021)
title_full A full-length 16S survey using Nanopore sequencing to uncover the bacterial microbiome in Ixodes ricinus ticks from a single UK woodland, collected across three springs (2019-2021)
title_fullStr A full-length 16S survey using Nanopore sequencing to uncover the bacterial microbiome in Ixodes ricinus ticks from a single UK woodland, collected across three springs (2019-2021)
title_full_unstemmed A full-length 16S survey using Nanopore sequencing to uncover the bacterial microbiome in Ixodes ricinus ticks from a single UK woodland, collected across three springs (2019-2021)
title_short A full-length 16S survey using Nanopore sequencing to uncover the bacterial microbiome in Ixodes ricinus ticks from a single UK woodland, collected across three springs (2019-2021)
title_sort full length 16s survey using nanopore sequencing to uncover the bacterial microbiome in ixodes ricinus ticks from a single uk woodland collected across three springs 2019 2021
topic Microbiome, Ixodes ricinus
Oxford nanopore technologies
Genomics
Tick borne disease
16S sequencing
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X25000706
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