Isolation and characterization of ten polymorphic microsatellite loci in Ixodes arboricola, and cross-amplification in three other Ixodes species

N. van Houtte, A. R. van Oosten, K. Jordaens, E. Matthysen, T. Backeljau, D. J A Heylen

    Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    Abstract

    We characterized ten polymorphic microsatellite loci from the tree-hole tick, Ixodes arboricola. Loci were screened in 11-18 individuals from three Belgian populations and five to ten alleles were found at each locus. Seven loci did not show deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium conditions and there were no indications for null alleles at these loci. The three other loci showed significant heterozygote deficiencies in at least one population, and a high potential for the occurrence of null alleles. We observed no effect of potential host DNA on the scoring of the microsatellites. Cross-amplification of the microsatellites was tested in eight specimens of three congeneric species: I. ricinus, I. hexagonus and I. frontalis. Depending on the species, six or seven of the loci were amplified in ≥4 of the 8 specimens and were polymorphic in each of these species (except for Ixaf 11 in I. frontalis and I. ricinus). These loci thus provide a tool for population genetic analysis of I. arboricola. The suitability of these markers needs to be further investigated in its congeners.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)327-336
    Number of pages10
    JournalExperimental and Applied Acarology
    Volume61
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Nov 2013

    Keywords

    • Host race formation
    • Ixodes arboricola
    • Microsatellite
    • Tree hole tick

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