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Genome size and organization in the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis and the Southern cattle tick, Boophilus microplus
Author(s) -
Ullmann A. J.,
Lima C. M. R.,
Guerrero F. D.,
Piesman J.,
Black W. C.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
insect molecular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.955
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2583
pISSN - 0962-1075
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2005.00551.x
Subject(s) - ixodes scapularis , tick , biology , genome , genome size , ixodes , dna , dna sequencing , repeated sequence , whole genome sequencing , genetics , zoology , gene , evolutionary biology , virology , ixodidae
Genome sizes and the organization of repetitive DNA were determined in the hard ticks Ixodes scapularis and Boophilus microplus using reassociation kinetics. The I. scapularis genome contains ∼2.15 pg (2.1 × 10 3 Mbp) of DNA and consists of no foldback (FB), 27% highly repetitive (HR), 39% moderately repetitive (MR), and 34% unique DNA. The B. microplus genome contains 7.5 pg (7.1 × 10 3 Mbp) DNA, and consists of 0.82% FB, 31% HR, 38% MR, and 30% unique DNA. In both species, repetitive sequences occur in a mixture of long and short period interspersion but most (65–80%) of the DNA follows a pattern of short period interspersion. Genome size and organization in the three tick species so far examined are distinct from other arthropods in having a greater proportion of MR, a lower proportion of unique and HR DNA of very low sequence complexity.