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Molecular and Biological Characterization of a Novel Coxiella ‐like Agent from Carios capensis
Author(s) -
REEVES WILL K.,
LOFTIS AMANDA D.,
PRIESTLEY RACHAEL A.,
WILLS WILLIAM,
SANDERS FELICIA,
DASCH GREGORY A.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1196/annals.1355.055
Subject(s) - coxiella burnetii , biology , 16s ribosomal rna , q fever , polymerase chain reaction , gene , housekeeping gene , microbiology and biotechnology , phylogenetic tree , argasidae , genetics , tick , virology , ixodidae , gene expression
A bstract : The genus Coxiella is currently defined by a single monotypic species, Coxiella burnetii . Novel Coxiella spp. have been detected in ticks throughout the world. These bacteria have not been cultured or named, and their evolutionary relationships to C. burnetii are poorly known. A novel Coxiella ‐like agent was detected by PCR amplification and sequencing of DNA extracted from 64 pelican ticks, Carios capensis , from Devoux Bank, South Carolina, USA. PCR was used to amplify and characterize genes from the new bacterium. Sequences from some metabolic and housekeeping genes shared a 92–98% similarity to C. burnetii , but other genes such as the IS1111 transposon, com 1, and 5S and 16S rRNA genes were not amplified by conventional PCR. Transovarial and transtadial transmission and environmental shedding of the agent were detected by PCR.