Analysis of ticks (Acari: Ixodida) and associated microorganisms collected on the North Sea Island of Heligoland
Description
Sequencing information for Borrelia and Rickettsia positive ticks collected on the North Sea Island of Heligoland in 2024. Sequences from 2023 can be found on GenBank under the accession numbers: PP210028-PP210034. Additionally the data files where each tick identification number is connected to sampling location, time, and date are also included here. Update: 2024 recG sequences can be found under the GenBank Accession Numbers: PV300193-PV300213
Files
Steps to reproduce
Species identification of Borrelia-positive samples was done through amplification of the housekeeping gene recG using a previously described protocol (Margos et al. 2008). Genomic DNA isolated from a B. bavariensis culture (Strain: PBN) was included as a positive control. PCR products were sent to the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology and sequenced on an Applied Biosystems 3500 xL Genetic Analyzer. Sequences were manually checked for ambiguous sites in FinchTV Version 1.4.0 (Geospiza, Inc.; Seattle, WA, USA; http://www.geospiza.com) and then compared to the PubMLST Borrelia database. For Rickettsia, a pan-Rickettsia qPCR was used to amplify part of the gltA gene (Wölfel et al. 2008). Rickettsia species were determined through a R. helvetica specific qPCR targeting the 23S-5S intergenic spacer region (Chitimia-Dobler et al. 2018) or through amplification of the ompB gene and subsequent Sanger sequencing (Roux and Raoult 2000). For all Rickettsia-specific PCRs, DNA isolated from a cell culture of R. helvetica (Strain: AS 819) was included as a positive control.