Detection of Wolbachia in the Tick Ixodes ricinus is Due to the Presence of the Hymenoptera Endoparasitoid Ixodiphagus hookeri

The identification of micro-organisms carried by ticks is an important issue for human and animal health. In addition to their role as pathogen vectors, ticks are also the hosts for symbiotic bacteria whose impact on tick biology is poorly known. Among these, the bacterium Wolbachia pipientis has already been reported associated with Ixodes ricinus and other tick species. However, the origins of Wolbachia in ticks and their consequences on tick biology (known to be very diverse in invertebrates, ranging from nutritional symbionts in nematodes to reproductive manipulators in insects) are unknown. Here we report that the endoparasitoid wasp Ixodiphagus hookeri (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Encyrtidae) – strictly associated with ticks for their development - is infested at almost 100% prevalence by a W. pipientis strain belonging to a Wolbachia supergroup that has already been reported as associated with other hymenopteran parasitoids. In a natural population of I. ricinus that suffers high parasitism rates due to I. hookeri, we used specific PCR primers for both hymenopteran and W. pipientis gene fragments to show that all unfed tick nymphs parasitized by I. hookeri also harbored Wolbachia, while unparasitized ticks were Wolbachia-free. We demonstrated experimentally that unfed nymphs obtained from larvae exposed to I. hookeri while gorging on their vertebrate host also harbor Wolbachia. We hypothesize that previous studies that have reported W. pipientis in ticks are due to the cryptic presence of the endoparasitoid wasp I. hookeri. This association has remained hidden until now because parasitoids within ticks cannot be detected until engorgement of the nymphs brings the wasp eggs out of diapause. Finally, we discuss the consequences of this finding for our understanding of the tick microbiome, and their possible role in horizontal gene transfer among pathogenic and symbiotic bacteria

Geologische Skizze der Umgebungen von Baden im Canton Aargau

von Alb. Mousso

Programm der zürcherischen Kantonsschule zur Eröffnung des neuen mit dem 3. April 1846 beginnenden Schuljahres

Bemerkungen über die richtende Kraft der Magnete / Mousson, Alb.Jahresbericht über die Leistungen der Kantonsschule im Schuljahr 1845-1846Einrichtung des neuen Kurse

Révision de la faune malacologique des Canaries

par A. Mousso

Ueber die Veränderungen des galvanischen Leitungswiderstandes der Metalldrähte

von Alb. Mousso

Instructionen für die Beobachter der meteorologischen Stationen der Schweiz

Albert Mousson, [Robert Billwiller

Die Physik auf Grundlage der Erfahrung

Bd. 1 : Allgemeine und Molecular-PhysikBd. 2 : Die Lehre von der WärmeBd. 3 : Die Lehren vom Magnetismus und der Electricitätvon Alb. Mousso

Bemerkungen über die natuerlichen Verhaeltnisse der Thermen von Aix in Savoyen

von Alb. Mousso

Ueber die Whewell'schen oder Quetelet'schen Streifen

von Alb. MoussonErschienen in: Neue Denkschriften der Allg. Schweizerischen Gesell. für die Gesammten Naturwissenschaften, Bd.3, 185