Dynamic nesting of Anaplasma marginale in the microbial communities of Rhipicephalus microplus

Elianne Piloto-Sardiñas (1, 2) , Lianet Abuin-Denis (3, 2) , Apolline Maitre (4, 2, 5) , Angélique Foucault-Simonin (2) , Belkis Corona-González (1) , Cristian Díaz-Corona (1, 2) , Lisset Roblejo-Arias (1) , Lourdes Mateos-Hernández (2) , Roxana Marrero-Perera , Dasiel Obregon (6) , Karolína Svobodová (7) , Alejandra Wu-Chuang (2) , Alejandro Cabezas‐cruz (2)

1 CENSA - Centro Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria = National Center for Animal and Plant Health [Cuba]
2 BIPAR - Biologie moléculaire et immunologie parasitaires et fongiques
3 CIGB - Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology [Cuba]
4 SELMET-LRDE - Systèmes d'Elevage Méditerranéens et Tropicaux - Laboratoire de Recherche sur le Développement de l'Elevage
5 EA Bioscope Corse Méditerranée : Dynamique des infections virales en milieu insulaire
6 University of Guelph
7 University of South Bohemia

Abstract Interactions within the tick microbiome involving symbionts, commensals, and tick‐borne pathogens (TBPs) play a pivotal role in disease ecology. This study explored temporal changes in the microbiome of Rhipicephalus microplus , an important cattle tick vector, focusing on its interaction with Anaplasma marginale . To overcome limitations inherent in sampling methods relying on questing ticks, which may not consistently reflect pathogen presence due to variations in exposure to infected hosts in nature, our study focused on ticks fed on chronically infected cattle. This approach ensures continuous pathogen exposure, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the nesting patterns of A. marginale in the R. microplus microbiome. Using next‐generation sequencing, microbiome dynamics were characterized over 2 years, revealing significant shifts in diversity, composition, and abundance. Anaplasma marginale exhibited varying associations, with its increased abundance correlating with reduced microbial diversity. Co‐occurrence networks demonstrated Anaplasma 's evolving role, transitioning from diverse connections to keystone taxa status. An integrative approach involving in silico node removal unveils the impact of Anaplasma on network stability, highlighting its role in conferring robustness to the microbial community. This study provides insights into the intricate interplay between the tick microbiome and A. marginale , shedding light on potential avenues for controlling bovine anaplasmosis through microbiome manipulation.

Mots clés: Anaplasma marginale microbiome dynamics nesting networks Rhipicephalus microplus ticks; Anaplasma marginale; microbiome dynamics; nesting; networks; Rhipicephalus microplus; ticks

Domaines: Microbiologie et Parasitologie

Elianne Piloto-Sardiñas, Lianet Abuin-Denis, Apolline Maitre, Angélique Foucault-Simonin, Belkis Corona-González, et al.. Dynamic nesting of Anaplasma marginale in the microbial communities of Rhipicephalus microplus. Ecology and Evolution, 2024, 14 (4), ⟨10.1002/ece3.11228⟩. ⟨hal-04557489⟩