Fergurson, AnnaMaldonado-Ruiz, PaulinaZurek, Ludek2018-09-262018-09-262017-12-7http://hdl.handle.net/2097/39199Ticks are obligate blood feeding ectoparasites and vectors of several animal and human pathogens (Williams-Newkirk et al., 2014). Ticks not only carry pathogens but also a bacterial community with commensal and symbiotic relationships (Bonnet et al., 2017). In other arthropod vectors, the gut microbiome influences their competence for pathogens they transmit. In this study, we used a culturing approach to assess the prevalence, abundance, and diversity of bacteria in the gut of adult lone start ticks (Amblyomma americanum) (n = 31) collected in Kansas. We were unable to culture any bacteria from 42% of ticks and the mean bacterial concentration was only 11.8 ± 5.4 CFU/tick. Amplification and sequencing of 16S rDNA of bacterial isolates (n= 36) revealed a low bacterial diversity represented by 3 phyla: Actinobacteria (50%), Firmicutes (40%), Proteobacteria (10%) and 16 genera with a heavy bias toward Grampositive and catalase-positive bacterial species.en-USThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).Text