Dergousoff Shaun J, Chilton Neil B
Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, Sask, Canada S7N 5E2.
Mol Cell Probes. 2007 Oct-Dec;21(5-6):343-8. doi: 10.1016/j.mcp.2007.04.003. Epub 2007 Apr 22.
Three species of Dermacentor, Dermacentor albipictus, Dermacentor andersoni and Dermacentor variabilis, commonly occur in Canada. D. andersoni and D. variabilis are morphologically similar and are important vectors of human and animal pathogens. A practical polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, based on the amplification of part of the second internal transcribed spacer ribosomal DNA (pITS-2 rDNA), was developed to distinguish D. andersoni from D. variabilis. In addition, single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of the pITS-2 rDNA provided a reliable method of distinguishing specimens of the three species of ixodid tick. PCR and pITS-2 SSCP were also used to determine whether there was hybridization between D. andersoni and D. variabilis at two localities in Saskatchewan where they occur in sympatry. These molecular tools will be useful for the unequivocal identification of D. andersoni and D. variabilis at all life cycle stages, which is essential for studies on their ecology and on the transmission of tick-borne diseases. Also, pITS-2 SSCP may be of potential use for discriminating among the other morphologically similar species within the genus Dermacentor.
三种革蜱属蜱虫，即白纹革蜱、安氏革蜱和变异革蜱，在加拿大较为常见。安氏革蜱和变异革蜱在形态上相似，是人类和动物病原体的重要传播媒介。基于核糖体DNA第二内部转录间隔区部分序列（pITS - 2 rDNA）扩增开发了一种实用的聚合酶链反应（PCR）检测方法，用于区分安氏革蜱和变异革蜱。此外，pITS - 2 rDNA的单链构象多态性（SSCP）分析提供了一种可靠的方法来区分这三种硬蜱属蜱虫的标本。PCR和pITS - 2 SSCP还用于确定在萨斯喀彻温省它们同域分布的两个地点，安氏革蜱和变异革蜱之间是否存在杂交现象。这些分子工具将有助于明确鉴定安氏革蜱和变异革蜱在所有生命周期阶段的种类，这对于研究它们的生态学以及蜱传疾病的传播至关重要。此外，pITS - 2 SSCP可能在区分革蜱属内其他形态相似的物种方面具有潜在用途。
