Dynamic nesting of in the microbial communities of .

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 , an important cattle tick vector, focusing on its interaction with . 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 in the microbiome. Using next-generation sequencing, microbiome dynamics were characterized over 2 years, revealing significant shifts in diversity, composition, and abundance. exhibited varying associations, with its increased abundance correlating with reduced microbial diversity. Co-occurrence networks demonstrated 's evolving role, transitioning from diverse connections to keystone taxa status. An integrative approach involving node removal unveils the impact of 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 , shedding light on potential avenues for controlling bovine anaplasmosis through microbiome manipulation.