title: Molecular phylogenetic analysis of ixodid ticks based on the ribosomal DNA spacer, internal transcribed spacer 2, sequences.
abstract: An internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) sequence between the 5.8S and 28S rRNA genes was used to estimate the phyletic relationships among Ixodes spp. tick vectors of Lyme disease-causing Borrelia spirochetes. Analysis indicates that Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species associated with Lyme disease are found mainly in ticks of the Ixodes ricinus species complex. Other closely related tick species are not known to transmit the Borrelia-that cause Lyme disease in humans, but they appear to have a specific association with other closely related Borrelia species. There is a high degree of concordance in the phylogenetics of Borrelia taxa and the phylogenetic relationships among Ixodes ticks.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuyama University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukunaga
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yabuki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamase
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D018884:Ixodes / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S / Q000235:genetics*; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S