title: Comparison of the DNA sequences and secondary structure of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene of Ixodes kingi, Ixodes sculptus and Ixodes angustus.
abstract: The DNA sequences and predicted secondary structure of domains IV and V of the mitochondrial (mt) 16S rRNA gene were compared for three species of Ixodes: Ixodes kingi, Ixodes sculptus and Ixodes angustus. Each species had a unique set of DNA sequences for the 16S gene. Many of the differences in DNA sequence within and among species occurred in a "hypervariable" region of domain V, and either represented partial or full compensatory base pair changes that maintained the helices within the secondary structure, or nucleotide alterations at unpaired positions that had no effect on the secondary structure. The results of the phylogenetic analyses revealed that I. kingi, I. sculptus and I. angustus were placed in a clade with some other species of the subgenera Pholeoixodes and Ixodiopsis. In addition, individuals of I. sculptus from Saskatchewan (Canada) and Colorado (USA) did not form a monophyletic clade, suggesting the possible existence of cryptic species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5E2.
authors.forename: Clare A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Anstead
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5E2. Electronic address: neil.chilton@usask.ca.
authors.forename: Neil B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Chilton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002170:Canada; D002335:Carnivora / Q000469:parasitology; D002415:Cats; D004285:Dogs; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D049750:Genome, Insect; D018884:Ixodes / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009758:Nymph / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D012589:Sciuridae / Q000469:parasitology; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: Genetic variation; Ixodes angustus; Ixodes kingi; Ixodes sculptus; Mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene; Secondary structure