Comparison of 16S and COX1 genes mitochondrial regions and their usefulness for genetic analysis of ticks (Acari: Ixodidae).
BACKGROUND
In recent decades the analysis of mitochondrial genes has been used for population and phylogenetic studies of ticks allowing many advances in their systematics. Mitochondrial ribosomal 16S (16S) subunit is one of the most frequently used among those genes available for tick analysis, whereas cytochrome oxidase gene 1 (COX1) has recently been used and proposed as an alternative to the traditional 16S gene marker.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the usefulness of 16S and COX1 in genetic studies of ticks by analyzing sequences of three species commonly found in the Caribbean region of Colombia.


RESULTS
The analysis of both genes sequences allowed us to identify the three species with high levels of confidence and interspecific genetic divergence (19-22%), although only COX1 allowed us to detect intraspecific genetic variability (up to ~0.8%). A substitution saturation analysis indicated that the 16S gene was not saturated with transitions while the COX1 gene showed saturation distances starting at ~17%.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicated that the 16S gene seems to have better features for interspecific phylogenetic analyses because of its high level of genetic divergence and low saturation pattern, while the COX1 gene appears to be more useful for intraspecific genetic variability studies. However, as our study was conducted at a local scale, future studies at different biogeographical scales would help to establish its usefulness in wider and more complex scenarios.
Grupo de Investigaciones Biomedicas, Universidad de Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia Grupo BIOGEM, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia. luispaterninat@gmail.com.
Luis Enrique
LE
Paternina
Daniel
D
Verbel-Vergara
Eduar Elías
EE
Bejarano
D000818:Animals; D017691:Caribbean Region; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics*; D005820:Genetic Testing; D026863:Ixodidae; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013987:Ticks
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
Colombia.; DNA; genetics; mitochondrial; phylogeny; ticks