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Title: Pyrosequencing-based analysis of the microbiome associated with the horn fly, Haematobia irritans

Author
item PALAVESAM, AZHAHIANAMBI - University Of Maryland
item Guerrero, Felicito
item Perez De Leon, Adalberto - Beto
item Heekin, Andrew
item Wang, Ju
item DOWD, SCOT - Molecular Research Lp (MR DNA)
item SUN, YAN - Research And Testing Laboratories, Llc
item FOIL, LANE - Louisiana State University

Submitted to: Workshop Proceedings
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2012
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The horn fly, Haematobia irritans, is one of the economically important pests of cattle. Use of insecticides have been a major element of horn fly management programs. Growing concerns of insecticide resistance, insecticide residues on farm products, and non-availability of new generation insecticides for the near future, are serious issues for the organized livestock farming industry. Alternative horn fly control methods would reduce the use of insecticides, reduce the amount of insecticide residues on livestock products, and give an impetus to the organic livestock farming segment. The horn fly, an obligatory blood feeder, requires the help of microflora to supply additional nutrients and metabolize the blood meal. Recent advancements in DNA sequencing methodologies enable researchers to examine the microflora diversity independent of culture methods. We used the bacterial 16S tag-encoded FLX-titanium amplicon pyrosequencing (bTEFAP) method to carry out the classification analysis of bacterial flora in adult female horn flies, adult male horn flies, and horn fly eggs. The bTEFAP method identified 16S rDNA sequences in our samples, which allowed the identification of various prokaryotic taxa associated with the life stage examined. This is the first comprehensive report of bacterial flora associated with horn fly or any other dipteran-pests affecting livestock using a culture-independent method. Several rumen, environmental, symbiotic, and pathogenic bacteria associated with the horn fly were identified and quantified. This is the first report of the presence of Wolbachia in horn flies of USA origin and is the first report of the presence of Rikenella in an obligatory blood feeding insect.