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

Animal Biotechnology Department Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Havana Cuba

ANSES INRAE Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort UMR BIPAR Laboratoire de Santé Animale Maisons Alfort France

Direction of Animal Health National Center for Animal and Plant Health Carretera de Tapaste y Autopista Nacional San José de las Lajas Cuba

EA 7310 Laboratoire de Virologie Université de Corse Corte France

Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic

INRAE UR 0045 Laboratoire de Recherches Sur Le Développement de L'Elevage Corte France

School of Environmental Sciences University of Guelph Guelph Ontario Canada

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