The influence of female and male cues on the male searching behavior of the sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae), was studied under constant laboratory conditions by means of a computerized video tracking system. Males were released into an open glass arena in which one half had been exposed for 1 h to 5 freely walking unfed females or five males. The obtained track data were analyzed to reveal if male walking pattern was random or affected by cues of conspecifics left on the arena surface. The results showed that males spent significantly more time and walked a significantly longer distance in the area with female cues compared to the control area. Moreover, the walking path of males was more tortuous on the cues half than the control half. In contrast, walking behavior of males was not affected by male cues in any observed parameter. These results provide the first evidence that unfed females leave sex-specific semiochemicals on a substrate during their walk and that these cues have an effect on male searching behavior. Since this effect was not observed when female cues were 24-h old, the semiochemicals seem to either evaporate or are subject to degradation. The biological significance of these findings for mate-searching in I. ricinus males is discussed.

• MeSH
• audiovizuální záznam MeSH
• klíště fyziologie   MeSH
• sexuální chování zvířat fyziologie   MeSH
• sexuální lákadla fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• sexuální lákadla MeSH

An intracellular bacterium with the unique ability to enter mitochondria exists in the European vector of Lyme disease, the hard tick Ixodes ricinus. Previous phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences suggested that the bacterium formed a divergent lineage within the Rickettsiales (Alphaproteobacteria). Here, we present additional phylogenetic evidence, based on the gyrB gene sequence, that confirms the phylogenetic position of the bacterium. Based on these data, as well as electron microscopy (EM), in situ hybridization and other observations, we propose the name 'Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii' for this bacterium. The symbiont appears to be ubiquitous in females of I. ricinus across the tick's distribution, while lower prevalence is observed in males (44%). Based on EM and in situ hybridization studies, the presence of 'Candidatus M. mitochondrii' in females appears to be restricted to ovarian cells. The bacterium was found to be localized both in the cytoplasm and in the intermembrane space of the mitochondria of ovarian cells. 'Candidatus M. mitochondrii' is the first bacterium to be identified that resides within animal mitochondria.

• MeSH
• Alphaproteobacteria klasifikace   izolace a purifikace   fyziologie   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• cytoplazma mikrobiologie   MeSH
• DNA bakterií chemie   genetika   MeSH
• DNA gyráza genetika   MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• hybridizace in situ MeSH
• klíště mikrobiologie   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• mitochondriální membrány mikrobiologie   MeSH
• mitochondrie mikrobiologie   MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• ovarium cytologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• sekvenční analýza DNA MeSH
• sekvenční homologie MeSH
• symbióza * MeSH
• transmisní elektronová mikroskopie MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• DNA bakterií MeSH
• DNA gyráza MeSH

A new anthrasteroid hydrocarbon was isolated from cuticular integument of engorged female Ixodes ricinus, and its structure was determined by interpretation of spectroscopic and nuclear magnetic resonance data as 14alpha(H)-1(10-->6)-abeo-cholesta-3,5,7,9(10)-tetraene (1).

• MeSH
• cholesteny chemie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• klíště chemie   MeSH
• molekulární struktura MeSH
• nemoci ovcí parazitologie   MeSH
• nukleární magnetická rezonance biomolekulární MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• 14alpha(H)-1(10-6)-abeo-cholesta-3,5,7,9(10)-tetraene MeSH Prohlížeč
• cholesteny MeSH

For the first time, headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with GC-MS analysis was used to study volatile compounds emitted by the tick Ixodes ricinus (L.). Variables such as the type of SPME fibre, equilibration time and extraction time have been evaluated with the mixture of four selected standards, a so-called artificial tick (acetophenone, racemic 4-heptanolide, methyl 2-methoxybenzoate and methyl 3-chloro-4-methoxybenzoate). Optimized conditions were obtained by the use of polydimethylsiloxan 100 microm fibre at 30 min equilibration and 15 min extraction time. The method proved to have a good linearity (r2 >0.98) at a concentration range from 0.5 ng (1 ng for methyl 3-chloro-4-methoxybenzoate) to 25 ng. LODs for a compound ranged between 0.19 and 1 ng, RSD (%) ranged from 13.76 to 25.08. The determination of 1.99 ng of methyl 3-chloro-4-methoxybenzoate emitted by five engorged females proved the usefulness of the developed method to identify and quantify the volatile compounds emitted by I. ricinus ticks.

• MeSH
• anisoly analýza   MeSH
• benzoáty analýza   chemie   MeSH
• klíště chemie   MeSH
• mikroextrakce na pevné fázi metody   MeSH
• plynová chromatografie s hmotnostně spektrometrickou detekcí metody   MeSH
• sexuální lákadla analýza   chemie   MeSH
• volatilizace MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• 1,3-dimethoxybenzene MeSH Prohlížeč
• anisoly MeSH
• benzoáty MeSH
• sexuální lákadla MeSH