Abstract
Ticks are major ectoparasites and vectors of pathogens affecting humans, livestock, and wildlife. They harbor diverse microbial communities that may influence tick biology and interactions with microorganisms; however, functional information on tick-associated microbiomes remains limited, particularly in North Africa. In this pilot study, we applied a metaproteomic approach based on high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry to characterize bacterial communities associated with three tick species collected in Algeria: Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, Hyalomma aegyptium, and Hyalomma dromedarii. Peptide spectra were assigned to taxa using a two-step database search strategy based on NCBInr, and bacterial composition and relative abundance were compared across tick species and sampling locations. A total of 40 bacterial genera belonging to 32 families and four phyla were identified. Microbiome composition differed significantly between tick genera and collection locations, suggesting an influence of species-specific and geographical factors on microbial community structure. Dominant genera included Streptomyces, Bacillus, Clostridium, Escherichia, Flavobacterium, Paenibacillus, and Providencia. Peptides related to Coxiella spp. were frequently detected, consistent with previous reports of Coxiella-like endosymbionts in ticks. This pilot study provides a first metaproteomic characterization of tick-associated communities in Algeria. The results reveal species- and location-associated differences in microbial composition and highlight the potential of metaproteomics for exploring tick-associated microbiomes in North Africa.
Acknowledgements
We thank all of the people who participated in the tick collection. The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to Ms. Julie Puget, from the Interns and Students Office at IRD, for her invaluable support and dedication. Without her assistance, Mr. Kernif Tahar would not have been able to complete his secondment at IRD. Her efficiency and commitment were instrumental to the success of this collaboration. This work benefited from a capacity-building initiative aimed at strengthening research collaborations and supporting researchers from Southern institutions. This program provides support for training and research mobility but does not fund research expenses or publication costs. Finally, Mr. Clément LOZANO & Mr. Jean ARMENGAUD gratefully acknowledge the support from the French National Agency for Research (France 2030, the French Proteomics Infrastructure INBS ProFI, grant number ANR-24-INBS-0015-05) which has contributed to the advancement of metaproteomics expertise within their research team.
Funding
This research was funded by LeiSHeild-RISE MATI project, Grant Agreement No 778298.
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Kernif, T., Lozano, C., Khardine, F.A. et al. Pilot metaproteomic profiling reveals bacterial diversity and potential medical and veterinary relevance of tick microbiomes in northern Algeria.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-58580-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-58580-1
Keywords
- Ticks
- Tick microbiome
- Metaproteomics
- Bacterial diversity
Hyalomma
Rhipicephalus
- Algeria
Source: Ecology - nature.com
