Microfloral diversity of cultured and wild strains of Psoroptes ovis infesting sheep

PCR amplification of 16S rDNA was used to determine the diversity of bacter ia associated with 3 strains of sheep scab mite, Psoroptes ovis. Eight spec ies of bacteria were identified by phylogenetic. analysis of the PCR produc t sequences. Seven of these species are previously unreported in associatio n with sheep scab mites. Five species were matched to Serratia marcescens, Proponibacteium acnes, Phyllobacterium rubiacearum, Pantoea agglomerans, Cu racaobacter baltica, whereas the remaining 3 sequences matched unclassified sequences belonging to the gamma proteobacteria, pseudomonads and streptoc occi. Bacterial diversity of the in vivo cultured strain was very low and d id not match the diversity of the 2 wild collected isolates. The diversity of the bacteria in relation to the disease of sheep scab and the possible i mportance of these bacteria in the diet of the mites are discussed.