Targeted PCR Rickettsia screen

A targeted PCR Rickettsia screen of 1,612 individuals from 169 species was undertaken to increase our understanding of Rickettsia ecology. Within this, we included a range of both aquatic and terrestrial taxa, to investigate if the previous work highlighting particular aquatic taxa as hotspots for Rickettsia symbiosis (water beetles, biting midges, damselflies) reflects a wider higher incidence in species from this habitat. mtDNA COI amplification was conducted as a control for DNA quality. To investigate symbiont infection status, rickettsial-specific primers based on gltA and 16S rRNA genes were used for conventional PCR screening, with Sanger sequences obtained from at least one specimen per Rickettsia positive species to identify any misamplification false positives.