{
  "abstract": "Lateral gene transfer (LGT) from organellar to eukaryotic genomes is ubiquitous, resulting in the presence of widespread nuclear mitochondrial DNA segments (NUMTs) and/or plastid gene transfers. While LGT from bacterial associates of eukaryotes is generally less common, many arthropod genomes are littered with LGT originating from Wolbachia (order Rickettsiales) - a vertically transmitted, obligate intracellular symbiont of invertebrates. This contrasts with Rickettsia, a related genus including many important human pathogens, which has not been shown to promulgate LGT within its arthropod vectors. Here, we present the 8.6 Gb genome of a cell line derived from A. variegatum (the tropical bont tick), which is the primary vector of Rickettsia africae (agent of African tick-bite fever). In addition to numerous NUMTs and diverse families of transposable elements, an almost-complete chromosome of R. africae origin was identified in the cell line genome, localised to the putative sex chromosome. Sequencing of field-collected A. variegatum confirmed the presence of this large LGT in wild ticks, although the absence of transferred genes from the R. africae plasmid provided a means to differentiate LGT from genuine rickettsial infections. These findings highlight the imperative to consider the possibility of LGT when screening vectors for pathogens by PCR.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "University of Liverpool"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 14,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "J. J. Khoo"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Y. Beliavskaia"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Ludwig"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. A. Whitehead"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. M. Al-Khafaji"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. S. Hartley"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Kazimirova"
    },
    {
      "name": "G. S. Bah"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Frederik"
    },
    {
      "name": "I. Cahyani"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. W. Loose"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. Bell-Sakyi"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. C. Darby"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "B. Makepeace"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/4epkrq9zgxq9b.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.09.16.751987",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.16.751987v1.full",
  "id": "4epkrq9zgxq9b",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.16.751987v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "genomics"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1109|Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214165668",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.16.751987v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-16",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/4epkrq9zgxq9b.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:24:19Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.09.16.751987",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.16.751987v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:genomics",
      "subfield": "genetics-genomics"
    }
  ],
  "title": "A near-complete chromosome from a bacterial pathogen integrated into the genome of its arthropod vector",
  "title_text": "A near-complete chromosome from a bacterial pathogen integrated into the genome of its arthropod vector",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:24:19Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/4epkrq9zgxq9b",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}