Fig. 4

The 16S rRNA gene abundance by qPCR and its correlation to CFU abundance. a Scatterplot showing no correlation (p = 0.66) (between 16S rDNA abundance from qPCR and CFU abundance). Mean 16S copies per individual tick was 2.82 (log10[2^−ΔCT]). b Scatterplot for correlation; circles represent total abundance of taxa excluding [Coxiella, Rickettsia, and Gammaproteobacteria (UNCLAS)] (p = 0.48); squares represent added abundance of taxa that were detected by culturing and identified in a culture-independent approach (p = 0.38). c CFU abundance diversity in individual ticks contrasted with the relative abundance of bacterial taxa from sequencing after exclusion of Coxiella, Rickettsia, and Gammaproteobacteria. Empty and black arrows point to tick samples 82 and 46 where no correlation between CFU abundance and HTS is observed