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Luo T, Hu E, Gan L, Yang D, Wu J, Gao S, Tuo X, Bayin CG, Hu Z, Guo Q. Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii can be vertically transmitted in Hyalomma anatolicum. Exp Parasitol 2024; 265:108828. [PMID: 39159853 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
In this study, a tick intracellular symbiont, Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii, was detected in Hyalomma anatolicum from Xinjiang, China. Morphological identification and cytochrome oxidase subunit I sequence alignment were used for molecular identification of the tick species. PCR detection further revealed the presence of endosymbiont C. M. mitochondrii in the tick. Specific primers were designed for Groel and 16S rRNA genes of C. M. mitochondrii for PCR amplification and phylogenetic analysis. To further investigate the vertical transmission characteristics of C. M. mitochondrii, specific primers were designed based on the FabⅠ gene fragment to detect C. M. mitochondrii in different developmental stages and organs of the tick using qPCR. Of the 336 tick specimens collected from the field, 266 samples were identified as H. anatolicum on the basis of morphological characteristics. The gene fragment alignment results of COI confirmed that these ticks were H. anatolicum. The phylogenetic analysis showed that Groel gene of C. M. mitochondrii clustered with Midichloria strains detected in Ixodes ricinus ticks from Italy and Ixodes holocyclus ticks from Australia, with 100% sequence similarity. Furthermore, the 16S rRNA gene of C. M. mitochondrii clusters with the strains isolated from Hyalomma rufipes ticks in Italy, exhibiting the highest degree of homology. qPCR results showed that C. M. mitochondrii was present at all developmental stages of H. anatolicum, with the highest relative abundance in eggs, and lower relative abundance in nymphs and unfed males. With female tick blood feeding, the relative abundance of C. M. mitochondrii increased, and a particularly high relative abundance was detected in the ovaries of engorged female ticks. This study provides information for studying the survival adaptability of H. anatolicum, and provides data for further investigation of the mechanisms regulating tick endosymbionts in ticks, enriching the reference materials for comprehensive prevention and control of tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingxiang Luo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Ercha Hu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China; Xingjiang Key Laboratory of Herbivore Drug Research and Creation, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China; Veterinary Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station of Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Lu Gan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Depeng Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Jun Wu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Shenghong Gao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Xiaoli Tuo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Chahan Gailike Bayin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Zhengxiang Hu
- College of Grassland Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China.
| | - Qingyong Guo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China.
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Conti MM, Bail JP, Li R, Zhu LJ, Benanti JA. Dynamic phosphorylation of Hcm1 promotes fitness in chronic stress. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.18.613713. [PMID: 39345542 PMCID: PMC11429972 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.18.613713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
Cell survival depends upon the ability to adapt to changing environments. Environmental stressors trigger an acute stress response program that rewires cell physiology, downregulates proliferation genes and pauses the cell cycle until the cell adapts. Here, we show that dynamic phosphorylation of the yeast cell cycle-regulatory transcription factor Hcm1 is required to maintain fitness in chronic stress. Hcm1 is activated by cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) and inactivated by the phosphatase calcineurin (CN) in response to stressors that signal through increases in cytosolic Ca2+. Expression of a constitutively active, phosphomimetic Hcm1 mutant reduces fitness in stress, suggesting Hcm1 inactivation is required. However, a comprehensive analysis of Hcm1 phosphomutants revealed that Hcm1 activity is also important to survive stress, demonstrating that Hcm1 activity must be toggled on and off to promote gene expression and fitness. These results suggest that dynamic control of cell cycle regulators is critical for survival in stressful environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle M. Conti
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605
| | - Jillian P. Bail
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605
| | - Rui Li
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605
| | - Lihua Julie Zhu
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605
- Department of Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester MA 01605
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester MA 01605
| | - Jennifer A. Benanti
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605
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Joly-Kukla C, Stachurski F, Duhayon M, Galon C, Moutailler S, Pollet T. Temporal dynamics of the Hyalomma marginatum-borne pathogens in southern France. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES 2024; 6:100213. [PMID: 39399650 PMCID: PMC11470478 DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2024.100213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 08/26/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 10/15/2024]
Abstract
Spatio-temporal scales have a clear influence on microbial community distribution and diversity and should thus be applied to study the dynamics of microorganisms. The invasive tick species Hyalomma marginatum has recently become established in southern France. It may carry pathogens of medical and veterinary interest including the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, Rickettsia aeschlimannii, Theileria equi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Pathogenic communities of H. marginatum have been identified and their spatial distribution characterized, but their temporal dynamics remain unknown. Hyalomma marginatum ticks were collected from hosts at monthly intervals from February to September 2022 in a site in southern France to study their presence and temporal dynamics. Of the 281 ticks analysed, we detected pathogens including R. aeschlimannii, Anaplasma spp. and T. equi with infection rates reaching 47.0%, 4.6% and 11.0%, respectively. A total of 14.6% of ticks were infected with at least Theileria or Anaplasma, with monthly fluctuations ranging from 2.9% to 28.6%. Strong temporal patterns were observed for each pathogen detected, particularly for R. aeschlimannii, whose infection rates increased dramatically at the beginning of summer, correlated with monthly mean temperatures at the site. Based on these results, we hypothesise that R. aeschlimannii may be a secondary symbiont of H. marginatum and could be involved in the stress response to temperature increase and mediate thermal tolerance of H. marginatum. Analysis of monthly and seasonal fluctuations in pathogens transmitted by H. marginatum led us to conclude that the risk of infection is low but persists throughout the period of H. marginatum activity, with a notable increase in summer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Joly-Kukla
- UMR ASTRE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire D’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, F-94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Frédéric Stachurski
- UMR ASTRE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, F-34398, Montpellier, France
| | - Maxime Duhayon
- UMR ASTRE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, F-34398, Montpellier, France
| | - Clémence Galon
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire D’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, F-94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Sara Moutailler
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire D’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, F-94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Thomas Pollet
- UMR ASTRE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
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Zhang Y, Cheng TY, Liu GH, Liu L, Duan DY. Metagenome reveals the midgut microbial community of Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis ticks collected from yaks and Tibetan sheep. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:370. [PMID: 39217389 PMCID: PMC11366167 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06442-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis is a tick species distributed only in China. Due to its ability to transmit a variety of pathogens, including species of the genera Anaplasma, Rickettsia, Babesia, and Theileria, it seriously endangers livestock husbandry. However, the microbial community of the midgut of H. qinghaiensis females collected from yaks and Tibetan sheep has not yet been characterized using metagenomic sequencing technology. METHODS Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis were collected from the skins of yaks and Tibetan sheep in Gansu Province, China. Genomic DNA was extracted from the midguts and midgut contents of fully engorged H. qinghaiensis females collected from the two hosts. Metagenomic sequencing technology was used to analyze the microbial community of the two groups. RESULTS Fifty-seven phyla, 483 genera, and 755 species were identified in the two groups of samples. The ticks from the two hosts harbored common and unique microorganisms. At the phylum level, the dominant common phyla were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Mucoromycota. At the genus level, the dominant common genera were Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Pseudomonas. At the species level, bacteria including Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia minasensis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa along with eukaryotes such as Synchytrium endobioticum and Rhizophagus irregularis, and viruses such as the orf virus, Alphadintovirus mayetiola, and Parasteatoda house spider adintovirus were detected in both groups. In addition, the midgut of H. qinghaiensis collected from yaks had unique microbial taxa including two phyla, eight genera, and 23 species. Unique microorganisms in the midgut of H. qinghaiensis collected from Tibetan sheep included two phyla, 14 genera, and 32 species. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed that the functional genes of the microbiome of H. qinghaiensis were annotated to six pathways, and the metabolic pathways included 11 metabolic processes, in which the genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism were the most abundant, followed by the genes involved in lipid metabolism. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that most of the microbial species in the collected H. qinghaiensis ticks were the same in both hosts, but there were also slight differences. The analytical data from this study have enhanced our understanding of the midgut microbial composition of H. qinghaiensis collected from different hosts. The database of H. qinghaiensis microbe constructed from this study will lay the foundation for predicting tick-borne diseases. Furthermore, a comprehensive understanding of tick microbiomes will be useful for understanding vector competency and interactions with ticks and midgut microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan Province, China
| | - Tian-Yin Cheng
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan Province, China
| | - Guo-Hua Liu
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan Province, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan Province, China
| | - De-Yong Duan
- Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan Province, China.
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Yan Y, Shi Z, Wang C, Jin Z, Yin J, Zhu G. Viral Diversity and Ecological Impact of DNA Viruses in Dominant Tick Species in China. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1736. [PMID: 39203578 PMCID: PMC11357538 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12081736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2024] [Revised: 08/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites that also transmit various pathogens, posing severe risks to human and animal health. DNA viruses play a crucial role in the microbial ecology of ticks, but their distribution and ecological significance remain largely undetermined. Here, we assembled an extensive catalog encompassing 4320 viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) from six main dominant tick species in China, of which 94.8% have not been found in any other environment. To bridge the knowledge gap in tick DNA virus research and provide a crucial resource platform, we developed the Tick DNA Virus Database. This database includes the vOTUs that are known to cause diseases. Most of the predicted vOTUs are associated with dominant bacterial and archaeal phyla. We identified 105 virus-encoded putative auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) that are involved in host metabolism and environmental adaptation, potentially influencing ticks through both top-down and bottom-up mechanisms. The identification of microbial communities and antibiotic resistance in wild tick species suggests that wild ticks are reservoirs of antibiotic resistance and potential spreaders of antibiotic resistance. These findings reveal the potential role of tick viruses in ecosystems, highlighting the importance of monitoring tick microbiomes to address global public health challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueyang Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China; (Y.Y.); (C.W.); (J.Y.)
- Institute of Zoonosis, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China;
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Zhangpeng Shi
- Institute of Zoonosis, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China;
| | - Cunmin Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China; (Y.Y.); (C.W.); (J.Y.)
- Institute of Zoonosis, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China;
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Zi Jin
- Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310059, China;
| | - Jigang Yin
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China; (Y.Y.); (C.W.); (J.Y.)
- Institute of Zoonosis, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China;
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Guan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China; (Y.Y.); (C.W.); (J.Y.)
- Institute of Zoonosis, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China;
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
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Ossa-López PA, Ramírez-Chaves HE, Álvarez López ME, Castaño Villa GJ, Rivera-Páez FA. Bacterial community of ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and mammals from Arauca, Colombian Orinoquia. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2024; 24:100943. [PMID: 38778917 PMCID: PMC11109883 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Ticks are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites of vertebrates and are relevant worldwide due to the number of bacterial and other pathogens they can transmit. To date, the knowledge about the microorganisms that ticks harbor and transmit to their hosts is incipient. In this study, 24 samples of mammals belonging to four taxonomic orders and ticks of the genera Amblyomma and Rhipicephalus from the Orinoco region of Colombia were analyzed to described and compare the bacterial microbiome. Genetic extraction was performed, and the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified by PCR. Libraries were created, and those samples with adequate quality indices were sequenced using Illumina MiSeq technology. Bacterial taxonomic assignment analyses were conducted through Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) and Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs). The results correspond to 16 samples that passed the quality filters, with 3218 OTUs (415 families). Although a considerable number of unknown bacteria was found, Enterobacteriaceae, Beijerinckiaceae, Moraxellaceae, and Burkholderiaceae are the most prevalent families, and the presence of the genera Coxiella, Escherichia-Shigella, Enterobacter, which can harbor pathogenic species was confirmed. In individuals of Amblyomma mixtum found actively feeding on Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, bacteria of the genera Escherichia-Shigella and Enterobacter were documented. Similarly, Rhipicephalus microplus found actively feeding on Odocoileus virginianus cariacou shared Escherichia-Shigella. Ralstonia was shared among the blood samples of H. hydrochaeris, while Anaplasma and Eubacterium were shared in blood and liver samples of O. v. cariacou. Shared bacteria between A. mixtum and R. microplus included Bacillus, Coxiella, and Escherichia-Shigella. The results highlight the need of additional studies in other natural regions of Colombia and other American countries where tick-borne diseases have been detected. Likewise, the recorded data are the first at the level of bacterial communities in ticks of the family Ixodidae and provide valuable knowledge for the understanding host-tick and pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula A. Ossa-López
- Doctorado en Ciencias, Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Héctor E. Ramírez-Chaves
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Centro de Museos, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 58 No. 21-50, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - María Elena Álvarez López
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ciencias para la Salud, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Gabriel Jaime Castaño Villa
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Desarrollo Rural y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Fredy A. Rivera-Páez
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, 170004, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
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Paulino PG, Abuin-Denis L, Maitre A, Piloto-Sardiñas E, Obregon D, Santos HA, Cabezas-Cruz A. Dissecting the impact of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection on functional networks and community stability of the tick microbiome. Int Microbiol 2024; 27:1205-1218. [PMID: 38151633 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-023-00473-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Pathogens can manipulate microbial interactions to ensure survival, potentially altering the functional patterns and microbiome assembly. The present study investigates how Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection affects the functional diversity, composition, and assembly of the Ixodes scapularis microbiome, with a focus on high central pathways-those characterized by elevated values in centrality metrics such as eigenvector, betweenness, and degree measures, in the microbial community. METHODS Using previously published data from nymphs' gut V4 region's amplicons of bacterial 16S rRNA, we predicted the functional diversity and composition in control and A. phagocytophilum-infected ticks and inferred co-occurrence networks of taxa and ubiquitous pathways in each condition to associate the high central pathways to the microbial community assembly. RESULTS Although no differences were observed concerning pathways richness and diversity, there was a significant impact on taxa and functional assembly when ubiquitous pathways in each condition were filtered. Moreover, a notable shift was observed in the microbiome's high central functions. Specifically, pathways related to the degradation of nucleosides and nucleotides emerged as the most central functions in response to A. phagocytophilum infection. This finding suggests a reconfiguration of functional relationships within the microbial community, potentially influenced by the pathogen's limited metabolic capacity. This limitation implies that the tick microbiome may provide additional metabolic resources to support the pathogen's functional needs. CONCLUSIONS Understanding the metabolic interactions within the tick microbiome can enhance our knowledge of pathogen colonization mechanisms and uncover new disease control and prevention strategies. For example, certain pathways that were more abundant or highly central during infection may represent potential targets for microbiota-based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Gonzaga Paulino
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropedica, 23890-000, Brazil.
| | - Lianet Abuin-Denis
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
- Animal Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Avenue 31 Between 158 and 190, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
| | - Apolline Maitre
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Elianne Piloto-Sardiñas
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
- Direction of Animal Health, National Center for Animal and Plant Health, Carretera de Tapaste y Autopista Nacional, Apartado Postal 10, 32700, San José de Las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba
| | - Dasiel Obregon
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Huarrisson Azevedo Santos
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropedica, 23890-000, Brazil
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France.
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Duron O. Nutritional symbiosis in ticks: singularities of the genus Ixodes. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:696-706. [PMID: 38942646 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Symbiosis with intracellular bacteria is essential for the nutrition of ticks, particularly through the biosynthesis of B vitamins. Yet, ticks of the genus Ixodes, which include major vectors of human pathogens, lack the nutritional symbionts usually found in other tick genera. This paradox raises questions about the mechanisms that Ixodes ticks use to prevent nutritional deficiencies. Nonetheless, Ixodes ticks commonly harbor other symbionts belonging to the order Rickettsiales. Although these obligate intracellular bacteria are primarily known as human pathogens, Rickettsiales symbionts often dominate the Ixodes microbial community without causing diseases. They also significantly influence Ixodes physiology, synthesize key B vitamins, and are crucial for immatures. These findings underscore unique associations between Rickettsiales and Ixodes ticks distinct from other tick genera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Duron
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier (UM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD), Montpellier, France.
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Amoros J, Fattar N, Buysse M, Louni M, Bertaux J, Bouchon D, Duron O. Reassessment of the genetic basis of natural rifampin resistance in the genus Rickettsia. Microbiologyopen 2024; 13:e1431. [PMID: 39082505 PMCID: PMC11289727 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia, a genus of obligate intracellular bacteria, includes species that cause significant human diseases. This study challenges previous claims that the Leucine-973 residue in the RNA polymerase beta subunit is the primary determinant of rifampin resistance in Rickettsia. We investigated a previously untested Rickettsia species, R. lusitaniae, from the Transitional group and found it susceptible to rifampin, despite possessing the Leu-973 residue. Interestingly, we observed the conservation of this residue in several rifampin-susceptible species across most Rickettsia phylogenetic groups. Comparative genomics revealed potential alternative resistance mechanisms, including additional amino acid variants that could hinder rifampin binding and genes that could facilitate rifampin detoxification through efflux pumps. Importantly, the evolutionary history of Rickettsia genomes indicates that the emergence of natural rifampin resistance is phylogenetically constrained within the genus, originating from ancient genetic features shared among a unique set of closely related Rickettsia species. Phylogenetic patterns appear to be the most reliable predictors of natural rifampin resistance, which is confined to a distinct monophyletic subclade known as Massiliae. The distinctive features of the RNA polymerase beta subunit in certain untested Rickettsia species suggest that R. raoultii, R. amblyommatis, R. gravesii, and R. kotlanii may also be naturally rifampin-resistant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Amoros
- MIVEGEC, CNRS, IRDUniversity of MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Noor Fattar
- MIVEGEC, CNRS, IRDUniversity of MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Marie Buysse
- MIVEGEC, CNRS, IRDUniversity of MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | | | | | | | - Olivier Duron
- MIVEGEC, CNRS, IRDUniversity of MontpellierMontpellierFrance
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Cibichakravarthy B, Shaked N, Kapri E, Gottlieb Y. Endosymbiont-derived metabolites are essential for tick host reproductive fitness. mSphere 2024; 9:e0069323. [PMID: 38953331 PMCID: PMC11288044 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00693-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks, like other obligatory blood-feeding arthropods, rely on endosymbiotic bacteria to supplement their diet with B vitamins lacking in blood. It has been suggested that additional metabolites such as L-proline may be involved in this nutritional symbiosis, but this has yet to be tested. Here, we studied the metabolite-based interaction between the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) and its Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLE). We measured amino acid titers and tested the effect of B vitamins and L-proline supplementation on the fitness of CLE-suppressed female ticks, displaying low titers of CLE. We found higher titers of L-proline in the symbiont-hosting organs of unfed ticks and in engorged blood-fed whole ticks. Supplementation of B vitamins increased the hatching rate of CLE-suppressed ticks; this effect appears to be stronger when L-proline is added. Our results indicate that L-proline is produced by CLE, and we suggest that CLE is essential in states of high metabolic demand that affects tick reproductive fitness, such as oogenesis and embryonic development. These findings demonstrate the broader effect of nutritional symbionts on their hosts and may potentially contribute to the control of ticks and tick-borne diseases. IMPORTANCE Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLE) are essential to the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus for feeding and reproduction. This symbiosis is based on the supplementation of B vitamins lacking in the blood diet. The involvement of additional metabolites has been suggested, but no experimental evidence is available as yet to confirm a metabolic interaction. Here, we show that B vitamins and L-proline, both of which contribute to tick reproductive fitness, are produced by CLE. These findings demonstrate the importance of symbiont-derived metabolites for the host's persistence and shed light on the complex bacteria-host metabolic interaction, which can be channeled to manipulate and control tick populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balasubramanian Cibichakravarthy
- The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Neta Shaked
- The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Einat Kapri
- The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yuval Gottlieb
- The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
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11
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Joly-Kukla C, Bernard C, Bru D, Galon C, Giupponi C, Huber K, Jourdan-Pineau H, Malandrin L, Rakotoarivony I, Riggi C, Vial L, Moutailler S, Pollet T. Spatial patterns of Hyalomma marginatum-borne pathogens in the Occitanie region (France), a focus on the intriguing dynamics of Rickettsia aeschlimannii. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0125624. [PMID: 39012114 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01256-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Hyalomma marginatum is an invasive tick species recently established in mainland southern France. This tick is known to host a diverse range of human and animal pathogens. While information about the dynamics of these pathogens is crucial to assess disease risk and develop effective monitoring strategies, few data on the spatial dynamics of these pathogens are currently available. We collected ticks in 27 sites in the Occitanie region to characterize spatial patterns of H. marginatum-borne pathogens. Several pathogens have been detected: Theileria equi (9.2%), Theileria orientalis (0.2%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (1.6%), Anaplasma marginale (0.8%), and Rickettsia aeschlimannii (87.3%). Interestingly, we found a spatial clustered distribution for the pathogen R. aeschlimannii between two geographically isolated areas with infection rates and bacterial loads significantly lower in Hérault/Gard departments (infection rate 78.6% in average) compared to Aude/Pyrénées-Orientales departments (infection rate 92.3% in average). At a smaller scale, R. aeschlimannii infection rates varied from one site to another, ranging from 29% to 100%. Overall, such high infection rates (87.3% on average) and the effective maternal transmission of R. aeschlimannii might suggest a role as a tick symbiont in H. marginatum. Further studies are thus needed to understand both the status and the role of R. aeschlimannii in H. marginatum ticks.IMPORTANCETicks are obligatory hematophagous arthropods that transmit pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. Pathogen infections cause serious health issues in humans and considerable economic loss in domestic animals. Information about the presence of pathogens in ticks and their dynamics is crucial to assess disease risk for public and animal health. Analyzing tick-borne pathogens in ticks collected in 27 sites in the Occitanie region, our results highlight clear spatial patterns in the Hyalomma marginatum-borne pathogen distribution and strengthen the postulate that it is essential to develop effective monitoring strategies and consider the spatial scale to better characterize the circulation of tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Joly-Kukla
- ASTRE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Célia Bernard
- ASTRE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Montpellier, France
- French Establishment for Fighting Zoonoses (ELIZ), Malzéville, France
| | - David Bru
- ASTRE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
| | - Clémence Galon
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Carla Giupponi
- ASTRE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Montpellier, France
| | - Karine Huber
- ASTRE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
| | - Hélène Jourdan-Pineau
- ASTRE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Ignace Rakotoarivony
- ASTRE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Montpellier, France
| | - Camille Riggi
- ASTRE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
| | - Laurence Vial
- ASTRE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Montpellier, France
| | - Sara Moutailler
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Thomas Pollet
- ASTRE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
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12
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Sosa-Jiménez VM, Kvist S, Manzano-Marín A, Oceguera-Figueroa A. Discovery of a novel symbiotic lineage associated with a hematophagous leech from the genus Haementeria. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0428623. [PMID: 38842327 PMCID: PMC11218487 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04286-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Similarly to other strict blood feeders, leeches from the Haementeria genus (Hirudinida: Glossiphoniidae) have established a symbiotic association with bacteria harbored intracellularly in esophageal bacteriomes. Previous genome sequence analyses of these endosymbionts revealed co-divergence with their hosts, a strong genome reduction, and a simplified metabolism largely dedicated to the production of B vitamins, which are nutrients lacking from a blood diet. 'Candidatus Providencia siddallii' has been identified as the obligate nutritional endosymbiont of a monophyletic clade of Mexican and South American Haementeria spp. However, the Haementeria genus includes a sister clade of congeners from Central and South America, where the presence or absence of the aforementioned symbiont taxon remains unknown. In this work, we report on a novel bacterial endosymbiont found in a representative from this Haementeria clade. We found that this symbiont lineage has evolved from within the Pluralibacter genus, known mainly from clinical but also environmental strains. Similarly to Ca. Providencia siddallii, the Haementeria-associated Pluralibacter symbiont displays clear signs of genome reduction, accompanied by an A+T-biased sequence composition. Genomic analysis of its metabolic potential revealed a retention of pathways related to B vitamin biosynthesis, supporting its role as a nutritional endosymbiont. Finally, comparative genomics of both Haementeria symbiont lineages suggests that an ancient Providencia symbiont was likely replaced by the novel Pluralibacter one, thus constituting the first reported case of nutritional symbiont replacement in a leech without morphological changes in the bacteriome. IMPORTANCE Obligate symbiotic associations with a nutritional base have likely evolved more than once in strict blood-feeding leeches. Unlike those symbioses found in hematophagous arthropods, the nature, identity, and evolutionary history of these remains poorly studied. In this work, we further explored obligate nutritional associations between Haementeria leeches and their microbial symbionts, which led to the unexpected discovery of a novel symbiosis with a member of the Pluralibacter genus. When compared to Providencia siddallii, an obligate nutritional symbiont of other Haementeria leeches, this novel bacterial symbiont shows convergent retention of the metabolic pathways involved in B vitamin biosynthesis. Moreover, the genomic characteristics of this Pluralibacter symbiont suggest a more recent association than that of Pr. siddallii and Haementeria. We conclude that the once-thought stable associations between blood-feeding Glossiphoniidae and their symbionts (i.e., one bacteriome structure, one symbiont lineage) can break down, mirroring symbiont turnover observed in various arthropod lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Manuel Sosa-Jiménez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
- Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Sebastian Kvist
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alejandro Manzano-Marín
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alejandro Oceguera-Figueroa
- Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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13
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Bontemps Z, Paranjape K, Guy L. Host-bacteria interactions: ecological and evolutionary insights from ancient, professional endosymbionts. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2024; 48:fuae021. [PMID: 39081075 PMCID: PMC11338181 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuae021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Interactions between eukaryotic hosts and their bacterial symbionts drive key ecological and evolutionary processes, from regulating ecosystems to the evolution of complex molecular machines and processes. Over time, endosymbionts generally evolve reduced genomes, and their relationship with their host tends to stabilize. However, host-bacteria relationships may be heavily influenced by environmental changes. Here, we review these effects on one of the most ancient and diverse endosymbiotic groups, formed by-among others-Legionellales, Francisellaceae, and Piscirickettsiaceae. This group is referred to as Deep-branching Intracellular Gammaproteobacteria (DIG), whose last common ancestor presumably emerged about 2 Ga ago. We show that DIGs are globally distributed, but generally at very low abundance, and are mainly identified in aquatic biomes. Most DIGs harbour a type IVB secretion system, critical for host-adaptation, but its structure and composition vary. Finally, we review the different types of microbial interactions that can occur in diverse environments, with direct or indirect effects on DIG populations. The increased use of omics technologies on environmental samples will allow a better understanding of host-bacterial interactions and help unravel the definition of DIGs as a group from an ecological, molecular, and evolutionary perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zélia Bontemps
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kiran Paranjape
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lionel Guy
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
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14
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Martyn C, Hayes BM, Lauko D, Midthun E, Castaneda G, Bosco-Lauth A, Salkeld DJ, Kistler A, Pollard KS, Chou S. Metatranscriptomic investigation of single Ixodes pacificus ticks reveals diverse microbes, viruses, and novel mRNA-like endogenous viral elements. mSystems 2024; 9:e0032124. [PMID: 38742892 PMCID: PMC11237458 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00321-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are increasingly important vectors of human and agricultural diseases. While many studies have focused on tick-borne bacteria, far less is known about tick-associated viruses and their roles in public health or tick physiology. To address this, we investigated patterns of bacterial and viral communities across two field populations of western black-legged ticks (Ixodes pacificus). Through metatranscriptomic analysis of 100 individual ticks, we quantified taxon prevalence, abundance, and co-occurrence with other members of the tick microbiome. In addition to commonly found tick-associated microbes, we assembled 11 novel RNA virus genomes from Rhabdoviridae, Chuviridae, Picornaviridae, Phenuiviridae, Reoviridae, Solemovidiae, Narnaviridae and two highly divergent RNA virus genomes lacking sequence similarity to any known viral families. We experimentally verified the presence of these in I. pacificus ticks across several life stages. We also unexpectedly identified numerous virus-like transcripts that are likely encoded by tick genomic DNA, and which are distinct from known endogenous viral element-mediated immunity pathways in invertebrates. Taken together, our work reveals that I. pacificus ticks carry a greater diversity of viruses than previously appreciated, in some cases resulting in evolutionarily acquired virus-like transcripts. Our findings highlight how pervasive and intimate tick-virus interactions are, with major implications for both the fundamental biology and vectorial capacity of I. pacificus ticks. IMPORTANCE Ticks are increasingly important vectors of disease, particularly in the United States where expanding tick ranges and intrusion into previously wild areas has resulted in increasing human exposure to ticks. Emerging human pathogens have been identified in ticks at an increasing rate, and yet little is known about the full community of microbes circulating in various tick species, a crucial first step to understanding how they interact with each and their tick host, as well as their ability to cause disease in humans. We investigated the bacterial and viral communities of the Western blacklegged tick in California and found 11 previously uncharacterized viruses circulating in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calla Martyn
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Gladstone Institute of Data Science & Biotechnology, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Beth M. Hayes
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- One Health Institute, Colorado State University–Fort Collins, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Domokos Lauko
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Edward Midthun
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University–Fort Collins, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Gloria Castaneda
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Angela Bosco-Lauth
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University–Fort Collins, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Daniel J. Salkeld
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University–Fort Collins, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Amy Kistler
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Katherine S. Pollard
- Gladstone Institute of Data Science & Biotechnology, San Francisco, California, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Seemay Chou
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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15
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Xu B, Gu M, Wu Q, Shu C, Tan W, Wang S, Zhong Z, Wang X, Li J, Wang J, Wang Y, Hu W. The bacterial patterns suggesting the dynamic features of tick-associated microorganisms in hard ticks. BMC Microbiol 2024; 24:179. [PMID: 38789934 PMCID: PMC11118998 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-024-03323-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks are blood-feeding significant arthropods that can harbour various microorganisms, including pathogens that pose health risks to humans and animals. Tick-symbiont microorganisms are believed to influence tick development, but the intricate interactions between these microbes and the relationships between different tick-borne microorganisms remain largely unexplored. RESULTS Based on 111 tick pool samples presenting questing and engorged statuses including 752 questing tick and 1083 engorged tick from cattle and goats, which were collected in two types of geographic landscape (semi-desert and alpine meadow). We observed significant variations in the composition of tick-borne microorganisms across different environments and blood-engorgement statuses, with a pronounced divergence in symbionts compared to environmental bacteria. Metabolic predictions revealed over 90 differential pathways for tick-borne microorganisms in distinct environments and more than 80 metabolic variations in response to varying blood engorgement statuses. Interestingly, nine pathways were identified, particularly related to chorismate synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. Moreover, microbial network relationships within tick-borne microorganism groups were highly distinct across different environments and blood-engorgement statuses. The microbial network relationships of symbionts involve some pathogenic and environmental microorganisms. Regression modelling highlighted positive correlations between the Coxiella symbiont and related pathogens, while some environmental bacteria showed strong negative correlations with Coxiella abundance. We also identified commensal bacteria/pathogens in bacterial cooccurrence patterns. Furthermore, we tested pathogenic microorganisms of each tick sample analysis revealed that 86.36% (1601/1855) of the tick samples carried one or more pathogenic microorganisms, The total carrier rate of bacterial pathogens was 43.77% ((812/1855). Most blood samples carried at least one pathogenic microorganism. The pathogens carried by the ticks have both genus and species diversity, and Rickettsia species are the most abundant pathogens among all pathogens. CONCLUSION Our findings underscore that the bacterial pattern of ticks is dynamic and unstable, which is influenced by the environment factors and tick developmental characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai, China
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengjie Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qunfeng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chang Shu
- Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Public Health Security of the XPCC, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China
- Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Wenbo Tan
- Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Public Health Security of the XPCC, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China
| | - Suwen Wang
- Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Public Health Security of the XPCC, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China
| | - Zhengwei Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoling Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Li
- Basic Medical College, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Guangxi, Nanning, China
| | - Jingwen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanzhi Wang
- Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Public Health Security of the XPCC, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China.
| | - Wei Hu
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- The institutes of Biomedical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Inner Mongolia, Hohhot, China.
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16
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Zhong Z, Wang K, Wang J. Tick symbiosis. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 62:101163. [PMID: 38244689 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2024.101163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
As obligate blood-feeders, ticks serve as vectors for a variety of pathogens that pose threats on both human and livestock health. The microbiota that ticks harbor play important roles in influencing tick nutrition, development, reproduction, and vector. These microbes also affect the capacity of ticks to transmit pathogens (vector competence). Therefore, comprehending the functions of tick microbiota will help in developing novel and effective tick control strategies. Here, we summarize the effects of main tick symbiotic bacteria on tick physiology and vector competency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengwei Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Kun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Jingwen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China.
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17
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Chen X, Wei Z, Wolbers T. Repetition Suppression Reveals Cue-Specific Spatial Representations for Landmarks and Self-Motion Cues in the Human Retrosplenial Cortex. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0294-23.2024. [PMID: 38519127 PMCID: PMC11007318 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0294-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The efficient use of various spatial cues within a setting is crucial for successful navigation. Two fundamental forms of spatial navigation, landmark-based and self-motion-based, engage distinct cognitive mechanisms. The question of whether these modes invoke shared or separate spatial representations in the brain remains unresolved. While nonhuman animal studies have yielded inconsistent results, human investigation is limited. In our previous work (Chen et al., 2019), we introduced a novel spatial navigation paradigm utilizing ultra-high field fMRI to explore neural coding of positional information. We found that different entorhinal subregions in the right hemisphere encode positional information for landmarks and self-motion cues. The present study tested the generalizability of our previous finding with a modified navigation paradigm. Although we did not replicate our previous finding in the entorhinal cortex, we identified adaptation-based allocentric positional codes for both cue types in the retrosplenial cortex (RSC), which were not confounded by the path to the spatial location. Crucially, the multi-voxel patterns of these spatial codes differed between the cue types, suggesting cue-specific positional coding. The parahippocampal cortex exhibited positional coding for self-motion cues, which was not dissociable from path length. Finally, the brain regions involved in successful navigation differed from our previous study, indicating overall distinct neural mechanisms recruited in our two studies. Taken together, the current findings demonstrate cue-specific allocentric positional coding in the human RSC in the same navigation task for the first time and that spatial representations in the brain are contingent on specific experimental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Chen
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P.R. China
| | - Ziwei Wei
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P.R. China
| | - Thomas Wolbers
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg 39120, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg 39106, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg 39106, Germany
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18
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Schütz SD, Brackmann M, Liechti N, Moser M, Wittwer M, Bruggmann R. Functional characterization of Francisella tularensis subspecies holarctica genotypes during tick cell and macrophage infections using a proteogenomic approach. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1355113. [PMID: 38500499 PMCID: PMC10944910 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1355113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Tularemia is a vector-borne disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Francisella tularensis. Known hosts and vectors in Europe are hare and ticks. F. tularensis is transmitted from ticks and animals, but also from the hydrotelluric environment and the consumption of contaminated water or food. A changing climate expands the range in which ticks can live and consequently might contribute to increasing case numbers of tularemia. Two subspecies of F. tularensis are human pathogenic. Francisella tularensis tularensis (Ftt) is endemic in North America, while Francisella tularensis holarctica (Fth) is the only subspecies causing tularemia in Europe. Ft is classified as a category A bioterrorism agent due to its low infectious dose, multiple modes of transmission, high infectivity and potential for airborne transmission and has become a global public health concern. In line with the European survey and previous phylogenetic studies, Switzerland shows the co-distribution of B.6 and B.12 strains with different geographical distribution and prevalence within the country. To establish itself in different host environments of ticks and mammals, F. tularensis presumably undergoes substantial changes on the transcriptomics and proteomic level. Here we investigate the transcriptomic and proteomic differences of five strains of Fth upon infection of rabbit macrophages and tick cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Doina Schütz
- Interfaculty Bioinformatics Unit, University of Bern and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Bern, Switzerland
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Nicole Liechti
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Michel Moser
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Wittwer
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Rémy Bruggmann
- Interfaculty Bioinformatics Unit, University of Bern and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Bern, Switzerland
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Ratzon A, Derdikman D, Barak O. Representational drift as a result of implicit regularization. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.05.04.539512. [PMID: 38370656 PMCID: PMC10871206 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.04.539512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Recent studies show that, even in constant environments, the tuning of single neurons changes over time in a variety of brain regions. This representational drift has been suggested to be a consequence of continuous learning under noise, but its properties are still not fully understood. To investigate the underlying mechanism, we trained an artificial network on a simplified navigational task. The network quickly reached a state of high performance, and many units exhibited spatial tuning. We then continued training the network and noticed that the activity became sparser with time. Initial learning was orders of magnitude faster than ensuing sparsification. This sparsification is consistent with recent results in machine learning, in which networks slowly move within their solution space until they reach a flat area of the loss function. We analyzed four datasets from different labs, all demonstrating that CA1 neurons become sparser and more spatially informative with exposure to the same environment. We conclude that learning is divided into three overlapping phases: (i) Fast familiarity with the environment; (ii) slow implicit regularization; (iii) a steady state of null drift. The variability in drift dynamics opens the possibility of inferring learning algorithms from observations of drift statistics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aviv Ratzon
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 31096, Israel
- Network Biology Research Laboratory, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Dori Derdikman
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 31096, Israel
| | - Omri Barak
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 31096, Israel
- Network Biology Research Laboratory, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
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Zhang YK, Li SS, Yang C, Zhang YF, Zhang XY, Liu JZ. Tetracycline inhibits tick host reproduction by modulating bacterial microbiota, gene expression and metabolism levels. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:366-375. [PMID: 37694307 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks are disease vectors that are a matter of worldwide concern. Antibiotic treatments have been used to explore the interactions between ticks and their symbiotic microorganisms. In addition to altering the host microbial community, antibiotics can have toxic effects on the host. RESULTS In the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis, engorged females showed reproductive disruption after microinjection of tetracycline. Multi-omics approaches were implemented to unravel the mechanisms of tick reproductive inhibition in this study. There were no significant changes in bacterial density in the whole ticks on Day (D)2 or D4 after tetracycline treatment, whereas the bacterial microbial community was significantly altered, especially on D4. The relative abundances of the bacteria Staphylococcus, Bacillus and Pseudomonas decreased after tetracycline treatment, whereas the relative abundances of Coxiella and Rhodococcus increased. Ovarian transcriptional analysis revealed a cumulative effect of tetracycline treatment, as there was a significant increase in the number of differentially expressed genes with treatment time and a higher number of downregulated genes. The tick physiological pathways including lysosome, extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction, biosynthesis of ubiquinone and other terpenoids-quinones, insect hormone biosynthesis, and focal adhesion were significantly inhibited after 4 days of tetracycline treatment. Metabolite levels were altered after tetracycline treatment and the differences increased with treatment time. The differential metabolites were involved in a variety of physiological pathways; the downregulated metabolites were significantly enriched in the nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, galactose metabolism, and ether lipid metabolism pathways. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that tetracycline inhibits tick reproduction through the regulation of tick bacterial communities, gene expression and metabolic levels. The results may provide new strategies for tick control. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Kai Zhang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Si-Si Li
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Conservation, Hengshui University, Hengshui, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yu-Fan Zhang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Zhang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jing-Ze Liu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
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Segura JA, Dibernardo A, Manguiat K, Waitt B, Rueda ZV, Keynan Y, Wood H, Gutiérrez LA. Molecular surveillance of microbial agents from cattle-attached and questing ticks from livestock agroecosystems of Antioquia, Colombia. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 105:102113. [PMID: 38176202 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2023.102113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Ticks are obligate ectoparasites and vectors of pathogens affecting health, agriculture, and animal welfare. This study collected ticks from the cattle and questing ticks of 24 Magdalena Medio Antioquia region cattle farms. Genomic DNA was extracted from the specimens (individual or pools) of the 2088 adult ticks collected from cattle and 4667 immature questing ticks collected from pastures. The molecular detection of Babesia, Anaplasma, Coxiella and Rickettsia genera was performed by polymerase chain reaction amplification and subsequent DNA sequencing. In a total of 6755 Rhipicephalus microplus DNA samples, Anaplasma marginale was the most detected with a frequency of 2% (Confidence Interval- CI 1.68-2.36), followed by Babesia bigemina with 0.28% (CI 0.16-0.44), Coxiella spp. with 0.15% (CI 0.07-0.27), and Rickettsia spp. with 0.13% (CI 0.06-0.25). Molecular analysis of the DNA sequences obtained from the tick samples revealed the presence of Coxiella-like endosymbiont and R. felis. These results demonstrated the diversity of microorganisms present in R. microplus ticks predominantly associated with cattle and questing ticks from livestock agroecosystems, suggesting their role as reservoirs and potential biological vectors of these microorganisms on the studied sites. Also, it emphasizes the need to combine acarological surveillance with clinical diagnoses and control strategies on regional and national levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan A Segura
- Grupo Biología de Sistemas, Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Circular 1a No 70-01, Bloque 11C - Oficina 417, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Antonia Dibernardo
- One Health, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Kathy Manguiat
- One Health, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Brooks Waitt
- One Health, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Zulma V Rueda
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; Grupo de investigación en Salud Pública, Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Yoav Keynan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Heidi Wood
- One Health, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Lina A Gutiérrez
- Grupo Biología de Sistemas, Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Circular 1a No 70-01, Bloque 11C - Oficina 417, Medellín, Colombia.
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Elati K, Benyedem H, Fukatsu K, Hoffmann-Köhler P, Mhadhbi M, Bakırcı S, Bilgiç HB, Karagenç T, Darghouth MA, Nijhof AM. In vitro feeding of all life stages of two-host Hyalomma excavatum and Hyalomma scupense and three-host Hyalomma dromedarii ticks. Sci Rep 2024; 14:444. [PMID: 38172407 PMCID: PMC10764919 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-51052-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are blood-sucking ectoparasites and can transmit various pathogens of medical and veterinary relevance. The life cycle of ticks can be completed under laboratory conditions on experimental animals, but the artificial feeding of ticks has attracted increased interest as an alternative method. This study represents the first report on the successful in vitro feeding of all life stages of two-host tick species, Hyalomma scupense and Hyalomma excavatum, and the three-host tick Hyalomma dromedarii. The attachment and engorgement rates of adults were 84% (21/25) and 76% (19/25) for H. scupense females. For adult H. excavatum and H. dromedarii, 70% (21/30) and 34.4% (11/32) of the females attached and all attached females successfully fed to repletion. The oviposition rates of the artificially fed females were 36.4%, 57.1% and 63.1% for H. dromedarii, H. excavatum and H. scupense, respectively, with a reproductive efficiency index varying between 44.3 and 60.7%. For the larvae, the attachment and engorgement rates were 44.2% (313/708) and 42.8% (303/708) for H. dromedarii, 70.5% (129/183) and 56.8% (104/183) for H. excavatum and 92.6% (113/122) and 55.7% (68/122) for H. scupense. The attachment and engorgement rates for the nymphs were 90.2% (129/143) and 47.6% (68/143) for H. dromedarii, 66.7% (34/51) and 41.2% (21/51) for H. excavatum, and 44.1% (30/68) and 36.8% (25/68) for H. scupense. Molting rates of the immature stages varied between 71.3% (216/303) and 100% (68/68) for the larvae and between 61.9% (13/21) and 96% (24/25) for the nymphs. The successful in vitro feeding of all stages of the three Hyalomma species makes this method a valuable tool for tick research, with potential applications in studies on the pathogens transmitted by these tick species such as Theileria annulata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khawla Elati
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-Von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
- Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-Von-Ostertag-Str. 8, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie, École Nationale de MédecineVétérinaire de SidiThabet, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, Univ. Manouba, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia, Univ. Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia.
| | - Hayet Benyedem
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie, École Nationale de MédecineVétérinaire de SidiThabet, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, Univ. Manouba, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia, Univ. Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia
| | - Kohsuke Fukatsu
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-Von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany
- Research Center, Nihon Nohyaku Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
| | - Peggy Hoffmann-Köhler
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-Von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Moez Mhadhbi
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie, École Nationale de MédecineVétérinaire de SidiThabet, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, Univ. Manouba, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia, Univ. Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia
| | - Serkan Bakırcı
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Isıklı‑Efeler, Aydın, Turkey
| | - Hüseyin Bilgin Bilgiç
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Isıklı‑Efeler, Aydın, Turkey
| | - Tülin Karagenç
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Isıklı‑Efeler, Aydın, Turkey
| | - Mohamed Aziz Darghouth
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie, École Nationale de MédecineVétérinaire de SidiThabet, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, Univ. Manouba, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia, Univ. Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia
| | - Ard M Nijhof
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-Von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
- Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-Von-Ostertag-Str. 8, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
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Liu HP, Yang QY, Liu JX, Haq IU, Li Y, Zhang QY, Attia KA, Abushady AM, Liu CZ, Lv N. Host plant-mediated effects on Buchnera symbiont: implications for biological characteristics and nutritional metabolism of pea aphids ( Acyrthosiphon pisum). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1288997. [PMID: 38126022 PMCID: PMC10731267 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1288997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Introduction The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, is a typical sap-feeding insect and an important worldwide pest. There is a primary symbiont-Buchnera aphidicola, which can synthesize and provide some essential nutrients for its host. At the same time, the hosts also can actively adjust the density of bacterial symbiosis to cope with the changes in environmental and physiological factors. However, it is still unclear how symbionts mediate the interaction between herbivorous insects' nutrient metabolism and host plants. Methods The current study has studied the effects of different host plants on the biological characteristics, Buchnera titer, and nutritional metabolism of pea aphids. This study investigated the influence of different host plants on biological characteristics, Buchnera titer, and nutritional metabolism of pea aphids. Results and discussion The titer of Buchnera was significantly higher on T. Pretense and M. officinalis, and the relative expression levels were 1.966±0.104 and 1.621±0.167, respectively. The content of soluble sugar (53.46±1.97µg/mg), glycogen (1.12±0.07µg/mg) and total energy (1341.51±39.37µg/mg) of the pea aphid on V. faba were significantly higher and showed high fecundity (143.86±11.31) and weight (10.46±0.77µg/mg). The content of total lipids was higher on P. sativum and T. pretense, which were 2.82±0.03µg/mg and 2.92±0.07µg/mg, respectively. Correlation analysis found that the difference in Buchnera titer was positively correlated with the protein content in M. officinalis and the content of total energy in T. pratense (P < 0.05). This study confirmed that host plants not only affected the biological characteristics and nutritional metabolism of pea aphids but also regulated the symbiotic density, thus interfering with the nutritional function of Buchnera. The results can provide a theoretical basis for further studies on the influence of different host plants on the development of pea aphids and other insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-ping Liu
- Biocontrol Engineering Laboratory of Crop Diseases and Pests of Gansu Province, College of Plant Protection, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qiao-yan Yang
- Biocontrol Engineering Laboratory of Crop Diseases and Pests of Gansu Province, College of Plant Protection, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jing-xing Liu
- Biocontrol Engineering Laboratory of Crop Diseases and Pests of Gansu Province, College of Plant Protection, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Inzamam Ul Haq
- Biocontrol Engineering Laboratory of Crop Diseases and Pests of Gansu Province, College of Plant Protection, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yan Li
- Biocontrol Engineering Laboratory of Crop Diseases and Pests of Gansu Province, College of Plant Protection, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qiang-yan Zhang
- Biocontrol Engineering Laboratory of Crop Diseases and Pests of Gansu Province, College of Plant Protection, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Kotb A. Attia
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Asmaa M. Abushady
- Biotechnology School, Nile University, 26th of July Corridor, Sheikh Zayed City, Giza, Egypt
- Department of Genetics, Agriculture College, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Chang-zhong Liu
- Biocontrol Engineering Laboratory of Crop Diseases and Pests of Gansu Province, College of Plant Protection, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ning Lv
- Biocontrol Engineering Laboratory of Crop Diseases and Pests of Gansu Province, College of Plant Protection, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
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Zhang YK, Li SS, Yang C, Zhang YF, Liu JZ. Mechanism of the toxic effects of tetracycline on blood meal digestion in Haemaphysalis longicornis. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2023; 91:681-695. [PMID: 37987890 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-023-00858-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The extensive utilization of antibiotics in the field of animal husbandry gives rise to various concerns pertaining to the environment and human health. Here, we demonstrate that the administration of tetracycline impedes blood meal digestion in the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. Tissue sectioning, 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing, and transcriptome sequencing of the midgut were employed to elucidate the mechanism underlying tetracycline toxicity. The treatment group consisted of engorged female ticks that were subjected to tetracycline microinjections (75 µg per tick), whereas the control group received sterile water injections. On days 2 and 4 following the injections, the tick body weight changes were assessed and the midguts were dissected and processed. Change in tick body weight in tetracycline-treated group was less than in the control group. In tetracycline-treated ticks, midgut epithelial cells were loosely connected and blood meal digestion was impaired compared to the control group. There was no significant change in midgut bacterial diversity after tetracycline treatment. On day 2 following treatment, the relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella was significantly decreased, whereas the relative abundance of Allorhizobium was significantly increased compared to the control group. On day 4 following treatment, the relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella, Allorhizobium, Ochrobactrum, and Acidibacter decreased significantly, whereas the relative abundance of Paraburkholderia and Pelomonas increased significantly. Tetracycline treatment also affected midgut gene expression, producing a cumulative effect wherein the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mostly down-regulated. KEGG enrichment pathway analysis revealed that on day 2 the up-regulated DEGs were significantly enriched in 21 pathways, including apoptosis and phagosome. Comparatively, the down-regulated DEGs were significantly enriched in 26 pathways, including N-glycan biosynthesis, lysosome, and autophagy. In contrast, on day 4 the up-regulated DEGs were significantly enriched in 10 pathways including aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, ribosome biogenesis, RNA transport, and DNA replication, whereas the down-regulated differential genes were significantly enriched in 11 pathways including lysosome, peroxisome, N-glycan biosynthesis, and fatty acid synthesis. This indicates that tetracycline injection inhibited blood meal digestion by affecting midgut digestive cells, gut flora diversity, and gene expression. These findings could contribute to tick control by inhibiting blood meal digestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Kai Zhang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China.
| | - Si-Si Li
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Conservation, Hengshui University, Hengshui, 053000, Hebei, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
| | - Yu-Fan Zhang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
| | - Jing-Ze Liu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
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Bakker JW, Begemann HLM, Fonville M, Esser HJ, de Boer WF, Sprong H, Koenraadt CJM. Differential associations of horizontally and vertically transmitted symbionts on Ixodes ricinus behaviour and physiology. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:443. [PMID: 38017525 PMCID: PMC10685571 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06025-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ixodes ricinus ticks are infected with a large diversity of vertically and horizontally transmitted symbionts. While horizontally transmitted symbionts rely on a vertebrate host for their transmission, vertically transmitted symbionts rely more on the survival of their invertebrate host for transmission. We therefore hypothesized horizontally transmitted symbionts to be associated with increased tick activity to increase host contact rate and vertically transmitted symbionts to be associated with higher tick weight and lipid fraction to promote tick survival. METHODS We used a behavioural assay to record the questing activity of I. ricinus ticks. In addition, we measured weight and lipid fraction and determined the presence of ten symbiont species in these ticks using qPCR, of which six were vertically transmitted and four horizontally transmitted. RESULTS Vertically transmitted symbionts (e.g. Midichloria mitochondrii) were associated with an increase in tick weight, whereas horizontally transmitted symbionts (e.g. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato) were often associated with lower weight and lipid fraction of ticks. Moreover, horizontally transmitted symbionts (e.g. B. burgdorferi s.l.) were associated with increased tick activity, which may benefit pathogen transmission and increases tick-borne disease hazard. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that horizontally and vertically transmitted symbionts differentially influence the behaviour and physiology of I. ricinus and warrants future research to study the underlying mechanisms and effects on transmission dynamics of tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian W Bakker
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Hannah L M Begemann
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Manoj Fonville
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Helen J Esser
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Willem F de Boer
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
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26
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Boulanger N, Insonere JLM, Van Blerk S, Barthel C, Serres C, Rais O, Roulet A, Servant F, Duron O, Lelouvier B. Cross-alteration of murine skin and tick microbiome concomitant with pathogen transmission after Ixodes ricinus bite. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:250. [PMID: 37952001 PMCID: PMC10638774 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01696-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks are major vectors of diseases affecting humans such as Lyme disease or domestic animals such as anaplasmosis. Cross-alteration of the vertebrate host skin microbiome and the tick microbiome may be essential during the process of tick feeding and for the mechanism of pathogen transmission. However, it has been poorly investigated. METHODS We used mice bitten by field-collected ticks (nymphs and adult ticks) in different experimental conditions to investigate, by 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding, the impact of blood feeding on both the mouse skin microbiome and the tick microbiome. We also investigated by PCR and 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding, the diversity of microorganisms transmitted to the host during the process of tick bite at the skin interface and the dissemination of the pathogen in host tissues (blood, heart, and spleen). RESULTS Most of the commensal bacteria present in the skin of control mice were replaced during the blood-feeding process by bacteria originating from the ticks. The microbiome of the ticks was also impacted by the blood feeding. Several pathogens including tick-borne pathogens (Borrelia/Borreliella, Anaplasma, Neoehrlichia, Rickettsia) and opportunistic bacteria (Williamsia) were transmitted to the skin microbiome and some of them disseminated to the blood or spleen of the mice. In the different experiments of this study, skin microbiome alteration and Borrelia/Borreliella transmission were different depending on the tick stages (nymphs or adult female ticks). CONCLUSIONS Host skin microbiome at the bite site was deeply impacted by the tick bite, to an extent which suggests a role in the tick feeding, in the pathogen transmission, and a potentially important impact on the skin physiopathology. The diversified taxonomic profiles of the tick microbiome were also modified by the blood feeding. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Boulanger
- UR7290: Virulence bactérienne précoce: groupe Borrelia, FMTS, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
| | | | | | - Cathy Barthel
- UR7290: Virulence bactérienne précoce: groupe Borrelia, FMTS, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Céline Serres
- Vaiomer, 516 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 31670, Labège, France
| | - Olivier Rais
- Laboratoire d'écologie et d'épidémiologie parasitaires Institut de Biologie, University of Neuchatel, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Alain Roulet
- Vaiomer, 516 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 31670, Labège, France
| | | | - Olivier Duron
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD), Université de Montpellier (UM), 911 Avenue Agropolis, 34394, Montpellier, France
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27
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Wu-Chuang A, Hartmann D, Maitre A, Mateos-Hernández L, Frantová H, Urbanová V, Obregon D, Cabezas-Cruz A, Perner J. Variation of bacterial community assembly over developmental stages and midgut of Dermanyssus gallinae. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 86:2400-2413. [PMID: 37249591 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02244-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial microbiota play an important role in the fitness of arthropods, but the bacterial microflora in the parasitic mite Dermanyssus gallinae is only partially explored; there are gaps in our understanding of the microbiota localization and in our knowledge of microbial community assembly. In this work, we have visualized, quantified the abundance, and determined the diversity of bacterial occupancy, not only across developmental stages of D. gallinae, but also in the midgut of micro-dissected female D. gallinae mites. We explored community assembly and the presence of keystone taxa, as well as predicted metabolic functions in the microbiome of the mite. The diversity of the microbiota and the complexity of co-occurrence networks decreased with the progression of the life cycle. However, several bacterial taxa were present in all samples examined, indicating a core symbiotic consortium of bacteria. The relatively higher bacterial abundance in adult females, specifically in their midguts, implicates a function linked to the biology of D. gallinae mites. If such an association proves to be important, the bacterial microflora qualifies itself as an acaricidal or vaccine target against this troublesome pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Wu-Chuang
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - David Hartmann
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Apolline Maitre
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
- INRAE, UR 0045 Laboratoire de Recherches Sur Le Développement de L'Elevage (SELMET-LRDE), 20250, Corte, France
- EA 7310, Laboratoire de Virologie, Université de Corse, Corte, France
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernández
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Helena Frantová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Urbanová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Dasiel Obregon
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France.
| | - Jan Perner
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
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Karim S, Zenzal TJ, Beati L, Sen R, Adegoke A, Kumar D, Downs LP, Keko M, Nussbaum A, Becker DJ, Moore FR. Ticks without borders: Microbial communities of immature Neotropical tick species parasitizing migratory landbirds along northern Gulf of Mexico. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.22.563347. [PMID: 37961388 PMCID: PMC10634713 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.22.563347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The long-distance, seasonal migrations of birds make them an effective ecological bridge for the movement of ticks. The introduction of exotic tick species to new geographical regions can lead to the emergence of novel tick-borne pathogens or the re-emergence of previously eradicated ones. This study assessed the prevalence of exotic tick species parasitizing resident, short-distance, and long-distance songbirds during spring and autumn at stopover sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico using the mitochondrial 12S rDNA gene. Birds were captured for tick collection from six different sites from late August to early November in both 2018 and 2019. The highest number of ticks were collected in the 2019 season. Most ticks were collected off the Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens) and Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), and 54% of the total ticks collected were from Grand Chenier, LA. A high throughput 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing approach was followed to characterize the microbial communities and identify pathogenic microbes in all tick samples. Tick microbial communities, diversity, and community structure were determined using quantitative insight into microbial ecology (QIIME). The sparse correlations for compositional data (SparCC) approach was then used to construct microbial network maps and infer microbial correlations. A total of 421 individual ticks in the genera Amblyomma, Haemaphysalis, and Ixodes were recorded from 28 songbird species, of which Amblyomma and Amblyomma longirostre was the most abundant tick genus and species, respectively. Microbial profiles showed that Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum. The most abundant bacteria include the pathogenic Rickettsia and endosymbiont Francisella, Candidatus Midichloria, and Spiroplasma. BLAST analysis and phylogenetic reconstruction of the Rickettsia sequences revealed the highest similarities to pathogenic spotted and non-spotted fever groups, including R. buchneri, R. conorii, R. prowazekii, R. bellii, R. australis, R. parkeri, R. monacensis, and R. monteiroi. Permutation multivariate analysis of variance revealed that the relative abundance of Francisella and Rickettsia drives microbial patterns across the tick genera. We also observed a higher percentage of positive correlations in microbe-microbe interactions among members of the microbial communities. Network analysis suggested a negative correlation between a) Francisella and Rickettsia and, b) Francisella and Cutibacterium. Lastly, mapping the distributions of bird species parasitized during spring migrations highlighted geographic hotspots where migratory songbirds could disperse ticks and their pathogens at stopover sites or upon arrival to their breeding grounds, the latter showing means dispersal distances from 421-5003 kilometers. These findings strongly highlight the potential role of migratory birds in the epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Karim
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Theodore J. Zenzal
- United States Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA 70506
| | - Lorenza Beati
- Institute for Coastal Plain Science, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 20460
| | - Raima Sen
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Abdulsalam Adegoke
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Deepak Kumar
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Latoyia P. Downs
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Mario Keko
- Institute for Coastal Plain Science, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 20460
| | - Ashly Nussbaum
- Institute for Coastal Plain Science, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 20460
| | - Daniel J. Becker
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Frank R. Moore
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
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29
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Béchade B, Cabuslay CS, Hu Y, Mendonca CM, Hassanpour B, Lin JY, Su Y, Fiers VJ, Anandarajan D, Lu R, Olson CJ, Duplais C, Rosen GL, Moreau CS, Aristilde L, Wertz JT, Russell JA. Physiological and evolutionary contexts of a new symbiotic species from the nitrogen-recycling gut community of turtle ants. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:1751-1764. [PMID: 37558860 PMCID: PMC10504363 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01490-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
While genome sequencing has expanded our knowledge of symbiosis, role assignment within multi-species microbiomes remains challenging due to genomic redundancy and the uncertainties of in vivo impacts. We address such questions, here, for a specialized nitrogen (N) recycling microbiome of turtle ants, describing a new genus and species of gut symbiont-Ischyrobacter davidsoniae (Betaproteobacteria: Burkholderiales: Alcaligenaceae)-and its in vivo physiological context. A re-analysis of amplicon sequencing data, with precisely assigned Ischyrobacter reads, revealed a seemingly ubiquitous distribution across the turtle ant genus Cephalotes, suggesting ≥50 million years since domestication. Through new genome sequencing, we also show that divergent I. davidsoniae lineages are conserved in their uricolytic and urea-generating capacities. With phylogenetically refined definitions of Ischyrobacter and separately domesticated Burkholderiales symbionts, our FISH microscopy revealed a distinct niche for I. davidsoniae, with dense populations at the anterior ileum. Being positioned at the site of host N-waste delivery, in vivo metatranscriptomics and metabolomics further implicate I. davidsoniae within a symbiont-autonomous N-recycling pathway. While encoding much of this pathway, I. davidsoniae expressed only a subset of the requisite steps in mature adult workers, including the penultimate step deriving urea from allantoate. The remaining steps were expressed by other specialized gut symbionts. Collectively, this assemblage converts inosine, made from midgut symbionts, into urea and ammonia in the hindgut. With urea supporting host amino acid budgets and cuticle synthesis, and with the ancient nature of other active N-recyclers discovered here, I. davidsoniae emerges as a central player in a conserved and impactful, multipartite symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoît Béchade
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Christian S Cabuslay
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Yi Hu
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 100875, Beijing, China
| | - Caroll M Mendonca
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Bahareh Hassanpour
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Jonathan Y Lin
- Department of Biology, Calvin University, 1726 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49546-4402, USA
| | - Yangzhou Su
- Department of Biology, Calvin University, 1726 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49546-4402, USA
| | - Valerie J Fiers
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Dharman Anandarajan
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Richard Lu
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Chandler J Olson
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, 1325 Hackberry Ln, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA
| | - Christophe Duplais
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Cornell AgriTech, Geneva, NY, 14456, USA
| | - Gail L Rosen
- Ecological and Evolutionary Signal-Processing and Informatics Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Corrie S Moreau
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Cornell AgriTech, Geneva, NY, 14456, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Ludmilla Aristilde
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - John T Wertz
- Department of Biology, Calvin University, 1726 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49546-4402, USA
| | - Jacob A Russell
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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30
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Hajdusek O, Kopacek P, Perner J. Experimental platforms for functional genomics in ticks. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 59:101102. [PMID: 37586557 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites that devastate cattle farming and are an omnipresent nuisance to pets and humans, posing a threat of pathogen transmission. Laboratory experimental models can be instrumental in the search for molecular targets of novel acaricides or vaccines. Mainly, though, the experimental models represent invaluable tools for broadening our basic understanding of key processes of tick blood-feeding physiology and vector competence. In order to understand the function of a single component within the full complexity of a feeding tick, genetic or biochemical interventions are used for systemic phenotypisation. In this work, we summarise current experimental modalities that represent powerful approaches for determining biological functions of tick molecular components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondrej Hajdusek
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branisovska 31, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kopacek
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branisovska 31, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Perner
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branisovska 31, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
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31
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Garcia Guizzo M, Meneses C, Amado Cecilio P, Hessab Alvarenga P, Sonenshine D, Ribeiro JM. Optimizing tick artificial membrane feeding for Ixodes scapularis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16170. [PMID: 37758795 PMCID: PMC10533868 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43200-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial membrane feeding (AMF) is a powerful and versatile technique with a wide range of applications in the study of disease vectors species. Since its first description, AMF has been under constant optimization and standardization for different tick species and life stages. In the USA, Ixodes scapularis is the main vector of tick-borne zoonoses including the pathogens causing Lyme disease in humans and animals. Seeking to improve the overall fitness of I. scapularis adult females fed artificially, here, we have optimized the AMF technique, considerably enhancing attachment rate, engorgement success, egg laying, and egg hatching compared to those described in previous studies. Parameters such as the membrane thickness and the light/dark cycle to which the ticks were exposed were refined to more closely reflect the tick's natural behavior and life cycle. Additionally, ticks were fed on blood only, blood + ATP or blood + ATP + gentamicin. The artificial feeding of ticks on blood only was successful and generated a progeny capable of feeding naturally on a host, i.e., mice. Adding ATP as a feeding stimulant did not improve tick attachment or engorgement. Notably, the administration of gentamicin, an antibiotic commonly used in tick AMF to prevent microbial contamination, negatively impacted Rickettsia buchneri endosymbiont levels in the progeny of artificially fed ticks. In addition, gentamicin-fed ticks showed a reduction in oviposition success compared to ticks artificially fed on blood only, discouraging the use of antibiotics in AMF. Overall, our data suggest that the AMF of adult females on blood only, in association with the natural feeding of their progeny on mice, might be used as an integrated approach in tick rearing, eliminating the use of protected species under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Of note, although optimized for I. scapularis adult ticks, I. scapularis nymphs, other tick species, and sand flies could also be fed using the membrane described in this study, indicating that it might be a suitable alternative for the artificial feeding of a variety of hematophagous species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Garcia Guizzo
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Claudio Meneses
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Pedro Amado Cecilio
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Patricia Hessab Alvarenga
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Daniel Sonenshine
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Jose M Ribeiro
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
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32
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Kinsky NR, Orlin DJ, Ruesch EA, Diba K, Ramirez S. Erasable Hippocampal Neural Signatures Predict Memory Discrimination. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.02.526824. [PMID: 36778486 PMCID: PMC9915633 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.02.526824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Memories involving the hippocampus can take several days to consolidate, challenging efforts to uncover the neuronal signatures underlying this process. Using calcium imaging in freely moving mice, we tracked the hippocampal dynamics underlying memory formation across a ten-day contextual fear conditioning (CFC) task. We found that cell turnover between the conditioning chamber and a neutral arena even prior to learning predicted the accuracy of subsequent memory recall the next day. Following learning, context-specific place field remapping correlated with memory performance. To causally test whether these hippocampal dynamics support memory consolidation, we induced amnesia in a group of mice by pharmacologically blocking protein synthesis immediately following learning. We found that halting protein synthesis following learning paradoxically accelerated cell turnover and also arrested learning-related remapping, paralleling the absence of remapping observed in untreated mice that exhibited poor memory expression. Finally, coordinated neural activity that emerged following learning was dependent on intact protein synthesis and predicted memory-related freezing behavior. We conclude that context-specific place field remapping and the development of coordinated ensemble activity require protein synthesis and underlie contextual fear memory consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel R. Kinsky
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA 02451, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Daniel J. Orlin
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA 02451, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Evan A. Ruesch
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA 02451, USA
| | - Kamran Diba
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Steve Ramirez
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA 02451, USA
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33
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Manzano-Marín A, Kvist S, Oceguera-Figueroa A. Evolution of an Alternative Genetic Code in the Providencia Symbiont of the Hematophagous Leech Haementeria acuecueyetzin. Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:evad164. [PMID: 37690114 PMCID: PMC10540940 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Strict blood-feeding animals are confronted with a strong B-vitamin deficiency. Blood-feeding leeches from the Glossiphoniidae family, similarly to hematophagous insects, have evolved specialized organs called bacteriomes to harbor symbiotic bacteria. Leeches of the Haementeria genus have two pairs of globular bacteriomes attached to the esophagus which house intracellular "Candidatus Providencia siddallii" bacteria. Previous work analyzing a draft genome of the Providencia symbiont of the Mexican leech Haementeria officinalis showed that, in this species, the bacteria hold a reduced genome capable of synthesizing B vitamins. In this work, we aimed to expand our knowledge on the diversity and evolution of Providencia symbionts of Haementeria. For this purpose, we sequenced the symbiont genomes of three selected leech species. We found that all genomes are highly syntenic and have kept a stable genetic repertoire, mirroring ancient insect endosymbionts. Additionally, we found B-vitamin pathways to be conserved among these symbionts, pointing to a conserved symbiotic role. Lastly and most notably, we found that the symbiont of H. acuecueyetzin has evolved an alternative genetic code, affecting a portion of its proteome and showing evidence of a lineage-specific and likely intermediate stage of genetic code reassignment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Manzano-Marín
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sebastian Kvist
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Present address: Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alejandro Oceguera-Figueroa
- Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
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34
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Abstract
Haematophagous arthropods, including mosquitoes, ticks, flies, triatomine bugs and lice (here referred to as vectors), are involved in the transmission of various pathogens to mammals on whom they blood feed. The diseases caused by these pathogens, collectively known as vector-borne diseases (VBDs), threaten the health of humans and animals. Although the vector arthropods differ in life histories, feeding behaviour as well as reproductive strategies, they all harbour symbiotic microorganisms, known as microbiota, on which they depend for completing essential aspects of their biology, such as development and reproduction. In this Review, we summarize the shared and unique key features of the symbiotic associations that have been characterized in the major vector taxa. We discuss the crosstalks between microbiota and their arthropod hosts that influence vector metabolism and immune responses relevant for pathogen transmission success, known as vector competence. Finally, we highlight how current knowledge on symbiotic associations is being explored to develop non-chemical-based alternative control methods that aim to reduce vector populations, or reduce vector competence. We conclude by highlighting the remaining knowledge gaps that stand to advance basic and translational aspects of vector-microbiota interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, P. R. China.
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, P. R. China.
| | - Li Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, P. R. China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Serap Aksoy
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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35
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Kolo AO, Raghavan R. Impact of endosymbionts on tick physiology and fitness. Parasitology 2023; 150:859-865. [PMID: 37722758 PMCID: PMC10577665 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023000793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Ticks transmit pathogens and harbour non-pathogenic, vertically transmitted intracellular bacteria termed endosymbionts. Almost all ticks studied to date contain 1 or more of Coxiella, Francisella, Rickettsia or Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii endosymbionts, indicative of their importance to tick physiology. Genomic and experimental data suggest that endosymbionts promote tick development and reproductive success. Here, we review the limited information currently available on the potential roles endosymbionts play in enhancing tick metabolism and fitness. Future studies that expand on these findings are needed to better understand endosymbionts’ contributions to tick biology. This knowledge could potentially be applied to design novel strategies that target endosymbiont function to control the spread of ticks and pathogens they vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agatha O. Kolo
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Rahul Raghavan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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36
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Ogata S, Umemiya-Shirafuji R, Kusakisako K, Kakisaka K, Chatanga E, Hayashi N, Taya Y, Ohari Y, Pandey GS, Abdelbaset AE, Qiu Y, Matsuno K, Nonaka N, Nakao R. Investigation of vertical and horizontal transmission of Spiroplasma in ticks under laboratory conditions. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13265. [PMID: 37582809 PMCID: PMC10427632 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39128-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Many arthropods harbour bacterial symbionts, which are maintained by vertical and/or horizontal transmission. Spiroplasma is one of the most well-known symbionts of ticks and other arthropods. It is still unclear how Spiroplasma infections have spread in tick populations despite its high prevalence in some tick species. In this study, Ixodes ovatus, which has been reported to harbour Spiroplasma ixodetis at high frequencies, was examined for its vertical transmission potential under experimental conditions. Next, two isolates of tick-derived Spiroplasma, S. ixodetis and Spiroplasma mirum, were experimentally inoculated into Spiroplasma-free Haemaphysalis longicornis colonies and the presence of Spiroplasma in their eggs and larvae was tested. Our experimental data confirmed that S. ixodetis was transmitted to eggs and larvae in a vertical manner in the original host I. ovatus. In the second experiment, there was no significant difference in engorged weight, egg weight, and hatching rate between Spiroplasma-inoculated and control H. longicornis groups. This suggested that Spiroplasma infection does not affect tick reproduction. Spiroplasma DNA was only detected in the eggs and larvae derived from some individuals of S. ixodetis-inoculated groups. This has demonstrated the potential of horizontal transmission between different tick species. These findings may help understand the transmission dynamics of Spiroplasma in nature and its adaptation mechanism to host arthropod species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shohei Ogata
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
- Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, Chiba, 274-8555, Japan
- Division of International Research Promotion, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0020, Japan
| | - Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Kodai Kusakisako
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, 034-8628, Japan
| | - Keita Kakisaka
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Elisha Chatanga
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 219, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Naoki Hayashi
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Yurie Taya
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Yuma Ohari
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu, 069-8501, Japan
| | - Gita Sadaula Pandey
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Abdelbaset Eweda Abdelbaset
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
- Department of Animal Medicine, Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, 71515, Egypt
| | - Yongjin Qiu
- Division of International Research Promotion, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0020, Japan
- Department of Virology-I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8640, Japan
- Management Department of Biosafety, Laboratory Animal, and Pathogen Bank, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8640, Japan
| | - Keita Matsuno
- Division of Risk Analysis and Management, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0020, Japan
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0020, Japan
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0020, Japan
| | - Nariaki Nonaka
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Ryo Nakao
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan.
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Maitre A, Wu-Chuang A, Mateos-Hernández L, Piloto-Sardiñas E, Foucault-Simonin A, Cicculli V, Moutailler S, Paoli JC, Falchi A, Obregón D, Cabezas-Cruz A. Rickettsial pathogens drive microbiota assembly in Hyalomma marginatum and Rhipicephalus bursa ticks. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:4660-4676. [PMID: 37366236 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Most tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) are secondarily acquired by ticks during feeding on infected hosts, which imposes 'priority effect' constraints, as arrival order influences the establishment of new species in a microbial community. Here we tested whether once acquired, TBPs contribute to bacterial microbiota functioning by increasing community stability. For this, we used Hyalomma marginatum and Rhipicephalus bursa ticks collected from cattle in different locations of Corsica and combined 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and co-occurrence network analysis, with high-throughput pathogen detection, and in silico removal of nodes to test for impact of rickettsial pathogens on network properties. Despite its low centrality, Rickettsia showed preferential connections in the networks, notably with a keystone taxon in H. marginatum, suggesting facilitation of Rickettsia colonisation by the keystone taxon. In addition, conserved patterns of community assembly in both tick species were affected by Rickettsia removal, suggesting that privileged connections of Rickettsia in the networks make this taxon a driver of community assembly. However, Rickettsia removal had minor impact on the conserved 'core bacterial microbiota' of H. marginatum and R. bursa. Interestingly, networks of the two tick species with Rickettsia have similar node centrality distribution, a property that is lost after Rickettsia removal, suggesting that this taxon drives specific hierarchical interactions between bacterial microbes in the microbiota. The study indicates that tick-borne Rickettsia play a significant role in the tick bacterial microbiota, despite their low centrality. These bacteria are influential and contribute to the conservation of the 'core bacterial microbiota' while also promoting community stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apolline Maitre
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
- INRAE, UR 0045 Laboratoire de Recherches Sur Le Développement de L'Elevage (SELMET-LRDE), Corte, France
- EA 7310, Laboratoire de Virologie, Université de Corse, Corte, France
| | - Alejandra Wu-Chuang
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernández
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Elianne Piloto-Sardiñas
- Direction of Animal Health, National Center for Animal and Plant Health, Carretera de Tapaste y Autopista Nacional, San José de las Lajas, Cuba
| | - Angélique Foucault-Simonin
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Vincent Cicculli
- EA 7310, Laboratoire de Virologie, Université de Corse, Corte, France
| | - Sara Moutailler
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Paoli
- INRAE, UR 0045 Laboratoire de Recherches Sur Le Développement de L'Elevage (SELMET-LRDE), Corte, France
| | - Alessandra Falchi
- EA 7310, Laboratoire de Virologie, Université de Corse, Corte, France
| | - Dasiel Obregón
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
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38
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Attardo GM, Benoit JB, Michalkova V, Kondragunta A, Baumann AA, Weiss BL, Malacrida A, Scolari F, Aksoy S. Lipid metabolism dysfunction following symbiont elimination is linked to altered Kennedy pathway homeostasis. iScience 2023; 26:107108. [PMID: 37534171 PMCID: PMC10391724 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Lipid metabolism is critical for insect reproduction, especially for species that invest heavily in the early developmental stages of their offspring. The role of symbiotic bacteria during this process is understudied but likely essential. We examined the role of lipid metabolism during the interaction between the viviparous tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans morsitans) and its obligate endosymbiotic bacteria (Wigglesworthia glossinidia) during tsetse pregnancy. We observed increased CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (cct1) expression during pregnancy, which is critical for phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis in the Kennedy pathway. Experimental removal of Wigglesworthia impaired lipid metabolism via disruption of the Kennedy pathway, yielding obese mothers whose developing progeny starve. Functional validation via experimental cct1 suppression revealed a phenotype similar to females lacking obligate Wigglesworthia symbionts. These results indicate that, in Glossina, symbiont-derived factors, likely B vitamins, are critical for the proper function of both lipid biosynthesis and lipolysis to maintain tsetse fly fecundity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey M. Attardo
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Joshua B. Benoit
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Veronika Michalkova
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Section of Molecular and Applied Zoology, Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Alekhya Kondragunta
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Aaron A. Baumann
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Brian L. Weiss
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Anna Malacrida
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Francesca Scolari
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Institute of Molecular Genetics (IGM), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Serap Aksoy
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
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39
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Holguin-Rocha AF, Calle-Tobon A, Vásquez GM, Astete H, Fisher ML, Tobon-Castano A, Velez-Tobon G, Maldonado-Ruiz LP, Silver K, Park Y, Londono-Renteria B. Diversity of the Bacterial and Viral Communities in the Tropical Horse Tick, Dermacentor nitens, in Colombia. Pathogens 2023; 12:942. [PMID: 37513789 PMCID: PMC10384233 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks are obligatory hematophagous ectoparasites that transmit pathogens among various vertebrates, including humans. The microbial and viral communities of ticks, including pathogenic microorganisms, are known to be highly diverse. However, the factors driving this diversity are not well understood. The tropical horse tick, Dermacentor nitens, is distributed throughout the Americas and it is recognized as a natural vector of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi, the causal agents of equine piroplasmosis. In this study, we characterized the bacterial and viral communities associated with partially fed Dermacentor nitens females collected using a passive survey on horses from field sites representing three distinct geographical areas in the country of Colombia (Bolivar, Antioquia, and Cordoba). RNA-seq and sequencing of the V3 and V4 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene were performed using the Illumina-Miseq platform (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA). A total of 356 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified, in which the presumed endosymbiont, Francisellaceae/Francisella spp., was predominantly found. Nine contigs corresponding to six different viruses were identified in three viral families: Chuviridae, Rhabdoviridae, and Flaviviridae. Differences in the relative abundance of the microbial composition among the geographical regions were found to be independent of the presence of Francisella-like endosymbiont (FLE). The most prevalent bacteria found in each region were Corynebacterium in Bolivar, Staphylococcus in Antioquia, and Pseudomonas in Cordoba. Rickettsia-like endosymbionts, mainly recognized as the etiological agent of rickettsioses in Colombia, were detected in the Cordoba samples. Metatranscriptomics revealed 13 contigs containing FLE genes, suggesting a trend of regional differences. These findings suggest regional distinctions among the ticks and their bacterial compositions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres F Holguin-Rocha
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Arley Calle-Tobon
- Grupo Entomologia Medica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin 050010, Colombia
| | - Gissella M Vásquez
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Bellavista, Lima 15001, Peru
| | - Helvio Astete
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Bellavista, Lima 15001, Peru
| | - Michael L Fisher
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Bellavista, Lima 15001, Peru
| | - Alberto Tobon-Castano
- Grupo Malaria, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin 050010, Colombia
| | - Gabriel Velez-Tobon
- Grupo Malaria, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin 050010, Colombia
| | - L Paulina Maldonado-Ruiz
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Kristopher Silver
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Yoonseong Park
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Berlin Londono-Renteria
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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Uzum Z, Ershov D, Pavia MJ, Mallet A, Gorgette O, Plantard O, Sassera D, Stavru F. Three-dimensional images reveal the impact of the endosymbiont Midichloria mitochondrii on the host mitochondria. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4133. [PMID: 37438329 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39758-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The hard tick, Ixodes ricinus, a main Lyme disease vector, harbors an intracellular bacterial endosymbiont. Midichloria mitochondrii is maternally inherited and resides in the mitochondria of I. ricinus oocytes, but the consequences of this endosymbiosis are not well understood. Here, we provide 3D images of wild-type and aposymbiotic I. ricinus oocytes generated with focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy. Quantitative image analyses of endosymbionts and oocyte mitochondria at different maturation stages show that the populations of both mitochondrion-associated bacteria and bacterium-hosting mitochondria increase upon vitellogenisation, and that mitochondria can host multiple bacteria in later stages. Three-dimensional reconstructions show symbiosis-dependent morphologies of mitochondria and demonstrate complete M. mitochondrii inclusion inside a mitochondrion. Cytoplasmic endosymbiont located close to mitochondria are not oriented towards the mitochondria, suggesting that bacterial recolonization is unlikely. We further demonstrate individual globular-shaped mitochondria in the wild type oocytes, while aposymbiotic oocytes only contain a mitochondrial network. In summary, our study suggests that M. mitochondrii modulates mitochondrial fragmentation in oogenesis possibly affecting organelle function and ensuring its presence over generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zerrin Uzum
- Unit Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial Cell, Institut Pasteur; CNRS UMR2001, Paris, France.
| | - Dmitry Ershov
- Image Analysis Hub, Cell Biology and Infection Department, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics HUB, Department of Computational Biology, Institut Pasteur, USR 3756 CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Michael J Pavia
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Adeline Mallet
- Ultrastructural BioImaging Core Facility, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Gorgette
- Ultrastructural BioImaging Core Facility, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | | | - Davide Sassera
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Fabrizia Stavru
- Unit Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial Cell, Institut Pasteur; CNRS UMR2001, Paris, France
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41
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Fernández-Ruiz N, Pinecki-Socias S, Estrada-Peña A, Wu-Chuang A, Maitre A, Obregón D, Cabezas-Cruz A, de Blas I, Nijhof AM. Decontamination protocols affect the internal microbiota of ticks. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:189. [PMID: 37286996 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05812-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies on the microbiota of ticks have promoted hypotheses about the combined effects of the bacterial community, its functional contributions to the tick's physiology or probable competition effects with some tick-borne pathogens. However, knowledge on the origin of the microbiota of newly hatched larvae is missing. This study aimed to elucidate the source(s) of the microbiota in unfed tick larvae, addressing the composition of the "core microbiota" and the best ways to decontaminate eggs for microbiota studies. We applied laboratory degree bleach washes and/or ultraviolet light treatments on engorged Rhipicephalus australis females and/or their eggs. No significant effects of these treatments on the reproductive parameters of females and the hatching rates of eggs were observed. However, the different treatments did show striking effects on the composition of the microbiota. The results indicated that bleach washes disrupted the internal tick microbiota in females, implying that bleach may have entered the tick and subsequently affected the microbiota. Furthermore, the analyses of results demonstrated that the ovary is a main source of tick microbiota, while the contribution of Gené's organ (a part of the female reproductive system that secretes a protective wax coat onto tick eggs) or the male's spermatophore requires further investigation. Further studies are needed to identify best practice protocols for the decontamination of ticks for microbiota studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Fernández-Ruiz
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain.
- Group of Research on Emerging Zoonoses, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), 50013, Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - Sophia Pinecki-Socias
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Agustín Estrada-Peña
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain
- Group of Research on Emerging Zoonoses, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), 50013, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Alejandra Wu-Chuang
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Apolline Maitre
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Dasiel Obregón
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Ignacio de Blas
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Ard M Nijhof
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163, Berlin, Germany
- Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163, Berlin, Germany
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42
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Samaddar S, O'Neal AJ, Marnin L, Rolandelli A, Singh N, Wang X, Butler LR, Rangghran P, Laukaitis HJ, Cabrera Paz FE, Fiskum GM, Polster BM, Pedra JHF. Metabolic disruption impacts tick fitness and microbial relationships. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.26.542501. [PMID: 37292783 PMCID: PMC10245996 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.26.542501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Arthropod-borne microbes rely on the metabolic state of a host to cycle between evolutionarily distant species. For instance, arthropod tolerance to infection may be due to redistribution of metabolic resources, often leading to microbial transmission to mammals. Conversely, metabolic alterations aids in pathogen elimination in humans, who do not ordinarily harbor arthropod-borne microbes. To ascertain the effect of metabolism on interspecies relationships, we engineered a system to evaluate glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation in the tick Ixodes scapularis. Using a metabolic flux assay, we determined that the rickettsial bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum and the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, which are transstadially transmitted in nature, induced glycolysis in ticks. On the other hand, the endosymbiont Rickettsia buchneri, which is transovarially maintained, had a minimal effect on I. scapularis bioenergetics. Importantly, the metabolite β-aminoisobutyric acid (BAIBA) was elevated during A. phagocytophilum infection of tick cells following an unbiased metabolomics approach. Thus, we manipulated the expression of genes associated with the catabolism and anabolism of BAIBA in I. scapularis and detected impaired feeding on mammals, reduced bacterial acquisition, and decreased tick survival. Collectively, we reveal the importance of metabolism for tick-microbe relationships and unveil a valuable metabolite for I. scapularis fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sourabh Samaddar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA
| | - Anya J O'Neal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA
| | - Liron Marnin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA
| | - Agustin Rolandelli
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA
| | - Nisha Singh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA
| | - Xiaowei Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA
| | - L Rainer Butler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA
| | - Parisa Rangghran
- Department of Anesthesiology and Center for Shock, Trauma and Anesthesiology Research, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Hanna J Laukaitis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA
| | - Francy E Cabrera Paz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA
| | - Gary M Fiskum
- Department of Anesthesiology and Center for Shock, Trauma and Anesthesiology Research, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Brian M Polster
- Department of Anesthesiology and Center for Shock, Trauma and Anesthesiology Research, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Joao H F Pedra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA
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43
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Holguin-Rocha AF, Calle-Tobon A, Vásquez GM, Astete H, Fisher ML, Tobon-Castano A, Velez-Tobon G, Maldonado-Ruiz LP, Silver K, Park Y, Londono-Renteria B. Diversity of the bacterial and viral communities in the tropical horse tick, Dermacentor nitens in Colombia. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.04.539352. [PMID: 37205465 PMCID: PMC10187316 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.04.539352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are obligatory hematophagous ectoparasites that transmit pathogens among various vertebrates, including humans. The composition of the microbial and viral communities in addition to the pathogenic microorganisms is highly diverse in ticks, but the factors driving the diversity are not well understood. The tropical horse tick, Dermacentor nitens , is distributed throughout the Americas and it is recognized as a natural vector of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi , the causal agents of equine piroplasmosis. We characterized the bacterial and viral communities associated with partially-fed D. nitens females collected by a passive survey on horses from field sites representing three distinct geographical areas in Colombia (Bolivar, Antioquia, and Cordoba). RNA-seq and sequencing of the V3 and V4 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene were performed using the Illumina-Miseq platform. A total of 356 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified, in which the presumed endosymbiotic Francisellaceae/ Francisella spp. was predominantly found. Nine contigs corresponding to six different viruses were identified in three viral families: Chuviridae, Rhabdoviridae, and Flaviviridae. Differences in the relative abundance of the microbial composition among the geographical regions were found to be independent of the presence of Francisella -Like Endosymbiont (FLE). The most prevalent bacteria found on each region were Corynebacterium in Bolivar, Staphylococcus in Antioquia, and Pseudomonas in Cordoba. Rickettsia -like endosymbionts, mainly recognized as the etiological agent of rickettsioses in Colombia were detected in the Cordoba samples. Metatranscriptomics revealed 13 contigs containing FLE genes, suggesting a trend of regional differences. These findings suggest regional distinctions among the ticks and their bacterial compositions.
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44
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Sebastian PS, Król N, Novoa MB, Nijhof AM, Pfeffer M, Nava S, Obiegala A. Preliminary Study on Artificial versus Animal-Based Feeding Systems for Amblyomma Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae). Microorganisms 2023; 11:1107. [PMID: 37317081 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Hard ticks pose a threat to animal and human health. Active life stages need to feed on a vertebrate host in order to complete their life cycle. To study processes such as tick-pathogen interactions or drug efficacy and pharmacokinetics, it is necessary to maintain tick colonies under defined laboratory conditions, typically using laboratory animals. The aim of this study was to test a membrane-based artificial feeding system (AFS) applicable for Amblyomma ticks using Amblyomma tonelliae as a biological model. Adult ticks from a laboratory colony were fed in a membrane-based AFS. For comparison, other A. tonelliae adults were fed on calf and rabbit. The proportions of attached (AFS: 76%; calf/rabbit: 100%) and engorged females (AFS: 47.4%; calf/rabbit: 100%) in the AFS were significantly lower compared to animal-based feeding (p = 0.0265). The engorgement weight of in vitro fed ticks (x¯ = 658 mg; SD ± 259.80) did not significantly differ from that of ticks fed on animals (p = 0.3272, respectively 0.0947). The proportion of females that oviposited was 100% for all three feeding methods. However, the incubation period of eggs (x¯ = 54 days; SD ± 7) was longer in the AFS compared to conventional animal-based feeding (p = 0.0014); x¯ = 45 days; SD ± 2 in the rabbit and (p = 0.0144). x¯ = 48 days; SD ± 2 in the calf). Egg cluster hatching (x¯ = 41%; SD ± 44.82) was lower in the AFS than in the other feeding methods (rabbit: x¯ = 74%; SD ± 20; p = 0.0529; calf: x¯ = 81%; SD ± 22; p = 0.0256). Although the attachment, development, and the hatching of AFS ticks were below those from animal-based feeding, the method may be useful in future experiments. Nevertheless, further experiments with a higher number of tick specimens (including immature life stages) and different attractant stimuli are required to confirm the preliminary results of this study and to evaluate the applicability of AFS for Amblyomma ticks as an alternative to animal-based feeding methods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nina Król
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - María Belén Novoa
- Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IdICaL) CONICET-INTA, Rafaela 2300, Argentina
| | - Ard Menzo Nijhof
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Santiago Nava
- Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IdICaL) CONICET-INTA, Rafaela 2300, Argentina
| | - Anna Obiegala
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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45
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Hatalová T, Erhart J, Kopáček P, Perner J. On the haem auxotrophy of the soft tick Ornithodoros moubata. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102170. [PMID: 36958097 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
Genomes of ticks display reductions, to various extents, in genetic coding for enzymes of the haem biosynthetic pathway. Here, we mined available transcriptomes of soft tick species and identified transcripts encoding only half of the enzymes involved in haem biosynthesis. Transcripts identified across most species examined were those coding for porphobilinogen synthase, coproporphyrinogen oxidase, protoporphyrinogen oxidase, and ferrochelatase. Genomic retention of porphobilinogen synthase seems to be soft tick-restricted as no such homologue has been identified in any hard tick species. Bioinformatic mining is thus strongly indicative of the lack of biochemical capacity for de novo haem biosynthesis, suggesting a requirement for dietary haem. In the hard tick Ixodes ricinus, depletion of dietary haem, i.e. serum feeding, leads to oviposition of haem-free eggs, with no apparent embryogenesis and larvae formation. In this work, we show that serum-fed Ornithodoros moubata females, unlike those of I. ricinus, laid haem-containing eggs similarly to blood-fed controls, but only by a small proportion of the serum-fed females. To enhance the effect of dietary haem depletion, O. moubata ticks were serum-fed consecutively as last nymphal instars and females. These females laid eggs with profoundly reduced haem deposits, confirming the host origin of the haem. These data confirm the ability of soft ticks to take up and allocate host haem to their eggs in order to drive reproduction of the ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Hatalová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice 37005, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Erhart
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kopáček
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Perner
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice 37005, Czech Republic.
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46
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Abstract
Insects are highly successful in colonizing a wide spectrum of ecological niches and in feeding on a wide diversity of diets. This is notably linked to their capacity to get from their microbiota any essential component lacking in the diet such as vitamins and amino acids. Over a century of research based on dietary analysis, antimicrobial treatment, gnotobiotic rearing, and culture-independent microbe detection progressively generated a wealth of information about the role of the microbiota in specific aspects of insect fitness. Thanks to the recent increase in sequencing capacities, whole-genome sequencing of a number of symbionts has facilitated tracing of biosynthesis pathways, validation of experimental data and evolutionary analyses. This field of research has generated a considerable set of data in a diversity of hosts harboring specific symbionts or nonspecific microbiota members. Here, we review the current knowledge on the involvement of the microbiota in insect and tick nutrition, with a particular focus on B vitamin provision. We specifically question if there is any specificity of B vitamin provision by symbionts compared to the redundant yet essential contribution of nonspecific microbes. We successively highlight the known aspects of microbial vitamin provision during three main life stages of invertebrates: postembryonic development, adulthood, and reproduction.
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47
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Lau ACC, Mohamed WMA, Nakao R, Onuma M, Qiu Y, Nakajima N, Shimozuru M, Mohd-Azlan J, Moustafa MAM, Tsubota T. The dynamics of the microbiome in Ixodidae are shaped by tick ontogeny and pathogens in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Microb Genom 2023; 9:mgen000954. [PMID: 36757789 PMCID: PMC9997734 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases have recently been considered a potential emerging public health threat in Malaysia; however, fundamental studies into tick-borne pathogens and microbiome appear limited. In this study, six tick species (Ixodes granulatus, Haemaphysalis hystricis, Haemaphysalis shimoga, Dermacentor compactus, Dermacentor steini and Dermacentor atrosignatus) collected from two primary forests and an oil palm plantation in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, were used for microbiome analysis targeting bacterial 16S rDNA using next-generation sequencing (NGS). In addition, bacterial species were further characterized in conventional PCRs to identify potential pathogens. Sequences generated from NGS were first filtered with the Decontam package in R before subsequent microbial diversity analyses. Alpha and beta analyses revealed that the genus Dermacentor had the highest microbial diversity, and H. shimoga significantly differed in microbial composition from other tick species. Alpha and beta diversities were also significantly different between developmental stages of H. shimoga. Furthermore, we observed that some bacterial groups were significantly more abundant in certain tick species and developmental stages of H. shimoga. We tested the relative abundances using pairwise linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), which also revealed significant microbial composition differences between Borrelia-positive and Borrelia-negative I. granulatus ticks. Finally, pathogenic and potentially pathogenic bacteria circulating in different tick species, such as Rickettsia heilongjiangensis, Ehrlichia sp., Anaplasma sp. and Bartonella spp. were characterized by PCR and sequencing. Moreover, Coxiella and Francisella-like potential symbionts were identified from H. shimoga and D. steini, respectively. More studies are required to unravel the factors associated with the variations observed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice C. C. Lau
- Laboratory of Wildlife Biology and Medicine, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Wessam Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
- Division of Bioinformatics, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 001-0020, Japan
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, 08901, New Jersey, USA
| | - Ryo Nakao
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Manabu Onuma
- Biodiversity Division, National Institute of Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, 305-806, Japan
| | - Yongjin Qiu
- Division of International Research Promotion, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0020, Japan
| | - Nobuyoshi Nakajima
- Biodiversity Division, National Institute of Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, 305-806, Japan
| | - Michito Shimozuru
- Laboratory of Wildlife Biology and Medicine, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Jayasilan Mohd-Azlan
- Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, 94300, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Mohamed Abdallah Mohamed Moustafa
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
- Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, 83523, Egypt
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Toshio Tsubota
- Laboratory of Wildlife Biology and Medicine, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
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48
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Grandi G, Chiappa G, Ullman K, Lindgren PE, Olivieri E, Sassera D, Östlund E, Omazic A, Perissinotto D, Söderlund R. Characterization of the bacterial microbiome of Swedish ticks through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of whole ticks and of individual tick organs. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:39. [PMID: 36717919 PMCID: PMC9885626 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05638-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The composition of the microbial flora associated with ixodid ticks has been studied in several species, revealing the importance of geographical origin, developmental stage(s) and feeding status of the tick, as well as substantial differences between tissues and organs. Studying the microbiome in the correct context and scale is therefore necessary for understanding the interactions between tick-borne pathogens and other microorganisms as well as other aspects of tick biology. METHODS In the present study the microbial flora of whole Ixodes ricinus, I. persulcatus and I. trianguliceps ticks were analyzed with 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Additionally, tick organs (midguts, Malpighian tubules, ovaries, salivary glands) from flat and engorged I. ricinus female ticks were examined with the same methodology. RESULTS The most abundant bacteria belonged to the group of Proteobacteria (Cand. Midichloria mitochondrii and Cand. Lariskella). 16S amplicon sequencing of dissected tick organs provided more information on the diversity of I. ricinus-associated microbial flora, especially when organs were collected from engorged ticks. Bacterial genera significantly associated with tick feeding status as well as genera associated with the presence of tick-borne pathogens were identified. CONCLUSIONS These results contribute to the knowledge of microbial flora associated with ixodid ticks in their northernmost distribution limit in Europe and opens new perspectives for other investigations on the function of these bacteria, including those using other approaches like in vitro cultivation and in vitro models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Grandi
- grid.419788.b0000 0001 2166 9211Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), 751 89 Uppsala, Sweden ,grid.6341.00000 0000 8578 2742Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health (BVF), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Ulls Väg 26, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Giulia Chiappa
- grid.419788.b0000 0001 2166 9211Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), 751 89 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Karin Ullman
- grid.419788.b0000 0001 2166 9211Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), 751 89 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Per-Eric Lindgren
- grid.5640.70000 0001 2162 9922Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection, Linköping University, 581 85 Linköping, Sweden ,grid.413253.2Department of Clinical Microbiology, County Hospital Ryhov, 551 85 Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Emanuela Olivieri
- grid.419583.20000 0004 1757 1598Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, Strada Campeggi, 59/61, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Davide Sassera
- grid.8982.b0000 0004 1762 5736Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Emma Östlund
- grid.419788.b0000 0001 2166 9211Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), 751 89 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Omazic
- grid.419788.b0000 0001 2166 9211Department of Chemistry, Environment, and Feed Hygiene, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), 751 89 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Debora Perissinotto
- grid.419788.b0000 0001 2166 9211Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), 751 89 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Robert Söderlund
- grid.419788.b0000 0001 2166 9211Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), 751 89 Uppsala, Sweden
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49
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Militzer N, Pinecki Socias S, Nijhof AM. Changes in the Ixodes ricinus microbiome associated with artificial tick feeding. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1050063. [PMID: 36704557 PMCID: PMC9871825 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1050063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial tick feeding systems (ATFS) can be used to study tick biology and tick-pathogen interactions. Due to the long feeding duration of hard ticks, antibiotics are commonly added to the in vitro blood meal to prevent the blood from decaying. This may affect the ticks' microbiome, including mutualistic bacteria that play an important role in tick biology. This effect was examined by the consecutive feeding of Ixodes ricinus larvae, nymphs, and adults in vitro with and without the supplementation of gentamicin and in parallel on calves. DNA extracted from unfed females was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. The abundance of Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii, Rickettsia helvetica and Spiroplasma spp. was measured by qPCR in unfed larvae, nymphs, and adults. Larvae and nymphs fed on calves performed significantly better compared to both in vitro groups. Adults fed on blood supplemented with gentamicin and B vitamins had a higher detachment proportion and weight compared to the group fed with B vitamins but without gentamicin. The detachment proportion and weights of females did not differ significantly between ticks fed on calves and in vitro with gentamicin, but the fecundity was significantly higher in ticks fed on calves. 16S rRNA sequencing showed a higher microbiome species richness in ticks fed on calves compared to ticks fed in vitro. A shift in microbiome composition, with Ca. Midichloria mitochondrii as dominant species in females fed as juveniles on calves and R. helvetica as the most abundant species in females previously fed in vitro was observed. Females fed in vitro without gentamicin showed significant lower loads of Ca. M. mitochondrii compared to females fed in vitro with gentamicin and ticks fed on calves. Spiroplasma spp. were exclusively detected in female ticks fed on cattle by qPCR, but 16S rRNA sequencing results also showed a low abundance in in vitro females exposed to gentamicin. In conclusion, the employed feeding method and gentamicin supplementation affected the ticks' microbiome composition and fecundity. Since these changes may have an impact on tick biology and vector competence, they should be taken into account in studies employing ATFS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Militzer
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sophia Pinecki Socias
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ard M. Nijhof
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany,Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany,*Correspondence: Ard M. Nijhof, ✉
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50
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Guizzo MG, Hatalová T, Frantová H, Zurek L, Kopáček P, Perner J. Ixodes ricinus ticks have a functional association with Midichloria mitochondrii. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 12:1081666. [PMID: 36699720 PMCID: PMC9868949 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1081666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In addition to being vectors of pathogenic bacteria, ticks also harbor intracellular bacteria that associate with ticks over generations, aka symbionts. The biological significance of such bacterial symbiosis has been described in several tick species but its function in Ixodes ricinus is not understood. We have previously shown that I. ricinus ticks are primarily inhabited by a single species of symbiont, Midichloria mitochondrii, an intracellular bacterium that resides and reproduces mainly in the mitochondria of ovaries of fully engorged I. ricinus females. To study the functional integration of M. mitochondrii into the biology of I. ricinus, an M. mitochondrii-depleted model of I. ricinus ticks was sought. Various techniques have been described in the literature to achieve dysbiosed or apo-symbiotic ticks with various degrees of success. To address the lack of a standardized experimental procedure for the production of apo-symbiotic ticks, we present here an approach utilizing the ex vivo membrane blood feeding system. In order to deplete M. mitochondrii from ovaries, we supplemented dietary blood with tetracycline. We noted, however, that the use of tetracycline caused immediate toxicity in ticks, caused by impairment of mitochondrial proteosynthesis. To overcome the tetracycline-mediated off-target effect, we established a protocol that leads to the production of an apo-symbiotic strain of I. ricinus, which can be sustained in subsequent generations. In two generations following tetracycline administration and tetracycline-mediated symbiont reduction, M. mitochondrii was gradually eliminated from the lineage. Larvae hatched from eggs laid by such M. mitochondrii-free females repeatedly performed poorly during blood-feeding, while the nymphs and adults performed similarly to controls. These data indicate that M. mitochondrii represents an integral component of tick ovarian tissue, and when absent, results in the formation of substandard larvae with reduced capacity to blood-feed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Garcia Guizzo
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Tereza Hatalová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Helena Frantová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Ludek Zurek
- CEITEC, University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno, Czechia,Department of Microbiology, Nutrition and Dietetics/CINeZ, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czechia,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Petr Kopáček
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Jan Perner
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia,*Correspondence: Jan Perner,
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