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Zhou Q, Shao Y, Chen A, Li W, Wang J, Wang Y. In vivo transcriptomic analysis of Beauveria bassiana reveals differences in infection strategies in Galleria mellonella and Plutella xylostella. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2019; 75:1443-1452. [PMID: 30443979 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Insect pests have evolved various defense mechanisms to combat fungal infection, and fungi have developed multiple strategies to overcome the immune defense responses of insects. However, transcriptomic analysis of fungal strategies for infecting different pests has not been reported. RESULTS Transcriptomic profiling of Beauveria bassiana was performed at 12, 24 and 48 h after infecting Galleria mellonella and Plutella xylostella, and 540, 847 and 932 differentially expressed genes were detected, respectively. Functional categorization showed that most of these genes are involved in the ribosome, nitrogen metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation pathways. Thirty-one differentially expressed virulence genes (including genes involved in adhesion, degradation, host colonization and killing, and secondary metabolism) were found, suggesting that different molecular mechanisms were used by the fungus during the infection of different pests, which was further confirmed by disrupting creA and fkh2. Virulence assay results showed that ΔcreA and Δfkh2 strains of B. bassiana had distinct fold changes in their 50% lethal time (LT50 ) values (compared with the control stains) during infection of G. mellonella (ΔcreA: 1.38-fold > Δfkh2: 1.18-fold) and P. xylostella (ΔcreA: 1.44-fold < Δfkh2: 2.25-fold). creA was expressed at higher levels during the infection of G. mellonella compared with P. xylostella, whereas fkh2 showed the opposite expression pattern, demonstrating that creA and Fkh2 have different roles in B. bassiana during the infection of G. mellonella and P. xylostella. CONCLUSION These findings demonstrate that B. bassiana regulates different genes to infect different insects, advancing knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of Beauveria-pest interactions. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiumei Zhou
- Experimental Center of Clinical Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Ying Shao
- Jiangsu Key Construction Laboratory of Food Resource Development and Quality Safe, Xuzhou University of Technology, Xuzhou, China
| | - Anhui Chen
- Jiangsu Key Construction Laboratory of Food Resource Development and Quality Safe, Xuzhou University of Technology, Xuzhou, China
| | - Wanzhen Li
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Microbial Fermentation Anhui Province, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu, China
| | - Jiuxiang Wang
- Experimental Center of Clinical Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Yulong Wang
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Pest Control, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Quality Improvement of Anhui Province/Crop Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, China
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Sheehan G, Garvey A, Croke M, Kavanagh K. Innate humoral immune defences in mammals and insects: The same, with differences ? Virulence 2019; 9:1625-1639. [PMID: 30257608 PMCID: PMC7000196 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2018.1526531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The insect immune response demonstrates many similarities to the innate immune response of mammals and a wide range of insects is now employed to assess the virulence of pathogens and produce results comparable to those obtained using mammals. Many of the humoral responses in insects and mammals are similar (e.g. insect transglutaminases and human clotting factor XIIIa) however a number show distinct differences. For example in mammals, melanization plays a role in protection from solar radiation and in skin and hair pigmentation. In contrast, insect melanization acts as a defence mechanism in which the proPO system is activated upon pathogen invasion. Human and insect antimicrobial peptides share distinct structural and functional similarities, insects produce the majority of their AMPs from the fat body while mammals rely on production locally at the site of infection by epithelial/mucosal cells. Understanding the structure and function of the insect immune system and the similarities with the innate immune response of mammals will increase the attractiveness of using insects as in vivo models for studying host – pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Sheehan
- a Department of Biology , Maynooth University , Maynooth , Ireland
| | - Amy Garvey
- a Department of Biology , Maynooth University , Maynooth , Ireland
| | - Michael Croke
- a Department of Biology , Maynooth University , Maynooth , Ireland
| | - Kevin Kavanagh
- a Department of Biology , Maynooth University , Maynooth , Ireland
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Maurer E, Hörtnagl C, Lackner M, Grässle D, Naschberger V, Moser P, Segal E, Semis M, Lass-Flörl C, Binder U. Galleria mellonella as a model system to study virulence potential of mucormycetes and evaluation of antifungal treatment. Med Mycol 2019; 57:351-362. [PMID: 29924357 PMCID: PMC6398984 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myy042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucorales can cause cutaneous to deep-seated infections, mainly in the immunocompromised host, resulting in high mortality rates due to late and inefficient treatment. In this study, Galleria mellonella larvae were evaluated as a heterologous invertebrate host to study pathogenicity of clinically relevant mucormycetes (Rhizopus spp., Rhizomucor spp., Lichtheimia spp., Mucor spp.). All tested species were able to infect G. mellonella larvae. Virulence potential was species-specific and correlated to clinical relevance. Survival of infected larvae was dependent on (a) the species (growth speed and spore size), (b) the infection dose, (c) the incubation temperature, (d) oxidative stress tolerance, and (e) iron availability in the growth medium. Moreover, we exploited the G. mellonella system to determine antifungal efficacy of liposomal amphotericin B, posaconazole, isavuconazole, and nystatin-intralipid. Outcome of in vivo treatment was strongly dependent upon the drug applied and the species tested. Nystatin-intralipid exhibited best activity against Mucorales, followed by posaconazole, while limited efficacy was seen for liposomal amphotericin B and isavuconazole. Pharmacokinetic properties of the tested antifungals within this alternative host system partly explain the limited treatment efficacy. In conclusion, G. mellonella represents a useful invertebrate infection model for studying virulence of mucormycetes, while evaluation of treatment response was limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Maurer
- Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Public Health, Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Caroline Hörtnagl
- Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Public Health, Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Michaela Lackner
- Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Public Health, Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Denise Grässle
- Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Public Health, Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Verena Naschberger
- Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Public Health, Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Patrizia Moser
- Department of Pathology, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Esther Segal
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
| | - Margarita Semis
- City of Hope, Beckman research Institute, Department of Molecular Immunology, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Cornelia Lass-Flörl
- Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Public Health, Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ulrike Binder
- Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Public Health, Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria
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Polenogova OV, Kabilov MR, Tyurin MV, Rotskaya UN, Krivopalov AV, Morozova VV, Mozhaitseva K, Kryukova NA, Alikina T, Kryukov VY, Glupov VV. Parasitoid envenomation alters the Galleria mellonella midgut microbiota and immunity, thereby promoting fungal infection. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4012. [PMID: 30850650 PMCID: PMC6408550 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40301-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Gut bacteria influence the development of different pathologies caused by bacteria, fungi and parasitoids in insects. Wax moth larvae became more susceptible to fungal infections after envenomation by the ectoparasitoid Habrobracon hebetor. In addition, spontaneous bacterioses occurred more often in envenomated larvae. We analyzed alterations in the midgut microbiota and immunity of the wax moth in response to H. hebetor envenomation and topical fungal infection (Beauveria bassiana) alone or in combination using 16S rRNA sequencing, an analysis of cultivable bacteria and a qPCR analysis of immunity- and stress-related genes. Envenomation led to a predominance shift from enterococci to enterobacteria, an increase in CFUs and the upregulation of AMPs in wax moth midguts. Furthermore, mycosis nonsignificantly increased the abundance of enterobacteria and the expression of AMPs in the midgut. Combined treatment led to a significant increase in the abundance of Serratia and a greater upregulation of gloverin. The oral administration of predominant bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis, Enterobacter sp. and Serratia marcescens) to wax moth larvae synergistically increased fungal susceptibility. Thus, the activation of midgut immunity might prevent the bacterial decomposition of envenomated larvae, thus permitting the development of fungal infections. Moreover, changes in the midgut bacterial community may promote fungal killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga V Polenogova
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 630091, Russia
| | - Marsel R Kabilov
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Maksim V Tyurin
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 630091, Russia
| | - Ulyana N Rotskaya
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 630091, Russia
| | - Anton V Krivopalov
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 630091, Russia
| | - Vera V Morozova
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Kseniya Mozhaitseva
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 630091, Russia
| | - Nataliya A Kryukova
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 630091, Russia
| | - Tatyana Alikina
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Vadim Yu Kryukov
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 630091, Russia.
| | - Viktor V Glupov
- Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 630091, Russia
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Mukherjee K, Dubovskiy I, Grizanova E, Lehmann R, Vilcinskas A. Epigenetic mechanisms mediate the experimental evolution of resistance against parasitic fungi in the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1626. [PMID: 30733453 PMCID: PMC6367475 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36829-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent concepts in evolutionary biology suggest that epigenetic mechanisms can translate environmental selection pressures into heritable changes in phenotype. To determine whether experimental selection for a complex trait in insects involves epigenetic modifications, we carried out a generation-spanning experiment using larvae of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella as a model host to investigate the role of epigenetics in the heritability of resistance against the parasitic fungus Metarhizium robertsii. We investigated differences in DNA methylation, histone acetylation and microRNA (miRNA) expression between an experimentally resistant population and an unselected, susceptible line, revealing that the survival of G. mellonella larvae infected with M. robertsii correlates with tissue-specific changes in DNA methylation and histone modification and the modulation of genes encoding the corresponding enzymes. We also identified miRNAs differentially expressed between resistant and susceptible larvae and showed that these regulatory molecules target genes encoding proteinases and proteinase inhibitors, as well as genes related to cuticle composition, innate immunity and metabolism. These results support our hypothesis that epigenetic mechanisms facilitate, at least in part, the heritable manifestation of parasite resistance in insects. The reciprocal adaptations underlying host–parasite coevolution therefore extend beyond the genetic level to encompass epigenetic modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishnendu Mukherjee
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Department of Bioresources, Winchester Str. 2, 35394, Giessen, Germany
| | - Ivan Dubovskiy
- Novosibirsk State Agrarian University, Dobrolubova 160, 630039, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Grizanova
- Novosibirsk State Agrarian University, Dobrolubova 160, 630039, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Rüdiger Lehmann
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Department of Bioresources, Winchester Str. 2, 35394, Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Department of Bioresources, Winchester Str. 2, 35394, Giessen, Germany. .,Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
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The Galleria mellonella Infection Model for Investigating the Molecular Mechanisms of Legionella Virulence. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1921:333-346. [PMID: 30694503 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9048-1_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Legionella species evolved virulence factors to exploit protozoa as replicative niches in the environment. Cell culture infection models demonstrated that many of these factors also enable the bacteria to thrive in human macrophages; however, these models do not recapitulate the complex interactions between macrophages, lung epithelial, and additional immune cells, which are crucial to control bacterial infections. Thus, suitable infection models are required to understand which bacterial factors are important to trigger disease. Guinea pigs and, most frequently, mice have been successfully used as mammalian model hosts; however, ethical and economic considerations impede their use in high-throughput screening studies of Legionella isolates or small molecule inhibitors.Here, we describe the larvae of the lepidopteran Galleria mellonella as insect model of Legionella pathogenesis. Larvae can be obtained from commercial suppliers in large numbers, maintained without the need of specialized equipment, and infected by injection. Although lacking the complexity of a mammalian immune system, the larvae mount humoral and cellular immune responses to infection. L. pneumophila strain 130b and other prototype isolates withstand these responses and use the Defective in organelle trafficking/Intracellular multiplication (Dot/Icm) type IV secretion system (T4SS ) to inject effectors enabling survival and replication in hemocytes, insect phagocytes, ultimately leading to the death of the larvae. Differences in virulence between L. pneumophila isolates or gene deletion mutants can be analyzed using indicators of larval health and immune induction, such as pigmentation, mobility, histopathology, and survival. Bacterial replication can be measured by plating hemolymph or by immunofluorescence microscopy of isolated circulating hemocytes from infected larvae. Combined, these straightforward experimental readouts make G. mellonella larvae a versatile model host to rapidly assess the virulence of different Legionella isolates and investigate the role of specific virulence factors in overcoming innate host defense mechanisms.
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Immune Response of Galleria mellonella against Human Fungal Pathogens. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 5:jof5010003. [PMID: 30587801 PMCID: PMC6463112 DOI: 10.3390/jof5010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
In many aspects, the immune response against pathogens in insects is similar to the innate immunity in mammals. This has caused a strong interest in the scientific community for the use of this model in research of host⁻pathogen interactions. In recent years, the use of Galleria mellonella larvae, an insect belonging to the Lepidoptera order, has emerged as an excellent model to study the virulence of human pathogens. It is a model that offers many advantages; for example, it is easy to handle and establish in every laboratory, the larvae have a low cost, and they tolerate a wide range of temperatures, including human temperature 37 °C. The immune response of G. mellonella is innate and is divided into a cellular component (hemocytes) and humoral component (antimicrobial peptides, lytic enzymes, and peptides and melanin) that work together against different intruders. It has been shown that the immune response of this insect has a great specificity and has the ability to distinguish between different classes of microorganisms. In this review, we delve into the different components of the innate immune response of Galleria mellonella, and how these components manifest in the infection of fungal pathogens including Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Histoplasma capsulatum.
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Abstract
Bacteria exposed to stress mediated by sublethal antibiotic concentrations respond by adaptive mechanisms leading to an overall increase of antibiotic resistance. One of these mechanisms involves the release of bacterial proteins called lipocalins, which have the ability to sequester antibiotics in the extracellular space before they reach bacterial cells. We speculated that interfering with lipocalin-mediated antibiotic binding could enhance the efficacy of antibiotics to kill bacteria. In this work, we report that when combined with bactericidal antibiotics, vitamin E contributes to enhance bacterial killing both in vitro and in vivo. This adjuvant effect of vitamin E requires the presence of BcnA, a bacterial lipocalin produced by the cystic fibrosis pathogen Burkholderia cenocepacia. Since most bacteria produce lipocalins like BcnA, we propose that our findings could be translated into making novel antibiotic adjuvants to potentiate bacterial killing by existing antibiotics. Burkholderia cenocepacia is an opportunistic Gram-negative bacterium that causes serious respiratory infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. Recently, we discovered that B. cenocepacia produces the extracellular bacterial lipocalin protein BcnA upon exposure to sublethal concentrations of bactericidal antibiotics. BcnA captures a range of antibiotics outside bacterial cells, providing a global extracellular mechanism of antimicrobial resistance. In this study, we investigated water-soluble and liposoluble forms of vitamin E as inhibitors of antibiotic binding by BcnA. Our results demonstrate that in vitro, both vitamin E forms bind strongly to BcnA and contribute to reduce the MICs of norfloxacin (a fluoroquinolone) and ceftazidime (a β-lactam), both of them used as model molecules representing two different chemical classes of antibiotics. Expression of BcnA was required for the adjuvant effect of vitamin E. These results were replicated in vivo using the Galleria mellonella larva infection model whereby vitamin E treatment, in combination with norfloxacin, significantly increased larva survival upon infection in a BcnA-dependent manner. Together, our data suggest that vitamin E can be used to increase killing by bactericidal antibiotics through interference with lipocalin binding. IMPORTANCE Bacteria exposed to stress mediated by sublethal antibiotic concentrations respond by adaptive mechanisms leading to an overall increase of antibiotic resistance. One of these mechanisms involves the release of bacterial proteins called lipocalins, which have the ability to sequester antibiotics in the extracellular space before they reach bacterial cells. We speculated that interfering with lipocalin-mediated antibiotic binding could enhance the efficacy of antibiotics to kill bacteria. In this work, we report that when combined with bactericidal antibiotics, vitamin E contributes to enhance bacterial killing both in vitro and in vivo. This adjuvant effect of vitamin E requires the presence of BcnA, a bacterial lipocalin produced by the cystic fibrosis pathogen Burkholderia cenocepacia. Since most bacteria produce lipocalins like BcnA, we propose that our findings could be translated into making novel antibiotic adjuvants to potentiate bacterial killing by existing antibiotics.
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Pereira TC, de Barros PP, Fugisaki LRDO, Rossoni RD, Ribeiro FDC, de Menezes RT, Junqueira JC, Scorzoni L. Recent Advances in the Use of Galleria mellonella Model to Study Immune Responses against Human Pathogens. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 4:jof4040128. [PMID: 30486393 PMCID: PMC6308929 DOI: 10.3390/jof4040128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of invertebrates for in vivo studies in microbiology is well established in the scientific community. Larvae of Galleria mellonella are a widely used model for studying pathogenesis, the efficacy of new antimicrobial compounds, and immune responses. The immune system of G. mellonella larvae is structurally and functionally similar to the innate immune response of mammals, which makes this model suitable for such studies. In this review, cellular responses (hemocytes activity: phagocytosis, nodulation, and encapsulation) and humoral responses (reactions or soluble molecules released in the hemolymph as antimicrobial peptides, melanization, clotting, free radical production, and primary immunization) are discussed, highlighting the use of G. mellonella as a model of immune response to different human pathogenic microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais Cristine Pereira
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Patrícia Pimentel de Barros
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Luciana Ruano de Oliveira Fugisaki
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Rodnei Dennis Rossoni
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Felipe de Camargo Ribeiro
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Raquel Teles de Menezes
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Juliana Campos Junqueira
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Liliana Scorzoni
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
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Wu G, Yi Y. Transcriptome analysis of differentially expressed genes involved in innate immunity following Bacillus thuringiensis challenge in Bombyx mori larvae. Mol Immunol 2018; 103:220-228. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Up-Regulation of Antimicrobial Peptides Gallerimycin and Galiomicin in Galleria mellonella Infected with Candida Yeasts Displaying Different Virulence Traits. Mycopathologia 2018; 183:935-940. [DOI: 10.1007/s11046-018-0300-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Li Y, Spiropoulos J, Cooley W, Khara JS, Gladstone CA, Asai M, Bossé JT, Robertson BD, Newton SM, Langford PR. Galleria mellonella - a novel infection model for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Virulence 2018; 9:1126-1137. [PMID: 30067135 PMCID: PMC6086298 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2018.1491255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models have long been used in tuberculosis research to understand disease pathogenesis and to evaluate novel vaccine candidates and anti-mycobacterial drugs. However, all have limitations and there is no single animal model which mimics all the aspects of mycobacterial pathogenesis seen in humans. Importantly mice, the most commonly used model, do not normally form granulomas, the hallmark of tuberculosis infection. Thus there is an urgent need for the development of new alternative in vivo models. The insect larvae, Galleria mellonella has been increasingly used as a successful, simple, widely available and cost-effective model to study microbial infections. Here we report for the first time that G. mellonella can be used as an infection model for members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. We demonstrate a dose-response for G. mellonella survival infected with different inocula of bioluminescent Mycobacterium bovis BCG lux, and demonstrate suppression of mycobacterial luminesence over 14 days. Histopathology staining and transmission electron microscopy of infected G. mellonella phagocytic haemocytes show internalization and aggregation of M. bovis BCG lux in granuloma-like structures, and increasing accumulation of lipid bodies within M. bovis BCG lux over time, characteristic of latent tuberculosis infection. Our results demonstrate that G. mellonella can act as a surrogate host to study the pathogenesis of mycobacterial infection and shed light on host-mycobacteria interactions, including latent tuberculosis infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanwen Li
- a Section of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Allergy, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - John Spiropoulos
- b Department of Pathology , Animal and Plant Health Agency , Addlestone , UK
| | - William Cooley
- b Department of Pathology , Animal and Plant Health Agency , Addlestone , UK
| | - Jasmeet Singh Khara
- a Section of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Allergy, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK.,c Department of Pharmacy , National University of Singapore , Singapore
| | - Camilla A Gladstone
- a Section of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Allergy, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - Masanori Asai
- a Section of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Allergy, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - Janine T Bossé
- a Section of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Allergy, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - Brian D Robertson
- d MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - Sandra M Newton
- a Section of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Allergy, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - Paul R Langford
- a Section of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Allergy, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK
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Singulani JL, Scorzoni L, de Oliveira HC, Marcos CM, Assato PA, Fusco-Almeida AM, Mendes-Giannini MJS. Applications of Invertebrate Animal Models to Dimorphic Fungal Infections. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 4:jof4040118. [PMID: 30347646 PMCID: PMC6308930 DOI: 10.3390/jof4040118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Dimorphic fungi can be found in the yeast form during infection and as hyphae in the environment and are responsible for a large number of infections worldwide. Invertebrate animals have been shown to be convenient models in the study of fungal infections. These models have the advantages of being low cost, have no ethical issues, and an ease of experimentation, time-efficiency, and the possibility of using a large number of animals per experiment compared to mammalian models. Invertebrate animal models such as Galleria mellonella, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Acanthamoebacastellanii have been used to study dimorphic fungal infections in the context of virulence, innate immune response, and the efficacy and toxicity of antifungal agents. In this review, we first summarize the features of these models. In this aspect, the growth temperature, genome sequence, availability of different strains, and body characteristics should be considered in the model choice. Finally, we discuss the contribution and advances of these models, with respect to dimorphic fungi Paracoccidioides spp., Histoplasma capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Sporothrix spp., and Talaromyces marneffei (Penicillium marneffei).
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Affiliation(s)
- Junya L Singulani
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo 14800-903, Brazil.
| | - Liliana Scorzoni
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo 14800-903, Brazil.
| | - Haroldo C de Oliveira
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo 14800-903, Brazil.
| | - Caroline M Marcos
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo 14800-903, Brazil.
| | - Patricia A Assato
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo 14800-903, Brazil.
| | - Ana Marisa Fusco-Almeida
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo 14800-903, Brazil.
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Lange A, Schäfer A, Bender A, Steimle A, Beier S, Parusel R, Frick JS. Galleria mellonella: A Novel Invertebrate Model to Distinguish Intestinal Symbionts From Pathobionts. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2114. [PMID: 30283451 PMCID: PMC6156133 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects and mammals share evolutionary conserved innate immune responses to maintain intestinal homeostasis. We investigated whether the larvae of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella may be used as an experimental organism to distinguish between symbiotic Bacteroides vulgatus and pathobiotic Escherichia coli, which are mammalian intestinal commensals. Oral application of the symbiont or pathobiont to G. mellonella resulted in clearly distinguishable innate immune responses that could be verified by analyzing similar innate immune components in mice in vivo and in vitro. The differential innate immune responses were initiated by the recognition of bacterial components via pattern recognition receptors. The pathobiont detection resulted in increased expression of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species related genes as well as antimicrobial peptide gene expression. In contrast, the treatment/application with symbiotic bacteria led to weakened immune responses in both mammalian and insect models. As symbionts and pathobionts play a crucial role in development of inflammatory bowel diseases, we hence suggest G. mellonella as a future replacement organism in inflammatory bowel disease research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lange
- Department for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Interfacultary Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Schäfer
- Department for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Interfacultary Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Annika Bender
- Department for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Interfacultary Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Alexander Steimle
- Department for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Interfacultary Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sina Beier
- Algorithms in Bioinformatics, ZBIT Center for Bioinformatics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Raphael Parusel
- Department for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Interfacultary Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Julia-Stefanie Frick
- Department for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Interfacultary Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Mukherjee K, Vilcinskas A. The entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium robertsii communicates with the insect host Galleria mellonella during infection. Virulence 2018; 9:402-413. [PMID: 29166834 PMCID: PMC5955202 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2017.1405190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic fungi are the only pathogens that can infect insect hosts directly through their proteinaceous exoskeleton. Penetration of the cuticle requires the release of fungal enzymes, including proteinases, which act as virulence factors. Insects can sense fungal infections and activate innate immune responses, including the synthesis of antifungal peptides and proteinase inhibitors that neutralize the incoming proteinases. This well-studied host response is epigenetically regulated by histone acetylation/deacetylation. Here we show that entomopathogenic fungi can in turn sense the presence of insect-derived antifungal peptides and proteinase inhibitors, and respond by inducing the synthesis of chymotrypsin-like proteinases and metalloproteinases that degrade the host-derived defense molecules. The rapidity of this response is dependent on the virulence of the fungal strain. We confirmed the specificity of the pathogen response to host-derived defense molecules by LC/MS and RT-PCR analysis, and correlated this process with the epigenetic regulation of histone acetylation/deacetylation. This cascade of responses reveals that the coevolution of pathogens and hosts can involve a complex series of attacks and counterattacks based on communication between the invading fungal pathogen and its insect host. The resolution of this process determines whether or not pathogenesis is successful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishnendu Mukherjee
- a Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology , Department of Bioresources , Giessen , Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- a Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology , Department of Bioresources , Giessen , Germany.,b Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen , Giessen , Germany
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Standardization of G. mellonella Larvae to Provide Reliable and Reproducible Results in the Study of Fungal Pathogens. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 4:jof4030108. [PMID: 30200639 PMCID: PMC6162639 DOI: 10.3390/jof4030108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past decade, Galleria mellonella (wax moth) larvae have become widely used as a non-mammalian infection model. However, the full potential of this infection model has yet to be realised, limited by the variable quality of larvae used and the lack of standardised procedures. Here, we review larvae suitable for research, protocols for dosing larvae, and methods for scoring illness in larvae infected with fungal pathogens. The development of standardised protocols for carrying out our experimental work will allow high throughput screens to be developed, changing the way in which we evaluate panels of mutants and strains. It will also enable the in vivo screening of potential antimicrobials at an earlier stage in the research and development cycle.
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69
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Studies on the interactions of neutral Galleria mellonella cecropin D with living bacterial cells. Amino Acids 2018; 51:175-191. [DOI: 10.1007/s00726-018-2641-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Characterisation of the cellular and proteomic response of Galleria mellonella larvae to the development of invasive aspergillosis. BMC Microbiol 2018; 18:63. [PMID: 29954319 PMCID: PMC6025711 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-018-1208-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Galleria mellonella larvae were infected with conidia of Aspergillus fumigatus and the cellular and humoral immune responses of larvae to the pathogen were characterized as invasive aspergillosis developed. Results At 2 h post-infection there was an increase in hemocyte density to 7.43 ± 0.50 × 106/ml from 0.98 ± 0.08 × 106/ml at 0 h. Hemocytes from larvae immune primed for 6 h with heat killed A. fumigatus conidia displayed superior anti-fungal activity. Examination of the spread of the fungus by Cryo-imaging and fluorescent microscopy revealed dissemination of the fungus through the larvae by 6 h and the formation of distinct nodules in tissue. By 24 h a range of nodules were visible at the site of infection and at sites distant from that indicating invasion of tissue. Proteomic analysis of larvae infected with viable conidia for 6 h demonstrated an increase in the abundance of gustatory receptor candidate 25 (37 fold), gloverin-like protein (14 fold), cecropin-A (11 fold). At 24 h post-infection gustatory receptor candidate 25 (126 fold), moricin-like peptide D (33 fold) and muscle protein 20-like protein (12 fold) were increased in abundance. Proteins decreased in abundance included fibrohexamerin (13 fold) and dimeric dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (8 fold). Conclusion The results presented here indicate that G. mellonella larvae may be a convenient model for studying the stages in the development of invasive aspergillosis and may offer an insight into this process in mammals. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12866-018-1208-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Guan RB, Li HC, Miao XX. Prediction of effective RNA interference targets and pathway-related genes in lepidopteran insects by RNA sequencing analysis. INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 25:356-367. [PMID: 28058810 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
When using RNA interference (RNAi) to study gene functions in Lepidoptera insects, we discovered that some genes could not be suppressed; instead, their expression levels could be up-regulated by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). To predict which genes could be easily silenced, we treated the Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis) with dsGFP (green fluorescent protein) and dsMLP (muscle lim protein). A transcriptome sequence analysis was conducted using the cDNAs 6 h after treatment with dsRNA. The results indicated that 160 genes were up-regulated and 44 genes were down-regulated by the two dsRNAs. Then, 50 co-up-regulated, 25 co-down-regulated and 43 unaffected genes were selected to determine their RNAi responses. All the 25 down-regulated genes were knocked down by their corresponding dsRNA. However, several of the up-regulated and unaffected genes were up-regulated when treated with their corresponding dsRNAs instead of being knocked down. The genes up-regulated by the dsGFP treatment may be involved in insect immune responses or the RNAi pathway. When the immune-related genes were excluded, only seven genes were induced by dsGFP, including ago-2 and dicer-2. These results not only provide a reference for efficient RNAi target predications, but also provide some potential RNAi pathway-related genes for further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruo-Bing Guan
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hai-Chao Li
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xue-Xia Miao
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
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Rochford G, Molphy Z, Browne N, Surlis C, Devereux M, McCann M, Kellett A, Howe O, Kavanagh K. In-vivo evaluation of the response of Galleria mellonella larvae to novel copper(II) phenanthroline-phenazine complexes. J Inorg Biochem 2018; 186:135-146. [PMID: 29906780 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2018.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Herein we report the in-vivo characterisation and metabolic changes in Galleria mellonella larvae to a series of bis-chelate copper(II) phenanthroline-phenazine cationic complexes of [Cu(phen)2]2+ (Cu-Phen), [Cu(DPQ)(Phen)]2+ (Cu-DPQ-Phen) and [Cu(DPPZ)(Phen)]2+ (Cu-DPPZ-Phen) (where phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, DPQ = dipyrido[3,2-ƒ:2',3'-h]quinoxaline and DPPZ = dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine). Our aim was to investigate the influence of the systematic extension of the ligated phenazine ligand in the G. mellonella model as a first step towards assessing the in-vivo tolerance and mode of action of the complex series with respect to the well-studied oxidative chemical nuclease, Cu-Phen. The Lethal Dose50 (LD50) values were established over dose ranges of 2 - 30 μg at 4-, 24-, 48- and 72 h by mortality assessment, with Cu-Phen eliciting the highest mortality at 4 h (Cu-Phen, 12.62 μg < Cu-DPQ-Phen, 21.53 μg < Cu-DPPZ-Phen, 26.07 μg). At other timepoints, a similar profile was observed as the phenazine π-backbone within the complex scaffold was extended. Assessment of both cellular response and related gene expression demonstrated that the complexes did not initiate an immune response. However, Label-Free Quantification proteomic data indicated the larval response was associated with upregulation of key proteins such as Glutathione S-transferase, purine synthesis and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis (e.g. fructose-bisphosphate aldolase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate). Both Cu-Phen and Cu-DPQ-Phen elicited a similar in-vivo response in contrast to Cu-DPPZ-Phen, which displayed a substantial increase in nitrogen detoxification proteins and proteins with calcium binding sites. Overall, the response of G. mellonella larvae exposure to the complex series is dominated by detoxification and metabolic proteome response mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garret Rochford
- Centre for Biomimetics and Therapeutics and Focas Research Institute, Dublin Institute of Technology, Camden Row, Dublin 8, Ireland.
| | - Zara Molphy
- School of Chemical Sciences and National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Niall Browne
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Carla Surlis
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Michael Devereux
- Centre for Biomimetics and Therapeutics and Focas Research Institute, Dublin Institute of Technology, Camden Row, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - Malachy McCann
- Department of Chemistry, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Andrew Kellett
- School of Chemical Sciences and National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Orla Howe
- Centre for Biomimetics and Therapeutics and Focas Research Institute, Dublin Institute of Technology, Camden Row, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - Kevin Kavanagh
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
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73
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Gene expression profiling provides insights into the immune mechanism of Plutella xylostella midgut to microbial infection. Gene 2018; 647:21-30. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2017] [Revised: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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74
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Ye BH, Zhang YB, Shu JP, Wu H, Wang HJ. RNA-sequencing analysis of fungi-induced transcripts from the bamboo wireworm Melanotus cribricollis (Coleoptera: Elateridae) larvae. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191187. [PMID: 29338057 PMCID: PMC5770045 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Larvae of Melanotus cribricollis, feed on bamboo shoots and roots, causing serious damage to bamboo in Southern China. However, there is currently no effective control measure to limit the population of this underground pest. Previously, a new entomopathogenic fungal strain isolated from M. cribricollis larvae cadavers named Metarhizium pingshaense WP08 showed high pathogenic efficacy indoors, indicated that the fungus could be used as a bio-control measure. So far, the genetic backgrounds of both M. cribricollis and M. pingshaense WP08 were blank. Here, we analyzed the whole transcriptome of M. cribricollis larvae, infected with M. pingshaense WP08 or not, using high-throughput next generation sequencing technology. In addition, the transcriptome sequencing of M. pingshaense WP08 was also performed for data separation of those two non-model species. The reliability of the RNA-Seq data was also validated through qRT-PCR experiment. The de novo assembly, functional annotation, sequence comparison of four insect species, and analysis of DEGs, enriched pathways, GO terms and immune related candidate genes were operated. The results indicated that, multiple defense mechanisms of M. cribricollis larvae are initiated to protect against the more serious negative effects caused by fungal infection. To our knowledge, this was the first report of transcriptome analysis of Melanotus spp. infected with a fungus, and it could provide insights to further explore insect-fungi interaction mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bi-huan Ye
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ya-bo Zhang
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jin-ping Shu
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou, China
- * E-mail: (JPS); (HW)
| | - Hong Wu
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou, China
- * E-mail: (JPS); (HW)
| | - Hao-jie Wang
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou, China
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Abstract
The larvae of the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, are pests of active beehives. In infection biology, these larvae are playing a more and more attractive role as an invertebrate host model. Here, we report on the first genome sequence of Galleria mellonella.
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76
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Vogel H, Müller A, Heckel DG, Gutzeit H, Vilcinskas A. Nutritional immunology: Diversification and diet-dependent expression of antimicrobial peptides in the black soldier fly Hermetia illucens. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 78:141-148. [PMID: 28966127 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2017.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Revised: 09/10/2017] [Accepted: 09/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The black soldier fly Hermetia illucens is used for the bioconversion of organic waste into feed for livestock and aquaculture, and is economically among the most important farmed insects in the world. The larvae can be fed on agricultural waste and even liquid manure, resulting in highly unpredictable pathogen levels and dietary conditions. Here we show that H. illucens larvae express a remarkably expanded spectrum of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), many of which are induced by feeding on a diet containing high bacterial loads. The addition of sulfonated lignin, cellulose, chitin, brewer's grains or sunflower oil revealed the diet-dependent expression profiles of AMPs in the larvae. The highest number of AMPs and the highest levels of AMP expression were induced by feeding larvae on diets supplemented with protein or sunflower oil. Strikingly, the diet-dependent expression of AMPs translated into diet-dependent profiles of inhibitory activities against a spectrum of bacteria, providing an intriguing example for the emerging field of nutritional immunology. We postulate that the fine-tuned expression of the expanded AMP repertoire mediates the adaptation of the gut microbiota to the digestion of unusual diets, and this feature could facilitate the use of H. illucens for the bioconversion of organic waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Vogel
- Entomology Department, Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell Strasse 8, 07749 Jena, Germany
| | - Ariane Müller
- Institute of Zoology and Developmental Biology, University of Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - David G Heckel
- Entomology Department, Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoell Strasse 8, 07749 Jena, Germany
| | - Herwig Gutzeit
- Institute of Zoology and Developmental Biology, University of Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany; Department Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Winchesterstrasse 2, 35394 Giessen, Germany.
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77
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Mannala GK, Izar B, Rupp O, Schultze T, Goesmann A, Chakraborty T, Hain T. Listeria monocytogenes Induces a Virulence-Dependent microRNA Signature That Regulates the Immune Response in Galleria mellonella. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2463. [PMID: 29312175 PMCID: PMC5733040 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
microRNAs (miRNAs) coordinate several physiological and pathological processes by regulating the fate of mRNAs. Studies conducted in vitro indicate a role of microRNAs in the control of host-microbe interactions. However, there is limited understanding of miRNA functions in in vivo models of bacterial infections. In this study, we systematically explored changes in miRNA expression levels of Galleria mellonella larvae (greater-wax moth), a model system that recapitulates the vertebrate innate immunity, following infection with L. monocytogenes. Using an insect-specific miRNA microarray with more than 2000 probes, we found differential expression of 90 miRNAs (39 upregulated and 51 downregulated) in response to infection with L. monocytogenes. We validated the expression of a subset of miRNAs which have mammalian homologs of known or predicted function. In contrast, non-pathogenic L. innocua failed to induce these miRNAs, indicating a virulence-dependent miRNA deregulation. To predict miRNA targets using established algorithms, we generated a publically available G. mellonella transcriptome database. We identified miRNA targets involved in innate immunity, signal transduction and autophagy, including spätzle, MAP kinase, and optineurin, respectively, which exhibited a virulence-specific differential expression. Finally, in silico estimation of minimum free energy of miRNA-mRNA duplexes of validated microRNAs and target transcripts revealed a regulatory network of the host immune response to L. monocytogenes. In conclusion, this study provides evidence for a role of miRNAs in the regulation of the innate immune response following bacterial infection in a simple, rapid and scalable in vivo model that may predict host-microbe interactions in higher vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopala K Mannala
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Benjamin Izar
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Oliver Rupp
- Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tilman Schultze
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Alexander Goesmann
- Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Trinad Chakraborty
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Torsten Hain
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
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78
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Bierne H, Nielsen-LeRoux C. Is there a transgenerational inheritance of host resistance against pathogens? Lessons from the Galleria mellonella-Bacillus thuringiensis interaction model. Virulence 2017; 8:1471-1474. [PMID: 28758839 PMCID: PMC5810474 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2017.1356538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Bierne
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy en Josas, France
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79
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Borman AM. Of mice and men and larvae: Galleria mellonella to model the early host-pathogen interactions after fungal infection. Virulence 2017; 9:9-12. [PMID: 28933671 PMCID: PMC5955190 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2017.1382799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Borman
- a UK National Mycology Reference Laboratory (MRL) , Public Health England South-West , Bristol , UK
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80
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Maguire R, Kunc M, Hyrsl P, Kavanagh K. Caffeine administration alters the behaviour and development of Galleria mellonella larvae. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2017; 64:37-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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81
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Krams IA, Kecko S, Jõers P, Trakimas G, Elferts D, Krams R, Luoto S, Rantala MJ, Inashkina I, Gudrā D, Fridmanis D, Contreras-Garduño J, Grantiņa-Ieviņa L, Krama T. Microbiome symbionts and diet diversity incur costs on the immune system of insect larvae. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:4204-4212. [PMID: 28939559 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.169227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Communities of symbiotic microorganisms that colonize the gastrointestinal tract play an important role in food digestion and protection against opportunistic microbes. Diet diversity increases the number of symbionts in the intestines, a benefit that is considered to impose no cost for the host organism. However, less is known about the possible immunological investments that hosts have to make in order to control the infections caused by symbiont populations that increase because of diet diversity. Using taxonomical composition analysis of the 16S rRNA V3 region, we show that enterococci are the dominating group of bacteria in the midgut of the larvae of the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella). We found that the number of colony-forming units of enterococci and expressions of certain immunity-related antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes such as Gallerimycin, Gloverin, 6-tox, Cecropin-D and Galiomicin increased in response to a more diverse diet, which in turn decreased the encapsulation response of the larvae. Treatment with antibiotics significantly lowered the expression of all AMP genes. Diet and antibiotic treatment interaction did not affect the expression of Gloverin and Galiomicin AMP genes, but significantly influenced the expression of Gallerimycin, 6-tox and Cecropin-D Taken together, our results suggest that diet diversity influences microbiome diversity and AMP gene expression, ultimately affecting an organism's capacity to mount an immune response. Elevated basal levels of immunity-related genes (Gloverin and Galiomicin) might act as a prophylactic against opportunistic infections and as a mechanism that controls the gut symbionts. This would indicate that a diverse diet imposes higher immunity costs on organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indrikis A Krams
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, 51014 Tartu, Estonia .,Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, 1004 Rīga, Latvia.,University of Tennessee, Department of Psychology, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Sanita Kecko
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences and Technology, Daugavpils University, 5401 Daugavpils, Latvia
| | - Priit Jõers
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Giedrius Trakimas
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences and Technology, Daugavpils University, 5401 Daugavpils, Latvia.,Institute of Biosciences, Vilnius University, 10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Didzis Elferts
- Department of Botany and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, 1004 Rīga, Latvia
| | - Ronalds Krams
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences and Technology, Daugavpils University, 5401 Daugavpils, Latvia
| | - Severi Luoto
- English, Drama and Writing Studies, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.,School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Markus J Rantala
- Department of Biology & Turku Brain and Mind Centre, University of Turku, Turku 20014, Finland
| | - Inna Inashkina
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, 1067 Riga, Latvia
| | - Dita Gudrā
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, 1067 Riga, Latvia
| | | | - Jorge Contreras-Garduño
- Ecuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia 58190, Mexico
| | | | - Tatjana Krama
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences and Technology, Daugavpils University, 5401 Daugavpils, Latvia.,Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Science, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
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82
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Sheehan G, Kavanagh K. Analysis of the early cellular and humoral responses of Galleria mellonella larvae to infection by Candida albicans. Virulence 2017; 9:163-172. [PMID: 28872999 PMCID: PMC5955201 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2017.1370174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Galleria mellonella larvae were administered an inoculum of Candida albicans and the response to infection over 24 hours was monitored. The yeast cell density in infected larvae declined initially but replication commenced six hours post-infection. The hemocyte density decreased from 5.2 × 106/ml to 2.5 × 106/ml at 2 hours but increased to 4.2 × 106 at 6 hours and decreased subsequently. Administration of β – glucan to larvae also caused a fluctuation in hemocyte density (5.1 ± 0.22 × 106/ml (0 hour) to 6.25 ± 0.25 × 106/ml (6 hour) (p < 0.05) to 5 ± 2.7 × 106 (24 hour)) and the population showed an increase in the density of small, granular cells at 24 hours (p < 0.05). Hemocytes from larvae inoculated with β – glucan for 6 or 24 hours showed faster killing of C. albicans cells (53 ± 4.1% (p < 0.01), 64 ± 3.7%, (p < 0.01), respectively) than hemocytes from control larvae (24 ± 11%) at 60 min. Proteomic analysis indicated increased abundance of immune related proteins cecropin-A (5 fold) and prophenoloxidase-activating proteinase-1 (5 fold) 6 hours post infection but by 24 hours there was elevated abundance of muscle (tropomyosin 2 (141 fold), calponin (66 fold), troponin I (62 fold)) and proteins indicative of cellular stress (glutathione-S-transferase-like protein (114 fold)), fungal dissemination (muscle protein 20-like protein (174 fold)) and tissue breakdown (mitochondrial cytochrome c (10 fold)). Proteins decreased in abundance at 24 hour included β – 1,3 – glucan recognition protein precursor (29 fold) and prophenoloxidase subunit 2 (25 fold).
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Sheehan
- a Department of Biology , Maynooth University , Maynooth, Co. Kildare , Ireland
| | - Kevin Kavanagh
- a Department of Biology , Maynooth University , Maynooth, Co. Kildare , Ireland
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83
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Epigenetic Mechanisms Regulate Innate Immunity against Uropathogenic and Commensal-Like Escherichia coli in the Surrogate Insect Model Galleria mellonella. Infect Immun 2017; 85:IAI.00336-17. [PMID: 28739824 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00336-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate-immunity-related genes in humans are activated during urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli but are suppressed by commensals. Epigenetic mechanisms play a pivotal role in the regulation of gene expression in response to environmental stimuli. To determine whether epigenetic mechanisms can explain the different behaviors of pathogenic and commensal bacteria, we infected larvae of the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, a widely used model insect host, with a uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) strain that causes symptomatic UTIs in humans or a commensal-like strain that causes asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU). Infection with the UPEC strain (CFT073) was more lethal to larvae than infection with the attenuated ABU strain (83972) due to the recognition of each strain by different Toll-like receptors, ultimately leading to differential DNA/RNA methylation and histone acetylation. We used next-generation sequencing and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR to correlate epigenetic changes with the induction of innate-immunity-related genes. Transcriptomic analysis of G. mellonella larvae infected with E. coli strains CFT073 and 83972 revealed strain-specific variations in the class and expression levels of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides, cytokines, and enzymes controlling DNA methylation and histone acetylation. Our results provide evidence for the differential epigenetic regulation of transcriptional reprogramming by UPEC and ABU strains of E. coli in G. mellonella larvae, which may be relevant to understanding the different behaviors of these bacterial strains in the human urinary tract.
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84
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Rolff J, Schmid-Hempel P. Perspectives on the evolutionary ecology of arthropod antimicrobial peptides. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 371:rstb.2015.0297. [PMID: 27160599 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are important elements of the innate immune defence in multicellular organisms that target and kill microbes. Here, we reflect on the various points that are raised by the authors of the 11 contributions to a special issue of Philosophical Transactions on the 'evolutionary ecology of arthropod antimicrobial peptides'. We see five interesting topics emerging. (i) AMP genes in insects, and perhaps in arthropods more generally, evolve much slower than most other immune genes. One explanation refers to the constraints set by AMPs being part of a finely tuned defence system. A new view argues that AMPs are under strong stabilizing selection. Regardless, this striking observation still invites many more questions than have been answered so far. (ii) AMPs almost always are expressed in combinations and sometimes show expression patterns that are dependent on the infectious agent. While it is often assumed that this can be explained by synergistic interactions, such interactions have rarely been demonstrated and need to be studied further. Moreover, how to define synergy in the first place remains difficult and needs to be addressed. (iii) AMPs play a very important role in mediating the interaction between a host and its mutualistic or commensal microbes. This has only been studied in a very small number of (insect) species. It has become clear that the very same AMPs play different roles in different situations and hence are under concurrent selection. (iv) Different environments shape the physiology of organisms; especially the host-associated microbial communities should impact on the evolution host AMPs. Studies in social insects and some organisms from extreme environments seem to support this notion, but, overall, the evidence for adaptation of AMPs to a given environment is scant. (v) AMPs are considered or already developed as new drugs in medicine. However, bacteria can evolve resistance to AMPs. Therefore, in the light of our limited understanding of AMP evolution in the natural context, and also the very limited understanding of the evolution of resistance against AMPs in bacteria in particular, caution is recommended. What is clear though is that study of the ecology and evolution of AMPs in natural systems could inform many of these outstanding questions, including those related to medical applications and pathogen control.This article is part of the themed issue 'Evolutionary ecology of arthropod antimicrobial peptides'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Rolff
- Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Strasse 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul Schmid-Hempel
- ETH Zürich, Institute of Integrative Biology (IBZ), ETH-Zentrum CHN, Universitätsstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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85
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Mylonakis E, Podsiadlowski L, Muhammed M, Vilcinskas A. Diversity, evolution and medical applications of insect antimicrobial peptides. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 371:rstb.2015.0290. [PMID: 27160593 PMCID: PMC4874388 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are short proteins with antimicrobial activity. A large portion of known AMPs originate from insects, and the number and diversity of these molecules in different species varies considerably. Insect AMPs represent a potential source of alternative antibiotics to address the limitation of current antibiotics, which has been caused by the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens. To get more insight into AMPs, we investigated the diversity and evolution of insect AMPs by mapping their phylogenetic distribution, allowing us to predict the evolutionary origins of selected AMP families and to identify evolutionarily conserved and taxon-specific families. Furthermore, we highlight the use of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a whole-animal model in high-throughput screening methods to identify AMPs with efficacy against human pathogens, including Acinetobacter baumanii and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. We also discuss the potential medical applications of AMPs, including their use as alternatives for conventional antibiotics in ectopic therapies, their combined use with antibiotics to restore the susceptibility of multidrug-resistant pathogens, and their use as templates for the rational design of peptidomimetic drugs that overcome the disadvantages of therapeutic peptides. The article is part of the themed issue ‘Evolutionary ecology of arthropod antimicrobial peptides’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleftherios Mylonakis
- Division of Infectious Disease, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Lars Podsiadlowski
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Zooecology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Maged Muhammed
- Division of Infectious Disease, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
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86
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Taszłow P, Vertyporokh L, Wojda I. Humoral immune response of Galleria mellonella after repeated infection with Bacillus thuringiensis. J Invertebr Pathol 2017; 149:87-96. [PMID: 28803980 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2017.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The insect immune system relies on innate mechanisms only. However, there is an increasing number of data reporting that previous immune challenge with microbial elicitors or a low number of microorganisms can modulate susceptibility after subsequent lethal infection with the same or different pathogen. This phenomenon is called immune priming. Its biochemical and molecular mechanisms remain unravelled. Here we present that Galleria mellonella larvae that survived infection induced by intrahemocelic injection of a low dose of Bacillus thuringiensis were more resistant to re-injection of a lethal dose of the same bacteria but not other bacteria and fungi tested. This correlated with enhanced activity detected in full hemolymph as well as in separated hemolymph polypeptides. In addition, we observed differences in the hemolymph protein pattern between primed and non-primed larvae after infection with the lethal dose of B. thuringiensis. Expression of genes encoding inducible defence molecules was not enhanced in the primed larvae after the infection with the lethal dose of B. thuringiensis. It is likely that priming affects the turnover of immune related hemolymph proteins; hence, upon repeated contact, the immune response may be more ergonomic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Taszłow
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland
| | - Lidiia Vertyporokh
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland
| | - Iwona Wojda
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland.
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87
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Mc Namara L, Carolan JC, Griffin CT, Fitzpatrick D, Kavanagh K. The effect of entomopathogenic fungal culture filtrate on the immune response of the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 100:82-92. [PMID: 28545993 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2017.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Revised: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Galleria mellonella is a well-established model species regularly employed in the study of the insect immune response at cellular and humoral levels to investigate fungal pathogenesis and biocontrol agents. A cellular and proteomic analysis of the effect of culture filtrate of three entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) species on the immune system of G. mellonella was performed. Treatment with Beauveria caledonica and Metarhizium anisopliae 96h culture filtrate facilitated a significantly increased yeast cell density in larvae (3-fold and 3.8-fold, respectively). Larvae co-injected with either M. anisopliae or B. caledonica culture filtrate and Candida albicans showed significantly increased mortality. The same was not seen for larvae injected with Beauveria bassiana filtrate. Together these results suggest that B. caledonica and M. anisopliae filtrate are modulating the insect immune system allowing a subsequent pathogen to proliferate. B. caledonica and M. anisopliae culture filtrates impact upon the larval prophenoloxidase (ProPO) cascade (e.g. ProPO activating factor 3 and proPO activating enzyme 3 were increased in abundance relative to controls), while B. bassiana treated larvae displayed higher abundances of alpha-esterase when compared to control larvae (2.4-fold greater) and larvae treated with M. anisopliae and B. caledonica. Treatment with EPF culture filtrate had a significant effect on antimicrobial peptide abundances particularly in M. anisopliae treated larvae where cecropin-D precursor, hemolin and gloverin were differentially abundant in comparison to controls. Differences in proteomic profiles for different treatments may reflect or even partially explain the differences in their immunomodulatory potential. Screening EPF for their ability to modulate the insect immune response represents a means of assessing EPF for use as biocontrol agents, particularly if the goal is to use them in combination with other control agents. Additionally EPF represent a valuable resource pool in our search for natural products with insect immunomodulatory and biocontrol properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Mc Namara
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland.
| | - James C Carolan
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland
| | | | - David Fitzpatrick
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Kevin Kavanagh
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland
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88
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Xu YG, Chai LH, Shi W, Wang DD, Zhang JY, Xiao XH. Transcriptome profiling and digital gene expression analysis of the skin of Dybowski's frog (Rana dybowskii) exposed to Aeromonas hydrophila. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2017. [PMID: 28647779 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8385-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Recently, populations of Rana dybowskii, an important amphibian species in Northeast China, have decreased, mainly owing to the disease caused by Aeromonas hydrophila. However, effective control methods have not yet been developed. In order to explore the immune responses of R. dybowskii upon exposure to A. hydrophila infection, Illumina high-throughput transcriptome sequencing and digital gene expression (DGE) technology were employed to investigate transcriptomic changes in the skin of R. dybowskii exposed to A. hydrophila. In this work, a total of 26,244,446 transcriptome sequencing reads were obtained and assembled into 109,089 unique unigenes using de novo assembly, and a total of 37,105 unigenes (34.0%) were functionally annotated against the non-redundant (Nr), Swiss-Prot, Cluster of Orthologous Groups of Proteins (COG), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Ontology (GO) databases. Gene expression changes in the skin tissue of R. dybowskii exposed to A. hydrophila were investigated by a tag-based DGE system, and a total of 1435 significantly differentially expressed genes were identified, including 460 that were up-regulated and 975 that were down-regulated, indicating a large change in the host transcriptome profile exposed to A. hydrophila. Among these, 478 genes were associated with immune-relevant pathways, metabolic pathways, cellular components, growth, migration, and muscle and hormone signaling pathways. We confirmed the differential expression of 106 immune-relevant genes associated with innate and adaptive immune responses. Our data provide a fairly comprehensive molecular biology background for the deeper understanding of the amphibian immune system following A. hydrophila infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Gang Xu
- College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China. .,College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China.
| | - Long-Hui Chai
- College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Wen Shi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Dan-Dan Wang
- College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Jing-Yu Zhang
- College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Xiang-Hong Xiao
- College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.
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89
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Wojda I. Immunity of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella. INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 24:342-357. [PMID: 26847724 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 12/29/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Investigation of insect immune mechanisms provides important information concerning innate immunity, which in many aspects is conserved in animals. This is one of the reasons why insects serve as model organisms to study virulence mechanisms of human pathogens. From the evolutionary point of view, we also learn a lot about host-pathogen interaction and adaptation of organisms to conditions of life. Additionally, insect-derived antibacterial and antifungal peptides and proteins are considered for their potential to be applied as alternatives to antibiotics. While Drosophila melanogaster is used to study the genetic aspect of insect immunity, Galleria mellonella serves as a good model for biochemical research. Given the size of the insect, it is possible to obtain easily hemolymph and other tissues as a source of many immune-relevant polypeptides. This review article summarizes our knowledge concerning G. mellonella immunity. The best-characterized immune-related proteins and peptides are recalled and their short characteristic is given. Some other proteins identified at the mRNA level are also mentioned. The infectious routes used by Galleria natural pathogens such as Bacillus thuringiensis and Beauveria bassiana are also described in the context of host-pathogen interaction. Finally, the plasticity of G. mellonella immune response influenced by abiotic and biotic factors is described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Wojda
- Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Department of Immunobiology, Akademicka 19, 20-033, Lublin, Poland
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90
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Mukherjee K, Grizanova E, Chertkova E, Lehmann R, Dubovskiy I, Vilcinskas A. Experimental evolution of resistance against Bacillus thuringiensis in the insect model host Galleria mellonella results in epigenetic modifications. Virulence 2017; 8:1618-1630. [PMID: 28521626 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2017.1325975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms have been proposed to translate environmental stimuli into heritable transgenerational phenotypic variations that can significantly influence natural selection. An intriguing example is exposure to pathogens, which imposes selection for host resistance. To test this hypothesis, we used larvae of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella as model host to experimentally select for resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), the most widely used bacterial agent for the biological control of pest insects. To determine whether epigenetic mechanisms contribute to the evolution of resistance against pathogens, we exposed G. mellonella larvae over 30 generations to spores and crystals mix of Bt and compared epigenetic markers in this selected line, exhibiting almost 11-fold enhanced resistance against Bt, to those in a non-selected control population. We found that experimental selection influenced acetylation of specific histones and DNA methylation as well as transcription of genes encoding the enzymatic writers and erasers of these epigenetic mechanisms. Using microarray analysis, we also observed differences in the expression of conserved miRNAs in the resistant and susceptible larvae, resulting in the repression of candidate genes that confer susceptibility to Bt. By combining in silico minimum free energy hybridization with RT-PCR experiments, we identified the functions and biological processes associated with the mRNAs targeted by these miRNAs. Our results suggest that epigenetic mechanisms operating at the pre-transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels contribute to the transgenerational inherited transcriptional reprogramming of stress and immunity-related genes, ultimately providing a mechanism for the evolution of insect resistance to pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishnendu Mukherjee
- a Department of Bioresources , Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology , Giessen , Germany
| | - Ekaterina Grizanova
- b Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals , Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Science , Novosibirsk , Russia.,c Novosibirsk State Agrarian University , Novosibirsk , Russia
| | - Ekaterina Chertkova
- b Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals , Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Science , Novosibirsk , Russia
| | - Ruediger Lehmann
- a Department of Bioresources , Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology , Giessen , Germany
| | - Ivan Dubovskiy
- b Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals , Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Science , Novosibirsk , Russia
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- a Department of Bioresources , Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology , Giessen , Germany.,d Institute for Insect Biotechnology , Justus-Liebig University of Giessen , Giessen , Germany
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91
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Chetia H, Kabiraj D, Singh D, Mosahari PV, Das S, Sharma P, Neog K, Sharma S, Jayaprakash P, Bora U. De novo transcriptome of the muga silkworm, Antheraea assamensis (Helfer). Gene 2017; 611:54-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2017.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Revised: 01/29/2017] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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92
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Maguire R, Kunc M, Hyrsl P, Kavanagh K. Analysis of the acute response of Galleria mellonella larvae to potassium nitrate. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2017; 195:44-51. [PMID: 28232230 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2017.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Revised: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Potassium nitrate (E252) is widely used as a food preservative and has applications in the treatment of high blood pressure however high doses are carcinogenic. Larvae of Galleria mellonella were administered potassium nitrate to establish whether the acute effects in larvae correlated with those evident in mammals. Intra-haemocoel injection of potassium nitrate resulted in a significant increase in the density of circulating haemocytes and a small change in the relative proportions of haemocytes but haemocytes showed a reduced fungicidal ability. Potassium nitrate administration resulted in increased superoxide dismutase activity and in the abundance of a range of proteins associated with mitochondrial function (e.g. mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase, putative mitochondrial Mn superoxide dismutase), metabolism (e.g. triosephosphate isomerase, glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate dehydrogenase) and nitrate metabolism (e.g. aliphatic nitrilase, glutathione S-transferase). A strong correlation exists between the toxicity of a range of food preservatives when tested in G. mellonella larvae and rats. In this work a correlation between the effect of potassium nitrate in larvae and mammals is shown and opens the way to the utilization of insects for studying the in vivo acute and chronic toxicity of xenobiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronan Maguire
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Martin Kunc
- Department of Animal Physiology and Immunology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Hyrsl
- Department of Animal Physiology and Immunology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kevin Kavanagh
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
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93
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Zitzmann J, Weidner T, Czermak P. Optimized expression of the antimicrobial protein Gloverin from Galleria mellonella using stably transformed Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells. Cytotechnology 2017; 69:371-389. [PMID: 28132128 PMCID: PMC5366974 DOI: 10.1007/s10616-017-0068-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial proteins and peptides (AMPs) are valuable as leads in the pharmaceutical industry for the development of novel anti-infective drugs. Here we describe the efficient heterologous expression and basic characterization of a Gloverin-family AMP derived from the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella. Highly productive single-cell clones prepared by limiting dilution achieved a 100% increase in productivity compared to the original polyclonal Drosophila melanogaster S2 cell line. Comprehensive screening for suitable expression conditions using statistical experimental designs revealed that optimal induction was achieved using 600 µM CuSO4 at the mid-exponential growth phase. Under these conditions, 25 mg/L of the AMP was expressed at the 1-L bioreactor scale, with optimal induction and harvest times ensured by dielectric spectroscopy and the online measurement of optical density. Gloverin was purified from the supernatant by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography followed by dialysis. In growth assays, the purified protein showed specific antimicrobial activity against two different strains of Escherichia coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Zitzmann
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tobias Weidner
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Peter Czermak
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Giessen, Germany.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
- Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
- Project Group Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Giessen, Germany.
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94
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Mikonranta L, Dickel F, Mappes J, Freitak D. Lepidopteran species have a variety of defence strategies against bacterial infections. J Invertebr Pathol 2017; 144:88-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2017.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Revised: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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95
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Barnoy S, Gancz H, Zhu Y, Honnold CL, Zurawski DV, Venkatesan MM. The Galleria mellonella larvae as an in vivo model for evaluation of Shigella virulence. Gut Microbes 2017; 8:335-350. [PMID: 28277944 PMCID: PMC5570432 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2017.1293225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Shigella spp. causing bacterial diarrhea and dysentery are human enteroinvasive bacterial pathogens that are orally transmitted through contaminated food and water and cause bacillary dysentery. Although natural Shigella infections are restricted to humans and primates, several smaller animal models are used to analyze individual steps in pathogenesis. No animal model fully duplicates the human response and sustaining the models requires expensive animals, costly maintenance of animal facilities, veterinary services and approved animal protocols. This study proposes the development of the caterpillar larvae of Galleria mellonella as a simple, inexpensive, informative, and rapid in-vivo model for evaluating virulence and the interaction of Shigella with cells of the insect innate immunity. Virulent Shigella injected through the forelegs causes larvae death. The mortality rates were dependent on the Shigella strain, the infectious dose, and the presence of the virulence plasmid. Wild-type S. flexneri 2a, persisted and replicated within the larvae, resulting in haemocyte cell death, whereas plasmid-cured mutants were rapidly cleared. Histology of the infected larvae in conjunction with fluorescence, immunofluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy indicate that S. flexneri reside within a vacuole of the insect haemocytes that ultrastructurally resembles vacuoles described in studies with mouse and human macrophage cell lines. Some of these bacteria-laden vacuoles had double-membranes characteristic of autophagosomes. These results suggest that G. mellonella larvae can be used as an easy-to-use animal model to understand Shigella pathogenesis that requires none of the time and labor-consuming procedures typical of other systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoshana Barnoy
- Department of Enteric Infections, Bacterial Diseases Branch (BDB), Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Hanan Gancz
- Wound Infections Department, BDB, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring Maryland, USA
| | - Yuewei Zhu
- Department of Enteric Infections, Bacterial Diseases Branch (BDB), Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Cary L. Honnold
- Department of Pathology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniel V. Zurawski
- Wound Infections Department, BDB, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring Maryland, USA
| | - Malabi M. Venkatesan
- Department of Enteric Infections, Bacterial Diseases Branch (BDB), Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA,CONTACT Malabi M. Venkatesan Chief, Dept. of Enteric Infections, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD. 20910
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96
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Santos R, Costa C, Mil-Homens D, Romão D, de Carvalho CCCR, Pais P, Mira NP, Fialho AM, Teixeira MC. The multidrug resistance transporters CgTpo1_1 and CgTpo1_2 play a role in virulence and biofilm formation in the human pathogen Candida glabrata. Cell Microbiol 2017; 19. [PMID: 27780306 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Revised: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms of persistence and virulence associated with Candida glabrata infections are poorly understood, limiting the ability to fight this fungal pathogen. In this study, the multidrug resistance transporters CgTpo1_1 and CgTpo1_2 are shown to play a role in C. glabrata virulence. The survival of the infection model Galleria mellonella, infected with C. glabrata, was found to increase upon the deletion of either CgTPO1_1 or CgTPO1_2. The underlying mechanisms were further explored. In the case of CgTpo1_1, this phenotype was found to be consistent with the observation that it confers resistance to antimicrobial peptides (AMP), such as the human AMP histatin-5. The deletion of CgTPO1_2, on the other hand, was found to limit the survival of C. glabrata cells when exposed to phagocytosis and impair biofilm formation. Interestingly, CgTPO1_2 expression was found to be up-regulated during biofilm formation, but and its deletion leads to a decreased expression of adhesin-encoding genes during biofilm formation, which is consistent with a role in biofilm formation. CgTPO1_2 expression was further seen to decrease plasma membrane potential and affect ergosterol and fatty acid content. Altogether, CgTpo1_1 and CgTpo1_2 appear to play an important role in the virulence of C. glabrata infections, being at the cross-road between multidrug resistance and pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Santos
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Biological Sciences Research Group, IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Catarina Costa
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Biological Sciences Research Group, IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Dalila Mil-Homens
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Biological Sciences Research Group, IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Daniela Romão
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Biological Sciences Research Group, IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carla C C R de Carvalho
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Biological Sciences Research Group, IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pedro Pais
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Biological Sciences Research Group, IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Nuno P Mira
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Biological Sciences Research Group, IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Arsénio M Fialho
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Biological Sciences Research Group, IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel C Teixeira
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Biological Sciences Research Group, IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal
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97
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Barribeau SM, Schmid-Hempel P. Sexual healing: mating induces a protective immune response in bumblebees. J Evol Biol 2016; 30:202-209. [PMID: 27538716 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of sexual, as opposed to clonal, reproduction given the many costs associated with sexual recombination has been an enduring question in evolutionary biology. In addition to these often discussed costs, there are further costs associated with mating, including the induction of a costly immune response, which leaves individuals prone to infection. Here, we test whether mating results in immune activation and susceptibility to a common, ecologically important, parasite of bumblebees. We find that mating does result in immune activation as measured by gene expression of known immune genes, but that this activation improves resistance to this parasite. We conclude that although mating can corrupt immunity in some systems, it can also enhance immunity in others.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Barribeau
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA.,Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - P Schmid-Hempel
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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98
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Bolouri Moghaddam MR, Tonk M, Schreiber C, Salzig D, Czermak P, Vilcinskas A, Rahnamaeian M. The potential of the Galleria mellonella innate immune system is maximized by the co-presentation of diverse antimicrobial peptides. Biol Chem 2016; 397:939-45. [DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2016-0157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 04/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are ubiquitous components of the insect innate immune system. The model insect Galleria mellonella has at least 18 AMPs, some of which are still uncharacterized in terms of antimicrobial activity. To determine why G. mellonella secretes a repertoire of distinct AMPs following an immune challenge, we selected three different AMPs: cecropin A (CecA), gallerimycin and cobatoxin. We found that cobatoxin was active against Micrococcus luteus at a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 120 μm, but at 60 μm when co-presented with 4 μm CecA. In contrast, the MIC of gallerimycin presented alone was 60 μm and the co-presentation of CecA did not affect this value. Cobatoxin and gallerimycin were both inactive against Escherichia coli at physiological concentrations, however gallerimycin could potentiate the sublethal dose of CecA (0.25 μm) at a concentration of 30 μm resulting in 100% lethality. The ability of gallerimycin to potentiate the CecA was investigated by flow cytometry, revealing that 30 μm gallerimycin sensitized E. coli cells by inducing membrane depolarization, which intensified the otherwise negligible effects of 0.25 μm CecA. We therefore conclude that G. mellonella maximizes the potential of its innate immune response by the co-presentation of different AMPs that become more effective at lower concentrations when presented simultaneously.
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99
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The role of epigenetics in host–parasite coevolution: lessons from the model host insects Galleria mellonella and Tribolium castaneum. ZOOLOGY 2016; 119:273-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2016.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2015] [Revised: 02/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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100
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Mohamed AA, Zhang L, Dorrah MA, Elmogy M, Yousef HA, Bassal TTM, Duvic B. Molecular characterization of a c-type lysozyme from the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Orthoptera: Acrididae). DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2016; 61:60-69. [PMID: 26997372 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2016.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Revised: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 03/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Lysozymes are bacteriolytic peptides that are implicated in the insect nonspecific innate immune responses. In this study, a full-length cDNA encoding a c-type lysozyme from Schistocerca gregaria (SgLys) has been cloned and characterized from the fat body of immune-challenged 5(th) instar. The deduced mature lysozyme is 119 amino acid residues in length, has a calculated molecular mass of 13.4 kDa and an isoelectric point (Ip) of 9.2. SgLys showed high identities with other insect lysozymes, ranging from 41.5% to 93.3% by BLASTp search in NCBI. Eukaryotic in vitro expression of the SgLys ORF (rSgLys) with an apparent molecular mass of ∼16 kDa under SDS-PAGE is close to the calculated molecular weight of the full-length protein. rSgLys displayed growth inhibitory activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. 3D structure modeling of SgLys, based on comparison with that of silkworm lysozyme, and sequence comparison with the helix-loop-helix (α-hairpin) structure of hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) were employed to interpret the antibacterial potencies. Phylogenetic alignments indicate that SgLys aligns well with insect c-type lysozymes that expressed principally in fat body and hemocytes and whose role has been defined as immune-related. Western blot analysis showed that SgLys expression was highest at 6-12 h post-bacterial challenge and subsequently decreased with time. Transcriptional profiles of SgLys were determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis. SgLys transcript was upregulated at the highest level in fat body, hemocytes, salivary gland, thoracic muscles, and epidermal tissue. It was expressed in all developmental stages from egg to adult. These data indicate that SgLys is a predominant acute-phase protein that is expressed and upregulated upon immune challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amr A Mohamed
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, P. O. Box 12613, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Long Zhang
- Key Lab for Biological Control of the Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, PR China
| | - Moataza A Dorrah
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, P. O. Box 12613, Giza, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Elmogy
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, P. O. Box 12613, Giza, Egypt
| | - Hesham A Yousef
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, P. O. Box 12613, Giza, Egypt
| | - Taha T M Bassal
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, P. O. Box 12613, Giza, Egypt
| | - Bernard Duvic
- Unité DGIMI UMR INRA-UM 1333, Université Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, Montpellier, France
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