151
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Nishide Y, Kageyama D, Yokoi K, Jouraku A, Tanaka H, Futahashi R, Fukatsu T. Functional crosstalk across IMD and Toll pathways: insight into the evolution of incomplete immune cascades. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20182207. [PMID: 30963836 PMCID: PMC6408883 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.2207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In insects, antimicrobial humoral immunity is governed by two distinct gene cascades, IMD pathway mainly targeting Gram-negative bacteria and Toll pathway preferentially targeting Gram-positive bacteria, which are widely conserved among diverse metazoans. However, recent genomic studies uncovered that IMD pathway is exceptionally absent in some hemipteran lineages like aphids and assassin bugs. How the apparently incomplete immune pathways have evolved with functionality is of interest. Here we report the discovery that, in the hemipteran stinkbug Plautia stali, both IMD and Toll pathways are present but their functional differentiation is blurred. Injection of Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria upregulated effector genes of both pathways. Notably, RNAi experiments unveiled significant functional permeation and crosstalk between IMD and Toll pathways: RNAi of IMD pathway genes suppressed upregulation of effector molecules of both pathways, where the suppression was more remarkable for IMD effectors; and RNAi of Toll pathway genes reduced upregulation of effector molecules of both pathways, where the suppression was more conspicuous for Toll effectors. These results suggest the possibility that, in hemipterans and other arthropods, IMD and Toll pathways are intertwined to target wider and overlapping arrays of microbes, which might have predisposed and facilitated the evolution of incomplete immune pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudai Nishide
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Ohwashi, Tsukuba 305-8634, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kageyama
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Ohwashi, Tsukuba 305-8634, Japan
| | - Kakeru Yokoi
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Ohwashi, Tsukuba 305-8634, Japan
| | - Akiya Jouraku
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Ohwashi, Tsukuba 305-8634, Japan
| | - Hiromitsu Tanaka
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Ohwashi, Tsukuba 305-8634, Japan
| | - Ryo Futahashi
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
| | - Takema Fukatsu
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
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152
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Perry C, Scanlan J, Robin C. Mining insect genomes for functionally affiliated genes. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 31:114-122. [PMID: 31109664 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Several hundred insect genome assemblies are already publicly available, and this total grows on a weekly basis. A major challenge now confronting insect science is how best to use genomic data to improve our understanding of insect biology. We consider a framework for genome analysis based on functional affiliation, that is, groups of genes involved in the same biological process or pathway, and explore how such an approach furthers our understanding of several aspects of insect phenotype. We anticipate that this approach will prove useful for future research across the breadth of insect studies, whatever organism or trait it involves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlyn Perry
- The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Jack Scanlan
- The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Charles Robin
- The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
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153
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Quan Q, Hu X, Pan B, Zeng B, Wu N, Fang G, Cao Y, Chen X, Li X, Huang Y, Zhan S. Draft genome of the cotton aphid Aphis gossypii. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 105:25-32. [PMID: 30590189 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2018.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The cotton aphid Aphis gossypii Glover is a worldwide agricultural pest that feeds on cotton, melon, and other landscape plants, causing a high level of economic loss. In addition to the common characteristics shared with other aphids, Ap. gossypii has evolved multiple biotypes that present substantial differences in host adaption. These intriguing biological features are of interest from both a fundamental and applied perspective. However, the molecular studies of Ap. gossypii have been restrained by the lack of a reference genome. Furthermore, in order to establish a platform for the development of novel and sustainable control methods, it is necessary to generate genomic resources for Ap. gossypii. Here, we present a 294 Mb draft genome sequence of Ap. gossypii, which consists of 4,724 scaffolds with an N50 size of 438 kb. Compared to other aphid species with published genomes, Ap. gossypii presents the most compact genome size. A total of 14,694 protein-coding genes were predicted and annotated in the consensus gene set, 98.03% of CEGMA genes and 93.5% of BUSCO genes were captured respectively. Genome-wide selection analyses revealed that significantly evolving pathways in the genus Aphis are related to biological processes of detoxification, steroid biosynthesis, and ethylbenzene degradation. The acquisition of the genome of Ap. gossypii makes it possible to understand the molecular mechanism of intricate biological traits of this species, and will further facilitate the study of aphid evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingmei Quan
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Science, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiao Hu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Science, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Bohu Pan
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Science, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Baosheng Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Science, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ningning Wu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Science, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Gangqi Fang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Science, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yanghui Cao
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Science, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiaoya Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China; Plant Science Research Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Xuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Science, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yongping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Science, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Shuai Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Science, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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154
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Haem Biology in Metazoan Parasites - 'The Bright Side of Haem'. Trends Parasitol 2019; 35:213-225. [PMID: 30686614 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Traditionally, host haem has been recognized as a cytotoxic molecule that parasites need to eliminate or detoxify in order to survive. However, recent evidence indicates that some lineages of parasites have lost genes that encode enzymes involved specifically in endogenous haem biosynthesis. Such lineages thus need to acquire and utilize haem originating from their host animal, making it an indispensable molecule for their survival and reproduction. In multicellular parasites, host haem needs to be systemically distributed throughout their bodies to meet the haem demands in all cell and tissue types. Host haem also gets deposited in parasite eggs, enabling embryogenesis and reproduction. Clearly, a better understanding of haem biology in multicellular parasites should elucidate organismal adaptations to obligatory blood-feeding.
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155
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Robertson HM. Molecular Evolution of the Major Arthropod Chemoreceptor Gene Families. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 64:227-242. [PMID: 30312552 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-020117-043322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The evolutionary origins of the three major families of chemoreceptors in arthropods-the odorant receptor (OR), gustatory receptor (GR), and ionotropic receptor (IR) families-occurred at the base of the Insecta, Animalia, and Protostomia, respectively. Comparison of receptor family sizes across arthropods reveals a generally positive correlation with their widely disparate complexity of chemical ecology. Closely related species reveal the ongoing processes of gene family evolution, including gene duplication, divergence, pseudogenization, and loss, that mediate these larger patterns. Sets of paralogous receptors within species reveal positive selection on amino acids in regions likely to contribute to ligand binding and specificity. Ligands of many ORs and some GRs and IRs have been identified; however, ligand identification for many more chemoreceptors is needed, as are structures for the OR/GR superfamily, to improve our understanding of the molecular evolution of these ecologically important receptors in arthropods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh M Robertson
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA;
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156
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Franco TA, Xu P, Brito NF, Oliveira DS, Wen X, Moreira MF, Unelius CR, Leal WS, Melo ACA. Reverse chemical ecology-based approach leading to the accidental discovery of repellents for Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of Chagas diseases refractory to DEET. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 103:46-52. [PMID: 30401626 PMCID: PMC6278923 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2018.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Rhodnius prolixus is one of the most important vectors of Chagas disease in Central and South America for which repellents and attractants are sorely needed. Repellents like DEET, picaridin, and IR3535 are widely used as the first line of defense against mosquitoes and other vectors, but they are ineffective against R. prolixus. Our initial goal was to identify in R. prolixus genome odorant receptors sensitive to putative sex pheromones. We compared gene expression of 21 ORs in the R. prolixus genome, identified 4 ORs enriched in male (compared with female) antennae. Attempts to de-orphanize these ORs using the Xenopus oocyte recording system showed that none of them responded to putative sex pheromone constituents. One of the them, RproOR80, was sensitive to 4 compounds in our panel of 109 odorants, namely, 2-heptanone, γ-octalactone, acetophenone, and 4-methylcychohexanol. Interestingly, these compounds, particularly 4-methylcyclohexanol, showed strong repellency activity as indicated not only by a significant decrease in residence time close to a host, but also by a remarkable reduction in blood intake. 4-Methylcyclohexanol-elicited repellency activity was abolished in RNAi-treated insects. In summary, our search for pheromone receptors led to the discovery of repellents for R. prolixus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago A Franco
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Química, 21941-909, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Pingxi Xu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Nathália F Brito
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Química, 21941-909, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Daniele S Oliveira
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Química, 21941-909, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Xiaolan Wen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Monica F Moreira
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Química, 21941-909, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - C Rikard Unelius
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Walter S Leal
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Ana C A Melo
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Química, 21941-909, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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157
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Silva-Cardoso L, Dias FA, Fampa P, Pereira MG, Atella GC. Evaluating the effects of anticoagulants on Rhodnius prolixus artificial blood feeding. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0206979. [PMID: 30496298 PMCID: PMC6264878 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Blood-sucking insects are responsible for the transmission of several important disease-causing organisms such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoans. The hematophagous hemipteran Rhodnius prolixus is one of the most important vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. Due to the medical importance of this insect, it has been used as a study model in physiology and biochemistry since the 1930s. Artificial feeding has been recognized as a feasible and a more ethical alternative method of feeding these hematophagous insects. To prevent clotting after blood collection defibrination or treatment with anticoagulants are necessary. Although anticoagulants have been routinely used for stabilizing the collected blood, there is a gap in demonstration of the effects of using anticoagulants on the feeding and development of the hematophagous insect Rhodnius prolixus. In this study, we compared the survival rate, molting efficiency, fertility, and infection development between insects that were fed on blood containing three different anticoagulants (citrate, EDTA, and heparin). We observed that fifth instar nymphs that were fed on blood containing EDTA and citrate could not perform digestion properly, which resulted in molting inefficiency. Adult insects that were fed on EDTA-containing blood laid lower number of eggs, and also had a diminished egg hatch percentage. When we delivered T. cruzi parasites in blood containing citrate or EDTA to the insects, a lower number of parasites and metacyclic trypomastigotes was observed in the intestine compared to the group fed on heparin-containing blood. Since heparin could potentially inhibit DNA polymerase activity in DNA samples extracted from the intestine, we analyzed different heparin concentrations to determine which one is the best for use as an anticoagulant. Concentrations ranging between 2.5 and 5 U/mL were able to inhibit coagulation without severely impairing DNA polymerase activity, thus indicating that this should be considered as the range of use for feeding experiments. Our results suggest that among the three anticoagulants tested, heparin can be recommended as the anticoagulant of choice for R. prolixus feeding experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lívia Silva-Cardoso
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Felipe A. Dias
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patricia Fampa
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Miria G. Pereira
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Georgia C. Atella
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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158
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Zumaya-Estrada FA, Rodríguez MC, Rodríguez MH. Pathogen-insect interaction candidate molecules for transmission-blocking control strategies of vector borne diseases. SALUD PUBLICA DE MEXICO 2018; 60:77-85. [PMID: 29689660 DOI: 10.21149/8140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To analyze the current knowledge of pathogen-insect interactions amenable for the design of molecular-based control strategies of vector-borne diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS We examined malaria, dengue, and Chagas disease pathogens and insect molecules that participate in interactions during their vectors infection. RESULTS Pathogen molecules that participate in the insect intestine invasion and induced vector immune molecules are presented, and their inclusion in transmission blocking vaccines (TBV) and in genetically modify insect (GMI) vectors or symbiotic bacteria are discussed. CONCLUSIONS Disruption of processes by blocking vector-pathogen interactions provides several candidates for molecular control strategies, but TBV and GMI efficacies are still limited and other secondary effects of GMI (improving transmission of other pathogens, affectation of other organisms) should be discarded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Alonso Zumaya-Estrada
- Centro de Investigación sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública. Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - María Carmen Rodríguez
- Centro de Investigación sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública. Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Mario Henry Rodríguez
- Centro de Investigación sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública. Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
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159
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Lavore A, Perez-Gianmarco L, Esponda-Behrens N, Palacio V, Catalano MI, Rivera-Pomar R, Ons S. Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) transcriptomic analysis and neuropeptidomics. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17244. [PMID: 30467353 PMCID: PMC6250713 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35386-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Stinkbugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are of major economic importance as pest of crops. Among the species composing the stinkbug complex, Nezara viridula is one of the most abundant in Brazil, Argentina and the Southern USA. However, this species has been poorly characterized at the genetic and physiological level. Here we sequenced and analyzed the complete transcriptome of N. viridula male and female adults. We identified neuropeptide precursor genes and G-protein coupled receptors for neuropeptides in this transcriptome. Mature neuropeptides were identified in N. viridula brain extracts by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We also analyzed the neuropeptide precursor complement in the genome sequence of Halyomorpha halys, another pentatomid of economic relevance. We compared the results in both pentatomids with the well-characterized neuropeptide repertoire from the kissing bug Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). We identified both group-specific features (which could be related to the different feeding habits) and similarities that could be characteristic of Heteroptera. This work contributes to a deeper knowledge of the genetic information of these pests, with a focus on neuroendocrine system characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Lavore
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Lucila Perez-Gianmarco
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Natalia Esponda-Behrens
- Centro Regional de Estudios Genomicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Victorio Palacio
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Maria Ines Catalano
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Rolando Rivera-Pomar
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina.,Centro Regional de Estudios Genomicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sheila Ons
- Centro Regional de Estudios Genomicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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160
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Brito T, Julio A, Berni M, de Castro Poncio L, Bernardes ES, Araujo H, Sammeth M, Pane A. Transcriptomic and functional analyses of the piRNA pathway in the Chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006760. [PMID: 30303955 PMCID: PMC6179187 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The piRNA pathway is a surveillance system that guarantees oogenesis and adult fertility in a range of animal species. The pathway is centered on PIWI clade Argonaute proteins and the associated small non-coding RNAs termed piRNAs. In this study, we set to investigate the evolutionary conservation of the piRNA pathway in the hemimetabolous insect Rhodnius prolixus. Our transcriptome profiling reveals that core components of the pathway are expressed during previtellogenic stages of oogenesis. Rhodnius’ genome harbors four putative piwi orthologs. We show that Rp-piwi2, Rp-piwi3 and Rp-ago3, but not Rp-piwi1 transcripts are produced in the germline tissues and maternally deposited in the mature eggs. Consistent with a role in Rhodnius oogenesis, parental RNAi against the Rp-piwi2, Rp-piwi3 and Rp-ago3 results in severe egg laying and female adult fertility defects. Furthermore, we show that the reduction of the Rp-piwi2 levels by parental RNAi disrupts oogenesis by causing a dramatic loss of trophocytes, egg chamber degeneration and oogenesis arrest. Intriguingly, the putative Rp-Piwi2 protein features a polyglutamine tract at its N-terminal region, which is conserved in PIWI proteins encoded in the genome of other Triatomine species. Together with R. prolixus, these hematophagous insects are primary vectors of the Chagas disease. Thus, our data shed more light on the evolution of the piRNA pathway and provide a framework for the development of new control strategies for Chagas disease insect vectors. Rhodnius prolixus together with other blood-feeding bugs of the Triatominae family are primary vectors of the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of the Chagas disease. It has been estimated that 7–8 million people are affected by this life-threatening illness worldwide, which makes the Chagas disease one of the most neglected tropical diseases. In this study, we describe the transcriptome of previtellogenic stages of Rhodnius oogenesis. Furthermore, by using a combination of molecular biology techniques and functional analyses we show that central components of the piRNA pathway are conserved in this species. The piRNA pathway guarantees genomic stability in the germ cells of organisms as distant as flies and mice. In accordance, we find that the knock-down of the piwi genes, which form the backbone of the pathway, results in partial or complete female adult sterility in Rhodnius. Our data will help improve the annotation of the Rhodnius genome and provide a framework for the development of novel techniques aiming at the eradication of Rhodnius prolixus and other Triatomine species from the infested areas. The achievement of this goal will ultimately prevent the transmission of trypanosomes to humans and reduce or eliminate the diffusion of the Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarcisio Brito
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Institute of Molecular Entomology (INCT), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alison Julio
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Institute of Molecular Entomology (INCT), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mateus Berni
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Institute of Molecular Entomology (INCT), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Emerson Soares Bernardes
- Forrest Brasil Tecnologia Ltda, Araucária, Paraná, Brazil
- Nuclear Energy Research Institute, Radiopharmacy Center, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Helena Araujo
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Institute of Molecular Entomology (INCT), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Michael Sammeth
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Attilio Pane
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Institute of Molecular Entomology (INCT), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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161
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An Analysis of IS630/Tc1/mariner Transposons in the Genome of a Pacific Oyster, Crassostrea gigas. J Mol Evol 2018; 86:566-580. [PMID: 30283979 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-018-9868-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Transposable elements represent the DNA fragments capable of increasing their copy number and moving within the genome. Class II mobile elements represents the DNA transposons, which transpose via excision and the subsequent reinsertion at random genomic loci. The increase of their copy number occurs only when the transposition event is coupled with the replication. IS630/Tc1/mariner DNA transposon superfamily is one of the largest and widely distributed among the Class II elements. In this work, we provide a detailed analysis of IS630/Tc1/mariner DNA transposons from the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas. IS630/Tc1/mariner transposons represented in the genome of the Pacific oyster belong to four families, Tc1 (DD34E), mariner (DD34D), pogo (DDxD), and rosa (DD41D). More than a half of IS630/Tc1/mariner elements from C. gigas belong to Tc1 family. Furthermore, Mariner-31_CGi element was shown to represent a new and previously unknown family with DD37E signature. We also discovered the full-size transcripts of eight elements from Tc1, mariner, and pogo families, three of which can, presumably, retain their transposition activity.
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162
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Jiménez-Cortés JG, García-Contreras R, Bucio-Torres MI, Cabrera-Bravo M, Córdoba-Aguilar A, Benelli G, Salazar-Schettino PM. Bacterial symbionts in human blood-feeding arthropods: Patterns, general mechanisms and effects of global ecological changes. Acta Trop 2018; 186:69-101. [PMID: 30003907 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2018.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2018] [Revised: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Due to their high impact on public health, human blood-feeding arthropods are one of the most relevant animal groups. Bacterial symbionts have been long known to play a role in the metabolism, and reproduction of these arthropod vectors. Nowadays, we have a more complete picture of their functions, acknowledging the wide influence of bacterial symbionts on processes ranging from the immune response of the arthropod host to the possible establishment of pathogens and parasites. One or two primary symbiont species have been found to co-evolve along with their host in each taxon (being ticks an exception), leading to various kinds of symbiosis, mostly mutualistic in nature. Moreover, several secondary symbiont species are shared by all arthropod groups. With respect to gut microbiota, several bacterial symbionts genera are hosted in common, indicating that these bacterial groups are prone to invade several hematophagous arthropod species feeding on humans. The main mechanisms underlying bacterium-arthropod symbiosis are discussed, highlighting that even primary symbionts elicit an immune response from the host. Bacterial groups in the gut microbiota play a key role in immune homeostasis, and in some cases symbiont bacteria could be competing directly or indirectly with pathogens and parasites. Finally, the effects climate change, great human migrations, and the increasingly frequent interactions of wild and domestic animal species are analyzed, along with their implications on microbiota alteration and their possible impacts on public health and the control of pathogens and parasites harbored in arthropod vectors of human parasites and pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Guillermo Jiménez-Cortés
- Laboratorio de Biología de Parásitos, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México.
| | - Rodolfo García-Contreras
- Laboratorio de Bacteriología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México
| | - Martha I Bucio-Torres
- Laboratorio de Biología de Parásitos, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México
| | - Margarita Cabrera-Bravo
- Laboratorio de Biología de Parásitos, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México
| | - Alex Córdoba-Aguilar
- Laboratorio de Ecología de la Conducta de Artrópodos, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México
| | - Giovanni Benelli
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy; The BioRobotics Institute, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paz M Salazar-Schettino
- Laboratorio de Biología de Parásitos, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México.
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163
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Gondim KC, Atella GC, Pontes EG, Majerowicz D. Lipid metabolism in insect disease vectors. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 101:108-123. [PMID: 30171905 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2018.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
More than a third of the world population is at constant risk of contracting some insect-transmitted disease, such as Dengue fever, Zika virus disease, malaria, Chagas' disease, African trypanosomiasis, and others. Independent of the life cycle of the pathogen causing the disease, the insect vector hematophagous habit is a common and crucial trait for the transmission of all these diseases. This lifestyle is unique, as hematophagous insects feed on blood, a diet that is rich in protein but relatively poor in lipids and carbohydrates, in huge amounts and low frequency. Another unique feature of these insects is that blood meal triggers essential metabolic processes, as molting and oogenesis and, in this way, regulates the expression of various genes that are involved in these events. In this paper, we review current knowledge of the physiology and biochemistry of lipid metabolism in insect disease vectors, comparing with classical models whenever possible. We address lipid digestion and absorption, hemolymphatic transport, and lipid storage by the fat body and ovary. In this context, both de novo fatty acid and triacylglycerol synthesis are discussed, including the related fatty acid activation process and the intracellular lipid binding proteins. As lipids are stored in order to be mobilized later on, e.g. for flight activity or survivorship, lipolysis and β-oxidation are also considered. All these events need to be finely regulated, and the role of hormones in this control is summarized. Finally, we also review information about infection, when vector insect physiology is affected, and there is a crosstalk between its immune system and lipid metabolism. There is not abundant information about lipid metabolism in vector insects, and significant current gaps in the field are indicated, as well as questions to be answered in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia C Gondim
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Georgia C Atella
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Emerson G Pontes
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | - David Majerowicz
- Departamento de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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164
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Vieira CS, Moreira OC, Batista KKS, Ratcliffe NA, Castro DP, Azambuja P. The NF-κB Inhibitor, IMD-0354, Affects Immune Gene Expression, Bacterial Microbiota and Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in Rhodnius prolixus Midgut. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1189. [PMID: 30233391 PMCID: PMC6128222 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhodnius prolixus is an insect vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease in Latin America. Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) transcription factors (TF) are conserved components of the innate immune system in several multicellular organisms including insects. The drug IMD-0354 [N-(3,5-bis-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-5-chloro-2-hydroxy-benzamide] is a selective inhibitor of IκB kinases. It blocks IκBα phosphorylation thus preventing nuclear translocation of the NF-κb TF. In humans, NF-κB is involved in several biological processes such as inflammation, cell proliferation and immunity. In insects, the activation of the immune system upon microbial challenge can be controlled by signaling pathways such as the immune deficiency (IMD) and Toll, to combat infection. These activated pathways signal to downstream NF-κB TF to stimulate specific immune genes, triggering the synthesis of several molecules such as the antimicrobial peptides. In Drosophila melanogaster, the activation and regulation of NF-κB TF have been elucidated, while in triatomines these mechanisms are not fully understood Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of oral administration of the drug IMD-0354 on the R. prolixus immune response to challenge with bacteria and T. cruzi, as well as the impact on the gut bacterial microbiota. R. prolixus were fed with rabbit blood containing IMD-0354 and Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, or T. cruzi. The effects of IMD-0354 on insect mortality and antimicrobial activity in insect midgut samples, as well as the relative expression of R. prolixus immune genes were recorded. The bacterial microbiota was analyzed, and viable parasites were counted in insect midgut samples. The IMD-0354 treatment modulated antibacterial activity and the gene expression patterns of defensin A, defensin B, defensin C, and prolixicin, and the genes involved in the IMD and Toll pathways. Additionally, there was an increase of bacterial microbiota in treated insects. Insects treated with IMD-0354 and concomitantly infected with bacteria or T. cruzi through the blood meal had increased mortality, while the T. cruzi population in R. prolixus midgut was reduced. The inhibitory effect of IMD-0354 indicates the importance of NF-κB TF in the innate immune responses involved in the control of bacteria and parasite infections in the R. prolixus midgut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia S Vieira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Otacílio C Moreira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Kate K S Batista
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Norman A Ratcliffe
- Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil.,College of Science, Swansea University, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Daniele P Castro
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Azambuja
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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165
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Keller JI, Schmidt JO, Schmoker AM, Ballif BA, Stevens L. Protein mass spectrometry extends temporal blood meal detection over polymerase chain reaction in mouse-fed Chagas disease vectors. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2018; 113:e180160. [PMID: 30277492 PMCID: PMC6167943 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760180160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease is highly prevalent in Latin America, and vector control is the most effective control strategy to date. We have previously shown that liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is a valuable tool for identifying triatomine vector blood meals. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to determine blood meal detection ability as a function of method [polymerase chain reaction (PCR) vs. LC-MS/MS], time since feeding, and the effect of molting in mouse-fed triatomine insect vectors targeting hemoglobin and albumin proteins with LC-MS/MS and short interspersed nuclear elements (SINE)-based PCR. METHODS We experimentally fed Triatoma protracta on mice and used LC-MS/MS to detect hemoglobin and albumin peptides over time post-feeding and post-molting (≤ 12 weeks). We compared LC-MS/MS results with those of a standard PCR method based on SINEs. FINDINGS Hemoglobin-based LC-MS/MS detected blood meals most robustly at all time points post-feeding. Post-molting, no blood meals were detected with PCR, whereas LC-MS/MS detected mouse hemoglobin and albumin up to 12 weeks. MAIN CONCLUSIONS In our study, the hemoglobin signature in the insect abdomen lasted longer than that of albumin and DNA. LC-MS/MS using hemoglobin shows promise for identifying triatomine blood meals over long temporal scales and even post-molting. Clarifying the frequency of blood-feeding on different hosts can foster our understanding of vector behavior and may help devise sounder disease-control strategies, including Ecohealth (community based ecosystem management) approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith I Keller
- University of Vermont, Department of Biology, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Justin O Schmidt
- Southwestern Biological Institute, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - Anna M Schmoker
- University of Vermont, Department of Biology, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Bryan A Ballif
- University of Vermont, Department of Biology, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Lori Stevens
- University of Vermont, Department of Biology, Burlington, VT, United States of America
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166
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Oliveira DS, Brito NF, Franco TA, Moreira MF, Leal WS, Melo ACA. Functional Characterization of Odorant Binding Protein 27 (RproOBP27) From Rhodnius prolixus Antennae. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1175. [PMID: 30210359 PMCID: PMC6119777 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Olfactory proteins mediate a wide range of essential behaviors for insect survival. Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) are small soluble olfactory proteins involved in the transport of odor molecules (=odorants) through the sensillum lymph to odorant receptors, which are housed on the dendritic membrane of olfactory sensory neurons also known as olfactory receptor neurons. Thus, a better understanding of the role(s) of OBPs from Rhodnius prolixus, one of the main vectors of Chagas disease, may ultimately lead to new strategies for vector management. Here we aimed at functionally characterize OBPs from R. prolixus. Genes of interest were selected using conventional bioinformatics approaches and subsequent quantification by qPCR. We screened and estimated expression in different tissues of 17 OBPs from R. prolixus adults. These analyses showed that 11 OBPs were expressed in all tissues, whereas six OBP genes were specific to antennae. Two OBP genes, RproOBP6 and RproOBP13, were expressed in both male and female antennae thus suggesting that they might be involved in the recognition of semiochemicals mediating behaviors common to both sexes, such host finding (for a blood meal). Transcripts for RproOBP17 and RproOBP21 were enriched in female antennae and possibly involved in the detection of oviposition attractants or other semiochemicals mediating female-specific behaviors. By contrast, RproOBP26 and RproOBP27 might be involved in the reception of sex pheromones given that their transcripts were highly expressed in male antennae. To test this hypothesis, we silenced RproOBP27 using RNAi and examined the sexual behavior of the phenotype. Indeed, adult males treated with dsOBP27 spent significantly less time close to females as compared to controls. Additionally, docking analysis suggested that RproOBP27 binds to putative sex pheromones. We therefore concluded that RproOBP27 might be a pheromone-binding protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele S Oliveira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Vetores, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Nathália F Brito
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Vetores, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Thiago A Franco
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Vetores, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Monica F Moreira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Vetores, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular-CNPq, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Walter S Leal
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Ana C A Melo
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Vetores, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular-CNPq, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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167
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Sedra L, Paluzzi JP, Lange AB. Characterization and expression of a long neuropeptide F (NPF) receptor in the Chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202425. [PMID: 30114273 PMCID: PMC6095579 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202425] [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: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, a long neuropeptide F receptor of the blood-feeding hemipteran, Rhodnius prolixus (RhoprNPFR) has been cloned and characterized. Approximately 70% of the RhoprNPFR deduced protein sequence is identical to that of other hemipteran NPFRs. RhoprNPFR has seven highly-conserved transmembrane domains, two cysteine residues in the 2nd and 3rd extracellular loops that likely form a disulfide bond integral for maintaining the structure of the receptor, and a conserved DRY motif after the third transmembrane domain. All of these characteristics are typical of class A rhodopsin-like GPCRs. The receptor transcript is predominantly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and gut of both fifth instar and adult R. prolixus. Using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), we identified six bilaterally-paired large median neurosecretory cells (approximately 30μm in diameter) in the brain that express the RhoprNPFR mRNA transcript. We also found RhoprNPFR transcript expression in endocrine cells in the anterior midgut of fifth instars, as well as in putative pre-follicular cells present in the germarium and between developing oocytes, and in the nutritive cord. These results suggest that RhoprNPFR may play a role within the CNS, and in digestion and possibly egg production and/or egg development in R. prolixus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sedra
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Angela B. Lange
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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168
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Kruse A, Ramsey JS, Johnson R, Hall DG, MacCoss MJ, Heck M. Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus Minimally Alters Expression of Immunity and Metabolism Proteins in Hemolymph of Diaphorina citri, the Insect Vector of Huanglongbing. J Proteome Res 2018; 17:2995-3011. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.8b00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Angela Kruse
- Section of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, School of Integrated Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Boyce Thompson
Institute, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - John S. Ramsey
- Boyce Thompson
Institute, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research Unit, Robert W. Holley Center, United States Department of Agriculature Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS), Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Richard Johnson
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - David G. Hall
- U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory, Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research Unit, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Fort Pierce, Florida 34945, United States
| | - Michael J. MacCoss
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Michelle Heck
- Section of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, School of Integrated Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Boyce Thompson
Institute, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research Unit, Robert W. Holley Center, United States Department of Agriculature Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS), Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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169
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Integument CYP genes of the largest genome-wide cytochrome P450 expansions in triatomines participate in detoxification in deltamethrin-resistant Triatoma infestans. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10177. [PMID: 29976934 PMCID: PMC6033900 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28475-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect resistance to chemical insecticides is attributed to a combination of different mechanisms, such as metabolic resistance, knockdown resistance, and the cuticular resistance or penetration factor. The insect integument offers an efficient barrier against contact insecticides and its role as penetration factor has been previously reported; however, there is no information about its potential function in the metabolic resistance. Cytochrome P450 genes (CYP) are highly expressed in the fat body of several insects and thus play a key role in their metabolic resistance. Here, we describe new members that belong to the highly genome-wide expanded CYP3093A and CYP4EM subfamilies in the Chagas disease vectors Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma infestans. We modeled the docking of deltamethrin in their active site and detected differences in some amino acids between both species that are critical for a correct interaction with the substrate. We also knocked down the two constitutively most expressed genes in the integument of resistant T. infestans nymphs (CYP3093A11 and CYP4EM10) in order to find clues on their participation in deltamethrin resistance. This is the first report on the role of the insect integument in detoxification events; although these two CYP genes do not fully explain the resistance observed in T. infestans.
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170
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Wulff JP, Capriotti N, Ons S. Orcokinins regulate the expression of neuropeptide precursor genes related to ecdysis in the hemimetabolous insect Rhodnius prolixus. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 108:31-39. [PMID: 29778903 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Ecdysis is a vital process for insects, during which they shed the old cuticle in order to emerge as the following developmental stage. Given its relevance for survival and reproduction, ecdysis is tightly regulated by peptidic hormones that conform an interrelated neuromodulatory network. This network was studied in species that undergo a complete metamorphosis, but not in hemimetabola. In a recent work, we demonstrated that orcokinin neuropeptides are essential for ecdysis to occur in the kissing bug Rhodnius prolixus. Here we performed gene silencing, quantitative PCR and in vitro treatments in order to study the interrelationships between RhoprOKs and hormones such as ecdysis triggering hormone, corazonin, eclosion hormone, crustacean cardioactive peptide and ecdysone. Our results suggest that RhoprOKs directly or indirectly regulate the expression of other genes. Whereas RhoprOKA is centrally involved in the regulation of gene expression, RhoprOKB is implicated in processes related to midgut physiology. Therefore, we propose that the different transcripts encoded in RhoprOK gene could integrate signaling cues, in order to coordinate the nutritional state with development and ecdysis. Given the emerging data that point to OKs as important factors for survival and reproduction, they could be candidates in the search for new insect management strategies based on neuroendocrine targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Pedro Wulff
- Laboratory of Insects Neurobiology, Regional Center for Genomic Studies, Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of La Plata Bvd 120, 1459 (1900) La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Natalia Capriotti
- Laboratory of Insects Neurobiology, Regional Center for Genomic Studies, Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of La Plata Bvd 120, 1459 (1900) La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sheila Ons
- Laboratory of Insects Neurobiology, Regional Center for Genomic Studies, Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of La Plata Bvd 120, 1459 (1900) La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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171
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de Fuentes-Vicente JA, Gutiérrez-Cabrera AE, Flores-Villegas AL, Lowenberger C, Benelli G, Salazar-Schettino PM, Córdoba-Aguilar A. What makes an effective Chagas disease vector? Factors underlying Trypanosoma cruzi-triatomine interactions. Acta Trop 2018; 183:23-31. [PMID: 29625091 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2018.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which infect blood-feeding triatomine bugs to finally reach mammal hosts. Chagas disease is endemic in Latin America, and is ranked among the 13 neglected tropical diseases worldwide. Currently, an estimate of 7 million people is infected by T. cruzi, leading to about 22 000 deaths per year throughout the Americas. As occurs with other vectors, a major question towards control programs is what makes a susceptible bug. In this review, we focus on findings linked to insect gut structure and microbiota, immunity, genetics, blood sources, abiotic factors (with special reference to ambient temperature and altitude) to understand the interactions occurring between T. cruzi and triatomine bugs, under a co-evolutionary scenario. These factors lead to varying fitness benefits and costs for bugs, explaining why infection in the insect takes place and how it varies in time and space. Our analysis highlights that major factors are gut components and microbiota, blood sources and temperature. Although their close interaction has never been clarified, knowledge reviewed here may help to boost the success of triatomine control programs, reducing the use of insecticides.
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172
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Rodríguez-Ruano SM, Škochová V, Rego ROM, Schmidt JO, Roachell W, Hypša V, Nováková E. Microbiomes of North American Triatominae: The Grounds for Chagas Disease Epidemiology. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1167. [PMID: 29951039 PMCID: PMC6008411 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect microbiomes influence many fundamental host traits, including functions of practical significance such as their capacity as vectors to transmit parasites and pathogens. The knowledge on the diversity and development of the gut microbiomes in various blood feeding insects is thus crucial not only for theoretical purposes, but also for the development of better disease control strategies. In Triatominae (Heteroptera: Reduviidae), the blood feeding vectors of Chagas disease in South America and parts of North America, the investigation of the microbiomes is in its infancy. The few studies done on microbiomes of South American Triatominae species indicate a relatively low taxonomic diversity and a high host specificity. We designed a comparative survey to serve several purposes: (I) to obtain a better insight into the overall microbiome diversity in different species, (II) to check the long term stability of the interspecific differences, (III) to describe the ontogenetic changes of the microbiome, and (IV) to determine the potential correlation between microbiome composition and presence of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. Using 16S amplicons of two abundant species from the southern US, and four laboratory reared colonies, we showed that the microbiome composition is determined by host species, rather than locality or environment. The OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Units) determination confirms a low microbiome diversity, with 12-17 main OTUs detected in wild populations of T. sanguisuga and T. protracta. Among the dominant bacterial taxa are Acinetobacter and Proteiniphilum but also the symbiotic bacterium Arsenophonus triatominarum, previously believed to only live intracellularly. The possibility of ontogenetic microbiome changes was evaluated in all six developmental stages and feces of the laboratory reared model Rhodnius prolixus. We detected considerable changes along the host's ontogeny, including clear trends in the abundance variation of the three dominant bacteria, namely Enterococcus, Acinetobacter, and Arsenophonus. Finally, we screened the samples for the presence of Trypanosoma cruzi. Comparing the parasite presence with the microbiome composition, we assessed the possible significance of the latter in the epidemiology of the disease. Particularly, we found a trend toward more diverse microbiomes in Trypanosoma cruzi positive T. protracta specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Veronika Škochová
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Ryan O. M. Rego
- Biology Centre of ASCR, Institute of Parasitology, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Justin O. Schmidt
- Department of Entomology, Southwestern Biological Institute, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Walter Roachell
- US Army Public Health Command-Central, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Václav Hypša
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
- Biology Centre of ASCR, Institute of Parasitology, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Eva Nováková
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
- Biology Centre of ASCR, Institute of Parasitology, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
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173
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Wang J, Song X, Wang M. Peptidoglycan recognition proteins in hematophagous arthropods. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 83:89-95. [PMID: 29269264 PMCID: PMC5889321 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2017.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Hematophagous arthropods are medically important disease vectors that transmit a variety of pathogens. Unlike mammals that employ both innate and adaptive immunity to clear invading pathogens, these vectors rely mainly on an innate immune system to combat pathogens. Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) are important components of innate immune signaling pathways and are responsible for recognizing microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), thus regulating host immune interactions with both harmful and helpful microbes. Here we review a number of recent studies in different vectors that address the function of PGRPs in immune regulation. Further, we discuss the variation of PGRPs between vectors and Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, PR China.
| | - Xiumei Song
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, PR China
| | - Mengfei Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, PR China
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174
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Troczka BJ, Richardson E, Homem RA, Davies TGE. An analysis of variability in genome organisation of intracellular calcium release channels across insect orders. Gene 2018; 670:70-86. [PMID: 29792951 PMCID: PMC6026295 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.05.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Using publicly available genomic data, combined with RT-PCR validation, we explore structural genomic variation for two major ion channels across insect classes. We have manually curated ryanodine receptor (RyR) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) ORFs and their corresponding genomic structures from 26 different insects covering major insect orders. We found that, despite high protein identity for both RyRs (>75%) and IP3Rs (~67%), the overall complexity of the gene structure varies greatly between different insect orders with the simplest genes (fewest introns) found in Diptera and the most complex in Lepidoptera. Analysis of intron conservation patterns indicated that the majority of conserved introns are found close to the 5' end of the channels and in RyR around the highly conserved mutually exclusive splice site. Of the two channels the IP3Rs appear to have a less well conserved organisation with a greater overall number of unique introns seen between insect orders. We experimentally validated two of the manually curated ORFs for IP3Rs and confirmed an atypical (3799aa) IP3R receptor in Myzus persicae, which is approximately 1000 amino acids larger than previously reported for IP3Rs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartlomiej J Troczka
- Biointeractions and Crop Protection Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ, UK.
| | - Ewan Richardson
- Biointeractions and Crop Protection Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ, UK.
| | - Rafael A Homem
- Biointeractions and Crop Protection Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ, UK.
| | - T G Emyr Davies
- Biointeractions and Crop Protection Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ, UK.
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175
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Vieira PH, Bomfim L, Atella GC, Masuda H, Ramos I. Silencing of RpATG6 impaired the yolk accumulation and the biogenesis of the yolk organelles in the insect vector R. prolixus. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006507. [PMID: 29768406 PMCID: PMC5973624 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In oviparous animals, the egg yolk is synthesized by the mother in a major metabolic challenge, where the different yolk components are secreted to the hemolymph and delivered to the oocytes mostly by endocytosis. The yolk macromolecules are then stored in a wide range of endocytic-originated vesicles which are collectively referred to as yolk organelles and occupy most of the mature oocytes cytoplasm. After fertilization, the contents of these organelles are degraded in a regulated manner to supply the embryo cells with fundamental molecules for de novo synthesis. Yolk accumulation and its regulated degradation are therefore crucial for successful development, however, most of the molecular mechanisms involved in the biogenesis, sorting and degradation of targeted yolk organelles are still poorly understood. ATG6 is part of two PI3P-kinase complexes that can regulate the recruitment of the endocytic or the autophagy machineries. Here, we investigate the role of RpATG6 in the endocytosis of the yolk macromolecules and in the biogenesis of the yolk organelles in the insect vector Rhodnius prolixus. We found that vitellogenic females express high levels of RpATG6 in the ovaries, when compared to the levels detected in the midgut and fat body. RNAi silencing of RpATG6 resulted in yolk proteins accumulated in the vitellogenic hemolymph, as a consequence of poor uptake by the oocytes. Accordingly, the silenced oocytes are unviable, white (contrasting to the control pink oocytes), smaller (62% of the control oocyte volume) and accumulate only 40% of the yolk proteins, 80% of the TAG and 50% of the polymer polyphosphate quantified in control oocytes. The cortex of silenced oocytes present atypical smaller vesicles indicating that the yolk organelles were not properly formed and/or sorted, which was supported by the lack of endocytic vesicles near the plasma membrane of silenced oocytes as seen by TEM. Altogether, we found that RpATG6 is central for the mechanisms of yolk accumulation, emerging as an important target for further investigations on oogenesis and, therefore, reproduction of this vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila H. Vieira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Insetos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Larissa Bomfim
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Insetos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Georgia C. Atella
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de lipídeos e lipoproteínas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Hatisaburo Masuda
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Insetos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Isabela Ramos
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Insetos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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176
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Martínez-Barnetche J, Lavore A, Beliera M, Téllez-Sosa J, Zumaya-Estrada FA, Palacio V, Godoy-Lozano E, Rivera-Pomar R, Rodríguez MH. Adaptations in energy metabolism and gene family expansions revealed by comparative transcriptomics of three Chagas disease triatomine vectors. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:296. [PMID: 29699489 PMCID: PMC5921304 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4696-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chagas disease is a parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. It is an important public health problem affecting around seven to eight million people in the Americas. A large number of hematophagous triatomine insect species, occupying diverse natural and human-modified ecological niches transmit this disease. Triatomines are long-living hemipterans that have evolved to explode different habitats to associate with their vertebrate hosts. Understanding the molecular basis of the extreme physiological conditions including starvation tolerance and longevity could provide insights for developing novel control strategies. We describe the normalized cDNA, full body transcriptome analysis of three main vectors in North, Central and South America, Triatoma pallidipennis, T. dimidiata and T. infestans. Results Two-thirds of the de novo assembled transcriptomes map to the Rhodnius prolixus genome and proteome. A Triatoma expansion of the calycin family and two types of protease inhibitors, pacifastins and cystatins were identified. A high number of transcriptionally active class I transposable elements was documented in T. infestans, compared with T. dimidiata and T. pallidipennis. Sequence identity in Triatoma-R. prolixus 1:1 orthologs revealed high sequence divergence in four enzymes participating in gluconeogenesis, glycogen synthesis and the pentose phosphate pathway, indicating high evolutionary rates of these genes. Also, molecular evidence suggesting positive selection was found for several genes of the oxidative phosphorylation I, III and V complexes. Conclusions Protease inhibitors and calycin-coding gene expansions provide insights into rapidly evolving processes of protease regulation and haematophagy. Higher evolutionary rates in enzymes that exert metabolic flux control towards anabolism and evidence for positive selection in oxidative phosphorylation complexes might represent genetic adaptations, possibly related to prolonged starvation, oxidative stress tolerance, longevity, and hematophagy and flight reduction. Overall, this work generated novel hypothesis related to biological adaptations to extreme physiological conditions and diverse ecological niches that sustain Chagas disease transmission. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4696-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Martínez-Barnetche
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Andrés Lavore
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio) and Centro de Investigación y Transferencia del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Melina Beliera
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio) and Centro de Investigación y Transferencia del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Juan Téllez-Sosa
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Federico A Zumaya-Estrada
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Victorio Palacio
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio) and Centro de Investigación y Transferencia del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Ernestina Godoy-Lozano
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Rolando Rivera-Pomar
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio) and Centro de Investigación y Transferencia del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina.,Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional. Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Mario Henry Rodríguez
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México.
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Pita S, Mora P, Vela J, Palomeque T, Sánchez A, Panzera F, Lorite P. Comparative Analysis of Repetitive DNA between the Main Vectors of Chagas Disease: Triatoma infestans and Rhodnius prolixus. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19051277. [PMID: 29695139 PMCID: PMC5983683 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19051277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis affects six to seven million people worldwide, mostly in Latin America. This disease is transmitted by hematophagous insects known as “kissing bugs” (Hemiptera, Triatominae), with Triatoma infestans and Rhodnius prolixus being the two most important vector species. Despite the fact that both species present the same diploid chromosome number (2n = 22), they have remarkable differences in their total DNA content, chromosome structure and genome organization. Variations in the DNA genome size are expected to be due to differences in the amount of repetitive DNA sequences. The T. infestans genome-wide analysis revealed the existence of 42 satellite DNA families. BLAST searches of these sequences against the R. prolixus genome assembly revealed that only four of these satellite DNA families are shared between both species, suggesting a great differentiation between the Triatoma and Rhodnius genomes. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) location of these repetitive DNAs in both species showed that they are dispersed on the euchromatic regions of all autosomes and the X chromosome. Regarding the Y chromosome, these common satellite DNAs are absent in T. infestans but they are present in the R. prolixus Y chromosome. These results support a different origin and/or evolution in the Y chromosome of both species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Pita
- Evolutionary Genetic Section, Faculty of Science, University of the Republic, Iguá 4225, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay.
| | - Pablo Mora
- Department of Experimental Biology, Genetics , University of Jaén, Paraje Las Lagunillas s/n., 23071 Jaén, Spain.
| | - Jesús Vela
- Department of Experimental Biology, Genetics , University of Jaén, Paraje Las Lagunillas s/n., 23071 Jaén, Spain.
| | - Teresa Palomeque
- Department of Experimental Biology, Genetics , University of Jaén, Paraje Las Lagunillas s/n., 23071 Jaén, Spain.
| | - Antonio Sánchez
- Department of Experimental Biology, Genetics , University of Jaén, Paraje Las Lagunillas s/n., 23071 Jaén, Spain.
| | - Francisco Panzera
- Evolutionary Genetic Section, Faculty of Science, University of the Republic, Iguá 4225, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay.
| | - Pedro Lorite
- Department of Experimental Biology, Genetics , University of Jaén, Paraje Las Lagunillas s/n., 23071 Jaén, Spain.
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178
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Host-symbiont-pathogen interactions in blood-feeding parasites: nutrition, immune cross-talk and gene exchange. Parasitology 2018; 145:1294-1303. [PMID: 29642965 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182018000574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Animals are common hosts of mutualistic, commensal and pathogenic microorganisms. Blood-feeding parasites feed on a diet that is nutritionally unbalanced and thus often rely on symbionts to supplement essential nutrients. However, they are also of medical importance as they can be infected by pathogens such as bacteria, protists or viruses that take advantage of the blood-feeding nutritional strategy for own transmission. Since blood-feeding evolved multiple times independently in diverse animals, it showcases a gradient of host-microbe interactions. While some parasitic lineages are possibly asymbiotic and manage to supplement their diet from other food sources, other lineages are either loosely associated with extracellular gut symbionts or harbour intracellular obligate symbionts that are essential for the host development and reproduction. What is perhaps even more diverse are the pathogenic lineages that infect blood-feeding parasites. This microbial diversity not only puts the host into a complicated situation - distinguishing between microorganisms that can greatly decrease or increase its fitness - but also increases opportunity for horizontal gene transfer to occur in this environment. In this review, I first introduce this diversity of mutualistic and pathogenic microorganisms associated with blood-feeding animals and then focus on patterns in their interactions, particularly nutrition, immune cross-talk and gene exchange.
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179
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He P, Engsontia P, Chen GL, Yin Q, Wang J, Lu X, Zhang YN, Li ZQ, He M. Molecular characterization and evolution of a chemosensory receptor gene family in three notorious rice planthoppers, Nilaparvata lugens, Sogatella furcifera and Laodelphax striatellus, based on genome and transcriptome analyses. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2018; 74:2156-2167. [PMID: 29542232 DOI: 10.1002/ps.4912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The white-backed planthopper (WBPH) Sogatella furcifera, the brown planthopper (BPH) Nilaparvata lugens, and the small brown planthopper (SBPH) Laodelphax striatellus (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) are rice pests that damage rice plants by sap-sucking and by transmitting viruses. Host-seeking behavior involves chemosensory receptor genes that include odorant receptors (ORs), ionotropic receptors (IRs) and gustatory receptors (GRs). RESULTS We used genome and transcriptome data to identify 141 ORs, 28 GRs and 25 IRs in BPH; 135 ORs, 18 GRs and 16 IRs in WBPH; and 37 ORs, 14 GRs and 6 IRs in SBPH. A phylogenetic analysis identified several specific OR clades of rice planthoppers, the results indicating that these OR members might be used to respond to specific host volatiles. OR co-receptor (Orco) is the most conserved and essential OR gene among these species and RNA interference (RNAi) can decrease their mRNA expression level to <50%. RNAi knockdown rice planthoppers were anosmia and were unable to seek or locate rice plants in behavioral tests. CONCLUSION The results demonstrate the importance of the planthopper Orco genes in locating rice plants. This information may aid in the development of RNAi-based transgenic rice and other pest management technologies. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng He
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Patamarerk Engsontia
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Research Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Guang-Lei Chen
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Yin
- Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Wang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xu Lu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ya-Nan Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhao-Qun Li
- Key Laboratory of Tea Biology and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming He
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang, People's Republic of China
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de Oliveira ABB, Alevi KCC, Imperador CHL, Madeira FF, Azeredo-Oliveira MTVD. Parasite-Vector Interaction of Chagas Disease: A Mini-Review. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018; 98:653-655. [PMID: 29514731 PMCID: PMC5930897 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan of great importance to public health: it has infected millions of people in the world and is the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, which can cause cardiac and gastrointestinal disorders in patients and may even lead to death. The main vector of transmission of this parasite is triatomine bugs, which have a habit of defecating while feeding on blood and passing the parasite to their own hosts through their feces. Although it has been argued that T. cruzi is not pathogenic for this vector, other studies indicate that the success of the infection depends on several molecules and factors, including the insect's intestinal microbiota, which may experience changes as a result of infection that include decreased fitness. Moreover, the effects of infection depend on the insect species, the parasite strain, and environmental conditions involved. However, the parasite-vector interaction is still underexplored. A deeper understanding of this relationship is an important tool for discovering new approaches to T. cruzi transmission and Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Beatriz Bortolozo de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho," IBILCE/UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kaio Cesar Chaboli Alevi
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho," IBILCE/UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia e Zootecnia, Faculdade de Engenharia de Ilha Solteira, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho," FEIS/UNESP, Ilha Solteira, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlos Henrique Lima Imperador
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho," IBILCE/UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Fernandez Madeira
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho," IBILCE/UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria Tercília Vilela de Azeredo-Oliveira
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho," IBILCE/UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
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181
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Nevoa JC, Mendes MT, da Silva MV, Soares SC, Oliveira CJF, Ribeiro JMC. An insight into the salivary gland and fat body transcriptome of Panstrongylus lignarius (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), the main vector of Chagas disease in Peru. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006243. [PMID: 29462134 PMCID: PMC5834209 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Triatomines are hematophagous arthropod vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas Disease. Panstrongylus lignarius, also known as Panstrongylus herreri, is considered one of the most versatile triatomines because it can parasitize different hosts, it is found in different habitats and countries, it has sylvatic, peridomestic and domestic behavior and it is a very important vector of Chagas disease, especially in Peru. Molecules produced and secreted by salivary glands and fat body are considered of important adaptational value for triatomines because, among other functions, they subvert the host haemostatic, inflammatory and immune systems and detoxify or protect them against environmental aggressors. In this context, the elucidation of the molecules produced by these tissues is highly valuable to understanding the ability of this species to adapt and transmit pathogens. Here, we use high-throughput sequencing techniques to assemble and describe the coding sequences resulting from the transcriptome of the fat body and salivary glands of P. lignarius. The final assembly of both transcriptomes together resulted in a total of 11,507 coding sequences (CDS), which were mapped from a total of 164,676,091 reads. The CDS were subdivided according to their 10 folds overexpression on salivary glands (513 CDS) or fat body (2073 CDS). Among the families of proteins found in the salivary glands, lipocalins were the most abundant. Other ubiquitous families of proteins present in other sialomes were also present in P. lignarius, including serine protease inhibitors, apyrase and antigen-5. The unique transcriptome of fat body showed proteins related to the metabolic function of this organ. Remarkably, nearly 20% of all reads mapped to transcripts coded by Triatoma virus. The data presented in this study improve the understanding on triatomines' salivary glands and fat body function and reveal important molecules used in the interplay between vectors and vertebrate hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica C. Nevoa
- Institute of Natural and Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Immunology, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Maria T. Mendes
- University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States of America
| | - Marcos V. da Silva
- Institute of Natural and Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Immunology, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Siomar C. Soares
- Institute of Natural and Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Immunology, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Carlo J. F. Oliveira
- Institute of Natural and Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Immunology, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - José M. C. Ribeiro
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research (LMVR), Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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182
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Hemimetabolous genomes reveal molecular basis of termite eusociality. Nat Ecol Evol 2018; 2:557-566. [PMID: 29403074 PMCID: PMC6482461 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0459-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Around 150 million years ago, eusocial termites evolved from within the cockroaches, 50 million years before eusocial Hymenoptera, such as bees and ants, appeared. Here, we report the 2-Gb genome of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, and the 1.3-Gb genome of the drywood termite Cryptotermes secundus. We show evolutionary signatures of termite eusociality by comparing the genomes and transcriptomes of three termites and the cockroach against the background of 16 other eusocial and non-eusocial insects. Dramatic adaptive changes in genes underlying the production and perception of pheromones confirm the importance of chemical communication in the termites. These are accompanied by major changes in gene regulation and the molecular evolution of caste determination. Many of these results parallel molecular mechanisms of eusocial evolution in Hymenoptera. However, the specific solutions are remarkably different, thus revealing a striking case of convergence in one of the major evolutionary transitions in biological complexity.
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183
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Walter-Nuno AB, Taracena ML, Mesquita RD, Oliveira PL, Paiva-Silva GO. Silencing of Iron and Heme-Related Genes Revealed a Paramount Role of Iron in the Physiology of the Hematophagous Vector Rhodnius prolixus. Front Genet 2018; 9:19. [PMID: 29456553 PMCID: PMC5801409 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron is an essential element for most organisms However, free iron and heme, its complex with protoporphyrin IX, can be extremely cytotoxic, due to the production of reactive oxygen species, eventually leading to oxidative stress. Thus, eukaryotic cells control iron availability by regulating its transport, storage and excretion as well as the biosynthesis and degradation of heme. In the genome of Rhodnius prolixus, the vector of Chagas disease, we identified 36 genes related to iron and heme metabolism We performed a comprehensive analysis of these genes, including identification of homologous genes described in other insect genomes. We observed that blood-meal modulates the expression of ferritin, Iron Responsive protein (IRP), Heme Oxygenase (HO) and the heme exporter Feline Leukemia Virus C Receptor (FLVCR), components of major pathways involved in the regulation of iron and heme metabolism, particularly in the posterior midgut (PM), where an intense release of free heme occurs during the course of digestion. Knockdown of these genes impacted the survival of nymphs and adults, as well as molting, oogenesis and embryogenesis at different rates and time-courses. The silencing of FLVCR caused the highest levels of mortality in nymphs and adults and reduced nymph molting. The oogenesis was mildly affected by the diminished expression of all of the genes whereas embryogenesis was dramatically impaired by the knockdown of ferritin expression. Furthermore, an intense production of ROS in the midgut of blood-fed insects occurs when the expression of ferritin, but not HO, was inhibited. In this manner, the degradation of dietary heme inside the enterocytes may represent an oxidative challenge that is counteracted by ferritins, conferring to this protein a major antioxidant role. Taken together these results demonstrate that the regulation of iron and heme metabolism is of paramount importance for R. prolixus physiology and imbalances in the levels of these key proteins after a blood- meal can be extremely deleterious to the insects in their various stages of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana B Walter-Nuno
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mabel L Taracena
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rafael D Mesquita
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriela O Paiva-Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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184
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Panfilio KA, Angelini DR. By land, air, and sea: hemipteran diversity through the genomic lens. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 25:106-115. [PMID: 29602356 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Thanks to a recent spate of sequencing projects, the Hemiptera are the first hemimetabolous insect order to achieve a critical mass of species with sequenced genomes, establishing the basis for comparative genomics of the bugs. However, as the most speciose hemimetabolous order, there is still a vast swathe of the hemipteran phylogeny that awaits genomic representation across subterranean, terrestrial, and aquatic habitats, and with lineage-specific and developmentally plastic cases of both wing polyphenisms and flightlessness. In this review, we highlight opportunities for taxonomic sampling beyond obvious pest species candidates, motivated by intriguing biological features of certain groups as well as the rich research tradition of ecological, physiological, developmental, and particularly cytogenetic investigation that spans the diversity of the Hemiptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen A Panfilio
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom; Institute of Zoology: Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany.
| | - David R Angelini
- Department of Biology, Colby College, Waterville, ME 04901, United States
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185
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Santos-Matos G, Wybouw N, Martins NE, Zélé F, Riga M, Leitão AB, Vontas J, Grbić M, Van Leeuwen T, Magalhães S, Sucena É. Tetranychus urticae mites do not mount an induced immune response against bacteria. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.0401. [PMID: 28592670 PMCID: PMC5474072 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The genome of the spider mite Tetranychus urticae, a herbivore, is missing important elements of the canonical Drosophila immune pathways necessary to fight bacterial infections. However, it is not known whether spider mites can mount an immune response and survive bacterial infection. In other chelicerates, bacterial infection elicits a response mediated by immune effectors leading to the survival of infected organisms. In T. urticae, infection by either Escherichia coli or Bacillus megaterium did not elicit a response as assessed through genome-wide transcriptomic analysis. In line with this, spider mites died within days even upon injection with low doses of bacteria that are non-pathogenic to Drosophila Moreover, bacterial populations grew exponentially inside the infected spider mites. By contrast, Sancassania berlesei, a litter-dwelling mite, controlled bacterial proliferation and resisted infections with both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria lethal to T. urticae This differential mortality between mite species was absent when mites were infected with heat-killed bacteria. Also, we found that spider mites harbour in their gut 1000-fold less bacteria than S. berlesei We show that T. urticae has lost the capacity to mount an induced immune response against bacteria, in contrast to other mites and chelicerates but similarly to the phloem feeding aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum Hence, our results reinforce the putative evolutionary link between ecological conditions regarding exposure to bacteria and the architecture of the immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo Santos-Matos
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, 6 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal.,cE3c: Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Nicky Wybouw
- Laboratory for Agrozoology, Department of Crop Protection, University of Ghent, Coupure links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.,Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nelson E Martins
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, 6 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Flore Zélé
- cE3c: Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria Riga
- Faculty of Applied Biotechnology and Biology, Department of Biology, University of Crete, Vasilika Vouton, PO Box 2208, 71409 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Alexandre B Leitão
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, 6 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - John Vontas
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, 100 N. Plastira Street, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.,Laboratory of Pesticide Science, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Street, 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Miodrag Grbić
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada N6A 5B7.,Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Universidad de la Rioja, 26006 Logroño, Spain
| | - Thomas Van Leeuwen
- Laboratory for Agrozoology, Department of Crop Protection, University of Ghent, Coupure links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.,Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sara Magalhães
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, 6 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal .,Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Élio Sucena
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, 6 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal .,Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
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186
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Zumaya-Estrada FA, Martínez-Barnetche J, Lavore A, Rivera-Pomar R, Rodríguez MH. Comparative genomics analysis of triatomines reveals common first line and inducible immunity-related genes and the absence of Imd canonical components among hemimetabolous arthropods. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:48. [PMID: 29357911 PMCID: PMC5778769 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2561-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Insects operate complex humoral and cellular immune strategies to fend against invading microorganisms. The majority of these have been characterized in Drosophila and other dipterans. Information on hemipterans, including Triatominae vectors of Chagas disease remains incomplete and fractionated. Results We identified putative immune-related homologs of three Triatominae vectors of Chagas disease, Triatoma pallidipennis, T. dimidiata and T. infestans (TTTs), using comparative transcriptomics based on established immune response gene references, in conjunction with the predicted proteomes of Rhodnius prolixus, Cimex lecticularis and Acyrthosiphon pisum hemimetabolous. We present a compressive description of the humoral and cellular innate immune components of these TTTs and extend the immune information of other related hemipterans. Key homologs of the constitutive and induced immunity genes were identified in all the studied hemipterans. Conclusions Our results in the TTTs extend previous observations in other hemipterans lacking several components of the Imd signaling pathway. Comparison with other hexapods, using published data, revealed that the absence of various Imd canonical components is common in several hemimetabolous species. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-017-2561-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jesús Martínez-Barnetche
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas (CISEI), Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Andrés Lavore
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio) and Centro de Investigación y Transferencia del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Rolando Rivera-Pomar
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio) and Centro de Investigación y Transferencia del Noroeste de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pergamino, Argentina.,Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Funcional. Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Mario Henry Rodríguez
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas (CISEI), Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México.
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187
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Vieira CS, Moreira OC, Batista KKS, Ratcliffe NA, Castro DP, Azambuja P. The NF-κB Inhibitor, IMD-0354, Affects Immune Gene Expression, Bacterial Microbiota and Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in Rhodnius prolixus Midgut. Front Physiol 2018. [PMID: 30233391 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Rhodnius prolixus is an insect vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease in Latin America. Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) transcription factors (TF) are conserved components of the innate immune system in several multicellular organisms including insects. The drug IMD-0354 [N-(3,5-bis-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-5-chloro-2-hydroxy-benzamide] is a selective inhibitor of IκB kinases. It blocks IκBα phosphorylation thus preventing nuclear translocation of the NF-κb TF. In humans, NF-κB is involved in several biological processes such as inflammation, cell proliferation and immunity. In insects, the activation of the immune system upon microbial challenge can be controlled by signaling pathways such as the immune deficiency (IMD) and Toll, to combat infection. These activated pathways signal to downstream NF-κB TF to stimulate specific immune genes, triggering the synthesis of several molecules such as the antimicrobial peptides. In Drosophila melanogaster, the activation and regulation of NF-κB TF have been elucidated, while in triatomines these mechanisms are not fully understood Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of oral administration of the drug IMD-0354 on the R. prolixus immune response to challenge with bacteria and T. cruzi, as well as the impact on the gut bacterial microbiota. R. prolixus were fed with rabbit blood containing IMD-0354 and Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, or T. cruzi. The effects of IMD-0354 on insect mortality and antimicrobial activity in insect midgut samples, as well as the relative expression of R. prolixus immune genes were recorded. The bacterial microbiota was analyzed, and viable parasites were counted in insect midgut samples. The IMD-0354 treatment modulated antibacterial activity and the gene expression patterns of defensin A, defensin B, defensin C, and prolixicin, and the genes involved in the IMD and Toll pathways. Additionally, there was an increase of bacterial microbiota in treated insects. Insects treated with IMD-0354 and concomitantly infected with bacteria or T. cruzi through the blood meal had increased mortality, while the T. cruzi population in R. prolixus midgut was reduced. The inhibitory effect of IMD-0354 indicates the importance of NF-κB TF in the innate immune responses involved in the control of bacteria and parasite infections in the R. prolixus midgut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia S Vieira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Otacílio C Moreira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Kate K S Batista
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Norman A Ratcliffe
- Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
- College of Science, Swansea University, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Daniele P Castro
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Azambuja
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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188
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Henriques BS, Gomes B, da Costa SG, Moraes CDS, Mesquita RD, Dillon VM, Garcia EDS, Azambuja P, Dillon RJ, Genta FA. Genome Wide Mapping of Peptidases in Rhodnius prolixus: Identification of Protease Gene Duplications, Horizontally Transferred Proteases and Analysis of Peptidase A1 Structures, with Considerations on Their Role in the Evolution of Hematophagy in Triatominae. Front Physiol 2017; 8:1051. [PMID: 29326597 PMCID: PMC5736985 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.01051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Triatominae is a subfamily of the order Hemiptera whose species are able to feed in the vertebrate blood (i.e., hematophagy). This feeding behavior presents a great physiological challenge to insects, especially in Hemipteran species with a digestion performed by lysosomal-like cathepsins instead of the more common trypsin-like enzymes. With the aim of having a deeper understanding of protease involvement in the evolutionary adaptation for hematophagy in Hemipterans, we screened peptidases in the Rhodnius prolixus genome and characterized them using common blast (NCBI) and conserved domain analyses (HMMER/blast manager software, FAT, plus PFAM database). We compared the results with available sequences from other hemipteran species and with 18 arthropod genomes present in the MEROPS database. Rhodnius prolixus contains at least 433 protease coding genes, belonging to 71 protease families. Seven peptidase families in R. prolixus presented higher gene numbers when compared to other arthropod genomes. Further analysis indicated that a gene expansion of the protease family A1 (Eukaryotic aspartyl protease, PF00026) might have played a major role in the adaptation to hematophagy since most of these peptidase genes seem to be recently acquired, are expressed in the gut and present putative secretory pathway signal peptides. Besides that, most R. prolixus A1 peptidases showed high frequencies of basic residues at the protein surface, a typical structural signature of Cathepsin D-like proteins. Other peptidase families expanded in R. prolixus (i.e., C2 and M17) also presented significant differences between hematophagous (higher number of peptidases) and non-hematophagous species. This study also provides evidence for gene acquisition from microorganisms in some peptidase families in R. prolixus: (1) family M74 (murein endopeptidase), (2) family S29 (Hepatitis C virus NS3 protease), and (3) family S24 (repressor LexA). This study revealed new targets for studying the adaptation of these insects for digestion of blood meals and their competence as vectors of Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca S Henriques
- Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bruno Gomes
- Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Samara G da Costa
- Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Caroline da Silva Moraes
- Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rafael D Mesquita
- National Institute of Science and Technology for Molecular Entomology (INCT-EM), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Chemistry Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Viv M Dillon
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Eloi de Souza Garcia
- Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology for Molecular Entomology (INCT-EM), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patricia Azambuja
- Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology for Molecular Entomology (INCT-EM), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Roderick J Dillon
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Fernando A Genta
- Laboratory of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC-FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology for Molecular Entomology (INCT-EM), Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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189
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Paim RMM, Nascimento BWL, Nascimento AMD, Pacheco DE, Soares AC, Araujo RN, Sant'Anna MRV, Pessoa GCD, Gontijo NF, Pereira MH. Functional aspects of salivary nitric oxide synthase of Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) and nitric oxide trafficking at the vector-host interface. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16036. [PMID: 29167493 PMCID: PMC5700186 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16097-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhodnius prolixus expresses nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the cytosol of the salivary gland (SG) cells. The NO produced is stored in the SG lumen bound to NO-carrier haemeproteins called nitrophorins (NPs). NPs bind tightly to NO in the acidic SG lumen, but release NO when the pH becomes high, e.g., at the host skin (pH~7.4). NO elicits potent and transient relaxation of vascular smooth muscle. Here, we investigated the role of salivary NO in the R. prolixus feeding behaviour and the salivary vasodilator activity of the host microcirculation. NOS knockdown in R. prolixus changed the SG colour, decreased the number of NO-loaded NPs and caused impairment of feeding performance. When salivary gland extracts (SGEs) were obtained from NOS- and NPs-knockdown insects and prepared in pH 5.0 solution and injected (i.v.) into mice via the tail vein, no vasodilation was observed, whereas SGEs from control insects caused long-term venodilation in the mouse skin. SGs disrupted directly in PBS (pH 7.4) containing BSA produced long-term vasodilation compared to the controls without BSA due to the possible formation of nitroso-albumin, suggesting that host serum albumin extends the NO half-life when NO is injected into the host skin by triatomine during their blood-feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela M M Paim
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Bruno W L Nascimento
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ana Mércia D Nascimento
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Dimitri E Pacheco
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Adriana C Soares
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ricardo N Araujo
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Mauricio R V Sant'Anna
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Grasielle C D Pessoa
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Nelder F Gontijo
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Marcos H Pereira
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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190
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Calderón-Fernández GM, Moriconi DE, Dulbecco AB, Juárez MP. Transcriptome Analysis of the Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) Integument. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 54:1531-1542. [PMID: 29029205 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjx151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The insect integument, formed by the cuticle and the underlying epidermis, is essential for insect fitness, regulation of lipid biosynthesis and storage, insect growth and feeding, together with development progress. Its participation in insecticide resistance has also been outlined. Triatoma infestans Klug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is one of the major vectors of Chagas disease in South America; however, genomic data are scarce. In this study, we performed a transcriptome analysis of the nymph integument in order to identify which genes are expressed and their putative role. Using the 454 GS-FLX sequencing platform, we obtained approximately 144,620 reads from the integument tissue. These reads were assembled into 6,495 isotigs and 8,504 singletons. Based on BLAST similarity searches, about 8,000 transcripts were annotated with known genes, conserved domains, and/or Gene Ontology terms.The most abundant transcripts corresponded to transcription factors and nucleic acid metabolism, membrane receptors, cell signaling, and proteins related to cytoskeleton, transport, and cell energy processes, among others. More than 10% of the transcripts-encoded proteins putatively involved in the metabolism of fatty acids and related components (fatty acid synthases, elongases, desaturases, fatty alcohol reductases), structural integument proteins, and the insecticide detoxification system (among them, cytochrome P450s, esterases, and glutathione transferases). Real-time qPCR assays were used to investigate their putative participation in the resistance mechanism. This preliminary study is the first transcriptome analysis of a triatomine integument, and together with prior biochemical information, will help further understandthe role of the integument in a wide array of mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo M Calderón-Fernández
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (CONICET-UNLP), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Débora E Moriconi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (CONICET-UNLP), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Andrea B Dulbecco
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (CONICET-UNLP), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, La Plata, Argentina
| | - M Patricia Juárez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (CONICET-UNLP), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, La Plata, Argentina
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191
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Ioannidis P, Simao FA, Waterhouse RM, Manni M, Seppey M, Robertson HM, Misof B, Niehuis O, Zdobnov EM. Genomic Features of the Damselfly Calopteryx splendens Representing a Sister Clade to Most Insect Orders. Genome Biol Evol 2017; 9:415-430. [PMID: 28137743 PMCID: PMC5381652 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evx006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects comprise the most diverse and successful animal group with over one million described species that are found in almost every terrestrial and limnic habitat, with many being used as important models in genetics, ecology, and evolutionary research. Genome sequencing projects have greatly expanded the sampling of species from many insect orders, but genomic resources for species of certain insect lineages have remained relatively limited to date. To address this paucity, we sequenced the genome of the banded demoiselle, Calopteryx splendens, a damselfly (Odonata: Zygoptera) belonging to Palaeoptera, the clade containing the first winged insects. The 1.6 Gbp C. splendens draft genome assembly is one of the largest insect genomes sequenced to date and encodes a predicted set of 22,523 protein-coding genes. Comparative genomic analyses with other sequenced insects identified a relatively small repertoire of C. splendens detoxification genes, which could explain its previously noted sensitivity to habitat pollution. Intriguingly, this repertoire includes a cytochrome P450 gene not previously described in any insect genome. The C. splendens immune gene repertoire appears relatively complete and features several genes encoding novel multi-domain peptidoglycan recognition proteins. Analysis of chemosensory genes revealed the presence of both gustatory and ionotropic receptors, as well as the insect odorant receptor coreceptor gene (OrCo) and at least four partner odorant receptors (ORs). This represents the oldest known instance of a complete OrCo/OR system in insects, and provides the molecular underpinning for odonate olfaction. The C. splendens genome improves the sampling of insect lineages that diverged before the radiation of Holometabola and offers new opportunities for molecular-level evolutionary, ecological, and behavioral studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Ioannidis
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Felipe A Simao
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Robert M Waterhouse
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mosè Manni
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mathieu Seppey
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Hugh M Robertson
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
| | - Bernhard Misof
- Center for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany
| | - Oliver Niehuis
- Center for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany
| | - Evgeny M Zdobnov
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva, Switzerland
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192
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Bomfim L, Vieira P, Fonseca A, Ramos I. Eggshell ultrastructure and delivery of pharmacological inhibitors to the early embryo of R. prolixus by ethanol permeabilization of the extraembryonic layers. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0185770. [PMID: 28961275 PMCID: PMC5621698 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Most vectors of arthropod-borne diseases produce large eggs with hard and opaque eggshells. In several species, it is still not possible to induce molecular perturbations to the embryo by delivery of molecules using microinjections or eggshell permeabilization without losing embryo viability, which impairs basic studies regarding development and population control. Here we tested the properties and permeability of the eggshell of R. prolixus, a Chagas disease vector, with the aim to deliver pharmacological inhibitors to the egg cytoplasm and allow controlled molecular changes to the embryo. Using field emission scanning and transmission electron microscopy we found that R. prolixus egg is coated by three main layers: exochorion, vitelline layer and the plasma membrane, and that the pores that allow gas exchange (aeropiles) have an average diameter of 10 μm and are found in the rim of the operculum at the anterior pole of the egg. We tested if different solvents could permeate through the aeropiles and reach the egg cytoplasm/embryo and found that immersions of the eggs in ethanol lead to its prompt penetration through the aeropiles. A single five minute-immersion of the eggs/embryos in pharmacological inhibitors, such as azide, cyanide and cycloheximide, solubilized in ethanol resulted in impairment of embryogenesis in a dose dependent manner and DAPI-ethanol solutions were also able to label the embryo cells, showing that ethanol penetration was able to deliver those molecules to the embryo cells. Multiple immersions of the embryo in the same solutions increased the effect and tests using bafilomycin A1 and Pepstatin A, known inhibitors of the yolk proteolysis, were also able to impair embryogenesis and the yolk protein degradation. Additionally, we found that ethanol pre-treatments of the egg make the aeropiles more permeable to aqueous solutions, so drugs diluted in water can be carried after the eggs are pre-treated with ethanol. Thus, we found that delivery of pharmacological inhibitors to the embryo of R. prolixus can be performed simply by submersing the fertilized eggs in ethanol with no need for additional methods such as microinjections or electroporation. We discuss the potential importance of this methodology to the study of this vector developmental biology and population control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Bomfim
- Laboratório de bioquímica de insetos, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Priscila Vieira
- Laboratório de bioquímica de insetos, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ariene Fonseca
- Laboratório de bioquímica de insetos, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Isabela Ramos
- Laboratório de bioquímica de insetos, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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193
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Carels N, Gumiel M, da Mota FF, de Carvalho Moreira CJ, Azambuja P. A Metagenomic Analysis of Bacterial Microbiota in the Digestive Tract of Triatomines. Bioinform Biol Insights 2017; 11:1177932217733422. [PMID: 28989277 PMCID: PMC5624349 DOI: 10.1177/1177932217733422] [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: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The digestive tract of triatomines (DTT) is an ecological niche favored by microbiota whose enzymatic profile is adapted to the specific substrate availability in this medium. This report describes the molecular enzymatic properties that promote bacterial prominence in the DTT. The microbiota composition was assessed previously based on 16S ribosomal DNA, and whole sequenced genomes of bacteria from the same genera were used to calculate the GC level of rare and prominent bacterial species in the DTT. The enzymatic reactions encoded by coding sequences of both rare and common bacterial species were then compared and revealed key functions explaining why some genera outcompete others in the DTT. Representativeness of DTT microbiota was investigated by shotgun sequencing of DNA extracted from bacteria grown in liquid Luria-Bertani broth (LB) medium. Results showed that GC-rich bacteria outcompete GC-poor bacteria and are the dominant components of the DTT microbiota. In addition, oxidoreductases are the main enzymatic components of these bacteria. In particular, nitrate reductases (anaerobic respiration), oxygenases (catabolism of complex substrates), acetate-CoA ligase (tricarboxylic acid cycle and energy metabolism), and kinase (signaling pathway) were the major enzymatic determinants present together with a large group of minor enzymes including hydrogenases involved in energy and amino acid metabolism. In conclusion, despite their slower growth in liquid LB medium, bacteria from GC-rich genera outcompete the GC-poor bacteria because their specific enzymatic abilities impart a selective advantage in the DTT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Carels
- Laboratório de Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos, National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Neglected Diseases (INCT-IDN), Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcial Gumiel
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fabio Faria da Mota
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Patricia Azambuja
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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194
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Pita S, Panzera F, Mora P, Vela J, Cuadrado Á, Sánchez A, Palomeque T, Lorite P. Comparative repeatome analysis on Triatoma infestans Andean and Non-Andean lineages, main vector of Chagas disease. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0181635. [PMID: 28723933 PMCID: PMC5517068 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Triatoma infestans is the most important Chagas disease vector in South America. Two main evolutionary lineages, named Andean and non-Andean, have been recognized by geographical distribution, phenetic and genetic characteristics. One of the main differences is the genomic size, varying over 30% in their haploid DNA content. Here we realize a genome wide analysis to compare the repetitive genome fraction (repeatome) between both lineages in order to identify the main repetitive DNA changes occurred during T. infestans differentiation process. RepeatExplorer analysis using Illumina reads showed that both lineages exhibit the same amount of non-repeat sequences, and that satellite DNA is by far the major component of repetitive DNA and the main responsible for the genome size differentiation between both lineages. We characterize 42 satellite DNA families, which are virtually all present in both lineages but with different amount in each lineage. Furthermore, chromosomal location of satellite DNA by fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that genomic variations in T. infestans are mainly due to satellite DNA families located on the heterochromatic regions. The results also show that many satDNA families are located on the euchromatic regions of the chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Pita
- Sección Genética Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Francisco Panzera
- Sección Genética Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Pablo Mora
- Departamento de Biología Experimental, Área de Genética, Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | - Jesús Vela
- Departamento de Biología Experimental, Área de Genética, Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | - Ángeles Cuadrado
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, University of Alcalá de Henares, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Sánchez
- Departamento de Biología Experimental, Área de Genética, Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | - Teresa Palomeque
- Departamento de Biología Experimental, Área de Genética, Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | - Pedro Lorite
- Departamento de Biología Experimental, Área de Genética, Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, Spain
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195
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Oliveira DS, Brito NF, Nogueira FCS, Moreira MF, Leal WS, Soares MR, Melo ACA. Proteomic analysis of the kissing bug Rhodnius prolixus antenna. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 100:108-118. [PMID: 28606853 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2017.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Reception of odorants is essential in insects' life since the chemical signals in the environment (=semiochemicals) convey information about availability of hosts for a blood meal, mates for reproduction, sites for oviposition and other relevant information for fitness in the environment. Once they reach the antennae, these semiochemicals bind to odorant-binding proteins and are transported through the sensillar lymph until reach the odorant receptors. Such perireceptor events, particularly the interactions with transport proteins, are the liaison between the external environment and the entire neuroethological system and, therefore, a potential target to disrupt insect chemical communication. In this study, a proteomic profile of female and male antennae of Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of Chagas disease, was obtained in an attempt to unravel the entire repertoire of olfactory proteins involved in perireceptor events. Using shotgun proteomics and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis approaches followed by nano liquid chromatography coupled with tandem LTQ Velos Orbitrap mass spectrometry, we have identified 581 unique proteins. Putative olfactory proteins, including 17 odorant binding proteins, 6 chemosensory proteins, 2 odorant receptors, 3 transient receptor channels and 1 gustatory receptor were identified. Proteins involved in general cellular functions such as generation of precursor metabolites, energy generation and catabolism were expressed at high levels. Additionally, proteins that take part in signal transduction, ion binding, and stress response, kinase and oxidoreductase activity were frequent in antennae from both sexes. This proteome strategy unraveled for the first time the complex nature of perireceptor and other olfactory events that occur in R. prolixus antennae, including evidence for phosphorylation of odorant-binding and chemosensory proteins. These findings not only increase our understanding of the olfactory process in triatomine species, but also identify potential molecular targets to be explored for population control of such insect vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele S Oliveira
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Química, 21941-909 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Nathalia F Brito
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Química, 21941-909 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Fabio C S Nogueira
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Química, 21941-909 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Monica F Moreira
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Química, 21941-909 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Walter S Leal
- University of California-Davis, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, 95616 Davis, CA, USA
| | - Marcia R Soares
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Química, 21941-909 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ana C A Melo
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Química, 21941-909 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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196
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Hernandez-Castro LE, Paterno M, Villacís AG, Andersson B, Costales JA, De Noia M, Ocaña-Mayorga S, Yumiseva CA, Grijalva MJ, Llewellyn MS. 2b-RAD genotyping for population genomic studies of Chagas disease vectors: Rhodnius ecuadoriensis in Ecuador. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005710. [PMID: 28723901 PMCID: PMC5536387 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rhodnius ecuadoriensis is the main triatomine vector of Chagas disease, American trypanosomiasis, in Southern Ecuador and Northern Peru. Genomic approaches and next generation sequencing technologies have become powerful tools for investigating population diversity and structure which is a key consideration for vector control. Here we assess the effectiveness of three different 2b restriction site-associated DNA (2b-RAD) genotyping strategies in R. ecuadoriensis to provide sufficient genomic resolution to tease apart microevolutionary processes and undertake some pilot population genomic analyses. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS The 2b-RAD protocol was carried out in-house at a non-specialized laboratory using 20 R. ecuadoriensis adults collected from the central coast and southern Andean region of Ecuador, from June 2006 to July 2013. 2b-RAD sequencing data was performed on an Illumina MiSeq instrument and analyzed with the STACKS de novo pipeline for loci assembly and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) discovery. Preliminary population genomic analyses (global AMOVA and Bayesian clustering) were implemented. Our results showed that the 2b-RAD genotyping protocol is effective for R. ecuadoriensis and likely for other triatomine species. However, only BcgI and CspCI restriction enzymes provided a number of markers suitable for population genomic analysis at the read depth we generated. Our preliminary genomic analyses detected a signal of genetic structuring across the study area. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our findings suggest that 2b-RAD genotyping is both a cost effective and methodologically simple approach for generating high resolution genomic data for Chagas disease vectors with the power to distinguish between different vector populations at epidemiologically relevant scales. As such, 2b-RAD represents a powerful tool in the hands of medical entomologists with limited access to specialized molecular biological equipment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis E. Hernandez-Castro
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Marta Paterno
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (CoNISMa), Rome, Italy
| | - Anita G. Villacís
- Center for Research on Health in Latin America, School of Biological Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Björn Andersson
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jaime A. Costales
- Center for Research on Health in Latin America, School of Biological Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Michele De Noia
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Sofía Ocaña-Mayorga
- Center for Research on Health in Latin America, School of Biological Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Cesar A. Yumiseva
- Center for Research on Health in Latin America, School of Biological Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Mario J. Grijalva
- Center for Research on Health in Latin America, School of Biological Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- Infectious and Tropical Disease Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Martin S. Llewellyn
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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197
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Sterkel M, Oliveira JHM, Bottino-Rojas V, Paiva-Silva GO, Oliveira PL. The Dose Makes the Poison: Nutritional Overload Determines the Life Traits of Blood-Feeding Arthropods. Trends Parasitol 2017; 33:633-644. [PMID: 28549573 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2017.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2017] [Revised: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Vertebrate blood composition is heavily biased towards proteins, and hemoglobin, which is a hemeprotein, is by far the most abundant protein. Typically, hematophagous insects ingest blood volumes several times their weight before the blood meal. This barbarian feast offers an abundance of nutrients, but the degradation of blood proteins generates toxic concentrations of amino acids and heme, along with unparalleled microbiota growth. Despite this challenge, hematophagous arthropods have successfully developed mechanisms that bypass the toxicity of these molecules. While these adaptations allow hematophagous arthropods to tolerate their diet, they also constitute a unique mode of operation for cell signaling, immunity, and metabolism, the study of which may offer insights into the biology of disease vectors and may lead to novel vector-specific control methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Sterkel
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil
| | - José Henrique M Oliveira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Bottino-Rojas
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Gabriela O Paiva-Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Brazil
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Brazil.
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198
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Sterkel M, Oliveira PL. Developmental roles of tyrosine metabolism enzymes in the blood-sucking insect Rhodnius prolixus. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 284:20162607. [PMID: 28469016 PMCID: PMC5443934 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The phenylalanine/tyrosine degradation pathway is frequently described as a catabolic pathway that funnels aromatic amino acids into citric acid cycle intermediates. Previously, we demonstrated that the accumulation of tyrosine generated during the hydrolysis of blood meal proteins in Rhodnius prolixus is potentially toxic, a harmful outcome that is prevented by the action of the first two enzymes in the tyrosine degradation pathway. In this work, we further evaluated the relevance of all other enzymes involved in phenylalanine/tyrosine metabolism in the physiology of this insect. The knockdown of most of these enzymes produced a wide spectrum of distinct phenotypes associated with reproduction, development and nymph survival, demonstrating a highly pleiotropic role of tyrosine metabolism. The phenotypes obtained for two of these enzymes, homogentisate dioxygenase and fumarylacetoacetase, have never before been described in any arthropod. To our knowledge, this report is the first comprehensive gene-silencing analysis of an amino acid metabolism pathway in insects. Amino acid metabolism is exceptionally important in haematophagous arthropods due to their particular feeding behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Sterkel
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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199
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Nunes-da-Fonseca R, Berni M, Tobias-Santos V, Pane A, Araujo HM. Rhodnius prolixus: From classical physiology to modern developmental biology. Genesis 2017; 55. [DOI: 10.1002/dvg.22995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Nunes-da-Fonseca
- Laboratório Integrado de Ciências Morfofuncionais; Núcleo em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Socio-Ambiental de Macaé, Campus Macaé, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Rio de Janeiro Brazil
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular do Desenvolvimento Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Mateus Berni
- Institute of Molecular Entomology; INCT-EM
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular do Desenvolvimento Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Vitória Tobias-Santos
- Laboratório Integrado de Ciências Morfofuncionais; Núcleo em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Socio-Ambiental de Macaé, Campus Macaé, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Rio de Janeiro Brazil
- Institute of Molecular Entomology; INCT-EM
| | - Attilio Pane
- Institute of Molecular Entomology; INCT-EM
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular do Desenvolvimento Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Helena Marcolla Araujo
- Institute of Molecular Entomology; INCT-EM
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular do Desenvolvimento Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro; Rio de Janeiro Brazil
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200
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Fernández-Medina RD, Carareto CMA, Struchiner CJ, Ribeiro JMC. Transposable elements in the Anopheles funestus transcriptome. Genetica 2017; 145:275-293. [PMID: 28424974 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-017-9964-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are present in most of the eukaryotic genomes and their impact on genome evolution is increasingly recognized. Although there is extensive information on the TEs present in several eukaryotic genomes, less is known about the expression of these elements at the transcriptome level. Here we present a detailed analysis regarding the expression of TEs in Anopheles funestus, the second most important vector of human malaria in Africa. Several transcriptionally active TE families belonging both to Class I and II were identified and characterized. Interestingly, we have identified a full-length putative active element (including the presence of full length TIRs in the genomic sequence) belonging to the hAT superfamily, which presents active members in other insect genomes. This work contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the landscape of transposable elements in A. funestus transcriptome. Our results reveal that TEs are abundant and diverse in the mosquito and that most of the TE families found in the genome are represented in the mosquito transcriptome, a fact that could indicate activity of these elements.The vast diversity of TEs expressed in A. funestus suggests that there is ongoing amplification of several families in this organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita D Fernández-Medina
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Claudia M A Carareto
- Departamento de Biologia, UNESP-Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rua Cristóvão Colombo, 2265, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Cláudio J Struchiner
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Av. Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - José M C Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID/NIH, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
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