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Luo T, Hu E, Gan L, Yang D, Wu J, Gao S, Tuo X, Bayin CG, Hu Z, Guo Q. Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii can be vertically transmitted in Hyalomma anatolicum. Exp Parasitol 2024; 265:108828. [PMID: 39159853 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
In this study, a tick intracellular symbiont, Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii, was detected in Hyalomma anatolicum from Xinjiang, China. Morphological identification and cytochrome oxidase subunit I sequence alignment were used for molecular identification of the tick species. PCR detection further revealed the presence of endosymbiont C. M. mitochondrii in the tick. Specific primers were designed for Groel and 16S rRNA genes of C. M. mitochondrii for PCR amplification and phylogenetic analysis. To further investigate the vertical transmission characteristics of C. M. mitochondrii, specific primers were designed based on the FabⅠ gene fragment to detect C. M. mitochondrii in different developmental stages and organs of the tick using qPCR. Of the 336 tick specimens collected from the field, 266 samples were identified as H. anatolicum on the basis of morphological characteristics. The gene fragment alignment results of COI confirmed that these ticks were H. anatolicum. The phylogenetic analysis showed that Groel gene of C. M. mitochondrii clustered with Midichloria strains detected in Ixodes ricinus ticks from Italy and Ixodes holocyclus ticks from Australia, with 100% sequence similarity. Furthermore, the 16S rRNA gene of C. M. mitochondrii clusters with the strains isolated from Hyalomma rufipes ticks in Italy, exhibiting the highest degree of homology. qPCR results showed that C. M. mitochondrii was present at all developmental stages of H. anatolicum, with the highest relative abundance in eggs, and lower relative abundance in nymphs and unfed males. With female tick blood feeding, the relative abundance of C. M. mitochondrii increased, and a particularly high relative abundance was detected in the ovaries of engorged female ticks. This study provides information for studying the survival adaptability of H. anatolicum, and provides data for further investigation of the mechanisms regulating tick endosymbionts in ticks, enriching the reference materials for comprehensive prevention and control of tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingxiang Luo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Ercha Hu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China; Xingjiang Key Laboratory of Herbivore Drug Research and Creation, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China; Veterinary Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station of Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Lu Gan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Depeng Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Jun Wu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Shenghong Gao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Xiaoli Tuo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Chahan Gailike Bayin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China
| | - Zhengxiang Hu
- College of Grassland Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China.
| | - Qingyong Guo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 830052, China.
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Barbosa AL, Gois GC, Dos Santos VB, Pinto ATDM, de Castro Andrade BP, de Souza LB, Almeida E Sá FH, Virginio JF, Queiroz MAÁ. Effects of different diets on Aedes aegypti adults: improving rearing techniques for sterile insect technique. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023; 113:748-755. [PMID: 37743777 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485323000408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The aim was to evaluate the effect of different energy diets available in adulthood on the longevity, dispersal capacity and sexual performance of Aedes aegypti produced under a mass-rearing system. To evaluate the effects of diets in relation to the survival of the adult male insects of Ae. aegypti, six treatments were used: sucrose at a concentration of 10%, as a positive control (sack10); starvation, as a negative control (starvation); sucrose at a concentration of 20% associated with 1 g/l of ascorbic acid (sac20vitC); wild honey in a concentration of 10% (honey10); demerara sugar in a 10% concentration (demerara10); and sucrose at a concentration of 20% associated with 1 g/l of ascorbic acid and 0.5 g/l of amino acid proline (sac20vitCPr). Each treatment had 16 cages containing 50 adult males. For the tests of flight ability and propensity to copulation, five treatments were used (saca10; sac20vitC; mel10; demerara10; and sac20vitCPr), with males each for flight ability and females copulated by a single male for copulation propensity. The diet composed of sucrose at a concentration of 20% associated with ascorbic acid, as an antioxidant, improved the survival, flight ability and propensity to copulate in Ae. aegypti males under mass-rearing conditions, and may be useful to enhance the performance of sterile males, thus improving the success of sterile insect technique programmes.
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Silva Dias Vieira C, Pinheiro Aguiar R, de Almeida Nogueira NP, Costa dos Santos Junior G, Paes MC. Glucose metabolism sustains heme-induced Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigote growth in vitro. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011725. [PMID: 37948458 PMCID: PMC10664871 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is caused by the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. This parasite alternates between an insect vector and a mammalian host. T. cruzi epimastigotes reside in the insect vector and coexist with the blood components of the vertebrate host. The metabolic profile of T. cruzi has been extensively studied; however, changes in its metabolism in response to signaling molecules present in the vector are poorly understood. Heme acts as a physiological oxidant that triggers intense epimastigote proliferation and upregulates the expression of genes related to glycolysis and aerobic fermentation in vitro. Here, heme-cultured epimastigotes increased D-glucose consumption. In fact, heme-cultured parasites secreted more succinate (the end product of the so-called succinic fermentation) followed by glucose intake. Increased succinate levels reduced the extracellular pH, leading to acidification of the supernatant. However, the acidification and proliferation stimulated by heme was impaired when glycolysis was inhibited. Otherwise, when glucose amount is enhanced in supernatant, heme-cultured parasites increased its growth whereas the glucose depletion caused a delay in proliferation. Heme supplementation increased epimastigote electron transport system-related O2 consumption rates, while glucose addition reduced both the electron transport system-related O2 consumption rates and spare respiratory capacity, indicating a Crabtree-like effect. These results show that glycolysis predominated in heme-cultured epimastigotes over oxidative phosphorylation for energy supply when glucose is present to sustain its high proliferation in vitro. Furthermore, it provided an insight into the parasite biology in the vector environment that supply glucose and the digestion of blood generates free heme that can lead to the growth of T. cruzi epimastigotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Silva Dias Vieira
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, IBRAG–UERJ–Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ramon Pinheiro Aguiar
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis (IBqM) and National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging (CENABIO)–UFRJ–Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Natalia Pereira de Almeida Nogueira
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, IBRAG–UERJ–Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia—Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM)–Brazil
| | | | - Marcia Cristina Paes
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, IBRAG–UERJ–Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia—Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM)–Brazil
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Rampelotto PH, Giannakos NRO, Mena Canata DA, Pereira FD, Hackenhaar FS, Pereira MJR, Benfato MS. Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Defense in the Brain of Bat Species with Different Feeding Habits. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12162. [PMID: 37569536 PMCID: PMC10418361 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Assessing the levels of oxidative stress markers and antioxidant enzymes in the brain is crucial in evaluating its antioxidant capacity and understanding the influence of various dietary patterns on brain well-being. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant status and oxidative damage in the brain of bat species with different feeding habits to gain insights into their protective mechanisms against oxidative stress and their interspecific variation. The levels of oxidative damage markers and the activities of antioxidants were measured in the brain of four bat species with different feeding habits, namely insectivorous, frugivorous, nectarivorous, and hematophagous. Insectivorous bats showed higher levels of SOD and fumarase compared to the other groups, while hematophagous bats showed lower levels of these enzymes. On the other hand, the activities of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase were higher in hematophagous bats and lower in insectivorous bats. The carbonyl groups and malondialdehyde levels were lower in frugivores, while they were similar in the other feeding guilds. Nitrite and nitrate levels were higher in the hematophagous group and relatively lower in all other groups. The GSSG/GSH ratio was higher in the hematophagous group and lower in frugivores. Overall, our results indicate that the levels of oxidative stress markers and the activities of antioxidant enzymes in the brain vary significantly among bat species with different feeding habitats. The findings suggest that the antioxidant status of the brain is influenced by diet and feeding habits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pabulo Henrique Rampelotto
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core Facility, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil;
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil
| | | | - Diego Antonio Mena Canata
- Biophysics Department, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil
| | - Francielly Dias Pereira
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil
| | | | - María João Ramos Pereira
- Graduate Program in Animal Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil
| | - Mara Silveira Benfato
- Biophysics Department, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil
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Analyses of adult transcriptomes from four different populations of the spongy moth, Lymantria dispar L., from China and the USA. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18232. [PMID: 36309575 PMCID: PMC9617907 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18377-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The spongy moth Lymantria dispar, formerly known as the gypsy moth, is a forest pest that occurs as two different biotypes: the European spongy moth (ESM), Lymantria dispar dispar, which is distributed in Europe and North America; and the Asian spongy moth (ASM), which consists of subspecies Lymantria dispar asiatica and Lymantria dispar japonica and is distributed in China, Russia, Korea, and Japan. The Asian biotype is classified as a quarantine pest by the U.S. Department of Agriculture because of the superior flight ability of adult females compared to females of the European biotype. To identify genes that potentially account for differences in female flight capability between the two biotypes, we assembled and compared transcriptional profiles of two North American populations of ESM and two Chinese populations of ASM, including samples of unmated female adults and females after mating and oviposition. Of 129,286 unigenes identified, 306 were up-regulated in ASM samples relative to ESM, including genes involved in egg production. In contrast, 2309 unigenes were down-regulated in ASM samples, including genes involved in energy production. Although a previous study found that ASM female flight was reduced after oviposition, a comparison of gene expression before and after mating and oviposition did not reveal any genes which were consistently up- or down-regulated in the two ASM populations.
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Ambivalent Roles of Oxidative Stress in Triangular Relationships among Arthropod Vectors, Pathogens and Hosts. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11071254. [PMID: 35883744 PMCID: PMC9312350 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11071254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Blood-feeding arthropods, particularly ticks and mosquitoes are considered the most important vectors of arthropod-borne diseases affecting humans and animals. While feeding on blood meals, arthropods are exposed to high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) since heme and other blood components can induce oxidative stress. Different ROS have important roles in interactions among the pathogens, vectors, and hosts. ROS influence various metabolic processes of the arthropods and some have detrimental effects. In this review, we investigate the various roles of ROS in these arthropods, including their innate immunity and the homeostasis of their microbiomes, that is, how ROS are utilized to maintain the balance between the natural microbiota and potential pathogens. We elucidate the mechanism of how ROS are utilized to fight off invading pathogens and how the arthropod-borne pathogens use the arthropods’ antioxidant mechanism to defend against these ROS attacks and their possible impact on their vector potentials or their ability to acquire and transmit pathogens. In addition, we describe the possible roles of ROS in chemical insecticide/acaricide activity and/or in the development of resistance. Overall, this underscores the importance of the antioxidant system as a potential target for the control of arthropod and arthropod-borne pathogens.
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Cytochrome c Oxidase at Full Thrust: Regulation and Biological Consequences to Flying Insects. Cells 2021; 10:cells10020470. [PMID: 33671793 PMCID: PMC7931083 DOI: 10.3390/cells10020470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Flight dispersal represents a key aspect of the evolutionary and ecological success of insects, allowing escape from predators, mating, and colonization of new niches. The huge energy demand posed by flight activity is essentially met by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in flight muscle mitochondria. In insects, mitochondrial ATP supply and oxidant production are regulated by several factors, including the energy demand exerted by changes in adenylate balance. Indeed, adenylate directly regulates OXPHOS by targeting both chemiosmotic ATP production and the activities of specific mitochondrial enzymes. In several organisms, cytochrome c oxidase (COX) is regulated at transcriptional, post-translational, and allosteric levels, impacting mitochondrial energy metabolism, and redox balance. This review will present the concepts on how COX function contributes to flying insect biology, focusing on the existing examples in the literature where its structure and activity are regulated not only by physiological and environmental factors but also how changes in its activity impacts insect biology. We also performed in silico sequence analyses and determined the structure models of three COX subunits (IV, VIa, and VIc) from different insect species to compare with mammalian orthologs. We observed that the sequences and structure models of COXIV, COXVIa, and COXVIc were quite similar to their mammalian counterparts. Remarkably, specific substitutions to phosphomimetic amino acids at critical phosphorylation sites emerge as hallmarks on insect COX sequences, suggesting a new regulatory mechanism of COX activity. Therefore, by providing a physiological and bioenergetic framework of COX regulation in such metabolically extreme models, we hope to expand the knowledge of this critical enzyme complex and the potential consequences for insect dispersal.
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Herraiz T, Guillén H, González-Peña D, Arán VJ. Antimalarial Quinoline Drugs Inhibit β-Hematin and Increase Free Hemin Catalyzing Peroxidative Reactions and Inhibition of Cysteine Proteases. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15398. [PMID: 31659177 PMCID: PMC6817881 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51604-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria caused by Plasmodium affects millions people worldwide. Plasmodium consumes hemoglobin during its intraerythrocytic stage leaving toxic heme. Parasite detoxifies free heme through formation of hemozoin (β-hematin) pigment. Proteolysis of hemoglobin and formation of hemozoin are two main targets for antimalarial drugs. Quinoline antimarial drugs and analogs (β-carbolines or nitroindazoles) were studied as inhibitors of β-hematin formation. The most potent inhibitors were quinacrine, chloroquine, and amodiaquine followed by quinidine, mefloquine and quinine whereas 8-hydroxyquinoline and β-carbolines had no effect. Compounds that inhibited β-hematin increased free hemin that promoted peroxidative reactions as determined with TMB and ABTS substrates. Hemin-catalyzed peroxidative reactions were potentiated in presence of proteins (i.e. globin or BSA) while antioxidants and peroxidase inhibitors decreased peroxidation. Free hemin increased by chloroquine action promoted oxidative reactions resulting in inhibition of proteolysis by three cysteine proteases: papain, ficin and cathepsin B. Glutathione reversed inhibition of proteolysis. These results show that active quinolines inhibit hemozoin and increase free hemin which in presence of H2O2 that abounds in parasite digestive vacuole catalyzes peroxidative reactions and inhibition of cysteine proteases. This work suggests a link between the action of quinoline drugs with biochemical processes of peroxidation and inhibition of proteolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomás Herraiz
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos y Nutrición (ICTAN). Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Hugo Guillén
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos y Nutrición (ICTAN). Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diana González-Peña
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos y Nutrición (ICTAN). Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Vicente J Arán
- Instituto de Química Médica (IQM-CSIC), Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006, Madrid, Spain
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Batiha GE, El-Far AH, El-Mleeh AA, Alsenosy AA, Abdelsamei EK, Abdel-Daim MM, El-Sayed YS, Shaheen HM. In vitro study of ivermectin efficiency against the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus) annulatus, among cattle herds in El-Beheira, Egypt. Vet World 2019; 12:1319-1326. [PMID: 31641314 PMCID: PMC6755390 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2019.1319-1326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Ivermectin (IVM) has been used in veterinary practice to control different parasitic infestations over the past two decades. This study aimed to re-assess the acaricidal effects of IVM, as well as to evaluate its efficacy against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus by determining the mortality rate, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) level, and oxidative/antioxidative homeostasis (malondialdehyde [MDA] levels and glutathione S-transferase [GST] activities). MATERIALS AND METHODS Adult female Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus were picked from cattle farms in El-Beheira Governorate, Egypt. Ticks were equally allocated to seven experimental groups to assess the acaricidal potential of IVM chemotherapeutics in controlling R. (B.) annulatus. IVM was prepared at three concentrations (11.43, 17.14, and 34.28 µM of IVM). RESULTS Mortality rate was calculated among the treated ticks. In addition, GABA, GST, and MDA biomarker levels were monitored. The data revealed a noticeable change in GST activity, a detoxification enzyme found in R. (B.) annulatus, through a critical elevation in mortality percentage. CONCLUSION IVM-induced potent acaricidal effects against R. (B.) annulatus by repressing GST activity for the initial 24 h after treatment. Collectively, this paper reports the efficacy of IVM in a field population of R. (B.) annulatus in Egypt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaber E. Batiha
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Egypt
| | - Ali H. El-Far
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Egypt
| | - Amany A. El-Mleeh
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt
| | | | - Eman K. Abdelsamei
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt
| | - Mohamed M. Abdel-Daim
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Yasser S. El-Sayed
- Department of Veterinary Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Egypt
| | - Hazem M. Shaheen
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Egypt
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Olivieri E, Epis S, Castelli M, Varotto Boccazzi I, Romeo C, Desirò A, Bazzocchi C, Bandi C, Sassera D. Tissue tropism and metabolic pathways of Midichloria mitochondrii suggest tissue-specific functions in the symbiosis with Ixodes ricinus. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 10:1070-1077. [PMID: 31176662 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
A wide range of arthropod species harbour bacterial endosymbionts in various tissues, many of them playing important roles in the fitness and biology of their hosts. In several cases, many different symbionts have been reported to coexist simultaneously within the same host and synergistic or antagonistic interactions can occur between them. While the associations with endosymbiotic bacteria have been widely studied in many insect species, in ticks such interactions are less investigated. The females and immatures of Ixodes ricinus (Ixodidae), the most common hard tick in Europe, harbour the intracellular endosymbiont "Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii" with a prevalence up to 100%, suggesting a mutualistic relationship. Considering that the tissue distribution of a symbiont might be indicative of its functional role in the physiology of the host, we investigated M. mitochondrii specific localization pattern and the corresponding abundance in selected organs of I. ricinus females. We paired these experiments with in silico analysis of the metabolic pathways of M. mitochondrii, inferred from the available genome sequence, and additionally compared the presence of these pathways in seven other symbionts commonly harboured by ticks to try to obtain a comparative understanding of their biological effects on the tick hosts. M. mitochondrii was found to be abundant in ovaries and tracheae of unfed I. ricinus, and in ovaries, Malpighian tubules and salivary glands of semi-engorged females. These results, together with the in silico metabolic reconstruction allow to hypothesize that the bacterium could play multiple tissue-specific roles in the host, both enhancing the host fitness (supplying essential nutrients, enhancing the reproductive fitness, helping in the anti-oxidative defence, in the energy production and in the maintenance of homeostasis and water balance) and/or for ensuring its presence in the host population (nutrients acquisition, vertical and horizontal transmission). The ability of M. mitochondrii to colonize different tissues allows to speculate that distinctive sub-populations may display different specializations in accordance with tissue tropism. Our hypotheses should be corroborated with future nutritional and physiological experiments for a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying this symbiotic interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Olivieri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Sara Epis
- Department of Biosciences University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Castelli
- Department of Biosciences University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria Varotto Boccazzi
- Department of Biosciences University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Romeo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 10, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandro Desirò
- Department of Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Chiara Bazzocchi
- Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy; Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 10, 20133, Milano, Italy; Coordinated Research Center "EpiSoMI", University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudio Bandi
- Department of Biosciences University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Sassera
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
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Santolini J, Wootton SA, Jackson AA, Feelisch M. The Redox architecture of physiological function. CURRENT OPINION IN PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 9:34-47. [PMID: 31417975 PMCID: PMC6686734 DOI: 10.1016/j.cophys.2019.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The ability of organisms to accommodate variations in metabolic need and environmental conditions is essential for their survival. However, an explanation is lacking as to how the necessary accommodations in response to these challenges are organized and coordinated from (sub)cellular to higher-level physiological functions, especially in mammals. We propose that the chemistry that enables coordination and synchronization of these processes dates to the origins of Life. We offer a conceptual framework based upon the nature of electron exchange (Redox) processes that co-evolved with biological complexification, giving rise to a multi-layered system in which intra/intercellular and inter-organ exchange processes essential to sensing and adaptation stay fully synchronized. Our analysis explains why Redox is both the lingua franca and the mechanism that enable integration by connecting the various elements of regulatory processes. We here define these interactions across levels of organization as the 'Redox Interactome'. This framework provides novel insight into the chemical and biological basis of Redox signalling and may explain the recent convergence of metabolism, bioenergetics, and inflammation as well as the relationship between Redox stress and human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerome Santolini
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Univ Paris-Sud, Universite Paris-Saclay, F-91198, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Stephen A Wootton
- Human Nutrition, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Alan A Jackson
- Human Nutrition, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Martin Feelisch
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
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