1
|
Arad M, Ku K, Frey C, Hare R, McAfee A, Ghafourifar G, Foster LJ. What proteomics has taught us about honey bee (Apis mellifera) health and disease. Proteomics 2024:e2400075. [PMID: 38896501 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202400075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
The Western honey bee, Apis mellifera, is currently navigating a gauntlet of environmental pressures, including the persistent threat of parasites, pathogens, and climate change - all of which compromise the vitality of honey bee colonies. The repercussions of their declining health extend beyond the immediate concerns of apiarists, potentially imposing economic burdens on society through diminished agricultural productivity. Hence, there is an imperative to devise innovative monitoring techniques for assessing the health of honey bee populations. Proteomics, recognized for its proficiency in biomarker identification and protein-protein interactions, is poised to play a pivotal role in this regard. It offers a promising avenue for monitoring and enhancing the resilience of honey bee colonies, thereby contributing to the stability of global food supplies. This review delves into the recent proteomic studies of A. mellifera, highlighting specific proteins of interest and envisioning the potential of proteomics to improve sustainable beekeeping practices amidst the challenges of a changing planet.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maor Arad
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kenneth Ku
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
| | - Connor Frey
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Rhien Hare
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Alison McAfee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Golfam Ghafourifar
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
| | - Leonard J Foster
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Vlkova K, Erban T, Kamler M, Titera D, Bitar I, Hrabak J. Simultaneous PCR detection of Paenibacillus larvae targeting insertion sequence IS256 and Melissococcus plutonius targeting pMP1 plasmid from hive specimens. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 2024; 69:415-421. [PMID: 38180723 PMCID: PMC11003898 DOI: 10.1007/s12223-023-01125-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Paenibacillus larvae and Melissococcus plutonius represent the most threatening bacterial diseases of honeybee (Apis mellifera)-American and European foulbrood, respectively. For efficient control of those diseases, rapid and accurate detection of the pathogens is crucial. Therefore, we developed a novel multiplex PCR method simultaneously detecting both pathogens. To design and optimize multiplex PCR reaction, four strains of P. larvae representing four ERIC genotypes I-IV (strain DSM 7030-ERIC I, DSM 25430-ERIC II, LMG 16252-ERIC III, DSM 3615-ERIC IV) were selected. Those strains were fully sequenced using long-read sequencing (Sequel I, Pacific Biosciences). For P. larvae, the multicopy insertion sequence IS256 identified in all genotypes of P. larvae was selected to provide high sensitivity. M. plutonius was detected by plasmid pMP1 sequence and the virulence verified by following detection of ETX/MTX2 toxin responsible for pore formation in the cell membrane. As an internal control, a gene encoding for major royal jelly protein 1 specific for honeybees was selected. The method was validated on 36 clinical specimens collected from the colonies suffering from American and European foulbrood in the Czech Republic. Based on the results, sensitivity of PCR was calculated to 93.75% and specificity to 100% for P. larvae diagnosed from hive debris and 100% sensitivity and specificity for honeybee workers and larval scales as well as for diseased brood infected by M. plutonius.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Vlkova
- Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00, Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 80, 323 00, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Erban
- Crop Research Institute, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Kamler
- Bee Research Institute at Dol, Libcice nad Vltavou, Czech Republic
| | - Dalibor Titera
- Bee Research Institute at Dol, Libcice nad Vltavou, Czech Republic
| | - Ibrahim Bitar
- Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00, Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 80, 323 00, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Hrabak
- Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00, Pilsen, Czech Republic.
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 80, 323 00, Pilsen, Czech Republic.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Erler S, Cotter SC, Freitak D, Koch H, Palmer-Young EC, de Roode JC, Smilanich AM, Lattorff HMG. Insects' essential role in understanding and broadening animal medication. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:338-349. [PMID: 38443305 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Like humans, animals use plants and other materials as medication against parasites. Recent decades have shown that the study of insects can greatly advance our understanding of medication behaviors. The ease of rearing insects under laboratory conditions has enabled controlled experiments to test critical hypotheses, while their spectrum of reproductive strategies and living arrangements - ranging from solitary to eusocial communities - has revealed that medication behaviors can evolve to maximize inclusive fitness through both direct and indirect fitness benefits. Studying insects has also demonstrated in some cases that medication can act through modulation of the host's innate immune system and microbiome. We highlight outstanding questions, focusing on costs and benefits in the context of inclusive host fitness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silvio Erler
- Institute for Bee Protection, Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Braunschweig, Germany; Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.
| | | | - Dalial Freitak
- Institute for Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Xiaowen C, Jiahao L, Zhaorun D, Wenfeng L, Richou H, Yanping C, Huichun X, Yi Z. Honeybee symbiont Bombella apis could restore larval-to-pupal transition disrupted by antibiotic treatment. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 153:104601. [PMID: 38142957 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies have demonstrated the vital roles of gut microbes in the health, immunity, nutrient metabolism, and behavior of adult worker honeybees. However, a few studies have been conducted on gut microbiota associated with the larval stage of honeybees. In the present study, we explored the role of a gut bacterium in larval development and larval-pupal transition in the Asian honeybee, Apis cerana. First, our examination of gut microbial profiling showed that Bombella apis, a larvae-associated bacterium, was the most dominant bacterium colonized in the fifth instar larvae. Second, we demonstrated that tetracycline, an antibiotic used to treat a honeybee bacterial brood disease, could cause the complete depletion of gut bacteria. This antibiotic-induced gut microbiome depletion in turn, significantly impacted the survivorship, pupation rate and emergence rate of the treated larvae. Furthermore, our analysis of gene expression pattens revealed noteworthy changes in key genes. The expression of genes responsible for encoding storage proteins vitellogenin (vg) and major royal jelly protein 1 (mrjp1) was significantly down-regulated in the tetracycline-treated larvae. Concurrently, the expression of krüppel homolog 1(kr-h1), a pivotal gene in endocrine signaling, increased, whilethe expression of broad-complex (br-c) gene that plays a key role in the ecdysone regulation decreased. These alterations indicated a disruption in the coordination of juvenile hormone and ecdysteroid synthesis. Finally, we cultivated B. apis isolated from the fifth instar worker larval of A. cerana and fed tetracycline-treated larvae with a diet replenished by B. apis. This intervention resulted in a significant improvement in the pupation rate, emergence rate, and overall survival rate of the treated larvae. Our findings demonstrate the positive impact of B. apis on honeybee larvae development, providing new evidence of the functional capacities of gut microbes in honeybee growth and development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chen Xiaowen
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Medicinal Plant and Animal Resources, Qinghai Normal University, Xi'ning 810008, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Li Jiahao
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Ding Zhaorun
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Li Wenfeng
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Han Richou
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Chen Yanping
- USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Xie Huichun
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Medicinal Plant and Animal Resources, Qinghai Normal University, Xi'ning 810008, China; Qinghai Ecosystem Observation and Research Station in the Southern Qilian Mountains, Haidong 810500, China.
| | - Zhang Yi
- School of Chinese Medicinal Resource, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Yunfu 527527, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Fodor A, Hess C, Ganas P, Boros Z, Kiss J, Makrai L, Dublecz K, Pál L, Fodor L, Sebestyén A, Klein MG, Tarasco E, Kulkarni MM, McGwire BS, Vellai T, Hess M. Antimicrobial Peptides (AMP) in the Cell-Free Culture Media of Xenorhabdus budapestensis and X. szentirmaii Exert Anti-Protist Activity against Eukaryotic Vertebrate Pathogens including Histomonas meleagridis and Leishmania donovani Species. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1462. [PMID: 37760758 PMCID: PMC10525888 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12091462] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Anti-microbial peptides provide a powerful toolkit for combating multidrug resistance. Combating eukaryotic pathogens is complicated because the intracellular drug targets in the eukaryotic pathogen are frequently homologs of cellular structures of vital importance in the host organism. The entomopathogenic bacteria (EPB), symbionts of entomopathogenic-nematode species, release a series of non-ribosomal templated anti-microbial peptides. Some may be potential drug candidates. The ability of an entomopathogenic-nematode/entomopathogenic bacterium symbiotic complex to survive in a given polyxenic milieu is a coevolutionary product. This explains that those gene complexes that are responsible for the biosynthesis of different non-ribosomal templated anti-microbial protective peptides (including those that are potently capable of inactivating the protist mammalian pathogen Leishmania donovanii and the gallinaceous bird pathogen Histomonas meleagridis) are co-regulated. Our approach is based on comparative anti-microbial bioassays of the culture media of the wild-type and regulatory mutant strains. We concluded that Xenorhabdus budapestensis and X. szentirmaii are excellent sources of non-ribosomal templated anti-microbial peptides that are efficient antagonists of the mentioned pathogens. Data on selective cytotoxicity of different cell-free culture media encourage us to forecast that the recently discovered "easy-PACId" research strategy is suitable for constructing entomopathogenic-bacterium (EPB) strains producing and releasing single, harmless, non-ribosomal templated anti-microbial peptides with considerable drug, (probiotic)-candidate potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- András Fodor
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter. sétány 1C, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary; (Z.B.); (T.V.)
| | - Claudia Hess
- Clinic for Poultry and Fish Medicine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine (Vetmeduni Vienna), 1210 Vienna, Austria; (C.H.); (P.G.)
| | - Petra Ganas
- Clinic for Poultry and Fish Medicine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine (Vetmeduni Vienna), 1210 Vienna, Austria; (C.H.); (P.G.)
| | - Zsófia Boros
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter. sétány 1C, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary; (Z.B.); (T.V.)
- Agribiotechnology and Precision Breeding for Food Security National Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Applied Biotechnology, Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly utca 1, H-2100 Gödöllő, Hungary;
| | - János Kiss
- Agribiotechnology and Precision Breeding for Food Security National Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Applied Biotechnology, Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly utca 1, H-2100 Gödöllő, Hungary;
| | | | - Károly Dublecz
- Institute of Physiology and Nutrition, Georgikon Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE), Deák Ferenc utca 16, H-8360 Keszthely, Hungary; (K.D.); (L.P.)
| | - László Pál
- Institute of Physiology and Nutrition, Georgikon Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE), Deák Ferenc utca 16, H-8360 Keszthely, Hungary; (K.D.); (L.P.)
| | - László Fodor
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, H-1143 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Anna Sebestyén
- First Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, H-1085 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Michael G. Klein
- USDA-ARS & Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, 13416 Claremont Ave, Cleveland, OH 44130, USA;
| | - Eustachio Tarasco
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy;
| | - Manjusha M. Kulkarni
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (M.M.K.); (B.S.M.)
| | - Bradford S. McGwire
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (M.M.K.); (B.S.M.)
| | - Tibor Vellai
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter. sétány 1C, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary; (Z.B.); (T.V.)
| | - Michael Hess
- Clinic for Poultry and Fish Medicine, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine (Vetmeduni Vienna), 1210 Vienna, Austria; (C.H.); (P.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Cheriet S, Lengliz S, Romdhani A, Hynds P, Abbassi MS, Ghrairi T. Selection and Characterization of Bacteriocinogenic Lactic Acid Bacteria from the Intestine of Gilthead Seabream ( Sparus aurata) and Whiting Fish ( Merlangius merlangus): Promising Strains for Aquaculture Probiotic and Food Bio-Preservation. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1833. [PMID: 37763237 PMCID: PMC10532712 DOI: 10.3390/life13091833] [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: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This study sought to evaluate the probiotic properties and the food preservation ability of lactic acid bacteria isolates collected from the intestines of wild marine fishes (gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) (n = 60) and whiting fish (Merlangius merlangus) (n = 40)) from the Mediterranean sea in the area of Mostaganem city, Algeria. Forty-two isolates were identified as: Enterococcus durans (n = 19), Enterococcus faecium (n = 15), Enterococcus faecalis (n = 4), Lactococcus lactis subp. lactis (n = 3), and Lactobacillus plantarum (n = 1). All isolates showed inhibition to at least one indicator strain, especially against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Paenibacillus larvae, Vibrio alginolyticus, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus subtilis. In all collected isolates, PCR analysis of enterocin-encoding genes showed the following genes: entP (n = 21), ent1071A/B (n = 11), entB (n = 8), entL50A/B (n = 7), entAS48 (n = 5), and entX (n = 1). Interestingly, 15 isolates harbored more than one ent gene. Antimicrobial susceptibility, phenotypic virulence, and genes encoding virulence factors were investigated by PCR. Resistance to tetracycline (n = 8: tetL + tetK), erythromycin (n = 7: 5 ermA, 2 msrA, and 1 mef(A/E)), ciprofloxacin (n = 1), gentamicin (n = 1: aac(6')-aph(2″)), and linezolid (n = 1) were observed. Three isolates were gelatinase producers and eight were α-hemolytic. Three E. durans and one E. faecium harbored the hyl gene. Eight isolates showing safety properties (susceptible to clinically relevant antibiotics, free of genes encoding virulence factors) were tested to select probiotic candidates. They showed high tolerance to low pH and bile salt, hydrophobicity power, and co-culture ability. The eight isolates showed important phenotypic and genotypic traits enabling them to be promising probiotic candidates or food bio-conservers and starter cultures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Cheriet
- Institute of Veterinary Research of Tunisia, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1006, Tunisia; (S.C.); (S.L.); (A.R.)
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology Cellular Physiopathology and Biomolecule Valorisation LR18ES03, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis 2092, Tunisia;
| | - Sana Lengliz
- Institute of Veterinary Research of Tunisia, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1006, Tunisia; (S.C.); (S.L.); (A.R.)
- Laboratory of Materials, Molecules and Application LR11ES22, Preparatory Institute for Scientific and Technical Studies, University of Carthage, Tunis 1054, Tunisia
| | - Amel Romdhani
- Institute of Veterinary Research of Tunisia, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1006, Tunisia; (S.C.); (S.L.); (A.R.)
| | - Paul Hynds
- Environmental Sustainability and Health Institute (ESHI), Technological University Dublin, Grangegorman, Dublin 7, D07 H6K8 Dublin, Ireland;
| | - Mohamed Salah Abbassi
- Institute of Veterinary Research of Tunisia, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1006, Tunisia; (S.C.); (S.L.); (A.R.)
- Research Laboratory «Antimicrobial Resistance» LR99ES09, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1006, Tunisia
| | - Taoufik Ghrairi
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology Cellular Physiopathology and Biomolecule Valorisation LR18ES03, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis 2092, Tunisia;
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Monitoring of Paenibacillus larvae in Lower Austria through DNA-Based Detection without De-Sporulation: 2018 to 2022. Vet Sci 2023; 10:vetsci10030213. [PMID: 36977252 PMCID: PMC10054382 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10030213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
American foulbrood is caused by the spore-forming Paenibacillus larvae. Although the disease effects honey bee larvae, it threatens the entire colony. Clinical signs of the disease are seen at a very late stage of the disease and bee colonies are often beyond saving. Therefore, through active monitoring based on screening, an infection can be detected early and bee colonies can be protected with hygiene measures. As a result, the pressure to spread in an area remains low. The cultural and molecular biological detection of P. larvae is usually preceded by spore germination before detection. In this study, we compared the results of two methods, the culture detection and RT-PCR detection of DNA directly isolated from spores. Samples of honey and cells with honey surrounding the brood were used in a five-year voluntary monitoring program in a western part of Lower Austria. DNA-extraction from spores to speed up detection involved one chemical and two enzymatic steps before mechanical bashing-beat separation and additional lysis. The results are comparable to culture-based methods, but with a large time advantage. Within the voluntary monitoring program, the proportion of bee colonies without the detection of P. larvae was high (2018: 91.9%, 2019: 72.09%, 2020: 74.6%, 2021: 81.35%, 2022: 84.5%), and in most P. larvae-positive bee colonies, only a very low spore content was detected. Nevertheless, two bee colonies in one apiary with clinical signs of disease had to be eradicated.
Collapse
|
8
|
Matiašovic J, Bzdil J, Papežíková I, Čejková D, Vasina E, Bizos J, Navrátil S, Šedivá M, Klaudiny J, Pikula J. Genomic analysis of Paenibacillus larvae isolates from the Czech Republic and the neighbouring regions of Slovakia. Res Vet Sci 2023; 158:34-40. [PMID: 36913910 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
Paenibacillus larvae is the causative agent of American foulbrood (AFB), a devastating disease of honeybee larvae. In the Czech Republic, two large infested regions were recognised. This study aimed to analyse P. larvae strains occurring in the Czech Republic in the years 2016-2017 and to characterise the genetic structure of their population with the use of Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus genotyping (ERIC), multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and whole genome sequence (WGS) analysis. The results were complemented by the analysis of isolates collected in the year 2018 in areas of Slovakia located near the Czechia-Slovakia border. ERIC genotyping revealed that 78.9% of tested isolates belonged to the ERIC II genotype and 21.1% to ERIC I genotype. MLST showed six sequence types with ST10 and ST11 being the most frequent among isolates. Within six isolates we found discrepancies in correlations between MLST and ERIC genotypes. The use of MLST and WGS analysis of isolates revealed that each of the large infested geographic regions had its own dominating P. larvae strains. We assume that these strains represented primary sources of infection in the affected areas. In addition, the sporadic presence of strains identified by core genome analysis as genetically related was unveiled in geographically distant regions suggesting possible human-mediated transmission of AFB.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ján Matiašovic
- Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 296/70, 62100 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Jaroslav Bzdil
- Ptácy s.r.o., Valašská Bystřice 194, 756 27 Valašská Bystřice, Czech Republic
| | - Ivana Papežíková
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Darina Čejková
- Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 296/70, 62100 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technická 12, 616 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Evgeniya Vasina
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Bizos
- Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 296/70, 62100 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Stanislav Navrátil
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Mária Šedivá
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84538 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jaroslav Klaudiny
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84538 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jiří Pikula
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ye M, Li X, Yang F, Zhou B. Beneficial bacteria as biocontrol agents for American foulbrood disease in honey bees (Apis mellifera). JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2023; 23:6. [PMID: 36947033 PMCID: PMC10032306 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iead013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
American foulbrood (AFB) is a cosmopolitan bacterial disease that affects honey bee (Apis mellifera) larvae and causes great economic losses in apiculture. Currently, no satisfactory methods are available for AFB treatment mainly due to the difficulties to eradicate the tenacious spores produced by the etiological agent of AFB, Paenibacillus larvae (Bacillales, Paenibacillaceae). This present review focused on the beneficial bacteria that displayed antagonistic activities against P. larvae and demonstrated potential in AFB control. Emphases were placed on commensal bacteria (genus Bacillus and lactic acid bacteria in particular) in the alimentary tract of honey bees. The probiotic roles lactic acid bacteria play in combating the pathogenic P. larvae and the limitations referring to the application of these beneficial bacteria were addressed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manhong Ye
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu Province, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agricultural & Agri-Product Safety, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Li
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Fengping Yang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu Province, China
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kueneman JG, Gillung J, Van Dyke MT, Fordyce RF, Danforth BN. Solitary bee larvae modify bacterial diversity of pollen provisions in the stem-nesting bee, Osmia cornifrons (Megachilidae). Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1057626. [PMID: 36699601 PMCID: PMC9868615 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1057626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbes, including diverse bacteria and fungi, play an important role in the health of both solitary and social bees. Among solitary bee species, in which larvae remain in a closed brood cell throughout development, experiments that modified or eliminated the brood cell microbiome through sterilization indicated that microbes contribute substantially to larval nutrition and are in some cases essential for larval development. To better understand how feeding larvae impact the microbial community of their pollen/nectar provisions, we examine the temporal shift in the bacterial community in the presence and absence of actively feeding larvae of the solitary, stem-nesting bee, Osmia cornifrons (Megachilidae). Our results indicate that the O. cornifrons brood cell bacterial community is initially diverse. However, larval solitary bees modify the microbial community of their pollen/nectar provisions over time by suppressing or eliminating rare taxa while favoring bacterial endosymbionts of insects and diverse plant pathogens, perhaps through improved conditions or competitive release. We suspect that the proliferation of opportunistic plant pathogens may improve nutrient availability of developing larvae through degradation of pollen. Thus, the health and development of solitary bees may be interconnected with pollen bacterial diversity and perhaps with the propagation of plant pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan G. Kueneman
- Danforth Lab, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States,*Correspondence: Jordan G. Kueneman, ✉
| | - Jessica Gillung
- Danforth Lab, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States,Lyman Entomological Museum, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
| | - Maria T. Van Dyke
- Danforth Lab, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Rachel F. Fordyce
- Danforth Lab, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Bryan N. Danforth
- Danforth Lab, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Microbial Community Structure among Honey Samples of Different Pollen Origin. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12010101. [PMID: 36671302 PMCID: PMC9855004 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12010101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey's antibacterial activity has been recently linked to the inhibitory effects of honey microbiota against a range of foodborne and human pathogens. In the current study, the microbial community structure of honey samples exerting pronounced antimicrobial activity was examined. The honey samples were obtained from different geographical locations in Greece and had diverse pollen origin (fir, cotton, fir-oak, and Arbutus unedo honeys). Identification of honey microbiota was performed by high-throughput amplicon sequencing analysis, detecting 335 distinct taxa in the analyzed samples. Regarding ecological indices, the fir and cotton honeys possessed greater diversity than the fir-oak and Arbutus unedo ones. Lactobacillus kunkeei (basionym of Apilactobacillus kun-keei) was the predominant taxon in the fir honey examined. Lactobacillus spp. appeared to be favored in honey from fir-originated pollen and nectar since lactobacilli were more pronounced in fir compared to fir-oak honey. Pseudomonas, Streptococcus, Lysobacter and Meiothermus were the predominant taxa in cotton honey, whereas Lonsdalea, the causing agent of acute oak decline, and Zymobacter, an osmotolerant facultative anaerobic fermenter, were the dominant taxa in fir-oak honey. Moreover, methylotrophic bacteria represented 1.3-3% of the total relative abundance, independently of the geographical and pollen origin, indicating that methylotrophy plays an important role in honeybee ecology and functionality. A total of 14 taxa were identified in all examined honey samples, including bacilli/anoxybacilli, paracocci, lysobacters, pseudomonads, and sphingomonads. It is concluded that microbial constituents of the honey samples examined were native gut microbiota of melliferous bees and microbiota of their flowering plants, including both beneficial bacteria, such as potential probiotic strains, and animal and plant pathogens, e.g., Staphylococcus spp. and Lonsdalea spp. Further experimentation will elucidate aspects of potential application of microbial bioindicators in identifying the authenticity of honey and honeybee-derived products.
Collapse
|
12
|
Erban T, Sopko B, Bodrinova M, Talacko P, Chalupnikova J, Markovic M, Kamler M. Proteomic insight into the interaction of Paenibacillus larvae with honey bee larvae before capping collected from an American foulbrood outbreak: Pathogen proteins within the host, lysis signatures and interaction markers. Proteomics 2023; 23:e2200146. [PMID: 35946602 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202200146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
American foulbrood (AFB) is a devastating disease of honey bees. There remains a gap in the understanding of the interactions between the causative agent and host, so we used shotgun proteomics to gain new insights. Nano-LC-MS/MS analysis preceded visual description and Paenibacillus larvae identification in the same individual sample. A further critical part of our methodology was that larvae before capping were used as the model stage. The identification of the virulence factors SplA, PlCBP49, enolase, and DnaK in all P. larvae-positive samples was consistent with previous studies. Furthermore, the results were consistent with the array of virulence factors identified in an in vitro study of P. larvae exoprotein fractions. Although an S-layer protein and a putative bacteriocin were highlighted as important, the microbial collagenase ColA and InhA were not found in our samples. The most important virulence factor identified was isoform of neutral metalloproteinase (UniProt: V9WB82), a major protein marker responsible for the shift in the PCA biplot. This protein is associated with larval decay and together with other virulence factors (bacteriocin) can play a key role in protection against secondary invaders. Overall, this study provides new knowledge on host-pathogen interactions and a new methodical approach to study the disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Erban
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory, Crop Research Institute, Prague, Czechia
| | - Bruno Sopko
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory, Crop Research Institute, Prague, Czechia
| | - Miroslava Bodrinova
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory, Crop Research Institute, Prague, Czechia
| | - Pavel Talacko
- Proteomics Core Facility, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Julie Chalupnikova
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory, Crop Research Institute, Prague, Czechia
| | - Martin Markovic
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory, Crop Research Institute, Prague, Czechia
| | - Martin Kamler
- Bee Research Institute at Dol, Libcice nad Vltavou, Czechia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ribeiro IDA, Bach E, Passaglia LMP. Alternative nitrogenase of Paenibacillus sonchi genomovar Riograndensis: An insight in the origin of Fe-nitrogenase in the Paenibacillaceae family. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2022; 177:107624. [PMID: 36084857 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Paenibacillus sonchi genomovar Riograndensis is a nitrogen-fixing bacteria isolated from wheat that displays diverse plant growth-promoting abilities. Beyond conventional Mo-nitrogenase, this organism also harbors an alternative Fe-nitrogenase, whose many aspects related to regulation, physiology, and evolution remain to be elucidated. In this work, the origins of this alternative system were investigated, exploring the distribution and diversification of nitrogenases in the Panibacillaceae family. Our analysis showed that diazotrophs represent 17% of Paenibacillaceae genomes, of these, only 14.4% (2.5% of all Paenibacillaceae genomes) also contained Fe or V- nitrogenases. Diverse nif-like sequences were also described, occurring mainly in genomes that also harbor the alternative systems. The analysis of genomes containing Fe-nitrogenase showed a conserved cluster of nifEN anfHDGK across three genera: Gorillibacterium, Fontibacillus, and Paenibacillus. A phylogeny of anfHDGK separated the Fe-nitrogenases into three main groups. Our analysis suggested that Fe-nitrogenase was acquired by the ancestral lineage of Fontibacillus, Gorillibacterium, and Paenibacillus genera via horizontal gene transfer (HGT), and further events of transfer and gene loss marked the evolution of this alternative nitrogenase in these groups. The species phylogeny of N-fixing Paenibacillaceae separated the diazotrophs into five clades, one of these containing all occurrences of strains harboring alternative nitrogenases in the Paenibacillus genus. The pangenome of this clade is open and composed of more than 96% of accessory genes. Diverse functional categories were enriched in the flexible genome, including functions related to replication and repair. The latter involved diverse genes related to HGT, suggesting that such events may have an important role in the evolution of diazotrophic Paenibacillus. This study provided an insight into the organization, distribution, and evolution of alternative nitrogenase genes in Paenibacillaceae, considering different genomic aspects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Igor Daniel Alves Ribeiro
- Departamento de Genética, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Evelise Bach
- Departamento de Genética, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Luciane Maria Pereira Passaglia
- Departamento de Genética, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Daisley BA, Pitek AP, Mallory E, Chernyshova AM, Allen-Vercoe E, Reid G, Thompson GJ. Disentangling the microbial ecological factors impacting honey bee susceptibility to Paenibacillus larvae infection. Trends Microbiol 2022; 31:521-534. [PMID: 36526535 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Paenibacillus larvae is a spore-forming bacterial entomopathogen and causal agent of the important honey bee larval disease, American foulbrood (AFB). Active infections by vegetative P. larvae are often deadly, highly transmissible, and incurable for colonies but, when dormant, the spore form of this pathogen can persist asymptomatically for years. Despite intensive investigation over the past century, this process has remained enigmatic. Here, we provide an up-to-date synthesis on the often overlooked microbiota factors involved in the spore-to-vegetative growth transition (corresponding with the onset of AFB disease symptoms) and offer a novel outlook on AFB pathogenesis by focusing on the 'collaborative' and 'competitive' interactions between P. larvae and other honey bee-adapted microorganisms. Furthermore, we discuss the health trade-offs associated with chronic antibiotic exposure and propose new avenues for the sustainable control of AFB via probiotic and microbiota management strategies.
Collapse
|
15
|
Paenibacillus mellifer sp. nov., isolated from gut of the honey bee Apis mellifera. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:558. [PMID: 35974114 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-03178-0] [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: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
An isolate, designated MBLB2552T, was isolated from the gut of the honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) and identified as a member of the genus Paenibacillus based on the sequences of the 16S rRNA gene sequences. The most closely related species to strain MBLB2552T were Paenibacillus timonensis 2301032 T, Paenibacillus barengoltzii NBRC 101215 T, and Paenibacillus macerans IAM 12467 T, with similarity values of 98.1, 97.21 and 97.0%, respectively, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. The genome size and G + C content of MBLB2552T were 5.2 Mb and 52.4%, respectively. The Ortho average nucleotide identity (OrthoANI) and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (isDDH) values between strain MBLB2552T and the type strains of the closest species were below the species delineation threshold. Comparative genomic analysis showed that most core POGs of strain MBLB2552T and other related taxa were related to translation, ribosomal structure and biogenesis (J) and carbohydrate metabolism in the COG category and KEGG pathways, respectively. Strain MBLB2552T was Gram stain-positive, spore-forming, rod-shaped, facultative anaerobic, motile, and grew at 20‒45 °C in 0‒2% (w/v) NaCl at pH 6.0‒9.0. The major polar lipids identified were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, unidentified polar lipids, and an unidentified glycolipid. We propose that strain MBLB2552T represents the type strain of the genus Paenibacillus and its name Paenibacillus mellifer sp. nov. is proposed. The type of strain was MBLB2552T (= JCM 35371 T = KCTC 43386 T).
Collapse
|
16
|
Ribeiro HG, Nilsson A, Melo LDR, Oliveira A. Analysis of intact prophages in genomes of Paenibacillus larvae: An important pathogen for bees. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:903861. [PMID: 35923395 PMCID: PMC9341999 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.903861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Paenibacillus larvae is the etiological agent of American Foulbrood (AFB), a highly contagious and worldwide spread bacterial disease that affects honeybee brood. In this study, all complete P. larvae genomes available on the NCBI database were analyzed in order to detect presence of prophages using the PHASTER software. A total of 55 intact prophages were identified in 11 P. larvae genomes (5.0 ± 2.3 per genome) and were further investigated for the presence of genes encoding relevant traits related to P. larvae. A closer look at the prophage genomes revealed the presence of several putative genes such as metabolic and antimicrobial resistance genes, toxins or bacteriocins, potentially influencing host performance. Some of the coding DNA sequences (CDS) were present in all ERIC-genotypes, while others were only found in a specific genotype. While CDS encoding toxins and antitoxins such as HicB and MazE were found in prophages of all bacterial genotypes, others, from the same category, were provided by prophages particularly to ERIC I (enhancin-like toxin), ERIC II (antitoxin SocA) and ERIC V strains (subunit of Panton-Valentine leukocidin system (PVL) LukF-PV). This is the first in-depth analysis of P. larvae prophages. It provides better knowledge on their impact in the evolution of virulence and fitness of P. larvae, by discovering new features assigned by the viruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Henrique G. Ribeiro
- LIBRO – Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS – Associate Laboratory on Biotechnology and Bioengineering, and Electromechanical Systems, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Anna Nilsson
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Luís D. R. Melo
- LIBRO – Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS – Associate Laboratory on Biotechnology and Bioengineering, and Electromechanical Systems, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Luís D. R. Melo,
| | - Ana Oliveira
- LIBRO – Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS – Associate Laboratory on Biotechnology and Bioengineering, and Electromechanical Systems, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Ana Oliveira,
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Rampacci E, Sforna M, Dentini A, Di Matteo I, Lidano P, Capucci C, Passamonti F. Paenibacillus amylolyticus osteomyelitis in a Poodle dog: case report and literature review. J Vet Diagn Invest 2022; 34:703-708. [DOI: 10.1177/10406387221100996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Paenibacilli are gram-variable, endospore-forming bacteria that occupy various ecologic niches. These microorganisms have been known to infect humans occasionally at various anatomic sites. However, in humans, as well as in other vertebrate animals, the relationship between disease and isolation of Paenibacillus spp. remains poorly understood. We report here a case of infection in an adult Poodle dog. The animal had nodules in the lungs and multifocal osteolytic expansile bone lesions. From bone, Paenibacillus amylolyticus was recovered by culture and identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy and 16S rDNA sequencing; pyogranulomatous inflammation was observed in lung and bone specimens. The microorganism was resistant to clindamycin and imipenem. Four-month treatment with amoxicillin–clavulanate resulted in clinical resolution of disease in this dog. Nevertheless, therapy for more prolonged periods should be considered because recurrent infections can occur as a result of the transition of Paenibacillus spores to vegetative cells. Disease caused by a Paenibacillus species has not been reported previously in dogs, to our knowledge.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Rampacci
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Monica Sforna
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | | | | | - Plinio Lidano
- Ambulatorio Veterinario Il Borgo, Sansepolcro, Arezzo, Italy
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Iorizzo M, Ganassi S, Albanese G, Letizia F, Testa B, Tedino C, Petrarca S, Mutinelli F, Mazzeo A, De Cristofaro A. Antimicrobial Activity from Putative Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria for the Biological Control of American and European Foulbrood Diseases. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9050236. [PMID: 35622764 PMCID: PMC9143654 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9050236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The balance of the gut microbiome is important for the honey bee’s growth and development, immune function and defense against pathogens. The use of a beneficial bacteria-based strategy for the prevention and biocontrol of American foulbrood (AFB) and European foulbrood (EFB) diseases in honey bees offers interesting prospects. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are common inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract of the honey bee. Among LABs associated with bee gut microbiota, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (previously Lactobacillus plantarum) and Apilactobacillus kunkeei (formerly classified as Lactobacillus kunkeei) are two of the most abundant species. In this study, four Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains and four Apilactobacillus kunkeei strains, isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) were selected for their in vitro inhibition ability of Paenibacillus larvae ATCC 9545 and Melissococccus plutonius ATCC 35311. In addition, these LABs have been characterized through some biochemical and functional characteristics: cell surface properties (hydrophobicity and auto-aggregation), carbohydrates assimilation and enzymatic activities. The antimicrobial, biochemical and cell surface properties of these LABs have been functional to their candidature as potential probiotics in beekeeping and for the biocontrol of AFB and EFB diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Iorizzo
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; (M.I.); (S.G.); (F.L.); (B.T.); (C.T.); (S.P.); (A.M.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Sonia Ganassi
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; (M.I.); (S.G.); (F.L.); (B.T.); (C.T.); (S.P.); (A.M.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Gianluca Albanese
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; (M.I.); (S.G.); (F.L.); (B.T.); (C.T.); (S.P.); (A.M.); (A.D.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Francesco Letizia
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; (M.I.); (S.G.); (F.L.); (B.T.); (C.T.); (S.P.); (A.M.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Bruno Testa
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; (M.I.); (S.G.); (F.L.); (B.T.); (C.T.); (S.P.); (A.M.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Cosimo Tedino
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; (M.I.); (S.G.); (F.L.); (B.T.); (C.T.); (S.P.); (A.M.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Sonia Petrarca
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; (M.I.); (S.G.); (F.L.); (B.T.); (C.T.); (S.P.); (A.M.); (A.D.C.)
- Conaproa, Consorzio Nazionale Produttori Apistici, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
| | - Franco Mutinelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe), National Reference Laboratory for Honey Bee Health, Viale dell’Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, Italy;
| | - Alessandra Mazzeo
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; (M.I.); (S.G.); (F.L.); (B.T.); (C.T.); (S.P.); (A.M.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Antonio De Cristofaro
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; (M.I.); (S.G.); (F.L.); (B.T.); (C.T.); (S.P.); (A.M.); (A.D.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Molecular Detection and Differentiation of Arthropod, Fungal, Protozoan, Bacterial and Viral Pathogens of Honeybees. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9050221. [PMID: 35622749 PMCID: PMC9145064 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9050221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The honeybee Apis mellifera is highly appreciated worldwide because of its products, but also as it is a pollinator of crops and wild plants. The beehive is vulnerable to infections due to arthropods, fungi, protozoa, bacteria and/or viruses that manage to by-pass the individual and social immune mechanisms of bees. Due to the close proximity of bees in the beehive and their foraging habits, infections easily spread within and between beehives. Moreover, international trade of bees has caused the global spread of infections, several of which result in significant losses for apiculture. Only in a few cases can infections be diagnosed with the naked eye, by direct observation of the pathogen in the case of some arthropods, or by pathogen-associated distinctive traits. Development of molecular methods based on the amplification and analysis of one or more genes or genomic segments has brought significant progress to the study of bee pathogens, allowing for: (i) the precise and sensitive identification of the infectious agent; (ii) the analysis of co-infections; (iii) the description of novel species; (iv) associations between geno- and pheno-types and (v) population structure studies. Sequencing of bee pathogen genomes has allowed for the identification of new molecular targets and the development of specific genotypification strategies.
Collapse
|
20
|
Fhoula I, Boumaiza M, Tayh G, Rehaiem A, Klibi N, Ouzari I. Antimicrobial activity and safety features assessment of
Weissella
spp. from environmental sources. Food Sci Nutr 2022; 10:2896-2910. [PMID: 36171785 PMCID: PMC9469857 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.2885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Weissella strains have been reported to be useful in biotechnological and probiotic determinations, and some of them are considered opportunistic pathogens. Given the widespread interest about antimicrobial susceptibilities, transmission of resistances, and virulence factors, there is little research available on such topics for Weissella. The aim of this study was to assess the safety aspects and antimicrobial potential of 54 Weissella spp. strains from different environmental sources. Antibiotic susceptibility, hemolytic activity, horizontal transfer, and antibacterial activity were studied, as well as the detection of biogenic amine BA production on decarboxylase medium and PCR was performed. All the strains were nonhemolytic and sensitive to chloramphenicol and ampicillin. Several strains were classified as resistant to fusidic acid, and very low resistance rates were detected to ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, streptomycin, lincomycin, erythromycin, and rifampicin, although all strains had intrinsic resistance to vancomycin, nalidixic acid, kanamycin, and teicoplanin. Two BA‐producing strains (W. halotolerans FAS30 and FAS29) exhibited tyrosine decarboxylase activity, and just one W. confusa FS077 produced both tyramine and histamine, and their genetic determinants were identified. Ornithine decarboxylase/odc gene was found in 16 of the Weissella strains, although 3 of them synthesize putrescine. Interestingly, eight strains with good properties displayed antibacterial activity. Conjugation frequencies of erythromycin from Bacillus to Weissella spp. varied in the average of 3 × 10−9 transconjugants/recipient. However, no tetracycline‐resistant transconjugant was obtained with Enterococcus faecalis JH2‐2 as recipient. The obtained results support the safe status of Weissella strains, derived from environmental sources, when used as probiotics in animal feed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Imene Fhoula
- Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives (LR03ES03) Faculté des Sciences de Tunis Université Tunis El Manar Tunis Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Boumaiza
- Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives (LR03ES03) Faculté des Sciences de Tunis Université Tunis El Manar Tunis Tunisia
| | - Ghassan Tayh
- Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives (LR03ES03) Faculté des Sciences de Tunis Université Tunis El Manar Tunis Tunisia
- Service de Microbiologie et d’Immunologie Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire Université Manouba Sidi Thabet Tunisia
| | - Amel Rehaiem
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis Research Laboratory “Antimicrobial Resistance” LR99ES09 University of Tunis El Manar Tunis Tunisia
- Laboratory of Microbiology Charles Nicolle Hospital Tunis Tunisia
| | - Naouel Klibi
- Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives (LR03ES03) Faculté des Sciences de Tunis Université Tunis El Manar Tunis Tunisia
| | - Imene‐Hadda Ouzari
- Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives (LR03ES03) Faculté des Sciences de Tunis Université Tunis El Manar Tunis Tunisia
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Fitch G, Figueroa LL, Koch H, Stevenson PC, Adler LS. Understanding effects of floral products on bee parasites: Mechanisms, synergism, and ecological complexity. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 17:244-256. [PMID: 35299588 PMCID: PMC8920997 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Floral nectar and pollen commonly contain diverse secondary metabolites. While these compounds are classically thought to play a role in plant defense, recent research indicates that they may also reduce disease in pollinators. Given that parasites have been implicated in ongoing bee declines, this discovery has spurred interest in the potential for 'medicinal' floral products to aid in pollinator conservation efforts. We review the evidence for antiparasitic effects of floral products on bee diseases, emphasizing the importance of investigating the mechanism underlying antiparasitic effects, including direct or host-mediated effects. We discuss the high specificity of antiparasitic effects of even very similar compounds, and highlight the need to consider how nonadditive effects of multiple compounds, and the post-ingestion transformation of metabolites, mediate the disease-reducing capacity of floral products. While the bulk of research on antiparasitic effects of floral products on bee parasites has been conducted in the lab, we review evidence for the impact of such effects in the field, and highlight areas for future research at the floral product-bee disease interface. Such research has great potential both to enhance our understanding of the role of parasites in shaping plant-bee interactions, and the role of plants in determining bee-parasite dynamics. This understanding may in turn reveal new avenues for pollinator conservation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gordon Fitch
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - Laura L. Figueroa
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Hauke Koch
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Green, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
| | - Philip C. Stevenson
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Green, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Lynn S. Adler
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Functional Properties and Antimicrobial Activity from Lactic Acid Bacteria as Resources to Improve the Health and Welfare of Honey Bees. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13030308. [PMID: 35323606 PMCID: PMC8953987 DOI: 10.3390/insects13030308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Honey bees play a pivotal role in the sustainability of ecosystems and biodiversity. Many factors including parasites, pathogens, pesticide residues, forage losses, and poor nutrition have been proposed to explain honey bee colony losses. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are normal inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract of honey bees and their role has been consistently reported in the literature. In recent years, there have been numerous scientific evidence that the intestinal microbiota plays an essential role in honey bee health. Management strategies, based on supplementation of the gut microbiota with probiotics, may be important to increase stress tolerance and disease resistance. In this review, recent scientific advances on the use of LABs as microbial supplements in the diet of honey bees are summarized and discussed. Abstract Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are agriculturally important pollinators. Over the past decades, significant losses of wild and domestic bees have been reported in many parts of the world. Several biotic and abiotic factors, such as change in land use over time, intensive land management, use of pesticides, climate change, beekeeper’s management practices, lack of forage (nectar and pollen), and infection by parasites and pathogens, negatively affect the honey bee’s well-being and survival. The gut microbiota is important for honey bee growth and development, immune function, protection against pathogen invasion; moreover, a well-balanced microbiota is fundamental to support honey bee health and vigor. In fact, the structure of the bee’s intestinal bacterial community can become an indicator of the honey bee’s health status. Lactic acid bacteria are normal inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract of many insects, and their presence in the honey bee intestinal tract has been consistently reported in the literature. In the first section of this review, recent scientific advances in the use of LABs as probiotic supplements in the diet of honey bees are summarized and discussed. The second section discusses some of the mechanisms by which LABs carry out their antimicrobial activity against pathogens. Afterward, individual paragraphs are dedicated to Chalkbrood, American foulbrood, European foulbrood, Nosemosis, and Varroosis as well as to the potentiality of LABs for their biological control.
Collapse
|
23
|
Orth AJ, Curran EH, Haas EJ, Kraemer AC, Anderson AM, Mason NJ, Fassbinder-Orth CA. Land Use Influences the Composition and Antimicrobial Effects of Propolis. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13030239. [PMID: 35323537 PMCID: PMC8950720 DOI: 10.3390/insects13030239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Honey bees collect a multitude of substances from plants, including nectar, pollen, and a lesser-known resin called propolis. Honey bees line their colonies with propolis to fill in cracks and potentially aid in their defense against pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Different plants contain different types of chemicals that are collected by bees to form propolis, and so one would expect the plants that bees visit to influence the quality of the propolis contained within honey bee colonies. This project explored the chemical composition and antibacterial effects of propolis collected from apiaries that were surrounded by different types of land use patterns in Iowa. Propolis samples collected from colonies that were surrounded by the highest levels of agriculture had the lowest abundance of chemical compounds and also the lowest antimicrobial activity detected for two of the bacteria species studied. These results add to a growing body of work that suggests that high intensity agricultural land use negatively impacts multiple aspects of honey bee colony health. Abstract Honey bee propolis is a complex, resinous mixture created by bees using plant sources such as leaves, flowers, and bud exudates. This study characterized how cropland surrounding apiaries affects the chemical composition and antimicrobial effects of propolis. The chemical composition and compound abundance of the propolis samples were analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and the antimicrobial effects were analyzed using the 50% minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50) assay against four relevant bee pathogens, Serratia marcescens, Paenibacillus larvae, Lysinibacillus sphaericus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Propolis composition varied significantly with apiary, and cropland coverage predicted mean sum abundance of compounds. The apiary with the highest cropland coverage exhibited significantly higher MIC50 values for S. marcescens and K. pneumoniae compared to other apiaries. These results demonstrate that agricultural land use surrounding honey bee apiaries decreases the chemical quality and antimicrobial effects of propolis, which may have implications for the impacts of land use on hive immunity to potential pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amara J. Orth
- Department of Biology, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.J.O.); (E.H.C.); (A.C.K.)
| | - Emma H. Curran
- Department of Biology, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.J.O.); (E.H.C.); (A.C.K.)
| | - Eric J. Haas
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (E.J.H.); (N.J.M.)
| | - Andrew C. Kraemer
- Department of Biology, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.J.O.); (E.H.C.); (A.C.K.)
| | - Audrey M. Anderson
- College of Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1400 R Street, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA;
| | - Nicholas J. Mason
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (E.J.H.); (N.J.M.)
| | - Carol A. Fassbinder-Orth
- Department of Biology, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.J.O.); (E.H.C.); (A.C.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-402-280-3544
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Honey bee pathogenesis posing threat to its global population: a short review. PROCEEDINGS OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL SCIENCE ACADEMY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s43538-022-00062-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
|
25
|
McCarthy M, Goncalves M, Powell H, Morey B, Turner M, Merrill AR. A Structural Approach to Anti-Virulence: A Discovery Pipeline. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9122514. [PMID: 34946116 PMCID: PMC8704661 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122514] [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: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The anti-virulence strategy is designed to prevent bacterial virulence factors produced by pathogenic bacteria from initiating and sustaining an infection. One family of bacterial virulence factors is the mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase toxins, which are produced by pathogens as tools to compromise the target host cell. These toxins are bacterial enzymes that exploit host cellular NAD+ as the donor substrate to modify an essential macromolecule acceptor target in the host cell. This biochemical reaction modifies the target macromolecule (often protein or DNA) and functions in a binary fashion to turn the target activity on or off by blocking or impairing a critical process or pathway in the host. A structural biology approach to the anti-virulence method to neutralize the cytotoxic effect of these factors requires the search and design of small molecules that bind tightly to the enzyme active site and prevent catalytic function essentially disarming the pathogen. This method requires a high-resolution structure to serve as the model for small molecule inhibitor development, which illuminates the path to drug development. This alternative strategy to antibiotic therapy represents a paradigm shift that may circumvent multi-drug resistance in the offending microbe through anti-virulence therapy. In this report, the rationale for the anti-virulence structural approach will be discussed along with recent efforts to apply this method to treat honey bee diseases using natural products.
Collapse
|
26
|
Anti-Virulence Strategy against the Honey Bee Pathogenic Bacterium Paenibacillus larvae via Small Molecule Inhibitors of the Bacterial Toxin Plx2A. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13090607. [PMID: 34564612 PMCID: PMC8470879 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13090607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
American Foulbrood, caused by Paenibacillus larvae, is the most devastating bacterial honey bee brood disease. Finding a treatment against American Foulbrood would be a huge breakthrough in the battle against the disease. Recently, small molecule inhibitors against virulence factors have been suggested as candidates for the development of anti-virulence strategies against bacterial infections. We therefore screened an in-house library of synthetic small molecules and a library of flavonoid natural products, identifying the synthetic compound M3 and two natural, plant-derived small molecules, Acacetin and Baicalein, as putative inhibitors of the recently identified P. larvae toxin Plx2A. All three inhibitors were potent in in vitro enzyme activity assays and two compounds were shown to protect insect cells against Plx2A intoxication. However, when tested in exposure bioassays with honey bee larvae, no effect on mortality could be observed for the synthetic or the plant-derived inhibitors, thus suggesting that the pathogenesis strategies of P. larvae are likely to be too complex to be disarmed in an anti-virulence strategy aimed at a single virulence factor. Our study also underscores the importance of not only testing substances in in vitro or cell culture assays, but also testing the compounds in P. larvae-infected honey bee larvae.
Collapse
|
27
|
Pașca C, Matei IA, Diaconeasa Z, Rotaru A, Erler S, Dezmirean DS. Biologically Active Extracts from Different Medicinal Plants Tested as Potential Additives against Bee Pathogens. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10080960. [PMID: 34439010 PMCID: PMC8388991 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10080960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey bees (Apis mellifera) perform pollination service for many agricultural crops and contribute to the global economy in agriculture and bee products. However, honey bee health is an ongoing concern, as illustrated by persistent local population decline, caused by some severe bee diseases (e.g., nosemosis, AFB, EFB, chalkbrood). Three natural recipes are in development based on the bioactive compounds of different plants extract (Agastache foeniculum, Artemisia absinthium, Evernia prunastri, Humulus lupulus, Laurus nobilis, Origanum vulgare and Vaccinium myrtillus), characterised by HPLC-PDA. The antimicrobial activity of these recipes was tested in vitro against Paenibacillus larvae, Paenibacillus alvei, Brevibacillus laterosporus, Enterococcus faecalis, Ascosphaera apis and in vivo against Nosema ceranae. A mix of 20% blueberry, 40% absinthium, 10% oakmoss, 10% oregano, 10% Brewers Gold hops, 5% bay laurel and 5% anise hyssop extract showed the strongest antibacterial and antifungal activity. Combing several highly active plant extracts might be an alternative treatment against bee-disease-associated parasites and pathogens, in particular to replace synthetic antibiotics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Pașca
- Department of Apiculture and Sericulture, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Biotechnologies, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +40-73-369-6413
| | - Ioana Adriana Matei
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Zorița Diaconeasa
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Ancuța Rotaru
- Department of Fundamental Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Silvio Erler
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI)-Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Bee Protection, Messeweg 11-12, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany;
| | - Daniel Severus Dezmirean
- Department of Apiculture and Sericulture, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Biotechnologies, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Bąk B, Wilk J, Artiemjew P, Wilde J. Recording the Presence of Peanibacillus larvae larvae Colonies on MYPGP Substrates Using a Multi-Sensor Array Based on Solid-State Gas Sensors. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21144917. [PMID: 34300655 PMCID: PMC8309915 DOI: 10.3390/s21144917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
American foulbrood is a dangerous disease of bee broods found worldwide, caused by the Paenibacillus larvae larvae L. bacterium. In an experiment, the possibility of detecting colonies of this bacterium on MYPGP substrates (which contains yeast extract, Mueller-Hinton broth, glucose, K2HPO4, sodium pyruvate, and agar) was tested using a prototype of a multi-sensor recorder of the MCA-8 sensor signal with a matrix of six semiconductors: TGS 823, TGS 826, TGS 832, TGS 2600, TGS 2602, and TGS 2603 from Figaro. Two twin prototypes of the MCA-8 measurement device, M1 and M2, were used in the study. Each prototype was attached to two laboratory test chambers: a wooden one and a polystyrene one. For the experiment, the strain used was P. l. larvae ATCC 9545, ERIC I. On MYPGP medium, often used for laboratory diagnosis of American foulbrood, this bacterium produces small, transparent, smooth, and shiny colonies. Gas samples from over culture media of one- and two-day-old foulbrood P. l. larvae (with no colonies visible to the naked eye) and from over culture media older than 2 days (with visible bacterial colonies) were examined. In addition, the air from empty chambers was tested. The measurement time was 20 min, including a 10-min testing exposure phase and a 10-min sensor regeneration phase. The results were analyzed in two variants: without baseline correction and with baseline correction. We tested 14 classifiers and found that a prototype of a multi-sensor recorder of the MCA-8 sensor signal was capable of detecting colonies of P. l. larvae on MYPGP substrate with a 97% efficiency and could distinguish between MYPGP substrates with 1–2 days of culture, and substrates with older cultures. The efficacy of copies of the prototypes M1 and M2 was shown to differ slightly. The weighted method with Canberra metrics (Canberra.811) and kNN with Canberra and Manhattan metrics (Canberra. 1nn and manhattan.1nn) proved to be the most effective classifiers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beata Bąk
- Department of Poultry Science and Apiculture, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Sloneczna 48, 10-957 Olsztyn, Poland; (J.W.); (J.W.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Jakub Wilk
- Department of Poultry Science and Apiculture, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Sloneczna 48, 10-957 Olsztyn, Poland; (J.W.); (J.W.)
| | - Piotr Artiemjew
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland;
| | - Jerzy Wilde
- Department of Poultry Science and Apiculture, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Sloneczna 48, 10-957 Olsztyn, Poland; (J.W.); (J.W.)
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Alberoni D, Baffoni L, Braglia C, Gaggìa F, Di Gioia D. Honeybees Exposure to Natural Feed Additives: How Is the Gut Microbiota Affected? Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9051009. [PMID: 34067140 PMCID: PMC8151652 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9051009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of a balanced gut microbiota to maintain health and prevent diseases is largely established in humans and livestock. Conversely, in honeybees, studies on gut microbiota perturbations by external factors have started only recently. Natural methods alternative to chemical products to preserve honeybee health have been proposed, but their effect on the gut microbiota has not been examined in detail. This study aims to investigate the effect of the administration of a bacterial mixture of bifidobacteria and Lactobacillaceae and a commercial product HiveAliveTM on honeybee gut microbiota. The study was developed in 18 hives of about 2500 bees, with six replicates for each experimental condition for a total of three experimental groups. The absolute abundance of main microbial taxa was studied using qPCR and NGS. The results showed that the majority of the administered strains were detected in the gut. On the whole, great perturbations upon the administration of the bacterial mixture and the plant-based commercial product were not observed in the gut microbiota. Significant variations with respect to the untreated control were only observed for Snodgrassella sp. for the bacterial mixture, Bartonella sp. in HiveAliveTM and Bombilactobacillus sp. for both. Therefore, the studied approaches are respectful of the honeybee microbiota composition, conceivably without compromising the bee nutritional, social and ecological functions.
Collapse
|
30
|
Dostálková S, Dobeš P, Kunc M, Hurychová J, Škrabišová M, Petřivalský M, Titěra D, Havlík J, Hyršl P, Danihlík J. Winter honeybee ( Apis mellifera) populations show greater potential to induce immune responses than summer populations after immune stimuli. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb232595. [PMID: 33288532 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.232595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
In the temperate climates of central Europe and North America, two distinct honeybee (Apis mellifera) populations are found in colonies: short-living summer bees emerge in spring and survive until summer, whereas long-living winter bees emerge in late August and overwinter. Besides the difference in their life spans, each of these populations fulfils a different role in the colonies and individual bees have distinct physiological and immunological adaptations depending on their roles. For instance, winter worker bees have higher vitellogenin levels and larger reserves of nutrients in the fat body than summer bees. The differences between the immune systems of both populations are well described at the constitutive level; however, our knowledge of its inducibility is still very limited. In this study, we focus on the response of 10-day-old honeybee workers to immune challenges triggered in vivo by injecting heat-killed bacteria, with particular focus on honeybees that emerge and live under hive conditions. Responses to bacterial injections differed between summer and winter bees. Winter bees exhibited a more intense response, including higher expression of antimicrobial genes and antimicrobial activity, as well as a significant decrease in vitellogenin gene expression and its concentration in the hemolymph. The intense immune response observed in winter honeybees may contribute to our understanding of the relationships between colony fitness and infection with pathogens, as well as its association with successful overwintering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silvie Dostálková
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 783 71, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Dobeš
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Kunc
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Hurychová
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Mária Škrabišová
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 783 71, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Petřivalský
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 783 71, Czech Republic
| | - Dalibor Titěra
- Bee Research Institute, Libčice nad Vltavou 252 66, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Havlík
- Department of Food Quality and Safety, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamycka 129, Prague 252 63, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Hyršl
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Danihlík
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 783 71, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Laho M, Šedivá M, Majtán J, Klaudiny J. Fructose and Trehalose Selectively Enhance In Vitro Sporulation of Paenibacillus larvae ERIC I and ERIC II Strains. Microorganisms 2021; 9:225. [PMID: 33499318 PMCID: PMC7912100 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9020225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Paenibacillus larvae is a Gram-positive bacterium, the spores of which are the causative agent of the most destructive brood disease of honeybees, American foulbrood (AFB). Obtaining viable spores of pathogen strains is requisite for different studies concerning AFB. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of five saccharides that may naturally occur in higher amounts in bee larvae on in vitro sporulation of P. larvae. The effect of individual saccharides at different concentrations on spore yields of P. larvae strains of epidemiologically important ERIC genotypes was examined in Columbia sheep blood agar (CSA) and MYPGP agar media. It was found that fructose in ERIC I and trehalose in ERIC II strains at concentrations in the range of 0.5-2% represent new sporulation factors that significantly enhanced the yields of viable spores in both media, mostly in a concentration-dependent manner. The enhancements in spore yield were mainly caused by improvements of the germination ability of the spores produced. Glucose, maltose and sucrose at 1% or 0.5% concentrations also supported sporulation but to a lower extent and not in all strains and media. Based on the knowledge gained, a novel procedure was proposed for the preparation of viable P. larvae spores with supposed improved quality for AFB research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maroš Laho
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84538 Bratislava, Slovakia; (M.L.); (M.Š.)
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 21, 84551 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Mária Šedivá
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84538 Bratislava, Slovakia; (M.L.); (M.Š.)
| | - Juraj Majtán
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 21, 84551 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Jaroslav Klaudiny
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84538 Bratislava, Slovakia; (M.L.); (M.Š.)
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
The N-terminus of Paenibacillus larvae C3larvinA modulates catalytic efficiency. Biosci Rep 2021; 41:227200. [PMID: 33289829 PMCID: PMC7789906 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20203727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
C3larvinA was recently described as a mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase (mART) toxin from the enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) III genotype of the agricultural pathogen, Paenibacillus larvae. It was shown to be the full-length, functional version of the previously described C3larvintrunc toxin, due to a 33-residue extension of the N-terminus of the protein. In the present study, a series of deletions and substitutions were made to the N-terminus of C3larvinA to assess the contribution of the α1-helix to toxin structure and function. Catalytic characterization of these variants identified Asp23 and Ala31 residues as supportive to enzymatic function. A third residue, Lys36, was also found to contribute to the catalytic activity of the enzyme. Analysis of the C3larvinA homology model revealed that these three residues were participating in a series of interactions to properly orient both the Q-X-E and S-T-S motifs. Ala31 and Lys36 were found to associate with a structural network of residues previously identified in silico, whereas Asp23 forms novel interactions not previously described. At last, the membrane translocation activity into host target cells of each variant was assessed, highlighting a possible relationship between protein dipole and target cell entry.
Collapse
|
33
|
Antimicrobial Activity against Paenibacillus larvae and Functional Properties of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Strains: Potential Benefits for Honeybee Health. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9080442. [PMID: 32722196 PMCID: PMC7460353 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9080442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Paenibacillus larvae is the causative agent of American foulbrood (AFB), a severe bacterial disease that affects larvae of honeybees. The present study evaluated, in vitro, antimicrobial activity of sixty-one Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains, against P. larvae ATCC 9545. Five strains (P8, P25, P86, P95 and P100) that showed the greatest antagonism against P. larvae ATCC 9545 were selected for further physiological and biochemical characterizations. In particular, the hydrophobicity, auto-aggregation, exopolysaccharides production, osmotic tolerance, enzymatic activity and carbohydrate assimilation patterns were evaluated. The five L. plantarum selected strains showed suitable physical and biochemical properties for their use as probiotics in the honeybee diet. The selection and availability of new selected bacteria with good functional characteristics and with antagonistic activity against P. larvae opens up interesting perspectives for new biocontrol strategies of diseases such as AFB.
Collapse
|
34
|
Beims H, Janke M, von der Ohe W, Steinert M. Rapid identification and genotyping of the honeybee pathogen Paenibacillus larvae by combining culturing and multiplex quantitative PCR. Open Vet J 2020; 10:53-58. [PMID: 32426257 PMCID: PMC7193882 DOI: 10.4314/ovj.v10i1.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: American Foulbrood (AFB) is a devastating disease of honey bee (Apis mellifera) larvae caused by the spore-forming, Gram-positive bacterium Paenibacillus larvae. In most countries, the law requires mandatory reporting of AFB to the veterinary authority. Aim and Methods: To speed up detection and genotyping of P. larvae spores, we compared different culturing protocols on Columbia sheep blood agar and developed a new multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction to distinguish between the two relevant P. larvae genotypes enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) I and ERIC II. Results and Conclusion: As confirmed by P. larvae reference strains and field isolates, the new identification and genotyping protocol halves the time of current workflows, lessens labor-intension, allows a higher throughput of samples for monitoring, and permits a faster intervention to prevent the spread of AFB.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannes Beims
- Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Institute of Apiculture, Celle 29221, Germany.,Institut für Mikrobiologie, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig 38106, Germany
| | - Martina Janke
- Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Institute of Apiculture, Celle 29221, Germany
| | - Werner von der Ohe
- Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Institute of Apiculture, Celle 29221, Germany
| | - Michael Steinert
- Institut für Mikrobiologie, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig 38106, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Stephan JG, de Miranda JR, Forsgren E. American foulbrood in a honeybee colony: spore-symptom relationship and feedbacks. BMC Ecol 2020; 20:15. [PMID: 32143610 PMCID: PMC7060557 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-020-00283-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The most severe bacterial disease of honeybees is American foulbrood (AFB). The epidemiology of AFB is driven by the extreme spore resilience, the difficulty of bees to remove these spores, and the considerable incidence of undetected spore-producing colonies. The honeybee collective defence mechanisms and their feedback on colony development, which involves a division of labour at multiple levels of colony organization, are difficult to model. To better predict disease outbreaks we need to understand the feedback between colony development and disease progression within the colony. We therefore developed Bayesian models with data from forty AFB-diseased colonies monitored over an entire foraging season to (i) investigate the relationship between spore production and symptoms, (ii) disentangle the feedback loops between AFB epidemiology and natural colony development, and (iii) discuss whether larger insect societies promote or limit within-colony disease transmission. RESULTS Rather than identifying a fixed spore count threshold for clinical symptoms, we estimated the probabilities around the relationship between spore counts and symptoms, taking into account modulators such as brood amount/number of bees and time post infection. We identified a decrease over time in the bees-to-brood ratio related to disease development, which should ultimately induce colony collapse. Lastly, two contrasting theories predict that larger colonies could promote either higher (classical epidemiological SIR-model) or lower (increasing spatial nest segregation and more effective pathogen removal) disease prevalence. CONCLUSIONS AFB followed the predictions of the SIR-model, partly because disease prevalence and brood removal are decoupled, with worker bees acting more as disease vectors, infecting new brood, than as agents of social immunity, by removing infected brood. We therefore established a direct link between disease prevalence and social group size for a eusocial insect. We furthermore provide a probabilistic description of the relationship between AFB spore counts and symptoms, and how disease development and colony strength over a season modulate this relationship. These results help to better understand disease development within honeybee colonies, provide important estimates for further epidemiological modelling, and gained important insights into the optimal sampling strategy for practical beekeeping and honeybee research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jörg G Stephan
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Swedish Species Information Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Joachim R de Miranda
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eva Forsgren
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Turner M, Tremblay O, Heney K, Lugo M, Ebeling J, Genersch E, Merrill A. Characterization of C3larvinA, a novel RhoA-targeting ADP-ribosyltransferase toxin produced by the honey bee pathogen, Paenibacillus larvae. Biosci Rep 2020; 40:BSR20193405. [PMID: 31844879 PMCID: PMC6954368 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20193405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
C3larvinA is a putative virulence factor produced by Paenibacillus larvae enterobacterial-repetitive-intergenic-consensus (ERIC) III/IV (strain 11-8051). Biochemical, functional and structural analyses of C3larvinA revealed that it belongs to the C3-like mono-ADP-ribosylating toxin subgroup. Mammalian RhoA was the target substrate for its transferase activity suggesting that it may be the biological target of C3larvinA. The kinetic parameters of the NAD+ substrate for the transferase (KM = 75 ± 10 µM) and glycohydrolase (GH) (KM = 107 ± 20 µM) reactions were typical for a C3-like bacterial toxin, including the Plx2A virulence factor from Paenibacillus larvae ERIC I. Upon cytoplasmic expression in yeast, C3larvinA caused a growth-defective phenotype indicating that it is an active C3-like toxin and is cytotoxic to eukaryotic cells. The catalytic variant of the Q187-X-E189 motif in C3larvinA showed no cytotoxicity toward yeast confirming that the cytotoxicity of this factor depends on its enzymatic activity. A homology consensus model of C3larvinA with NAD+ substrate was built on the structure of Plx2A, provided additional confirmation that C3larvinA is a member of the C3-like mono-ADP-ribosylating toxin subgroup. A homology model of C3larvinA with NADH and RhoA was built on the structure of the C3cer-NADH-RhoA complex which provided further evidence that C3larvinA is a C3-like toxin that shares an identical catalytic mechanism with C3cer from Bacillus cereus. C3larvinA induced actin cytoskeleton reorganization in murine macrophages, whereas in insect cells, vacuolization and bi-nucleated cells were observed. These cellular effects are consistent with C3larvinA disrupting RhoA function by covalent modification that is shared among C3-like bacterial toxins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madison Turner
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Olivier Tremblay
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Kayla A. Heney
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Miguel R. Lugo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Julia Ebeling
- Institute for Bee Research, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Hohen Neuendorf 16540, Germany
| | - Elke Genersch
- Institute for Bee Research, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Hohen Neuendorf 16540, Germany
- Freie Universität Berlin, Fachbereich Veterinärmedizin, Institut für Mikrobiologie und Tierseuchen, Berlin 14163, Germany
| | - A. Rod Merrill
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Beims H, Bunk B, Erler S, Mohr KI, Spröer C, Pradella S, Günther G, Rohde M, von der Ohe W, Steinert M. Discovery of Paenibacillus larvae ERIC V: Phenotypic and genomic comparison to genotypes ERIC I-IV reveal different inventories of virulence factors which correlate with epidemiological prevalences of American Foulbrood. Int J Med Microbiol 2020; 310:151394. [PMID: 31959580 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2020.151394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Paenibacillus larvae is the etiological agent of American Foulbrood (AFB), a highly contagious brood disease of honey bees (Apis mellifera). AFB requires mandatory reporting to the veterinary authority in many countries and until now four genotypes, P. larvae ERIC I-IV, have been identified. We isolated a new genotype, ERIC V, from a Spanish honey sample. After a detailed phenotypic comparison with the reference strains of the ERIC I-IV genotypes, including spore morphology, non-ribosomal peptide (NRP) profiling, and in vivo infections of A. mellifera larvae, we established a genomic DNA Macrorestriction Fragment Pattern Analysis (MRFPA) scheme for future epidemiologic discrimination. Whole genome comparison of the reference strains and the new ERIC V genotype (DSM 106052) revealed that the respective virulence gene inventories of the five genotypes corresponded with the time needed to kill 100 % of the infected bee larvae (LT100) in in vivo infection assays. The rarely isolated P. larvae genotypes ERIC II I-V with a fast-killing phenotype (LT100 3 days) harbor genes with high homology to virulence factors of other insect pathogens. These virulence genes are absent in the epidemiologically prevalent genotypes ERIC I (LT100 12 days) and ERIC II (LT100 7 days), which exhibit slower killing phenotypes. Since killing-retardation is known to reduce the success of hygienic cleaning by nurse bees, the identified absence of virulence factors might explain the epidemiological prevalences of ERIC genotypes. The discovery of the P. larvae ERIC V isolate suggests that more unknown ERIC genotypes exist in bee colonies. Since inactivation or loss of a few genes can transform a fast-killing phenotype into a more dangerous slow-killing phenotype, these rarely isolated genotypes may represent a hidden reservoir for future AFB outbreaks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannes Beims
- Institut für Mikrobiologie, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany; Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Institute of Apiculture, Celle, Germany
| | - Boyke Bunk
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Silvio Erler
- Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Institut für Biologie-Zoologie, Halle, Germany
| | - Kathrin I Mohr
- Central Facility for Microscopy, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Department Microbial Drugs, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Cathrin Spröer
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Silke Pradella
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Gabi Günther
- Institut für Mikrobiologie, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Manfred Rohde
- Central Facility for Microscopy, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Department Microbial Drugs, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Werner von der Ohe
- Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Institute of Apiculture, Celle, Germany
| | - Michael Steinert
- Institut für Mikrobiologie, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Ghio S, Sauka DH, Ferrari AE, Piccini FE, Ontañon OM, Campos E. Paenibacillus xylanivorans sp. nov., a xylan-degrading bacterium isolated from decaying forest soil. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2019; 69:3818-3823. [PMID: 31483753 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.003686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
A xylanolytic bacterial strain, named A59T, was isolated from a forest soil consortium in southern Argentina. Strain A59T is a Gram-stain-positive, facultative anaerobic, endospore-forming and rod-shaped bacterium. Its optimal growth conditions are 30 °C (range, 28-37 °C), pH 7 (range, pH 5-10) and it tolerates up to 7 % of NaCl (range, 2-7 %). Chemotaxonomic analysis revealed that strain A59Tpossesses meso-diaminopimelic acid in the cell wall. It contains menaquinone MK-7 as the predominant isoprenoid quinone and the major fatty acid is anteiso-C15 : 0 (35.1 %), with a moderate amount of C16 : 0 (6.9 %). According to 16S RNA gene sequence analysis, the isolate is phylogenetically placed in the same cluster as Paenibacillus taichungensis BCRC 17757T (99.7 % nucleotide sequence identity) and Paenibacillus pabuli NBRC 13638T (99.1 %) and is closely related to Paenibacillus tundrae A10bT (98.8 %). However, phylogenetic studies based on the housekeeping gyrB gene placed A59T in a separate branch from all other related type strains. Furthermore, the results of whole genome average nucleotide identity analysis (gANI) with related type strains was lower than 91.10 % and the digital DNA-DNA hybridization value was lower than 44.30 %, which are below the threshold values for separating two species. The DNA G+C content was estimated as 46.09 mol%, based on genome sequencing. On the basis of these results, A59T represents a new species of the genus Paenibacillus, and we propose the name Paenibacillusxylanivorans sp. nov. The type strain is A59T (=DSM 107920T=NCIMB 15123T).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silvina Ghio
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Diego H Sauka
- Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandro E Ferrari
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica, Microbiología e Interacciones Biológicas en el Suelo, Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Florencia E Piccini
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ornella M Ontañon
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eleonora Campos
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Inhibition of Paenibacillus larvae by an extracellular protein fraction from a honeybee-borne Brevibacillus laterosporus strain. Microbiol Res 2019; 227:126303. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2019.126303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
|
40
|
Krongdang S, Evans JD, Chen Y, Mookhploy W, Chantawannakul P. Comparative susceptibility and immune responses of Asian and European honey bees to the American foulbrood pathogen, Paenibacillus larvae. INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 26:831-842. [PMID: 29578641 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
American foulbrood (AFB) disease is caused by Paenibacillus larvae. Currently, this pathogen is widespread in the European honey bee-Apis mellifera. However, little is known about infectivity and pathogenicity of P. larvae in the Asiatic cavity-nesting honey bees, Apis cerana. Moreover, comparative knowledge of P. larvae infectivity and pathogenicity between both honey bee species is scarce. In this study, we examined susceptibility, larval mortality, survival rate and expression of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) including defensin, apidaecin, abaecin, and hymenoptaecin in A. mellifera and A. cerana when infected with P. larvae. Our results showed similar effects of P. larvae on the survival rate and patterns of AMP gene expression in both honey bee species when bee larvae are infected with spores at the median lethal concentration (LC50 ) for A. mellifera. All AMPs of infected bee larvae showed significant upregulation compared with noninfected bee larvae in both honey bee species. However, larvae of A. cerana were more susceptible than A. mellifera when the same larval ages and spore concentration of P. larvae were used. It also appears that A. cerana showed higher levels of AMP expression than A. mellifera. This research provides the first evidence of survival rate, LC50 and immune response profiles of Asian honey bees, A. cerana, when infected by P. larvae in comparison with the European honey bee, A. mellifera.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sasiprapa Krongdang
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Interdisciplinary Program in Biotechnology, Graduate School, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Jay D Evans
- USDA-ARS, Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
| | - Yanping Chen
- USDA-ARS, Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
| | - Wannapha Mookhploy
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Panuwan Chantawannakul
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Environmental Science Research Center, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Honeybee-Specific Lactic Acid Bacterium Supplements Have No Effect on American Foulbrood-Infected Honeybee Colonies. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.00606-19. [PMID: 31003985 PMCID: PMC6581185 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00606-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The previously demonstrated antagonistic effects of honeybee-derived bacterial microbiota on the infectivity and pathogenicity of P. larvae in laboratory bioassays have identified a possible new approach to AFB control. However, honeybee colonies are complex superorganisms where social immune defenses play a major role in resistance against disease at the colony level. Few studies have investigated the effect of beneficial microorganisms on bee diseases at the colony level. Effects observed at the individual bee level do not necessarily translate into similar effects at the colony level. This study partially fills this gap by showing that, unlike at the individual level, hbs-LAB supplements did not affect AFB symptoms at the colony level. The inference is that the mechanisms regulating the honeybee microbial dynamics within a colony are too strong to manipulate positively through supplemental feeding of live hbs-LAB and that new potential remedies identified through laboratory research have to be tested thoroughly in situ, in colonies. Paenibacillus larvae, the causative agent of American foulbrood (AFB), is the primary bacterial pathogen affecting honeybees and beekeeping. The main methods for controlling AFB are incineration of diseased colonies or prophylactic antibiotic treatment (e.g., with tylosin), neither of which is fully satisfactory. The search for superior means for controlling AFB has led to an increased interest in the natural relationships between the honeybee-pathogenic and mutualistic microorganisms and, in particular, the antagonistic effects of honeybee-specific lactic acid bacteria (hbs-LAB) against P. larvae. These effects have been demonstrated only on individual larvae in controlled laboratory bioassays. Here we investigated whether supplemental administration of hbs-LAB had a similar beneficial effect on P. larvae infection at colony level. We compared experimentally AFB-infected colonies treated with hbs-LAB supplements to untreated and tylosin-treated colonies and recorded AFB symptoms, bacterial spore levels, and two measures of colony health. To account for the complexity of a bee colony, we focused on (Bayesian) probabilities and magnitudes of effect sizes. Tylosin reduced AFB disease symptoms but also had a negative effect on colony strength. The tylosin treatment did not, however, affect P. larvae spore levels and might therefore “mask” the potential for disease. hbs-LAB tended to reduce brood size in the short term but was unlikely to affect AFB symptoms or spores. These results do not contradict demonstrated antagonistic effects of hbs-LAB against P. larvae at the individual bee level but rather suggest that supplementary administration of hbs-LAB may not be the most effective way to harness these beneficial effects at the colony level. IMPORTANCE The previously demonstrated antagonistic effects of honeybee-derived bacterial microbiota on the infectivity and pathogenicity of P. larvae in laboratory bioassays have identified a possible new approach to AFB control. However, honeybee colonies are complex superorganisms where social immune defenses play a major role in resistance against disease at the colony level. Few studies have investigated the effect of beneficial microorganisms on bee diseases at the colony level. Effects observed at the individual bee level do not necessarily translate into similar effects at the colony level. This study partially fills this gap by showing that, unlike at the individual level, hbs-LAB supplements did not affect AFB symptoms at the colony level. The inference is that the mechanisms regulating the honeybee microbial dynamics within a colony are too strong to manipulate positively through supplemental feeding of live hbs-LAB and that new potential remedies identified through laboratory research have to be tested thoroughly in situ, in colonies.
Collapse
|
42
|
Szaniawski MA, Spivak AM. Recurrent Paenibacillus infection. Oxf Med Case Reports 2019; 2019:omz034. [PMID: 31198570 PMCID: PMC6544421 DOI: 10.1093/omcr/omz034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Paenibacillus includes Gram-positive bacteria that are rarely known to cause infection in humans. Here we report a case of recurrent Paenibacillus macerans infection in an otherwise healthy 66-year-old man following environmental exposure decades prior to presentation to our clinic. Despite numerous attempts at surgical debridement, Paenibacillus was repeatedly cultured from the soft tissue of the lower extremity wound site over a period of years. Post-operative antibiotic treatment prevented recurrence; however, upon antibiotic discontinuation, Paenibacillus was again cultured from the wound. After multiple rounds of debridement and antibiotic therapy, the patient was started on indefinite, low-dose trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole therapy to suppress infection resulting from transition of Paenibacillus spores to vegetative cells. This case adds to the limited number of case reports describing Paenibacillus species infection in healthy adults and presents a unique case of bona fide P. macerans infection requiring life-long antibiotic therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Alan Szaniawski
- Department of Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, East Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Adam Mitchell Spivak
- Department of Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, East Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
- Corresponding address: University of Utah School of Medicine, 50 N Medical Drive, East Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA. Tel: (801) 587 1964; Fax: (801) 585 3377; E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Evaluation of the presence of Paenibacillus larvae in commercial bee pollen using PCR amplification of the gene for tRNA Cys. Braz J Microbiol 2019; 50:471-480. [PMID: 30666531 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-019-00039-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
American foulbrood (AFB) caused by Paenibacillus larvae is the most destructive honeybee bacterial disease and its dissemination via commercial bee pollen is an important mechanism for the spread of this bacterium. Because Mexico imports bee pollen from several countries, we developed a tRNACys-PCR strategy and complemented that strategy with MALDI-TOF MS and amplicon-16S rRNA gene analysis to evaluate the presence of P. larvae in pollen samples. P. larvae was not detected when the tRNACys-PCR approach was applied to spore-forming bacterial colonies obtained from three different locations and this result was validated by bacterial identification via MALDI-TOF MS. The genera identified in the latter analysis were Bacillus (fourteen species) and Paenibacillus (six) species. However, amplicon-16S rRNA gene analysis for taxonomic composition revealed a low presence of Paenibacillaceae with 0.3 to 16.2% of relative abundance in the commercial pollen samples analyzed. Within this family, P. larvae accounted for 0.01% of the bacterial species present in one sample. Our results indicate that the tRNACys-PCR, combined with other molecular tools, will be a useful approach for identifying P. larvae in pollen samples and will assist in controlling the spread of the pathogen.
Collapse
|
44
|
Šedivá M, Laho M, Kohútová L, Mojžišová A, Majtán J, Klaudiny J. 10-HDA, A Major Fatty Acid of Royal Jelly, Exhibits pH Dependent Growth-Inhibitory Activity Against Different Strains of Paenibacillus larvae. Molecules 2018; 23:E3236. [PMID: 30544571 PMCID: PMC6320966 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23123236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Revised: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Paenibacillus larvae (P. larvae) is a bacterial pathogen causing American foulbrood (AFB), the most serious disease of honeybee larvae. The food of young larvae could play an important role in the resistance of larvae against AFB. It contains antibacterial substances produced by honeybees that may inhibit the propagation of the pathogen in larval midguts. In this study, we identified and investigated the antibacterial effects of one of these substances, trans-10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), against P. larvae strains including all Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC) genotypes. Its inhibitory activities were studied by determining the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). It was found that 10-HDA efficacy increases substantially with decreasing pH; up to 12-fold differences in efficacy were observed between pH = 5.5 and pH = 7.2. P. larvae strains showed different susceptibility to 10-HDA; up to 2.97-fold differences existed among various strains with environmentally important ERIC I and ERIC II genotypes. Germinating spores of the pathogen were generally more susceptible to 10-HDA than vegetative cells. Our findings suggest that 10-HDA could play significant role in conferring antipathogenic activity to larval food in the midguts of young larvae and contribute to the resistance of individual larvae to P. larvae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mária Šedivá
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 38 Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Maroš Laho
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 38 Bratislava, Slovakia.
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 21, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Lenka Kohútová
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 38 Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Andrea Mojžišová
- Veterinary and Food Institute in Dolny Kubin, Janoškova 58, 02601 Dolný Kubín, Slovakia.
| | - Juraj Majtán
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 21, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Jaroslav Klaudiny
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 38 Bratislava, Slovakia.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Brady TS, Fajardo CP, Merrill BD, Hilton JA, Graves KA, Eggett DL, Hope S. Bystander Phage Therapy: Inducing Host-Associated Bacteria to Produce Antimicrobial Toxins against the Pathogen Using Phages. Antibiotics (Basel) 2018; 7:E105. [PMID: 30518109 PMCID: PMC6315864 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics7040105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Brevibacillus laterosporus is often present in beehives, including presence in hives infected with the causative agent of American Foulbrood (AFB), Paenibacillus larvae. In this work, 12 B. laterosporus bacteriophages induced bactericidal products in their host. Results demonstrate that P. larvae is susceptible to antimicrobials induced from field isolates of the bystander, B. laterosporus. Bystander antimicrobial activity was specific against the pathogen and not other bacterial species, indicating that the production was likely due to natural competition between the two bacteria. Three B. laterosporus phages were combined in a cocktail to treat AFB. Healthy hives treated with B. laterosporus phages experienced no difference in brood generation compared to control hives over 8 weeks. Phage presence in bee larvae after treatment rose to 60.8 ± 3.6% and dropped to 0 ± 0.8% after 72 h. In infected hives the recovery rate was 75% when treated, however AFB spores were not susceptible to the antimicrobials as evidenced by recurrence of AFB. We posit that the effectiveness of this treatment is due to the production of the bactericidal products of B. laterosporus when infected with phages resulting in bystander-killing of P. larvae. Bystander phage therapy may provide a new avenue for antibacterial production and treatment of disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T Scott Brady
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
| | - Christopher P Fajardo
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
| | - Bryan D Merrill
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
| | - Jared A Hilton
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
| | - Kiel A Graves
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
| | - Dennis L Eggett
- Department of Statistics, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
| | - Sandra Hope
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Pakwan C, Kaltenpoth M, Weiss B, Chantawannakul P, Jun G, Disayathanoowat T. Bacterial communities associated with the ectoparasitic mites Varroa destructor and Tropilaelaps mercedesae of the honey bee (Apis mellifera). FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2018; 93:4628039. [PMID: 29145627 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fix160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Varroa and Tropilaelaps mites have been reported as serious ectoparasites of the honey bee (Apis mellifera). In this study, bacterial communities associated with Varroa destructor and Tropilaelaps mercedesae from northern Thailand were determined, using both culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches. Adult female mites were collected from apiaries in Chiang Mai and Lampang provinces. Culturable bacteria were isolated from individual mites. On average, we observed approximately 1340 and 1140 CFU/mite in Varroa and Tropilaelaps, respectively. All isolates were assigned to the genus Enterococcus. Six samples of genomic DNA from 30-50 mites were extracted and subjected to pyrosequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA amplicons. The resulting 81 717 sequences obtained from Varroa were grouped into 429 operational taxonomic units. The most abundant bacteria in Varroa mites belonged to the family Enterobacteriaceae, especially the genera Arsenophonus, Enterobacter and Proteus. For Tropilaelaps mites, 84 075 sequences were obtained and clustered into 166 operational taxonomic units, within which the family Enterococcaceae (particularly the genus Enterococcus) was predominant. Localization of bacteria in the mites using fluorescence in situ hybridization with two universal bacterial probes revealed that these bacteria were in the cecum of the mites. Taxon-specific Enterobacteriaceae and Arsenophonus probes also confirmed their localization in the cecum of Varroa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chonthicha Pakwan
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 50200.,Graduate School, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 50200
| | - Martin Kaltenpoth
- Department for Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany, 55128
| | - Benjamin Weiss
- Department for Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany, 55128
| | - Panuwan Chantawannakul
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 50200.,Center of Excellence in Bioresources for Agriculture, Industry and Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 50200
| | - Guo Jun
- College of Life Science, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China, 650500
| | - Terd Disayathanoowat
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 50200.,Center of Excellence in Bioresources for Agriculture, Industry and Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 50200
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
In vitro antibacterial activity of macelignan and corosolic acid against the bacterial bee pathogens Paenibacillus larvae and Melissococcus plutonius. ACTA VET BRNO 2018. [DOI: 10.2754/avb201887030277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Foulbrood disease, which is caused byPaenibacillus larvae(American foulbrood) orMelissococcus plutonius(European foulbrood disease), is a major threat to honeybees (Apis mellifera) worldwide. Tetracycline derivatives have been used to control these bacteria, but resistant strains have evolved, and the antibiotic derivatives can adversely affect bee health. When foulbrood disease is discovered, beekeepers usually burn the bee hives and equipment. The aim of this study was to investigate thein vitrosusceptibility ofP. larvaeandM. plutoniusto new antibacterial agents. Antibacterial activities of seven compounds prepared as serial two-fold dilutions were assayed using 96-well microtitre plates. Minimum inhibitory concentration values were obtained after 24 h or 48 h of incubation. Antibacterial synergistic activity of tetracycline and the test compounds was evaluated using broth micro-dilution assays with two-fold serial dilutions of the compounds. Among the seven compounds tested, macelignan and corosolic acid showed the strongest anti-bacterial activity. In addition, tetracycline interacted synergistically with corosolic acid to reduceP. larvaeandM. plutoniusgrowth. Even though macelignan and corosolic acid were worth as solely effective agents to treatP. larvaeandM. plutonius, combinatorial treatment with tetracycline would be more useful to overcome toxicity, resistance occurrence and costliness. Further validation studies of these compounds and identification of their targets, as well as actual field tests and bee toxicity studies are still needed. However, macelignan and corosolic acid as natural secondary metabolites would be effective agents for bee foulbrood disease with valuable antibacterial activities.
Collapse
|
48
|
Abstract
Glyphosate, the primary herbicide used globally for weed control, targets the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) enzyme in the shikimate pathway found in plants and some microorganisms. Thus, glyphosate may affect bacterial symbionts of animals living near agricultural sites, including pollinators such as bees. The honey bee gut microbiota is dominated by eight bacterial species that promote weight gain and reduce pathogen susceptibility. The gene encoding EPSPS is present in almost all sequenced genomes of bee gut bacteria, indicating that they are potentially susceptible to glyphosate. We demonstrated that the relative and absolute abundances of dominant gut microbiota species are decreased in bees exposed to glyphosate at concentrations documented in the environment. Glyphosate exposure of young workers increased mortality of bees subsequently exposed to the opportunistic pathogen Serratia marcescens Members of the bee gut microbiota varied in susceptibility to glyphosate, largely corresponding to whether they possessed an EPSPS of class I (sensitive to glyphosate) or class II (insensitive to glyphosate). This basis for differences in sensitivity was confirmed using in vitro experiments in which the EPSPS gene from bee gut bacteria was cloned into Escherichia coli All strains of the core bee gut species, Snodgrassella alvi, encode a sensitive class I EPSPS, and reduction in S. alvi levels was a consistent experimental result. However, some S. alvi strains appear to possess an alternative mechanism of glyphosate resistance. Thus, exposure of bees to glyphosate can perturb their beneficial gut microbiota, potentially affecting bee health and their effectiveness as pollinators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erick V S Motta
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Kasie Raymann
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Nancy A Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Stoffer‐Bittner AJ, Alexander CR, Dingman DW, Mourad GS, Schultes NP. The solute transport and binding profile of a novel nucleobase cation symporter 2 from the honeybee pathogen Paenibacillus larvae. FEBS Open Bio 2018; 8:1322-1331. [PMID: 30087835 PMCID: PMC6070649 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.12488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we report that a novel nucleobase cation symporter 2 encoded in the genome of the honeybee bacterial pathogen Paenibacillus larvae reveals high levels of amino acid sequence similarity to the Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis uric acid and xanthine transporters. This transporter is named P. larvae uric acid permease-like protein (PlUacP). Even though PlUacP displays overall amino acid sequence similarities, has common secondary structures, and shares functional motifs and functionally important amino acids with E. coli xanthine and uric acid transporters, these commonalities are insufficient to assign transport function to PlUacP. The solute transport and binding profile of PlUacP was determined by radiolabeled uptake experiments via heterologous expression in nucleobase transporter-deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. PlUacP transports the purines adenine and guanine and the pyrimidine uracil. Hypoxanthine, xanthine, and cytosine are not transported by PlUacP, but, along with uric acid, bind in a competitive manner. PlUacP has strong affinity for adenine Km 7.04 ± 0.18 μm, and as with other bacterial and plant NCS2 proteins, PlUacP function is inhibited by the proton disruptor carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone. The solute transport and binding profile identifies PlUacP as a novel nucleobase transporter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Douglas W. Dingman
- Department of EntomologyThe Connecticut Agricultural Experiment StationNew HavenCTUSA
| | - George S. Mourad
- Department of BiologyIndiana University‐Purdue University Fort WayneINUSA
| | - Neil P. Schultes
- Department of Plant Pathology & EcologyThe Connecticut Agricultural Experiment StationNew HavenCTUSA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Fünfhaus A, Göbel J, Ebeling J, Knispel H, Garcia-Gonzalez E, Genersch E. Swarming motility and biofilm formation of Paenibacillus larvae, the etiological agent of American Foulbrood of honey bees (Apis mellifera). Sci Rep 2018; 8:8840. [PMID: 29892084 PMCID: PMC5995878 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27193-8] [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: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
American Foulbrood is a worldwide distributed, fatal disease of the brood of the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera). The causative agent of this fatal brood disease is the Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae, which can be classified into four different genotypes (ERIC I-IV), with ERIC I and II being the ones isolated from contemporary AFB outbreaks. P. larvae is a peritrichously flagellated bacterium and, hence, we hypothesized that P. larvae is capable of coordinated and cooperative multicellular behaviors like swarming motility and biofilm formation. In order to analyze these behaviors of P. larvae, we firstly established appropriate functional assays. Using these assays we demonstrated that P. larvae ERIC II, but not P. larvae ERIC I, was capable of swarming. Swarming motility was hampered in a P. larvae ERIC II-mutant lacking production of paenilarvin, an iturin-like lipopeptide exclusively expressed by this genotype. Both genotypes were able to form free floating biofilm aggregates loosely attached to the walls of the culture wells. Visualizing the biofilms by Congo red and thioflavin S staining suggested structural differences between the biofilms formed. Biofilm formation was shown to be independent from paenilarvin production because the paenilarvin deficient mutant was comparably able to form a biofilm.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne Fünfhaus
- Institute for Bee Research, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
| | - Josefine Göbel
- Institute for Bee Research, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
| | - Julia Ebeling
- Institute for Bee Research, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
| | - Henriette Knispel
- Institute for Bee Research, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
| | - Eva Garcia-Gonzalez
- Institute for Bee Research, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
| | - Elke Genersch
- Institute for Bee Research, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Hohen Neuendorf, Germany.
- Freie Universität Berlin, Fachbereich Veterinärmedizin, Institut für Mikrobiologie und Tierseuchen, Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|