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Schaub GA. Interaction of Trypanosoma cruzi, Triatomines and the Microbiota of the Vectors-A Review. Microorganisms 2024; 12:855. [PMID: 38792688 PMCID: PMC11123833 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12050855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
This review summarizes the interactions between Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, its vectors, triatomines, and the diverse intestinal microbiota of triatomines, which includes mutualistic symbionts, and highlights open questions. T. cruzi strains show great biological heterogeneity in their development and their interactions. Triatomines differ from other important vectors of diseases in their ontogeny and the enzymes used to digest blood. Many different bacteria colonize the intestinal tract of triatomines, but only Actinomycetales have been identified as mutualistic symbionts. Effects of the vector on T. cruzi are indicated by differences in the ability of T. cruzi to establish in the triatomines and in colonization peculiarities, i.e., proliferation mainly in the posterior midgut and rectum and preferential transformation into infectious metacyclic trypomastigotes in the rectum. In addition, certain forms of T. cruzi develop after feeding and during starvation of triatomines. Negative effects of T. cruzi on the triatomine vectors appear to be particularly evident when the triatomines are stressed and depend on the T. cruzi strain. Effects on the intestinal immunity of the triatomines are induced by ingested blood-stage trypomastigotes of T. cruzi and affect the populations of many non-symbiotic intestinal bacteria, but not all and not the mutualistic symbionts. After the knockdown of antimicrobial peptides, the number of non-symbiotic bacteria increases and the number of T. cruzi decreases. Presumably, in long-term infections, intestinal immunity is suppressed, which supports the growth of specific bacteria, depending on the strain of T. cruzi. These interactions may provide an approach to disrupt T. cruzi transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Günter A Schaub
- Zoology/Parasitology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany
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Kwakye-Nuako G, Middleton CE, McCall LI. Small molecule mediators of host-T. cruzi-environment interactions in Chagas disease. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012012. [PMID: 38457443 PMCID: PMC10923493 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Small molecules (less than 1,500 Da) include major biological signals that mediate host-pathogen-microbiome communication. They also include key intermediates of metabolism and critical cellular building blocks. Pathogens present with unique nutritional needs that restrict pathogen colonization or promote tissue damage. In parallel, parts of host metabolism are responsive to immune signaling and regulated by immune cascades. These interactions can trigger both adaptive and maladaptive metabolic changes in the host, with microbiome-derived signals also contributing to disease progression. In turn, targeting pathogen metabolic needs or maladaptive host metabolic changes is an important strategy to develop new treatments for infectious diseases. Trypanosoma cruzi is a single-celled eukaryotic pathogen and the causative agent of Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease associated with cardiac and intestinal dysfunction. Here, we discuss the role of small molecules during T. cruzi infection in its vector and in the mammalian host. We integrate these findings to build a theoretical interpretation of how maladaptive metabolic changes drive Chagas disease and extrapolate on how these findings can guide drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godwin Kwakye-Nuako
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Caitlyn E. Middleton
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, United States of America
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Dai J, Cai X, Liu L, Lin Y, Huang Y, Lin J, Shu B. The comparison of gut gene expression and bacterial community in Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) adults fed on Murraya exotica and 'Shatangju' mandarin (Citrus reticulate cv. Shatangju). BMC Genomics 2023; 24:416. [PMID: 37488494 PMCID: PMC10364414 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09308-2] [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: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diaphorina citri Kuwayama is an important citrus pest. It serves as the vector for the transmission of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), which induced a destructive disease, Huanglongbing, and caused huge economic losses. During the interaction between insects and plants, insects have evolved a series of mechanisms to adapt to various host plants. Murraya exotica and 'Shatangju' mandarin (Citrus reticulate cv. Shatangju) are the Rutaceae species from different genera that have been discovered as suitable hosts for D. citri adults. While the adaptation mechanism of this pest to these two host plants is unclear. RESULTS In this study, RNA-seq and 16 S rDNA amplification sequencing were performed on the gut of D. citri adults reared on M. exotica and 'Shatangju' mandarin. RNA-seq results showed that a total of 964 differentially expressed genes were found in different gut groups with two host plant treatments. The impacted genes include those that encode ribosomal proteins, cathepsins, and mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes. According to 16 S rDNA sequencing, the compositions of the gut bacterial communities were altered by different treatments. The α and β diversity analyses confirmed that the host plant changes influenced the gut microbial diversity. The functional classification analysis by Tax4Fun revealed that 27 KEGG pathways, mostly those related to metabolism, including those for nucleotide metabolism, energy metabolism, metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, xenbiotics biodegradation and metabolism, lipid metabolism, and biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites, were significantly altered. CONCLUSION Our preliminary findings shed light on the connection between D. citri and host plants by showing that host plants alter the gene expression profiles and bacterial community composition of D. citri adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghua Dai
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, 313 Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, 510225, China
| | - Xueming Cai
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, 313 Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, 510225, China
| | - Luyang Liu
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, 313 Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, 510225, China
| | - Yanzheng Lin
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, 313 Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, 510225, China
| | - Yuting Huang
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, 313 Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, 510225, China
| | - Jintian Lin
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, 313 Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, 510225, China.
| | - Benshui Shu
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Subtropical Fruit Trees Outbreak Control, Institute for Management of Invasive Alien Species, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, 313 Yingdong Teaching Building, Guangzhou, 510225, China.
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Abstract
Insects are highly successful in colonizing a wide spectrum of ecological niches and in feeding on a wide diversity of diets. This is notably linked to their capacity to get from their microbiota any essential component lacking in the diet such as vitamins and amino acids. Over a century of research based on dietary analysis, antimicrobial treatment, gnotobiotic rearing, and culture-independent microbe detection progressively generated a wealth of information about the role of the microbiota in specific aspects of insect fitness. Thanks to the recent increase in sequencing capacities, whole-genome sequencing of a number of symbionts has facilitated tracing of biosynthesis pathways, validation of experimental data and evolutionary analyses. This field of research has generated a considerable set of data in a diversity of hosts harboring specific symbionts or nonspecific microbiota members. Here, we review the current knowledge on the involvement of the microbiota in insect and tick nutrition, with a particular focus on B vitamin provision. We specifically question if there is any specificity of B vitamin provision by symbionts compared to the redundant yet essential contribution of nonspecific microbes. We successively highlight the known aspects of microbial vitamin provision during three main life stages of invertebrates: postembryonic development, adulthood, and reproduction.
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Teal E, Herrera C, Dumonteil E. Metabolomics of developmental changes in Triatoma sanguisuga gut microbiota. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280868. [PMID: 36827319 PMCID: PMC9955940 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Triatoma sanguisuga is one of the major vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi in the southeastern US, where it sustains a robust zoonotic parasite transmission cycle and occasional human infections. A better understanding of triatomine development may allow for alternative approaches to insecticide-based vector control. Indeed, the role of the gut microbiota and bacterial endosymbionts in triatomine development and in their vectorial capacity is emerging. We investigated here the differences in microbiota among nymph and adult T. sanguisuga, to shed light on the metabolomic interactions occurring during development. Microbiota composition was assessed by 16s gene amplification and deep sequencing from field-caught adult bugs and their laboratory-raised progeny. Significant differences in microbiota bacterial diversity and composition were observed between nymphs and adults. Laboratory-raised nymphs showed a higher taxonomic diversity, and at least seven families predominated. On the other hand, field-caught adults had a lower bacterial diversity and four families comprised most of the microbiota. These differences in compositions were associated with differences in predicted metabolism, with laboratory-raised nymphs microbiota metabolizing a limited diversity of carbon sources, with potential for resource competition between bacterial families, and the production of lactic acid as a predominant fermentation product. On the other hand, field-caught adult microbiota was predicted to metabolize a broader diversity of carbon sources, with complementarity rather than competition among taxa, and produced a diverse range of products in a more balanced manner. The restricted functionality of laboratory-raised nymph microbiota may be associated with their poor development in captivity, and further understanding of the metabolic interactions at play may lead to alternative vector control strategies targeting triatomine microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Teal
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Gilliland CA, Patel V, McCormick AC, Mackett BM, Vogel KJ. Using axenic and gnotobiotic insects to examine the role of different microbes on the development and reproduction of the kissing bug Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Mol Ecol 2023; 32:920-935. [PMID: 36464913 PMCID: PMC10107482 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16800] [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: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
Kissing bugs (Hempitera: Reduviidae) are obligately and exclusively blood feeding insects. Vertebrate blood is thought to provide insufficient B vitamins to insects, which rely on symbiotic relationships with bacteria that provision these nutrients. Kissing bugs harbour environmentally acquired bacteria in their gut lumen, without which they are unable to develop to adulthood. Rhodococcus rhodnii was initially identified as the sole symbiont of Rhodnius prolixus, but modern studies of the kissing bug microbiome suggest that R. rhodnii is not always present or abundant in wild-caught individuals. We asked whether R. rhodnii or other bacteria alone could function as symbionts of R. prolixus. We produced insects with no bacteria (axenic) or with known microbiomes (gnotobiotic). Gnotobiotic insects harbouring R. rhodnii alone developed faster, had higher survival, and laid more eggs than those harbouring other bacterial monocultures, including other described symbionts of kissing bugs. R. rhodnii grew to high titre in the guts of R. prolixus while other tested species were found at much lower abundance. Rhodococcus species tested had nearly identical B vitamin biosynthesis genes, and dietary supplementation of B vitamins had a relatively minor effect on development and survival of gnotobiotic R. prolixus. Our results indicate that R. prolixus have a higher fitness when harbouring R. rhodnii than other bacteria tested, that this may be due to R. rhodnii existing at higher titres and providing more B vitamins to the host, and that symbiont B vitamin synthesis is probably a necessary but not sufficient function of gut bacteria in kissing bugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vilas Patel
- Department of Entomology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Ashley C McCormick
- Department of Entomology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Bradley M Mackett
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Kevin J Vogel
- Department of Entomology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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Resisting an invasion: A review of the triatomine vector (Kissing bug) defense strategies against a Trypanosoma sp infection. Acta Trop 2023; 238:106745. [PMID: 36375520 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Triatomines are an important group of insects in the Americas. They serve as transmission vectors for Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent responsible for the deadly Chagas disease in humans. The digenetic parasite has a complex life cycle, alternating between mammalian and insect hosts, facing different environments. In the insect vector, the metacyclic trypomastigote (non-replicative) and epimastigote (replicative) stages face a set of insect-mediated environmental changes, such as intestinal pH, body temperature, nutrient availability, and vector immune response. These insects have the ability to differentiate between self and non-self-particles using their innate immune system. This immune system comprises physical barriers, cellular responses (phagocytosis, nodules and encapsulation), humoral factors, including effector mechanisms (antimicrobial peptides and prophenoloxidase cascade) and the intestinal microbiota. Here, we consolidate and synthesize the available literature to describe the defense mechanisms deployed by the triatomine vector against the parasite, as documented in recent years, the possible mechanisms developed by the parasite to protect against the insect's specific microenvironment and innate immune responses, and future perspectives on the Triatomine-Trypanosome interaction.
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Metabolic interactions between disease-transmitting vectors and their microbiota. Trends Parasitol 2022; 38:697-708. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Eberhard FE, Klimpel S, Guarneri AA, Tobias NJ. Exposure to Trypanosoma parasites induces changes in the microbiome of the Chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:45. [PMID: 35272716 PMCID: PMC8908696 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01240-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The causative agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, and its nonpathogenic relative, Trypanosoma rangeli, are transmitted by haematophagous triatomines and undergo a crucial ontogenetic phase in the insect's intestine. In the process, the parasites interfere with the host immune system as well as the microbiome present in the digestive tract potentially establishing an environment advantageous for development. However, the coherent interactions between host, pathogen and microbiota have not yet been elucidated in detail. We applied a metagenome shotgun sequencing approach to study the alterations in the microbiota of Rhodnius prolixus, a major vector of Chagas disease, after exposure to T. cruzi and T. rangeli focusing also on the functional capacities present in the intestinal microbiome of the insect. RESULTS The intestinal microbiota of R. prolixus was dominated by the bacterial orders Enterobacterales, Corynebacteriales, Lactobacillales, Clostridiales and Chlamydiales, whereas the latter conceivably originated from the blood used for pathogen exposure. The anterior and posterior midgut samples of the exposed insects showed a reduced overall number of organisms compared to the control group. However, we also found enriched bacterial groups after exposure to T. cruzi as well as T rangeli. While the relative abundance of Enterobacterales and Corynebacteriales decreased considerably, the Lactobacillales, mainly composed of the genus Enterococcus, developed as the most abundant taxonomic group. This applies in particular to vectors challenged with T. rangeli and at early timepoints after exposure to vectors challenged with T. cruzi. Furthermore, we were able to reconstruct four metagenome-assembled genomes from the intestinal samples and elucidate their unique metabolic functionalities within the triatomine microbiome, including the genome of a recently described insect symbiont, Candidatus Symbiopectobacterium, and the secondary metabolites producing bacteria Kocuria spp. CONCLUSIONS Our results facilitate a deeper understanding of the processes that take place in the intestinal tract of triatomine vectors during colonisation by trypanosomal parasites and highlight the influential aspects of pathogen-microbiota interactions. In particular, the mostly unexplored metabolic capacities of the insect vector's microbiome are clearer, underlining its role in the transmission of Chagas disease. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny E. Eberhard
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Biologicum Campus Riedberg, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60439 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Sven Klimpel
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Biologicum Campus Riedberg, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60439 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Alessandra A. Guarneri
- Vector Behaviour and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou, Avenida Augusto de Lima,1715, Belo Horizonte, MG CEP 30190-009 Brazil
| | - Nicholas J. Tobias
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
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Batista KKS, Vieira CS, Figueiredo MB, Costa-Latgé SG, Azambuja P, Genta FA, Castro DP. Influence of Serratia marcescens and Rhodococcus rhodnii on the Humoral Immunity of Rhodnius prolixus. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222010901. [PMID: 34681561 PMCID: PMC8536199 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222010901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a human infectious disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and can be transmitted by triatomine vectors, such as Rhodnius prolixus. One limiting factor for T. cruzi development is the composition of the bacterial gut microbiota in the triatomine. Herein, we analyzed the humoral immune responses of R. prolixus nymphs treated with antibiotics and subsequently recolonized with either Serratia marcescens or Rhodococcus rhodnii. The treatment with antibiotics reduced the bacterial load in the digestive tract, and the recolonization with each bacterium was successfully detected seven days after treatment. The antibiotic-treated insects, recolonized with S. marcescens, presented reduced antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and phenoloxidase activity in hemolymph, and lower nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and higher defensin C gene (DefC) gene expression in the fat body. These insects also presented a higher expression of DefC, lower prolixicin (Prol), and lower NOS levels in the anterior midgut. However, the antibiotic-treated insects recolonized with R. rhodnii had increased antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and lower activity against S. aureus, higher phenoloxidase activity in hemolymph, and lower NOS expression in the fat body. In the anterior midgut, these insects presented higher NOS, defensin A (DefA) and DefC expression, and lower Prol expression. The R. prolixus immune modulation by these two bacteria was observed not only in the midgut, but also systemically in the fat body, and may be crucial for the development and transmission of the parasites Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate K. S. Batista
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (K.K.S.B.); (C.S.V.); (S.G.C.-L.); (F.A.G.)
| | - Cecília S. Vieira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (K.K.S.B.); (C.S.V.); (S.G.C.-L.); (F.A.G.)
| | | | - Samara G. Costa-Latgé
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (K.K.S.B.); (C.S.V.); (S.G.C.-L.); (F.A.G.)
| | - Patrícia Azambuja
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi 24210-201, Brazil;
- Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro 21941-599, Brazil
| | - Fernando A. Genta
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (K.K.S.B.); (C.S.V.); (S.G.C.-L.); (F.A.G.)
- Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro 21941-599, Brazil
| | - Daniele P. Castro
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (K.K.S.B.); (C.S.V.); (S.G.C.-L.); (F.A.G.)
- Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro 21941-599, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-21-3865-8184
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Zhang N, He J, Shen X, Sun C, Muhammad A, Shao Y. Contribution of sample processing to gut microbiome analysis in the model Lepidoptera, silkworm Bombyx mori. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:4658-4668. [PMID: 34504661 PMCID: PMC8390955 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbes that live inside insects play various roles in host biology, ranging from nutrient supplementation to host defense. Although Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) are one of the most diverse insect taxa and important in natural ecosystems, their microbiotas are little-studied, and to understand their structure and function, it is necessary to identify potential factors that affect microbiome analysis. Using a model organism, the silkworm Bombyx mori, we investigated the effects of different sample types (whole gut, gut content, gut tissue, starvation, or frass) and metagenomic DNA extraction methodologies (small-scale versus large-scale) on the composition and diversity of the caterpillar gut microbial communities. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing and computational analysis of the resulting data unraveled that DNA extraction has a large effect on the outcome of metagenomic analysis: significant biases were observed in estimates of community diversity and in the ratio between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, bacterial communities differed significantly among sample types. The gut content and whole gut samples differed least, both had a higher percentage of Enterococcus and Acinetobacter species; whereas the frass and starvation samples differed substantially from the whole gut and were poor representatives of the gut microbiome. Thus, we recommend a small-scale DNA extraction methodology for sampling the whole gut under normal insect rearing conditions whenever possible, as this approach provides the most accurate assessment of the gut microbiome. Our study highlights that evaluation of the optimal sample-processing approach should be the first step taken to confidently assess the contributions of microbiota to Lepidoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- Max Planck Partner Group, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jintao He
- Max Planck Partner Group, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Shen
- Max Planck Partner Group, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao Sun
- Analysis Center of Agrobiology and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Abrar Muhammad
- Max Planck Partner Group, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yongqi Shao
- Max Planck Partner Group, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, China
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Schaub GA. An Update on the Knowledge of Parasite-Vector Interactions of Chagas Disease. Res Rep Trop Med 2021; 12:63-76. [PMID: 34093053 PMCID: PMC8169816 DOI: 10.2147/rrtm.s274681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This review focusses on the interactions between the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, and its triatomine vector. The flagellate mainly colonizes the intestinal tract of the insect. The effect of triatomines on trypanosomes is indicated by susceptibility and refractoriness phenomena that vary according to the combination of the strains. Other effects are apparent in the different regions of the gut. In the stomach, the majority of ingested blood trypomastigotes are killed while the remaining transform to round stages. In the small intestine, these develop into epimastigotes, the main replicative stage. In the rectum, the population density is the highest and is where the infectious stage develops, the metacyclic trypomastigote. In all regions of the gut, starvation and feeding of the triatomine affect T. cruzi. In the small intestine and rectum, starvation reduces the population density and more spheromastigotes develop. In the rectum, feeding after short-term starvation induces metacyclogenesis and after long-term starvation the development of specific cells, containing several nuclei, kinetoplasts and flagella. When considering the effects of T. cruzi on triatomines, the flagellate seems to be of low pathogenicity. However, during stressful periods, which are normal in natural populations, effects occur often on the behaviour, eg, in readiness to approach the host, the period of time before defecation, dispersal and aggregation. In nymphs, the duration of the different instars and the mortality rates increase, but this seems to be induced by repeated infections or blood quality by the feeding on infected hosts. Starvation resistance is often reduced by infection. Longevity and reproduction of adults is reduced, but only after infection with some strains of T. cruzi. Only components of the surface coat of blood trypomastigotes induce an immune reaction. However, this seems to act against gut bacteria and favours the development of T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Günter A Schaub
- Zoology/Parasitology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Eberhard FE, Klimpel S, Guarneri AA, Tobias NJ. Metabolites as predictive biomarkers for Trypanosoma cruzi exposure in triatomine bugs. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:3051-3057. [PMID: 34136103 PMCID: PMC8178018 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis), colonizes the intestinal tract of triatomines. Triatomine bugs act as vectors in the life cycle of the parasite and transmit infective parasite stages to animals and humans. Contact of the vector with T. cruzi alters its intestinal microbial composition, which may also affect the associated metabolic patterns of the insect. Earlier studies suggest that the complexity of the triatomine fecal metabolome may play a role in vector competence for different T. cruzi strains. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry and supervised machine learning, we aimed to detect differences in the intestinal metabolome of the triatomine Rhodnius prolixus and predict whether the insect had been exposed to T. cruzi or not based solely upon their metabolic profile. We were able to predict the exposure status of R. prolixus to T. cruzi with accuracies of 93.6%, 94.2% and 91.8% using logistic regression, a random forest classifier and a gradient boosting machine model, respectively. We extracted the most important features in producing the models and identified the major metabolites which assist in positive classification. This work highlights the complex interactions between triatomine vector and parasite including effects on the metabolic signature of the insect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny E. Eberhard
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Sven Klimpel
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Alessandra A. Guarneri
- Vector Behaviour and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou, Avenida Augusto de Lima,1715, Belo Horizonte, MG CEP 30190-009, Brazil
| | - Nicholas J. Tobias
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Corresponding author at: LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
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