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Goudot S, Mathieu L, Herbelin P, Soreau S, Jorand FPA. Growth dynamic of biofilm-associated Naegleria fowleri in freshwater on various materials. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1369665. [PMID: 38511008 PMCID: PMC10951111 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1369665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
In industrial water systems, the occurrence of biofilm-associated pathogenic free-living amoebae (FLA) such as Naegleria fowleri is a potential hygienic problem, and factors associated with its occurrence remain poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of four cooling circuit materials on the growth of N. fowleri in a freshwater biofilm formed at 42°C and under a hydrodynamic shear rate of 17 s-1 (laminar flow): polyvinyl chloride, stainless steel, brass, and titanium. Colonization of the freshwater biofilms by N. fowleri was found to be effective on polyvinyl chloride, stainless steel, and titanium. For these three materials, the ratio of (bacterial prey)/(amoeba) was found to control the growth of N. fowleri. All materials taken together, a maximum specific growth rate of 0.18 ± 0.07 h-1 was associated with a generation time of ~4 h. In contrast, no significant colonization of N. fowleri was found on brass. Therefore, the contribution of copper is strongly suspected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Goudot
- EDF Recherche et Développement, Laboratoire National d'Hydraulique et Environnement, Chatou, France
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LCPME, Nancy, France
| | | | - Pascaline Herbelin
- EDF Recherche et Développement, Laboratoire National d'Hydraulique et Environnement, Chatou, France
| | - Sylvie Soreau
- EDF Recherche et Développement, Laboratoire National d'Hydraulique et Environnement, Chatou, France
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Grechnikova M, Füssy Z, Sutak R. Copper in parasitic protists - a hitherto neglected virulence factor. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:5-9. [PMID: 37993308 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.10.003] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Copper plays a fundamental role in aerobic metabolism, but its role is double-edged, given its toxicity. Our understanding of copper metabolism in parasites remains rudimentary, despite its significance in virulence. Here we discuss how parasitic protists control copper homeostasis and show the potential key players identified by our bioinformatic analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Grechnikova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Zoltán Füssy
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert Sutak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic.
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Martín-Pérez T, Köhsler M, Walochnik J. Evaluation and validation of reference genes for RT-qPCR gene expression in Naegleria gruberi. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16748. [PMID: 37798308 PMCID: PMC10555999 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43892-3] [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: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Naegleria gruberi is a free-living amoeboflagellate commonly found in freshwater and in soils around the world. It is a non-pathogenic relative of Naegleria fowleri, which is the etiologic agent of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM). PAM occurs world-wide and it is considered a rare disease, but its fatality rate is high (96%) mainly because of delay in initiation of treatment due to misdiagnosis and lack of a specific treatment. The analysis of gene expression by quantitative real-time PCR in N. gruberi could be a highly efficient means to understand the pathogenicity of N. fowleri and also to find drug targets. Accurate RT-qPCR analysis requires correct normalization of gene expression data using reference genes (RG), whose expression should be constant under different experimental conditions. In this study, six genes, representing the most frequently used housekeeping genes, were selected for evaluation as reference genes in N. gruberi. The expression and stability of these genes was evaluated employing four algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder). This work shows significant variations of the stability of RGs depending on the algorithms employed and on the experimental conditions (i.e. logarithmic, stationary, heat-shock and oxidative stress). The geNorm, NormFinder and RefFinder analysis of all the experimental conditions in combination revealed that ACT and G6PD were the most stable RGs. While BestKeeper analysis showed that 18S and TBP were the most stable RGs. Moreover, normalization of HSP90 gene expression with the most stable RGs resulted in an upregulation whereas when the normalization was done with the unstable RGs, the gene expression was not reliable. Hence, the implications of this study are relevant to gene expression studies in N. gruberi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Martín-Pérez
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Martina Köhsler
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Walochnik
- Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
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The 4-Aminomethylphenoxy-Benzoxaborole AN3057 as a Potential Treatment Option for Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0150622. [PMID: 36688657 PMCID: PMC9933681 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01506-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis is a rare but fatal central nervous system (CNS) disease caused by the "brain-eating amoeba" Naegleria fowleri. A major obstacle is the requirement for drugs with the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, which are used in extremely high doses, cause severe side effects, and are usually ineffective. We discovered that the 4-aminomethylphenoxy-benzoxaborole AN3057 exhibits nanomolar potency against N. fowleri, and experimental treatment of infected mice significantly prolonged survival and demonstrated a 28% relapse-free cure rate.
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Dereeper A, Allouch N, Guerlais V, Garnier M, Ma L, De Jonckheere JF, Joseph SJ, Ali IKM, Talarmin A, Marcelino I. Naegleria genus pangenome reveals new structural and functional insights into the versatility of these free-living amoebae. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1056418. [PMID: 36817109 PMCID: PMC9928731 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1056418] [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: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Free-living amoebae of the Naegleria genus belong to the major protist clade Heterolobosea and are ubiquitously distributed in soil and freshwater habitats. Of the 47 Naegleria species described, N. fowleri is the only one being pathogenic to humans, causing a rare but fulminant primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Some Naegleria genome sequences are publicly available, but the genetic basis for Naegleria diversity and ability to thrive in diverse environments (including human brain) remains unclear. Methods Herein, we constructed a high-quality Naegleria genus pangenome to obtain a comprehensive catalog of genes encoded by these amoebae. For this, we first sequenced, assembled, and annotated six new Naegleria genomes. Results and Discussion Genome architecture analyses revealed that Naegleria may use genome plasticity features such as ploidy/aneuploidy to modulate their behavior in different environments. When comparing 14 near-to-complete genome sequences, our results estimated the theoretical Naegleria pangenome as a closed genome, with 13,943 genes, including 3,563 core and 10,380 accessory genes. The functional annotations revealed that a large fraction of Naegleria genes show significant sequence similarity with those already described in other kingdoms, namely Animalia and Plantae. Comparative analyses highlighted a remarkable genomic heterogeneity, even for closely related strains and demonstrate that Naegleria harbors extensive genome variability, reflected in different metabolic repertoires. If Naegleria core genome was enriched in conserved genes essential for metabolic, regulatory and survival processes, the accessory genome revealed the presence of genes involved in stress response, macromolecule modifications, cell signaling and immune response. Commonly reported N. fowleri virulence-associated genes were present in both core and accessory genomes, suggesting that N. fowleri's ability to infect human brain could be related to its unique species-specific genes (mostly of unknown function) and/or to differential gene expression. The construction of Naegleria first pangenome allowed us to move away from a single reference genome (that does not necessarily represent each species as a whole) and to identify essential and dispensable genes in Naegleria evolution, diversity and biology, paving the way for further genomic and post-genomic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Dereeper
- Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe, Unité TReD-Path, Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Nina Allouch
- Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe, Unité TReD-Path, Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Vincent Guerlais
- Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe, Unité TReD-Path, Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Maëlle Garnier
- Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe, Unité TReD-Path, Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Laurence Ma
- Institut Pasteur de Paris, Biomics, Paris, France
| | | | - Sandeep J. Joseph
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ibne Karim M. Ali
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Antoine Talarmin
- Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe, Unité TReD-Path, Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Isabel Marcelino
- Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe, Unité TReD-Path, Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, France,*Correspondence: Isabel Marcelino,
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Ženíšková K, Grechnikova M, Sutak R. Copper Metabolism in Naegleria gruberi and Its Deadly Relative Naegleria fowleri. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:853463. [PMID: 35478954 PMCID: PMC9035749 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.853463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Although copper is an essential nutrient crucial for many biological processes, an excessive concentration can be toxic and lead to cell death. The metabolism of this two-faced metal must be strictly regulated at the cell level. In this study, we investigated copper homeostasis in two related unicellular organisms: nonpathogenic Naegleria gruberi and the “brain-eating amoeba” Naegleria fowleri. We identified and confirmed the function of their specific copper transporters securing the main pathway of copper acquisition. Adjusting to different environments with varying copper levels during the life cycle of these organisms requires various metabolic adaptations. Using comparative proteomic analyses, measuring oxygen consumption, and enzymatic determination of NADH dehydrogenase, we showed that both amoebas respond to copper deprivation by upregulating the components of the branched electron transport chain: the alternative oxidase and alternative NADH dehydrogenase. Interestingly, analysis of iron acquisition indicated that this system is copper-dependent in N. gruberi but not in its pathogenic relative. Importantly, we identified a potential key protein of copper metabolism of N. gruberi, the homolog of human DJ-1 protein, which is known to be linked to Parkinson’s disease. Altogether, our study reveals the mechanisms underlying copper metabolism in the model amoeba N. gruberi and the fatal pathogen N. fowleri and highlights the differences between the two amoebas.
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Malych R, Füssy Z, Ženíšková K, Arbon D, Hampl V, Hrdý I, Sutak R. The response of Naegleria gruberi to oxidative stress. Metallomics 2022; 14:6527579. [PMID: 35150262 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfac009] [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: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Aerobic organisms require oxygen for respiration but must simultaneously cope with oxidative damages inherently linked with this molecule. Unicellular amoeboflagellates of the genus Naegleria, containing both free-living species and opportunistic parasite, thrive in aerobic environments. However, they are also known to maintain typical features of anaerobic organisms. Here, we describe the mechanisms of oxidative damage mitigation in Naegleria gruberi and focus on the molecular characteristics of three noncanonical proteins interacting with oxygen and its derived reactive forms. We show that this protist expresses hemerythrin, protoglobin and an aerobic-type rubrerythrin, with spectral properties characteristic of the cofactors they bind. We provide evidence that protoglobin and hemerythrin interact with oxygen in vitro and confirm the mitochondrial localization of rubrerythrin by immunolabeling. Our proteomic analysis and immunoblotting following heavy metal treatment revealed upregulation of hemerythrin, while rotenone treatment resulted in an increase in rubrerythrin protein levels together with vast upregulation of alternative oxidase. Our study provided new insights into the mechanisms employed by N. gruberi to cope with different types of oxidative stress and allowed us to propose specific roles for three unique and understudied proteins: hemerythrin, protoglobin and rubrerythrin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Malych
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Zoltán Füssy
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Ženíšková
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Dominik Arbon
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Hampl
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Hrdý
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Sutak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
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Paul R, Banerjee S, Sen S, Dubey P, Maji S, Bachhawat AK, Datta R, Gupta A. A novel leishmanial copper P-type ATPase plays a vital role in parasite infection and intracellular survival. J Biol Chem 2021; 298:101539. [PMID: 34958799 PMCID: PMC8800121 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Copper (Cu) is essential for all life forms; however, in excess, it becomes toxic. Toxic properties of Cu are known to be utilized by host species against various pathogenic invasions. Leishmania, in both free-living and intracellular forms, exhibits appreciable tolerance toward Cu stress. While determining the mechanism of Cu-stress evasion employed by Leishmania, we identified and characterized a hitherto unknown Cu-ATPase in Leishmania major and established its role in parasite survival in host macrophages. This novel L. major Cu-ATPase, LmATP7, exhibits homology with its orthologs at multiple motifs. In promastigotes, LmATP7 primarily localized at the plasma membrane. We also show that LmATP7 exhibits Cu-dependent expression patterns and complements Cu transport in a Cu-ATPase-deficient yeast strain. Promastigotes overexpressing LmATP7 exhibited higher survival upon Cu stress, indicating efficacious Cu export compared with Wt and heterozygous LmATP7 knockout parasites. We further explored macrophage–Leishmania interactions with respect to Cu stress. We found that Leishmania infection triggers upregulation of major mammalian Cu exporter, ATP7A, in macrophages, and trafficking of ATP7A from the trans-Golgi network to endolysosomes in macrophages harboring amastigotes. Simultaneously, in Leishmania, we observed a multifold increase in LmATP7 transcripts as the promastigote becomes established in macrophages and morphs to the amastigote form. Finally, overexpressing LmATP7 in parasites increases amastigote survivability within macrophages, whereas knocking it down reduces survivability drastically. Mice injected in their footpads with an LmATP7-overexpressing strain showed significantly larger lesions and higher amastigote loads as compared with controls and knockouts. These data establish the role of LmATP7 in parasite infectivity and intramacrophagic survivability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupam Paul
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal -741246, India
| | - Sourav Banerjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal -741246, India
| | - Samarpita Sen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal -741246, India
| | - Pratiksha Dubey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Knowledge city, Sector 81, Manauli, PO, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab-140306, India
| | - Saptarshi Maji
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal -741246, India
| | - Anand K Bachhawat
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Knowledge city, Sector 81, Manauli, PO, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab-140306, India
| | - Rupak Datta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal -741246, India.
| | - Arnab Gupta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal -741246, India.
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