1
|
Martyn C, Hayes BM, Lauko D, Midthun E, Castaneda G, Bosco-Lauth A, Salkeld DJ, Kistler A, Pollard KS, Chou S. Metatranscriptomic investigation of single Ixodes pacificus ticks reveals diverse microbes, viruses, and novel mRNA-like endogenous viral elements. mSystems 2024; 9:e0032124. [PMID: 38742892 PMCID: PMC11237458 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00321-24] [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: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are increasingly important vectors of human and agricultural diseases. While many studies have focused on tick-borne bacteria, far less is known about tick-associated viruses and their roles in public health or tick physiology. To address this, we investigated patterns of bacterial and viral communities across two field populations of western black-legged ticks (Ixodes pacificus). Through metatranscriptomic analysis of 100 individual ticks, we quantified taxon prevalence, abundance, and co-occurrence with other members of the tick microbiome. In addition to commonly found tick-associated microbes, we assembled 11 novel RNA virus genomes from Rhabdoviridae, Chuviridae, Picornaviridae, Phenuiviridae, Reoviridae, Solemovidiae, Narnaviridae and two highly divergent RNA virus genomes lacking sequence similarity to any known viral families. We experimentally verified the presence of these in I. pacificus ticks across several life stages. We also unexpectedly identified numerous virus-like transcripts that are likely encoded by tick genomic DNA, and which are distinct from known endogenous viral element-mediated immunity pathways in invertebrates. Taken together, our work reveals that I. pacificus ticks carry a greater diversity of viruses than previously appreciated, in some cases resulting in evolutionarily acquired virus-like transcripts. Our findings highlight how pervasive and intimate tick-virus interactions are, with major implications for both the fundamental biology and vectorial capacity of I. pacificus ticks. IMPORTANCE Ticks are increasingly important vectors of disease, particularly in the United States where expanding tick ranges and intrusion into previously wild areas has resulted in increasing human exposure to ticks. Emerging human pathogens have been identified in ticks at an increasing rate, and yet little is known about the full community of microbes circulating in various tick species, a crucial first step to understanding how they interact with each and their tick host, as well as their ability to cause disease in humans. We investigated the bacterial and viral communities of the Western blacklegged tick in California and found 11 previously uncharacterized viruses circulating in this population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Calla Martyn
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Gladstone Institute of Data Science & Biotechnology, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Beth M. Hayes
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- One Health Institute, Colorado State University–Fort Collins, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Domokos Lauko
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Edward Midthun
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University–Fort Collins, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Gloria Castaneda
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Angela Bosco-Lauth
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University–Fort Collins, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Daniel J. Salkeld
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University–Fort Collins, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Amy Kistler
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Katherine S. Pollard
- Gladstone Institute of Data Science & Biotechnology, San Francisco, California, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Seemay Chou
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lilak AA, Pecor DB, Matulis G, Potter AM, Wofford RN, Kearney MF, Mitchell S, Jaradat F, Kano A, Zimmerman DM, Hassell JM, Kumsa B, Kamau M, Linton YM, von Fricken ME. Data release: targeted systematic literature search for tick and tick-borne pathogen distributions in six countries in sub-Saharan Africa from 1901 to 2020. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:84. [PMID: 38389097 PMCID: PMC10885379 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06086-4] [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: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Surveillance data documenting tick and tick-borne disease (TBD) prevalence is needed to develop risk assessments and implement control strategies. Despite extensive research in Africa, there is no standardized, comprehensive review. METHODS Here we tackle this knowledge gap, by producing a comprehensive review of research articles on ticks and TBD between 1901 and 2020 in Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Over 8356 English language articles were recovered. Our search strategy included 19 related MeSH terms. Articles were reviewed, and 331 met inclusion criteria. Articles containing mappable data were compiled into a standardized data schema, georeferenced, and uploaded to VectorMap. RESULTS Tick and pathogen matrixes were created, providing information on vector distributions and tick-pathogen associations within the six selected African countries. CONCLUSIONS These results provide a digital, mappable database of current and historical tick and TBD distributions across six countries in Africa, which can inform specific risk modeling, determine surveillance gaps, and guide future surveillance priorities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abigail A Lilak
- One Health Center of Excellence, Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, 2055 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
- Department of Environmental & Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - David B Pecor
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Museum Support Center, Suitland, MD, USA
- Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution-National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
- One Health Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Graham Matulis
- One Health Center of Excellence, Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, 2055 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
- Department of Environmental & Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Alexander M Potter
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Museum Support Center, Suitland, MD, USA
- Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution-National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
- One Health Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Stephanie Mitchell
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Museum Support Center, Suitland, MD, USA
| | | | - Arisa Kano
- George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Dawn M Zimmerman
- Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution-National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
- Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - James M Hassell
- Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution-National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
- Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Bersissa Kumsa
- Department of Pathology & Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Bishoftu, Ethiopia
| | - Maureen Kamau
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Museum Support Center, Suitland, MD, USA
- Mpala Research Center, Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - Yvonne-Marie Linton
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Museum Support Center, Suitland, MD, USA
- Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution-National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
- One Health Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael E von Fricken
- One Health Center of Excellence, Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, 2055 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
- Department of Environmental & Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wu-Chuang A, Hodžić A, Mateos-Hernández L, Estrada-Peña A, Obregon D, Cabezas-Cruz A. Current debates and advances in tick microbiome research. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES 2022; 1:100036. [PMID: 35284884 PMCID: PMC8906078 DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2021.100036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The main importance of ticks resides in their ability to harbor pathogens that can be transmitted to terrestrial vertebrates including humans. Recently, studies have focused on the taxonomic and functional composition of the tick microbiome, its microbial diversity and variation under different factors including tick species, sex, and environment among others. Of special interest are the interactions between the tick, the microbiome and pathogens since tick microbiome can influence pathogen colonization within the tick vector, and potentially, transmission to the vertebrate host. In this review, we tackled a synthesis on the growing field of tick microbiomes. We focus on the current state of tick microbiome research, addressing controversial and hotly debated topics and advances in the precise manipulation of tick microbiome. Furthermore, we discuss the innovative anti-tick microbiota vaccines as a possible tool for microbiome modulation and thus, control of tick-borne diseases. Deciphering tick-microbiome pathogen interactions can spur new strategies to control tick-borne diseases via modulation of tick microbiome. Whether the diversity observed in tick microbiomes concerns the biology or the methodology remains an open question. Tick immunity must play a major role in selecting ‘who stays and who leaves’ the microbiome. Anti-tick microbiota vaccines can target specific bacteria and subsequently modulate tick microbiome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Wu-Chuang
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Adnan Hodžić
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernández
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | | | - Dasiel Obregon
- School of Environmental Sciences University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
- Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, 13400-970, Brazil
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
- Corresponding author.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lee S, Kim JY, Yi MH, Lee IY, Yong D, Yong TS. Reduced production of the major allergens Bla g 1 and Bla g 2 in Blattella germanica after antibiotic treatment. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257114. [PMID: 34813599 PMCID: PMC8610280 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Allergens present in the feces or frass of cockroaches can cause allergic sensitization in humans. The use of fecal and frass extracts for immunotherapy has been previously investigated but has not yet been fully standardized. Here, we treated cockroaches with ampicillin to produce extracts with reduced amounts of total bacteria. METHODS We performed targeted high-throughput sequencing of 16S rDNA to compare the microbiomes of ampicillin-treated and untreated (control) cockroaches. RNA-seq was performed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ampicillin-treated cockroaches. RESULTS Analysis of the microbiome revealed that alpha diversity was lower in the ampicillin-treated group than in the control group. Beta diversity analysis indicated that ampicillin treatment altered bacterial composition in the microbiome of cockroaches. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that almost all bacteria were removed from ampicillin-treated cockroaches. RNA-seq analysis revealed 1,236 DEGs in ampicillin-treated cockroaches (compared to untreated cockroaches). Unlike bacterial composition, the DEGs varied between the two groups. Among major allergens, the expression of Bla g 2 decreased significantly in ampicillin-treated cockroaches (compared to untreated group). CONCLUSIONS In this study, the reduced level of allergens observed in cockroaches may be related to lower amounts of total bacteria caused by treatment with antibiotics. It is possible to make a protein extract with few bacteria for use in immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seogwon Lee
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ju Yeong Kim
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Myung-Hee Yi
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - In-Yong Lee
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Convergence Research Center for Insect Vectors, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon, Korea
| | - Dongeun Yong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Research Institute of Bacterial Resistance, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Tai-Soon Yong
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine and Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Doña J, Virrueta Herrera S, Nyman T, Kunnasranta M, Johnson KP. Patterns of Microbiome Variation Among Infrapopulations of Permanent Bloodsucking Parasites. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:642543. [PMID: 33935998 PMCID: PMC8085356 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.642543] [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: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
While interspecific variation in microbiome composition can often be readily explained by factors such as host species identity, there is still limited knowledge of how microbiomes vary at scales lower than the species level (e.g., between individuals or populations). Here, we evaluated variation in microbiome composition of individual parasites among infrapopulations (i.e., populations of parasites of the same species living on a single host individual). To address this question, we used genome-resolved and shotgun metagenomic data of 17 infrapopulations (balanced design) of the permanent, bloodsucking seal louse Echinophthirius horridus sampled from individual Saimaa ringed seals Pusa hispida saimensis. Both genome-resolved and read-based metagenomic classification approaches consistently show that parasite infrapopulation identity is a significant factor that explains both qualitative and quantitative patterns of microbiome variation at the intraspecific level. This study contributes to the general understanding of the factors driving patterns of intraspecific variation in microbiome composition, especially of bloodsucking parasites, and has implications for understanding how well-known processes occurring at higher taxonomic levels, such as phylosymbiosis, might arise in these systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Doña
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States.,Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Stephany Virrueta Herrera
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Tommi Nyman
- Department of Ecosystems in the Barents Region, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Svanvik, Norway
| | - Mervi Kunnasranta
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland.,Natural Resources Institute Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Kevin P Johnson
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lee S, Kim JY, Yi MH, Lee IY, Lee WJ, Moon HS, Yong D, Yong TS. Comparative Microbiome Analysis of Three Species of Laboratory-Reared Periplaneta Cockroaches. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2020; 58:537-542. [PMID: 33202505 PMCID: PMC7672242 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2020.58.5.537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Cockroaches inhabit various habitats, which will influence their microbiome. Although the microbiome can be influenced by the diet and environmental factors, it can also differ between species. Therefore, we conducted 16S rDNA-targeted high-throughput sequencing to evaluate the overall bacterial composition of the microbiomes of 3 cockroach species, Periplaneta americana, P. japonica, and P. fuliginosa, raised in laboratory for several generations under the same conditions. The experiments were conducted using male adult cockroaches. The number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) was not significantly different among the 3 species. With regard to the Shannon and Pielou indexes, higher microbiome values were noted in P. americana than in P. japonica and P. fuliginosa. Microbiome composition was also evaluated, with endosymbionts accounting for over half of all OTUs in P. japonica and P. fuliginosa. Beta diversity analysis further showed that P. japonica and P. fuliginosa had similar microbiome composition, which differed from that of P. americana. However, we also identified that P. japonica and P. fuliginosa host distinct OTUs. Thus, although microbiome compositions may vary based on multiple conditions, it is possible to identify distinct microbiome compositions among different Periplaneta cockroach species, even when the individuals are reared under the same conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seogwon Lee
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Ju Yeong Kim
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Myung-Hee Yi
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - In-Yong Lee
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Won-Ja Lee
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Hye Su Moon
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Research Institute of Bacterial Resistance, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Dongeun Yong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Research Institute of Bacterial Resistance, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Tai-Soon Yong
- Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Arthropods of Medical Importance Resource Bank, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| |
Collapse
|