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Trzebny A, Nahimova O, Dabert M. High temperatures and low humidity promote the occurrence of microsporidians (Microsporidia) in mosquitoes (Culicidae). Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:187. [PMID: 38605410 PMCID: PMC11008030 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06254-0] [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: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the context of climate change, a growing concern is that vector-pathogen or host-parasite interactions may be correlated with climatic factors, especially increasing temperatures. In the present study, we used a mosquito-microsporidian model to determine the impact of environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, wind and rainfall on the occurrence rates of opportunistic obligate microparasites (Microsporidia) in hosts from a family that includes important disease vectors (Culicidae). METHODS In our study, 3000 adult mosquitoes collected from the field over 3 years were analysed. Mosquitoes and microsporidia were identified using PCR and sequencing of the hypervariable V5 region of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene and a shortened fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene, respectively. RESULTS DNA metabarcoding was used to identify nine mosquito species, all of which were hosts of 12 microsporidian species. The prevalence of microsporidian DNA across all mosquito samples was 34.6%. Microsporidian prevalence in mosquitoes was more frequent during warm months (> 19 °C; humidity < 65%), as was the co-occurrence of two or three microsporidian species in a single host individual. During warm months, microsporidian occurrence was noted 1.6-fold more often than during the cold periods. Among the microsporidians found in the mosquitoes, five (representing the genera Enterocytospora, Vairimorpha and Microsporidium) were positively correlated with an increase in temperature, whereas one (Hazardia sp.) was significantly correlated with a decrease in temperature. Threefold more microsporidian co-occurrences were recorded in the warm months than in the cold months. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the susceptibility of mosquitoes to parasite occurrence is primarily determined by environmental conditions, such as, for example, temperatures > 19 °C and humidity not exceeding 62%. Collectively, our data provide a better understanding of the effects of the environment on microsporidian-mosquito interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Trzebny
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Olena Nahimova
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
- Genetics and Cytology Department, School of Biology, V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Kharkiv, Ukraine
| | - Miroslawa Dabert
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
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Caravello G, Franchet A, Niehus S, Ferrandon D. Phagocytosis Is the Sole Arm of Drosophila melanogaster Known Host Defenses That Provides Some Protection Against Microsporidia Infection. Front Immunol 2022; 13:858360. [PMID: 35493511 PMCID: PMC9043853 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.858360] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microsporidia are obligate intracellular parasites able to infest specifically a large range of species, including insects. The knowledge about the biology of microsporidial infections remains confined to mostly descriptive studies, including molecular approaches such as transcriptomics or proteomics. Thus, functional data to understand insect host defenses are currently lacking. Here, we have undertaken a genetic analysis of known host defenses of the Drosophila melanogaster using an infection model whereby Tubulinosema ratisbonensis spores are directly injected in this insect. We find that phagocytosis does confer some protection in this infection model. In contrast, the systemic immune response, extracellular reactive oxygen species, thioester proteins, xenophagy, and intracellular antiviral response pathways do not appear to be involved in the resistance against this parasite. Unexpectedly, several genes such as PGRP-LE seem to promote this infection. The prophenol oxidases that mediate melanization have different functions; PPO1 presents a phenotype similar to that of PGRP-LE whereas that of PPO2 suggests a function in the resilience to infection. Similarly, eiger and Unpaired3, which encode two cytokines secreted by hemocytes display a resilience phenotype with a strong susceptibility to T. ratisbonensis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dominique Ferrandon
- UPR9022, University of Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Modèles Insectes D’Immunité Innée (M3I) Unité Propre Recherche (UPR) 9022 du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Strasbourg, France
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Willis AR, Reinke AW. Factors That Determine Microsporidia Infection and Host Specificity. EXPERIENTIA SUPPLEMENTUM (2012) 2022; 114:91-114. [PMID: 35544000 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-93306-7_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microsporidia are a large phylum of obligate intracellular parasites that infect an extremely diverse range of animals and protists. In this chapter, we review what is currently known about microsporidia host specificity and what factors influence microsporidia infection. Extensive sampling in nature from related hosts has provided insight into the host range of many microsporidia species. These field studies have been supported by experiments conducted in controlled laboratory environments which have helped to demonstrate host specificity. Together, these approaches have revealed that, while examples of generalist species exist, microsporidia specificity is often narrow, and species typically infect one or several closely related hosts. For microsporidia to successfully infect and complete their life cycle within a compatible host, several steps must occur, including spore germination, host cell invasion, and proliferation of the parasite within the host tissue. Many factors influence infection, including temperature, seasonality, nutrient availability, and the presence or absence of microbes, as well as the developmental stage, sex, and genetics of the host. Several studies have identified host genomic regions that influence resistance to microsporidia, and future work is likely to uncover molecular mechanisms of microsporidia host specificity in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra R Willis
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Aaron W Reinke
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Biganski S, Fückel S, Jehle JA, Kleespies RG. Infection effects of the new microsporidian species Tubulinosema suzukii on its host Drosophila suzukii. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10151. [PMID: 33980962 PMCID: PMC8115128 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89583-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Microsporidian infections of insects are important natural constraints of population growth, often reducing lifespan, fecundity and fertility of the infected host. The recently discovered Tubulinosema suzukii infects Drosophila suzukii (spotted wing drosophila, SWD), an invasive pest of many fruit crops in North America and Europe. In laboratory tests, fitness effects on larval and adult stages were explored. High level infection after larval treatment caused up to 70% pupal mortality, a decreased lifespan and a 70% reduced oviposition of emerging adults in biparental infection clusters. A shift to higher proportion of female offspring compared to controls suggested a potential parthenogenetic effect after microsporidian infection. A clear sex-linkage of effects was noted; females were specifically impaired, as concluded from fecundity tests with only infected female parents. Additive effects were noted when both parental sexes were infected, whereas least effects were found with only infected male parents, though survival of males was most negatively affected if they were fed with T. suzukii spores in the adult stage. Although most negative effects on fitness parameters were revealed after larval treatment, infection of offspring was never higher than 4%, suggesting limited vertical transmission. For that reason, a self-reliant spread in natural SWD populations would probably only occur by spore release from cadavers or frass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Biganski
- Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Biological Control, Julius Kühn Institute, Heinrichstraße 243, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Sabrina Fückel
- Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Biological Control, Julius Kühn Institute, Heinrichstraße 243, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany.,Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 10, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Johannes A Jehle
- Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Biological Control, Julius Kühn Institute, Heinrichstraße 243, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Regina G Kleespies
- Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Biological Control, Julius Kühn Institute, Heinrichstraße 243, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany.
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Phosphatidic acid as a limiting host metabolite for the proliferation of the microsporidium Tubulinosema ratisbonensis in Drosophila flies. Nat Microbiol 2019; 4:645-655. [DOI: 10.1038/s41564-018-0344-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Wijayawardene NN, Pawłowska J, Letcher PM, Kirk PM, Humber RA, Schüßler A, Wrzosek M, Muszewska A, Okrasińska A, Istel Ł, Gęsiorska A, Mungai P, Lateef AA, Rajeshkumar KC, Singh RV, Radek R, Walther G, Wagner L, Walker C, Wijesundara DSA, Papizadeh M, Dolatabadi S, Shenoy BD, Tokarev YS, Lumyong S, Hyde KD. Notes for genera: basal clades of Fungi (including Aphelidiomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Caulochytriomycota, Chytridiomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Glomeromycota, Kickxellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota and Zoopagomycota). FUNGAL DIVERS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13225-018-0409-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Tate AT, Graham AL. Dynamic Patterns of Parasitism and Immunity across Host Development Influence Optimal Strategies of Resource Allocation. Am Nat 2015; 186:495-512. [DOI: 10.1086/682705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Niehus S, Giammarinaro P, Liégeois S, Quintin J, Ferrandon D. Fly culture collapse disorder: detection, prophylaxis and eradication of the microsporidian parasite Tubulinosema ratisbonensis infecting Drosophila melanogaster. Fly (Austin) 2012; 6:193-204. [PMID: 22836791 DOI: 10.4161/fly.20896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster is a robust model to investigate many biological problems. It is however prone to some infections, which may endanger fly stocks if left unchecked for. One such infection is caused by an obligate fungal intracellular parasite, Tubulinosema ratisbonensis, which can be found in laboratory stocks. Here, we identify and briefly characterize a T. ratisbonensis strain that was infesting our Drosophila cultures and that required intensive measures to contain and eradicate the infection. We describe the phenotypes of infested stocks. We also report PCR-based techniques that allow the detection of infested stocks with a high sensitivity. We have developed a high-throughput qPCR assay that allows the efficient parallel screening of a large number of potentially-infested stocks. We also have investigated several prophylactic measures to prevent the further contamination of stocks, namely UV-exposure, ethanol treatment, bleaching, and desiccation. Bleaching was found to kill all spores. Other treatments were less effective but were found to be sufficient to prevent further contamination of noninfested stocks. Two treatments were efficacious in curing infested stocks (1) bleaching of eggs and subsequent raising of the larvae in clean vials; (2) fumagillin treatment. These cures only work on stocks that have not become too weak to withstand the procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Niehus
- Equipe Fondation Recherche Médicale, UPR9022 du CNRS, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire du CNRS, Université de Strasbourg; Strasbourg, France
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Chieda Y, Iiyama K, Lee JM, Kusakabe T, Yasunaga-Aoki C, Shimizu S. Virulence of an exotoxin A-deficient strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa toward the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Microb Pathog 2011; 51:407-14. [PMID: 21945328 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2011.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2010] [Revised: 08/31/2011] [Accepted: 09/06/2011] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
We studied the contribution of exotoxin A to the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa against the silkworm, Bombyx mori. First, an exotoxin A-deficient mutant strain (PAO1toxA) was created, and its virulence compared with that of the parental PAO1 strain. In a short-term mortality assay, the mutant harboring pBBR1MCS2 did not kill B. mori until 120 h after inoculation and complementation of the corresponding gene in trans restored the strain's virulence. Next, to ascertain whether or not it lost all virulence, PAO1toxA (pBBR1MCS2, pGFP) was used in a long-term mortality assay. B. mori inoculated with the mutant strain did not die until early in the 5th instar (240 h after inoculation). However, 50% of the inoculated B. mori died late in the 5th instar or in the early pupal stage (408 h after inoculation). All had died by the pupal stage (600 h after inoculation). The mutant strain was isolated from dead larvae and cocoons. The bacterial population of PAO1toxA in hemolymph reached 4.77 × 10(7) cfu/ml. These results indicated that exotoxin A acts as a virulence factor in B. mori and that other virulence factor(s) are involved during the late stages of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuuka Chieda
- Laboratory of Insect Pathology and Microbial Control, Institute of Biological Control, Graduate School, Kyushu University, Hakozaki 6-10-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan
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Kraaijeveld AR, Elrayes NP, Schuppe H, Newland PL. L-arginine enhances immunity to parasitoids in Drosophila melanogaster and increases NO production in lamellocytes. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2011; 35:857-864. [PMID: 21527285 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2011.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2011] [Revised: 03/25/2011] [Accepted: 03/25/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster was used as a model system to explore the link between nutrition and immunity, and to investigate the role of nitric oxide (NO) in enhancing immunity following dietary enhancement with L-arginine. First, we show that adding L-arginine to the food medium increases the ability of D. melanogaster larvae to encapsulate the eggs of the parasitoid Asobara tabida. Secondly, we show that the increase in immunity is specific to L-arginine, and not to an enhanced calorific content, and that immunity decreases when larvae are fed food with added L-NAME, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. Finally, we show that parasitised larvae fed L-arginine have increased haemocyte numbers, and that the lamellocytes (haemocytes which play a key role in encapsulation) show evidence of an increased production of NO. These results suggest that NO plays a key role in immunity and that the effect of NO is mostly targeted via the lamellocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex R Kraaijeveld
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, United Kingdom.
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Abstract
Vector-borne diseases, transmitted by bloodsucking arthropods, pose worldwide socio-medical and economical problems. Some of the major human infectious diseases, such as malaria, Dengue fever, and yellow fever, are transmitted by mosquitoes. While the majority of pathogens enjoy extracellular life styles in insects, viruses and some endosymbionts are strictly intracellular. Here, we summarize our knowledge on defense reactions against intracellular microorganisms in dipteran insects and discuss the potential of insects as models to study human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Steinert
- CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U963, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France
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12
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Vijendravarma RK, Kraaijeveld AR, Godfray HCJ. EXPERIMENTAL EVOLUTION SHOWSDROSOPHILA MELANOGASTERRESISTANCE TO A MICROSPORIDIAN PATHOGEN HAS FITNESS COSTS. Evolution 2009; 63:104-14. [PMID: 18786186 DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2008.00516.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Roshan K Vijendravarma
- NERC Centre for Population Biology, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Berks, United Kingdom.
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