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Chang R, Davydov A, Jaroenlak P, Budaitis B, Ekiert DC, Bhabha G, Prakash M. Energetics of the microsporidian polar tube invasion machinery. eLife 2024; 12:RP86638. [PMID: 38381133 PMCID: PMC10942582 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Microsporidia are eukaryotic, obligate intracellular parasites that infect a wide range of hosts, leading to health and economic burdens worldwide. Microsporidia use an unusual invasion organelle called the polar tube (PT), which is ejected from a dormant spore at ultra-fast speeds, to infect host cells. The mechanics of PT ejection are impressive. Anncaliia algerae microsporidia spores (3-4 μm in size) shoot out a 100-nm-wide PT at a speed of 300 μm/s, creating a shear rate of 3000 s-1. The infectious cargo, which contains two nuclei, is shot through this narrow tube for a distance of ∼60-140 μm (Jaroenlak et al, 2020) and into the host cell. Considering the large hydraulic resistance in an extremely thin tube and the low-Reynolds-number nature of the process, it is not known how microsporidia can achieve this ultrafast event. In this study, we use Serial Block-Face Scanning Electron Microscopy to capture 3-dimensional snapshots of A. algerae spores in different states of the PT ejection process. Grounded in these data, we propose a theoretical framework starting with a systematic exploration of possible topological connectivity amongst organelles, and assess the energy requirements of the resulting models. We perform PT firing experiments in media of varying viscosity, and use the results to rank our proposed hypotheses based on their predicted energy requirement. We also present a possible mechanism for cargo translocation, and quantitatively compare our predictions to experimental observations. Our study provides a comprehensive biophysical analysis of the energy dissipation of microsporidian infection process and demonstrates the extreme limits of cellular hydraulics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray Chang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Ari Davydov
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Pattana Jaroenlak
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Breane Budaitis
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Damian C Ekiert
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Gira Bhabha
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Manu Prakash
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
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Chang R, Davydov A, Jaroenlak P, Budaitis B, Ekiert DC, Bhabha G, Prakash M. Energetics of the Microsporidian Polar Tube Invasion Machinery. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.17.524456. [PMID: 36711805 PMCID: PMC9884504 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.17.524456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Microsporidia are eukaryotic, obligate intracellular parasites that infect a wide range of hosts, leading to health and economic burdens worldwide. Microsporidia use an unusual invasion organelle called the polar tube (PT), which is ejected from a dormant spore at ultra-fast speeds, to infect host cells. The mechanics of PT ejection are impressive. Anncaliia algerae microsporidia spores (3-4 μm in size) shoot out a 100-nm-wide PT at a speed of 300 μm/sec, creating a shear rate of 3000 sec-1. The infectious cargo, which contains two nuclei, is shot through this narrow tube for a distance of ~60-140 μm (Jaroenlak et al., 2020) and into the host cell. Considering the large hydraulic resistance in an extremely thin tube and the low-Reynolds-number nature of the process, it is not known how microsporidia can achieve this ultrafast event. In this study, we use Serial Block-Face Scanning Electron Microscopy to capture 3-dimensional snapshots of A. algerae spores in different states of the PT ejection process. Grounded in these data, we propose a theoretical framework starting with a systematic exploration of possible topological connectivity amongst organelles, and assess the energy requirements of the resulting models. We perform PT firing experiments in media of varying viscosity, and use the results to rank our proposed hypotheses based on their predicted energy requirement. We also present a possible mechanism for cargo translocation, and quantitatively compare our predictions to experimental observations. Our study provides a comprehensive biophysical analysis of the energy dissipation of microsporidian infection process and demonstrates the extreme limits of cellular hydraulics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray Chang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Ari Davydov
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Pattana Jaroenlak
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Breane Budaitis
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Damian C. Ekiert
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Gira Bhabha
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Manu Prakash
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
- Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
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Fayet M, Prybylski N, Collin ML, Peyretaillade E, Wawrzyniak I, Belkorchia A, Akossi RF, Diogon M, El Alaoui H, Polonais V, Delbac F. Identification and localization of polar tube proteins in the extruded polar tube of the microsporidian Anncaliia algerae. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8773. [PMID: 37253964 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35511-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Microsporidia are obligate intracellular parasites able to infect a wide range of hosts from invertebrates to vertebrates. The success of their invasion process is based on an original organelle, the polar tube, which is suddenly extruded from the spore to inoculate the sporoplasm into the host cytoplasm. The polar tube is mainly composed of proteins named polar tube proteins (PTPs). A comparative analysis allowed us to identify genes coding for 5 PTPs (PTP1 to PTP5) in the genome of the microsporidian Anncaliia algerae. While PTP1 and PTP2 are found on the whole polar tube, PTP3 is present in a large part of the extruded polar tube except at its end-terminal part. On the contrary, PTP4 is specifically detected at the end-terminal part of the polar tube. To complete PTPs repertoire, sequential sporal protein extractions were done with high concentration of reducing agents. In addition, a method to purify polar tubes was developed. Mass spectrometry analysis conducted on both samples led to the identification of a PTP3-like protein (PTP3b), and a new PTP (PTP7) only found at the extremity of the polar tube. The specific localization of PTPs asks the question of their roles in cell invasion processes used by A. algerae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurine Fayet
- "Laboratoire "Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement", CNRS, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Nastasia Prybylski
- "Laboratoire "Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement", CNRS, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Marie-Laure Collin
- "Laboratoire "Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement", CNRS, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Eric Peyretaillade
- "Laboratoire "Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement", CNRS, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Ivan Wawrzyniak
- "Laboratoire "Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement", CNRS, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Abdel Belkorchia
- "Laboratoire "Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement", CNRS, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Reginald Florian Akossi
- "Laboratoire "Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement", CNRS, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Marie Diogon
- "Laboratoire "Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement", CNRS, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Hicham El Alaoui
- "Laboratoire "Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement", CNRS, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Valérie Polonais
- "Laboratoire "Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement", CNRS, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Frédéric Delbac
- "Laboratoire "Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement", CNRS, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
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High-throughput small molecule screen identifies inhibitors of microsporidia invasion and proliferation in C. elegans. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5653. [PMID: 36163337 PMCID: PMC9513054 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33400-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Microsporidia are a diverse group of fungal-related obligate intracellular parasites that infect most animal phyla. Despite the emerging threat that microsporidia represent to humans and agricultural animals, few reliable treatment options exist. Here, we develop a high-throughput screening method for the identification of chemical inhibitors of microsporidia infection, using liquid cultures of Caenorhabditis elegans infected with the microsporidia species Nematocida parisii. We screen a collection of 2560 FDA-approved compounds and natural products, and identify 11 candidate microsporidia inhibitors. Five compounds prevent microsporidia infection by inhibiting spore firing, whereas one compound, dexrazoxane, slows infection progression. The compounds have in vitro activity against several other microsporidia species, including those known to infect humans. Together, our results highlight the effectiveness of C. elegans as a model host for drug discovery against intracellular pathogens, and provide a scalable high-throughput system for the identification and characterization of microsporidia inhibitors.
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