1
|
Akther S, Mongodin EF, Morgan RD, Di L, Yang X, Golovchenko M, Rudenko N, Margos G, Hepner S, Fingerle V, Kawabata H, Norte AC, de Carvalho IL, Núncio MS, Marques A, Schutzer SE, Fraser CM, Luft BJ, Casjens SR, Qiu W. Natural selection and recombination at host-interacting lipoprotein loci drive genome diversification of Lyme disease and related bacteria. mBio 2024:e0174924. [PMID: 39145656 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01749-24] [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: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease, caused by spirochetes in the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato clade within the Borrelia genus, is transmitted by Ixodes ticks and is currently the most prevalent and rapidly expanding tick-borne disease in Europe and North America. We report complete genome sequences of 47 isolates that encompass all established species in this clade while highlighting the diversity of the widespread human pathogenic species B. burgdorferi. A similar set of plasmids has been maintained throughout Borrelia divergence, indicating that they are a key adaptive feature of this genus. Phylogenetic reconstruction of all sequenced Borrelia genomes revealed the original divergence of Eurasian and North American lineages and subsequent dispersals that introduced B. garinii, B. bavariensis, B. lusitaniae, B. valaisiana, and B. afzelii from East Asia to Europe and B. burgdorferi and B. finlandensis from North America to Europe. Molecular phylogenies of the universally present core replicons (chromosome and cp26 and lp54 plasmids) are highly consistent, revealing a strong clonal structure. Nonetheless, numerous inconsistencies between the genome and gene phylogenies indicate species dispersal, genetic exchanges, and rapid sequence evolution at plasmid-borne loci, including key host-interacting lipoprotein genes. While localized recombination occurs uniformly on the main chromosome at a rate comparable to mutation, lipoprotein-encoding loci are recombination hotspots on the plasmids, suggesting adaptive maintenance of recombinant alleles at loci directly interacting with the host. We conclude that within- and between-species recombination facilitates adaptive sequence evolution of host-interacting lipoprotein loci and contributes to human virulence despite a genome-wide clonal structure of its natural populations. IMPORTANCE Lyme disease (also called Lyme borreliosis in Europe), a condition caused by spirochete bacteria of the genus Borrelia, transmitted by hard-bodied Ixodes ticks, is currently the most prevalent and rapidly expanding tick-borne disease in the United States and Europe. Borrelia interspecies and intraspecies genome comparisons of Lyme disease-related bacteria are essential to reconstruct their evolutionary origins, track epidemiological spread, identify molecular mechanisms of human pathogenicity, and design molecular and ecological approaches to disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. These Lyme disease-associated bacteria harbor complex genomes that encode many genes that do not have homologs in other organisms and are distributed across multiple linear and circular plasmids. The functional significance of most of the plasmid-borne genes and the multipartite genome organization itself remains unknown. Here we sequenced, assembled, and analyzed whole genomes of 47 Borrelia isolates from around the world, including multiple isolates of the human pathogenic species. Our analysis elucidates the evolutionary origins, historical migration, and sources of genomic variability of these clinically important pathogens. We have developed web-based software tools (BorreliaBase.org) to facilitate dissemination and continued comparative analysis of Borrelia genomes to identify determinants of human pathogenicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saymon Akther
- Graduate Center and Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | | | | | - Lia Di
- Graduate Center and Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Xiaohua Yang
- Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University (SUNY), Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Maryna Golovchenko
- Biology Centre Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Parasitology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Natalie Rudenko
- Biology Centre Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Parasitology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Gabriele Margos
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority and German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Sabrina Hepner
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority and German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Volker Fingerle
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority and German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Bavaria, Germany
| | | | - Ana Cláudia Norte
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Maria Sofia Núncio
- Centre for Vector and Infectious Diseases Research, Águas de Moura, Portugal
| | - Adriana Marques
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Claire M Fraser
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Benjamin J Luft
- Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University (SUNY), Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Sherwood R Casjens
- University of Utah School of Medicine and School of Biological Sciences, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Weigang Qiu
- Graduate Center and Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Koutantou M, Drancourt M, Angelakis E. Prevalence of Lyme Disease and Relapsing Fever Borrelia spp. in Vectors, Animals, and Humans within a One Health Approach in Mediterranean Countries. Pathogens 2024; 13:512. [PMID: 38921809 PMCID: PMC11206712 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13060512] [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: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The genus Borrelia has been divided into Borreliella spp., which can cause Lyme Disease (LD), and Borrelia spp., which can cause Relapsing Fever (RF). The distribution of genus Borrelia has broadened due to factors such as climate change, alterations in land use, and enhanced human and animal mobility. Consequently, there is an increasing necessity for a One Health strategy to identify the key components in the Borrelia transmission cycle by monitoring the human-animal-environment interactions. The aim of this study is to summarize all accessible data to increase our understanding and provide a comprehensive overview of Borrelia distribution in the Mediterranean region. Databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Google were searched to determine the presence of Borreliella and Borrelia spp. in vectors, animals, and humans in countries around the Mediterranean Sea. A total of 3026 were identified and screened and after exclusion of papers that did not fulfill the including criteria, 429 were used. After examination of the available literature, it was revealed that various species associated with LD and RF are prevalent in vectors, animals, and humans in Mediterranean countries and should be monitored in order to effectively manage and prevent potential infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Myrto Koutantou
- Diagnostic Department and Public Health Laboratories, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece
| | | | - Emmanouil Angelakis
- Diagnostic Department and Public Health Laboratories, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wülbern J, Windorfer L, Sato K, Nakao M, Hepner S, Margos G, Fingerle V, Kawabata H, Becker NS, Kraiczy P, Rollins RE. Unprecedented genetic variability of PFam54 paralogs among Eurasian Lyme borreliosis-causing spirochetes. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11397. [PMID: 38779535 PMCID: PMC11109050 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11397] [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: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere caused by spirochetes belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) complex. Borrelia spirochetes circulate in obligatory transmission cycles between tick vectors and different vertebrate hosts. To successfully complete this complex transmission cycle, Bbsl encodes for an arsenal of proteins including the PFam54 protein family with known, or proposed, influences to reservoir host and/or vector adaptation. Even so, only fragmentary information is available regarding the naturally occurring level of variation in the PFam54 gene array especially in relation to Eurasian-distributed species. Utilizing whole genome data from isolates (n = 141) originated from three major LB-causing Borrelia species across Eurasia (B. afzelii, B. bavariensis, and B. garinii), we aimed to characterize the diversity of the PFam54 gene array in these isolates to facilitate understanding the evolution of PFam54 paralogs on an intra- and interspecies level. We found an extraordinarily high level of variation in the PFam54 gene array with 39 PFam54 paralogs belonging to 23 orthologous groups including five novel paralogs. Even so, the gene array appears to have remained fairly stable over the evolutionary history of the studied Borrelia species. Interestingly, genes outside Clade IV, which contains genes encoding for proteins associated with Borrelia pathogenesis, more frequently displayed signatures of diversifying selection between clades that differ in hypothesized vector or host species. This could suggest that non-Clade IV paralogs play a more important role in host and/or vector adaptation than previously expected, which would require future lab-based studies to validate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janna Wülbern
- Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics, Faculty of BiologyChristian‐Albrechts‐Universität Zu KielKielGermany
| | - Laura Windorfer
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Life Science Systems, School of Life SciencesTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
- Disrupt.Design Lab, Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, Segoe BuildingTechnion – Israel Institute of TechnologyTechnion CityIsrael
| | - Kozue Sato
- Department of Bacteriology INational Institute for Infectious DiseaseTokyoJapan
| | - Minoru Nakao
- Department of ParasitologyAsahikawa Medical UniversityAsahikawaJapan
| | - Sabrina Hepner
- German National Reference Center for Borrelia, Bavarian Health and Food Safety AuthorityOberschleissheimGermany
| | - Gabriele Margos
- German National Reference Center for Borrelia, Bavarian Health and Food Safety AuthorityOberschleissheimGermany
| | - Volker Fingerle
- German National Reference Center for Borrelia, Bavarian Health and Food Safety AuthorityOberschleissheimGermany
| | - Hiroki Kawabata
- Department of Bacteriology INational Institute for Infectious DiseaseTokyoJapan
| | - Noémie S. Becker
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of BiologyLMU MunichPlanegg‐MartinsriedGermany
| | - Peter Kraiczy
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of FrankfurtGoethe University FrankfurtFrankfurtGermany
| | - Robert E. Rollins
- Institute of Avian Research “Vogelwarte Helgoland”WilhelmshavenGermany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lee JT, Li Z, Nunez LD, Katzel D, Perrin Jr. BS, Raghuraman V, Rajyaguru U, Llamera KE, Andrew L, Anderson AS, Hovius JW, Liberator PA, Simon R, Hao L. Development of a sequence-based in silico OspA typing method for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Microb Genom 2024; 10:001252. [PMID: 38787376 PMCID: PMC11165634 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001252] [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: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease (LD), caused by spirochete bacteria of the genus Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, remains the most common vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. Borrelia outer surface protein A (OspA) is an integral surface protein expressed during the tick cycle, and a validated vaccine target. There are at least 20 recognized Borrelia genospecies, that vary in OspA serotype. This study presents a new in silico sequence-based method for OspA typing using next-generation sequence data. Using a compiled database of over 400 Borrelia genomes encompassing the 4 most common disease-causing genospecies, we characterized OspA diversity in a manner that can accommodate existing and new OspA types and then defined boundaries for classification and assignment of OspA types based on the sequence similarity. To accommodate potential novel OspA types, we have developed a new nomenclature: OspA in silico type (IST). Beyond the ISTs that corresponded to existing OspA serotypes 1-8, we identified nine additional ISTs that cover new OspA variants in B. bavariensis (IST9-10), B. garinii (IST11-12), and other Borrelia genospecies (IST13-17). The IST typing scheme and associated OspA variants are available as part of the PubMLST Borrelia spp. database. Compared to traditional OspA serotyping methods, this new computational pipeline provides a more comprehensive and broadly applicable approach for characterization of OspA type and Borrelia genospecies to support vaccine development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan T. Lee
- Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| | - Zhenghui Li
- Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| | - Lorna D. Nunez
- Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| | - Daniel Katzel
- Pfizer Digital, Pfizer, Inc., Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| | | | - Varun Raghuraman
- Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| | - Urvi Rajyaguru
- Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| | - Katrina E. Llamera
- Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| | - Lubomira Andrew
- Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| | | | - Joppe W. Hovius
- Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC), location Academic Medical Center (AMC), Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Paul A. Liberator
- Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| | - Raphael Simon
- Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| | - Li Hao
- Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Pearl River, NY, 10965, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hepner S, Kuleshov K, Tooming-Kunderud A, Alig N, Gofton A, Casjens S, Rollins RE, Dangel A, Mourkas E, Sheppard SK, Wieser A, Hübner J, Sing A, Fingerle V, Margos G. A high fidelity approach to assembling the complex Borrelia genome. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:401. [PMID: 37460975 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09500-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex can cause Lyme borreliosis. Different B. burgdorferi s.l. genospecies vary in their host and vector associations and human pathogenicity but the genetic basis for these adaptations is unresolved and requires completed and reliable genomes for comparative analyses. The de novo assembly of a complete Borrelia genome is challenging due to the high levels of complexity, represented by a high number of circular and linear plasmids that are dynamic, showing mosaic structure and sequence homology. Previous work demonstrated that even advanced approaches, such as a combination of short-read and long-read data, might lead to incomplete plasmid reconstruction. Here, using recently developed high-fidelity (HiFi) PacBio sequencing, we explored strategies to obtain gap-free, complete and high quality Borrelia genome assemblies. Optimizing genome assembly, quality control and refinement steps, we critically appraised existing techniques to create a workflow that lead to improved genome reconstruction. RESULTS Despite the latest available technologies, stand-alone sequencing and assembly methods are insufficient for the generation of complete and high quality Borrelia genome assemblies. We developed a workflow pipeline for the de novo genome assembly for Borrelia using several types of sequence data and incorporating multiple assemblers to recover the complete genome including both circular and linear plasmid sequences. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that, with HiFi data and an ensemble reconstruction pipeline with refinement steps, chromosomal and plasmid sequences can be fully resolved, even for complex genomes such as Borrelia. The presented pipeline may be of interest for the assembly of further complex microbial genomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Hepner
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
| | | | - Ave Tooming-Kunderud
- Department of Biosciences, Norwegian Sequencing Centre at Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nikolas Alig
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Germany
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | | | - Sherwood Casjens
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Pathology Department, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Robert E Rollins
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Alexandra Dangel
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | | | | | - Andreas Wieser
- Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology, Max von Pettenkofer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Munich, Munich, Germany
- Imunology, Infectious Disease and Pandemic Research IIP, Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Hübner
- Dr. Von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Andreas Sing
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Germany
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Volker Fingerle
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Germany
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Gabriele Margos
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Germany
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Rollins RE, Sato K, Nakao M, Tawfeeq MT, Herrera-Mesías F, Pereira RJ, Kovalev S, Margos G, Fingerle V, Kawabata H, Becker NS. Out of Asia? Expansion of Eurasian Lyme borreliosis causing genospecies display unique evolutionary trajectories. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:786-799. [PMID: 36461660 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16805] [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: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Vector-borne pathogens exist in obligate transmission cycles between vector and reservoir host species. Host and vector shifts can lead to geographic expansion of infectious agents and the emergence of new diseases in susceptible individuals. Three bacterial genospecies (Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia bavariensis, and Borrelia garinii) predominantly utilize two distinct tick species as vectors in Asia (Ixodes persulcatus) and Europe (Ixodes ricinus). Through these vectors, the bacteria can infect various vertebrate groups (e.g., rodents, birds) including humans where they cause Lyme borreliosis, the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern hemisphere. Yet, how and in which order the three Borrelia genospecies colonized each continent remains unclear including the evolutionary consequences of this geographic expansion. Here, by reconstructing the evolutionary history of 142 Eurasian isolates, we found evidence that the ancestors of each of the three genospecies probably have an Asian origin. Even so, each genospecies studied displayed a unique substructuring and evolutionary response to the colonization of Europe. The pattern of allele sharing between continents is consistent with the dispersal rate of the respective vertebrate hosts, supporting the concept that adaptation of Borrelia genospecies to the host is important for pathogen dispersal. Our results highlight that Eurasian Lyme borreliosis agents are all capable of geographic expansion with host association influencing their dispersal; further displaying the importance of host and vector association to the geographic expansion of vector-borne pathogens and potentially conditioning their capacity as emergent pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert E Rollins
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", Wilhelmshaven, Germany.,Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Kozue Sato
- Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute for Infectious Disease, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Minoru Nakao
- Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Mohammed T Tawfeeq
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", Wilhelmshaven, Germany.,VIB - KU Leuven Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium.,CMPG Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, Department M2S, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Institute for Beer Research (LIBR), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Fernanda Herrera-Mesías
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", Wilhelmshaven, Germany.,Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,Musée National d'histoire Naturelle de Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Ricardo J Pereira
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany.,Department of Zoology, State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sergey Kovalev
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Department of Biology, Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Gabriele Margos
- National Reference Center for Borrelia, Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Volker Fingerle
- National Reference Center for Borrelia, Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Hiroki Kawabata
- Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute for Infectious Disease, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Noémie S Becker
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Rudenko N, Golovchenko M, Horak A, Grubhoffer L, Mongodin EF, Fraser CM, Qiu W, Luft BJ, Morgan RG, Casjens SR, Schutzer SE. Genomic Confirmation of Borrelia garinii, United States. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:64-69. [PMID: 36573553 PMCID: PMC9796223 DOI: 10.3201/eid2901.220930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease is a multisystem disorder primarily caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. However, B. garinii, which has been identified on islands off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, is a cause of Lyme disease in Eurasia. We report isolation and whole-genome nucleotide sequencing of a B. garinii isolate from a cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus) in South Carolina, USA. We identified a second B. garinii isolate from the same repository. Phylogenetic analysis does not associate these isolates with the previously described isolates of B. garinii from Canada.
Collapse
|
8
|
Golidonova K, Korenberg E, Krupinskaya E, Matrosova V, Gintsburg A. Allelic Variants of P66 Gene in Borrelia bavariensis Isolates from Patients with Ixodid Tick-Borne Borreliosis. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10122509. [PMID: 36557762 PMCID: PMC9782215 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10122509] [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: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein P66 is one of the crucial virulence factors of Borrelia, inducing the production of specific antibodies in patients with ixodid tick-borne borreliosis (ITBB). Various species of Borrelia are characterized by genetic variability of the surface-exposed loop of P66. However, little is known about this variability in Borrelia bavariensis. Here we describe the variability of the nucleotide sequences of P66 gene locus in isolates of B. bavariensis. Analysis of nucleotide sequences of P66 in 27 isolates of B. bavariensis from ITBB patients revealed three allelic variants of this gene. The alignment score of amino acid sequences in the isolates showed amino acid replacements in various positions confirming the presence of three allelic variants. Two of them are characteristic only for some isolates of B. bavariensis of the Eurasian gene pool from various parts of the geographic ranges of B. bavariensis from various samples. At least three allelic variants of P66 B. bavariensis have been identified, which have different amino acid expression, occur with different frequency in ITBB patients and, presumably, can have different effects on the course of the infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Golidonova
- N. F. Gamaleya National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology, 123098 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-985-337-01-85
| | - Eduard Korenberg
- N. F. Gamaleya National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology, 123098 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Krupinskaya
- N. F. Gamaleya National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology, 123098 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vera Matrosova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Gintsburg
- N. F. Gamaleya National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology, 123098 Moscow, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Utilizing Two Borrelia bavariensis Isolates Naturally Lacking the PFam54 Gene Array To Elucidate the Roles of PFam54-Encoded Proteins. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0155521. [PMID: 34986011 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01555-21] [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: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis is the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere, caused by spirochetes belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species complex, which are transmitted by ixodid ticks. B. burgdorferi sensu lato species produce a family of proteins on the linear plasmid 54 (PFam54), some of which confer the functions of cell adhesion and inactivation of complement, the first line of host defense. However, the impact of PFam54 in promoting B. burgdorferi sensu lato pathogenesis remains unclear because of the hurdles to simultaneously knock out all PFam54 proteins in a spirochete. Here, we describe two Borrelia bavariensis strains, PBN and PNi, isolated from patients naturally lacking PFam54 but maintaining the rest of the genome with greater than 95% identity to the reference B. bavariensis strain, PBi. We found that PBN and PNi less efficiently survive in human serum than PBi. Such defects were restored by introducing two B. bavariensis PFam54 recombinant proteins, BGA66 and BGA71, confirming the role of these proteins in providing complement evasion of B. bavariensis. Further, we found that all three strains remain detectable in various murine tissues 21 days post-subcutaneous infection, supporting the nonessential role of B. bavariensis PFam54 in promoting spirochete persistence. This study identified and utilized isolates deficient in PFam54 to associate the defects with the absence of these proteins, building the foundation to further study the role of each PFam54 protein in contributing to B. burgdorferi sensu lato pathogenesis. IMPORTANCE To establish infections, Lyme borreliae utilize various means to overcome the host's immune system. Proteins encoded by the PFam54 gene array play a role in spirochete survival in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, this gene array has been described in all currently available Lyme borreliae genomes. By investigating the first two Borrelia bavariensis isolates naturally lacking the entire PFam54 gene array, we showed that both patient isolates display an increased susceptibility to human serum, which can be rescued in the presence of two PFam54 recombinant proteins. However, both isolates remain infectious to mice after intradermal inoculation, suggesting the nonessential role of PFam54 during the long-term, but may differ slightly in the colonization of specific tissues. Furthermore, these isolates show high genomic similarity to type strain PBi (>95%) and could be used in future studies investigating the role of each PFam54 protein in Lyme borreliosis pathogenesis.
Collapse
|
10
|
Abstract
The genus Borrelia consists of evolutionarily and genetically diverse bacterial species that cause a variety of diseases in humans and domestic animals. These vector-borne spirochetes can be classified into two major evolutionary groups, the Lyme borreliosis clade and the relapsing fever clade, both of which have complex transmission cycles during which they interact with multiple host species and arthropod vectors. Molecular, ecological, and evolutionary studies have each provided significant contributions towards our understanding of the natural history, biology and evolutionary genetics of Borrelia species; however, integration of these studies is required to identify the evolutionary causes and consequences of the genetic variation within and among Borrelia species. For example, molecular and genetic studies have identified the adaptations that maximize fitness components throughout the Borrelia lifecycle and enhance transmission efficacy but provide limited insights into the evolutionary pressures that have produced them. Ecological studies can identify interactions between Borrelia species and the vertebrate hosts and arthropod vectors they encounter and the resulting impact on the geographic distribution and abundance of spirochetes but not the genetic or molecular basis underlying these interactions. In this review we discuss recent findings on the evolutionary genetics from both of the evolutionarily distinct clades of Borrelia species. We focus on connecting molecular interactions to the ecological processes that have driven the evolution and diversification of Borrelia species in order to understand the current distribution of genetic and molecular variation within and between Borrelia species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary J. Oppler
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, 433 South University Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kayleigh R. O’Keeffe
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, 433 South University Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Karen D. McCoy
- Centre for Research on the Ecology and Evolution of Diseases (CREES), MiVEGEC, University of Montpellier – CNRS - IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Dustin Brisson
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, 433 South University Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
O'Keeffe KR, Oppler ZJ, Brisson D. Evolutionary ecology of Lyme Borrelia. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2020; 85:104570. [PMID: 32998077 PMCID: PMC8349510 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The bacterial genus, Borrelia, is comprised of vector-borne spirochete species that infect and are transmitted from multiple host species. Some Borrelia species cause highly-prevalent diseases in humans and domestic animals. Evolutionary, ecological, and molecular research on many Borrelia species have resulted in tremendous progress toward understanding the biology and natural history of these species. Yet, many outstanding questions, such as how Borrelia populations will be impacted by climate and land-use change, will require an interdisciplinary approach. The evolutionary ecology research framework incorporates theory and data from evolutionary, ecological, and molecular studies while overcoming common assumptions within each field that can hinder integration across these disciplines. Evolutionary ecology offers a framework to evaluate the ecological consequences of evolved traits and to predict how present-day ecological processes may result in further evolutionary change. Studies of microbes with complex transmission cycles, like Borrelia, which interact with multiple vertebrate hosts and arthropod vectors, are poised to leverage the power of the evolutionary ecology framework to identify the molecular interactions involved in ecological processes that result in evolutionary change. Using existing data, we outline how evolutionary ecology theory can delineate how interactions with other species and the physical environment create selective forces or impact migration of Borrelia populations and result in micro-evolutionary changes. We further discuss the ecological and molecular consequences of those micro-evolutionary changes. While many of the currently outstanding questions will necessitate new experimental designs and additional empirical data, many others can be addressed immediately by integrating existing molecular and ecological data within an evolutionary ecology framework.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Zachary J Oppler
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dustin Brisson
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Becker NS, Rollins RE, Nosenko K, Paulus A, Martin S, Krebs S, Takano A, Sato K, Kovalev SY, Kawabata H, Fingerle V, Margos G. High conservation combined with high plasticity: genomics and evolution of Borrelia bavariensis. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:702. [PMID: 33032522 PMCID: PMC7542741 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07054-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Borrelia bavariensis is one of the agents of Lyme Borreliosis (or Lyme disease) in Eurasia. The genome of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species complex, that includes B. bavariensis, is known to be very complex and fragmented making the assembly of whole genomes with next-generation sequencing data a challenge. Results We present a genome reconstruction for 33 B. bavariensis isolates from Eurasia based on long-read (Pacific Bioscience, for three isolates) and short-read (Illumina) data. We show that the combination of both sequencing techniques allows proper genome reconstruction of all plasmids in most cases but use of a very close reference is necessary when only short-read sequencing data is available. B. bavariensis genomes combine a high degree of genetic conservation with high plasticity: all isolates share the main chromosome and five plasmids, but the repertoire of other plasmids is highly variable. In addition to plasmid losses and gains through horizontal transfer, we also observe several fusions between plasmids. Although European isolates of B. bavariensis have little diversity in genome content, there is some geographic structure to this variation. In contrast, each Asian isolate has a unique plasmid repertoire and we observe no geographically based differences between Japanese and Russian isolates. Comparing the genomes of Asian and European populations of B. bavariensis suggests that some genes which are markedly different between the two populations may be good candidates for adaptation to the tick vector, (Ixodes ricinus in Europe and I. persulcatus in Asia). Conclusions We present the characterization of genomes of a large sample of B. bavariensis isolates and show that their plasmid content is highly variable. This study opens the way for genomic studies seeking to understand host and vector adaptation as well as human pathogenicity in Eurasian Lyme Borreliosis agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noémie S Becker
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, Grosshaderner Strasse 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
| | - Robert E Rollins
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, Grosshaderner Strasse 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Kateryna Nosenko
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, Grosshaderner Strasse 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Alexander Paulus
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, Grosshaderner Strasse 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Samantha Martin
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, Grosshaderner Strasse 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.,University of Helsinki, Biomedicum Helsinki, PO Box 63, Haartmaninkatu 8, FIN-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Stefan Krebs
- Gene Center, Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis, LMU Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 25, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Ai Takano
- Department of Veterinary Epidemiology, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, 753-8515, Japan
| | - Kozue Sato
- Department of Bacteriology-I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, 162-8640, Japan
| | - Sergey Y Kovalev
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ural Federal University, Lenin Avenue 51, Yekaterinburg, 620000, Russia
| | - Hiroki Kawabata
- Department of Bacteriology-I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, 162-8640, Japan
| | - Volker Fingerle
- National Reference Centre for Borrelia at the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Veterinärstr 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Gabriele Margos
- National Reference Centre for Borrelia at the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Veterinärstr 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Margos G, Fingerle V, Reynolds S. Borrelia bavariensis: Vector Switch, Niche Invasion, and Geographical Spread of a Tick-Borne Bacterial Parasite. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
|
14
|
Wang Y, Li S, Wang Z, Zhang L, Cai Y, Liu Q. Prevalence and Identification of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Genospecies in Ticks from Northeastern China. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2019; 19:309-315. [PMID: 30907702 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2018.2316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease is considered as one of important tick-transmitted zoonosis in northeastern China, where the causative agents, the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex, remain poorly characterized. The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence and genospecies of B. burgdorferi s.l. in ticks in northeastern China. In May, 2015, a total of 2785 unfed adult ticks were collected in the Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces of northeastern China, with the predominant tick species of Ixodes persulcatus (59.9%), followed by Haemaphysalis concinna (14.8%), Haemaphysalis longicornis (8.9%), Dermacentor nuttalli (9.4%), and Dermacentor silvarum (7.0%). Only I. persulcatus was tested positive for Borrelia spirochetes DNA by PCR, targeting the 5S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer and 16S rRNA genes, with a prevalence of 1.9%. Phylogenetic analysis based on the partial 5S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer and 16S rRNA genes showed that these positive samples were grouped into four pathogenic genospecies for humans, including Borrelia garinii (2.8%), Borrelia afzelii (0.2%), Borrelia bavariensis (0.1%), and Borrelia bissettii (0.1%). These results showed that B. garinii is the predominant genospecies and I. persulcatus is the main tick host and carrier in northeastern China. To our knowledge, B. bissettii were detected for the first time in China.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanchun Wang
- 1 Department of Clinical Veterinary, College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Shuang Li
- 1 Department of Clinical Veterinary, College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Zedong Wang
- 2 Department of Animal Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Li Zhang
- 1 Department of Clinical Veterinary, College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Yanan Cai
- 1 Department of Clinical Veterinary, College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Quan Liu
- 2 Department of Animal Medicine, College of Life Sciences and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Burkhardt NB, Röll S, Staudt A, Elleder D, Härtle S, Costa T, Alber A, Stevens MP, Vervelde L, Schusser B, Kaspers B. The Long Pentraxin PTX3 Is of Major Importance Among Acute Phase Proteins in Chickens. Front Immunol 2019; 10:124. [PMID: 30774632 PMCID: PMC6367253 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The expression level of acute phase proteins (APPs) mirrors the health status of an individual. In human medicine, C-reactive protein (CRP), and other members of the pentraxin family are of significant relevance for assessing disease severity and prognosis. In chickens, however, which represent the most common livestock species around the world, no such marker has yet gained general acceptance. The aim of this study was therefore, to characterize chicken pentraxin 3 (chPTX3) and to evaluate its applicability as a general marker for inflammatory conditions. The mammalian and chicken PTX3 proteins were predicted to be similar in sequence, domain organization and polymeric structure. Nevertheless, some characteristics like certain sequence sections, which have varied during the evolution of mammals, and species-specific glycosylation patterns, suggest distinct biological functions. ChPTX3 is constitutively expressed in various tissues but, interestingly, could not be found in splenic tissue samples without stimulation. However, upon treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), PTX3 expression in chicken spleens increased to 95-fold within hours. A search for PTX3 reads in various publicly available RNA-seq data sets of chicken spleen and bursa of Fabricius also showed that PTX3 expression increases within days after experimental infection with viral and bacterial pathogens. An experimental infection with avian pathogenic E.coli and qPCR analysis of spleen samples further established a challenge dose-dependent significant up-regulation of chPTX3 in subclinically infected birds of up to over 150-fold as compared to untreated controls. Our results indicate the potential of chPTX3 as an APP marker to monitor inflammatory conditions in poultry flocks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nina B. Burkhardt
- Department for Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Susanne Röll
- Department for Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Anke Staudt
- Department for Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Elleder
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czechia
| | - Sonja Härtle
- Department for Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Taiana Costa
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Andreas Alber
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Mark P. Stevens
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Lonneke Vervelde
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Schusser
- Reproductive Biotechnology, Technical University of Munich, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Freising, Germany
| | - Bernd Kaspers
- Department for Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Estrada-Peña A, Cabezas-Cruz A, Pollet T, Vayssier-Taussat M, Cosson JF. High Throughput Sequencing and Network Analysis Disentangle the Microbial Communities of Ticks and Hosts Within and Between Ecosystems. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:236. [PMID: 30038903 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.0023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
We aimed to develop a framework, based on graph theory, to capture the ecological meaning behind pure pair comparisons of microbiome-derived data. As a proof of concept, we applied the framework to analyze the co-occurrence of bacteria in either Ixodes ricinus ticks or the spleen of one of their main hosts, the vole Myodes glareolus. As a secondary lymphoid organ, the spleen acts as a filter of blood and represents well the exposure to microorganisms circulating in the blood; including those acquired and transmitted by ticks during feeding. The microbiome of 301 and 269 individual tick and vole samples, respectively, were analyzed using next generation sequencing (NGS) of 16S rRNA. To assess the effect of habitat on ecological communities of bacteria associated to ticks and voles, two different biotopes were included in the study, forest, and ecotone. An innovative approach of NGS data analysis combining network analysis and phylogenies of co-occuring of bacteria was used to study associations between bacteria in individual samples. Of the 126 bacterial genera found in ticks and voles, 62% were shared by both species. Communities of co-occurring bacteria were always more phylogenetically diverse in ticks than in voles. Interestingly, ~80% of bacterial phylogenetic diversity was found in ~20% of ticks. This pattern was not observed in vole-associated bacteria. Results revealed that the microbiome of I. ricinus is only slightly related to that of M. glareolus and that the biotope plays the most important role in shaping the bacterial communities of either ticks or voles. The analysis of the phylogenetic signal of the network indexes across the 16S rRNA-derived tree of bacteria suggests that the microbiome of both ticks and voles has high phylogenetic diversity and that closest bacterial genera do not co-occur. This study shows that network analysis is a promising tool to unravel complex microbial communities associated to arthropod vectors and vertebrate hosts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Thomas Pollet
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Muriel Vayssier-Taussat
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Jean-François Cosson
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Estrada-Peña A, Cabezas-Cruz A, Pollet T, Vayssier-Taussat M, Cosson JF. High Throughput Sequencing and Network Analysis Disentangle the Microbial Communities of Ticks and Hosts Within and Between Ecosystems. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:236. [PMID: 30038903 PMCID: PMC6046413 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We aimed to develop a framework, based on graph theory, to capture the ecological meaning behind pure pair comparisons of microbiome-derived data. As a proof of concept, we applied the framework to analyze the co-occurrence of bacteria in either Ixodes ricinus ticks or the spleen of one of their main hosts, the vole Myodes glareolus. As a secondary lymphoid organ, the spleen acts as a filter of blood and represents well the exposure to microorganisms circulating in the blood; including those acquired and transmitted by ticks during feeding. The microbiome of 301 and 269 individual tick and vole samples, respectively, were analyzed using next generation sequencing (NGS) of 16S rRNA. To assess the effect of habitat on ecological communities of bacteria associated to ticks and voles, two different biotopes were included in the study, forest, and ecotone. An innovative approach of NGS data analysis combining network analysis and phylogenies of co-occuring of bacteria was used to study associations between bacteria in individual samples. Of the 126 bacterial genera found in ticks and voles, 62% were shared by both species. Communities of co-occurring bacteria were always more phylogenetically diverse in ticks than in voles. Interestingly, ~80% of bacterial phylogenetic diversity was found in ~20% of ticks. This pattern was not observed in vole-associated bacteria. Results revealed that the microbiome of I. ricinus is only slightly related to that of M. glareolus and that the biotope plays the most important role in shaping the bacterial communities of either ticks or voles. The analysis of the phylogenetic signal of the network indexes across the 16S rRNA-derived tree of bacteria suggests that the microbiome of both ticks and voles has high phylogenetic diversity and that closest bacterial genera do not co-occur. This study shows that network analysis is a promising tool to unravel complex microbial communities associated to arthropod vectors and vertebrate hosts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Thomas Pollet
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Muriel Vayssier-Taussat
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Jean-François Cosson
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Casjens SR, Di L, Akther S, Mongodin EF, Luft BJ, Schutzer SE, Fraser CM, Qiu WG. Primordial origin and diversification of plasmids in Lyme disease agent bacteria. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:218. [PMID: 29580205 PMCID: PMC5870499 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4597-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With approximately one-third of their genomes consisting of linear and circular plasmids, the Lyme disease agent cluster of species has the most complex genomes among known bacteria. We report here a comparative analysis of plasmids in eleven Borreliella (also known as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato) species. RESULTS We sequenced the complete genomes of two B. afzelii, two B. garinii, and individual B. spielmanii, B. bissettiae, B. valaisiana and B. finlandensis isolates. These individual isolates carry between seven and sixteen plasmids, and together harbor 99 plasmids. We report here a comparative analysis of these plasmids, along with 70 additional Borreliella plasmids available in the public sequence databases. We identify only one new putative plasmid compatibility type (the 30th) among these 169 plasmid sequences, suggesting that all or nearly all such types have now been discovered. We find that the linear plasmids in the non-B. burgdorferi species have undergone the same kinds of apparently random, chaotic rearrangements mediated by non-homologous recombination that we previously discovered in B. burgdorferi. These rearrangements occurred independently in the different species lineages, and they, along with an expanded chromosomal phylogeny reported here, allow the identification of several whole plasmid transfer events among these species. Phylogenetic analyses of the plasmid partition genes show that a majority of the plasmid compatibility types arose early, most likely before separation of the Lyme agent Borreliella and relapsing fever Borrelia clades, and this, with occasional cross species plasmid transfers, has resulted in few if any species-specific or geographic region-specific Borreliella plasmid types. CONCLUSIONS The primordial origin and persistent maintenance of the Borreliella plasmid types support their functional indispensability as well as evolutionary roles in facilitating genome diversity. The improved resolution of Borreliella plasmid phylogeny based on conserved partition-gene clusters will lead to better determination of gene orthology which is essential for prediction of biological function, and it will provide a basis for inferring detailed evolutionary mechanisms of Borreliella genomic variability including homologous gene and plasmid exchanges as well as non-homologous rearrangements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sherwood R. Casjens
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Pathology Department and Biology Department, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT USA
- Biology Department, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT USA
- Pathology Department, University of Utah School of Medicine, Room 2200K Emma Eccles Jones Medical Research Building, 15 North Medical Drive East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA
| | - Lia Di
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Translational and Basic Research, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, NY USA
| | - Saymon Akther
- Department of Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY USA
| | - Emmanuel F. Mongodin
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Benjamin J. Luft
- Department of Medicine, Health Science Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY USA
| | - Steven E. Schutzer
- Department of Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ USA
| | - Claire M. Fraser
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Wei-Gang Qiu
- Department of Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY USA
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Translational and Basic Research, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, NY USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics & Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weil Cornell Medical College, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Evidence for Borrelia bavariensis Infections of Ixodes uriae within Seabird Colonies of the North Atlantic Ocean. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:AEM.01087-17. [PMID: 28802273 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01087-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The first report of members of the spirochete genus Borrelia in the seabird tick, Ixodes uriae, and seabird colonies occurred during the early 1990s. Since then, Borrelia spp. have been detected in these ticks and seabird colonies around the world. To date, the primary species detected has been Borrelia garinii, with rare occurrences of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and Borrelia lusitaniae. During our research on Borrelia and I. uriae in seabird colonies of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, we have identified Borrelia bavariensis in I. uriae To our knowledge, B. bavariensis has previously been found only in the Eurasian tick species Ixodes persulcatus and Ixodes ricinus, and it was believed to be a rodent-specific Borrelia ecotype. We found B. bavariensis within I. uriae from three seabird colonies over three calendar years. We also reanalyzed B. garinii sequences collected from I. uriae from Eurasian seabird colonies and determined that sequences from two Russian seabird colonies likely also represent B. bavariensis The Canadian B. bavariensis sequences from I. uriae analyzed in this study cluster with previously described sequences from Asia. Overall, this is an important discovery that illustrates and expands the range of hosts and vectors for B. bavariensis, and it raises questions regarding the possible mechanisms of pathogen dispersal from Asia to North America.IMPORTANCE To our knowledge, this is the first documentation of B. bavariensis outside Eurasia. Additionally, the bacterium was found in a marine ecosystem involving the seabird tick I. uriae and its associated seabird hosts. This indicates that the epizootiology of B. bavariensis transmission is much different from what had been described, with this species previously believed to be a rodent-specific ecotype, and it indicates that this pathogen is established, or establishing, much more widely.
Collapse
|
20
|
Iwabu-Itoh Y, Bazartseren B, Naranbaatar O, Yondonjamts E, Furuno K, Lee K, Sato K, Kawabata H, Takada N, Andoh M, Kajita H, Oikawa Y, Nakao M, Ohnishi M, Watarai M, Shimoda H, Maeda K, Takano A. Tick surveillance for Borrelia miyamotoi and phylogenetic analysis of isolates in Mongolia and Japan. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2017; 8:850-857. [PMID: 28768603 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2017.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Revised: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi, recently recognized as a human pathogenic spirochete, was isolated from Ixodes persulcatus and I. ovatus in northern Mongolia and Honshu Island, a major island in Japan. Although no human B. miyamotoi infections have been reported in Mongolia, the prevalence of B. miyamotoi in ticks from Mongolia is higher than that in ticks from Hokkaido, Japan, where human cases have been reported. Moreover, the multi-locus sequence analysis of cultured isolates revealed that B. miyamotoi isolates in Mongolia belong to the Siberian type, a sequence type that was originally reported from isolates from I. persulcatus in Hokkaido. Thus, there is a possibility of unrecognized human B. miyamotoi infections in Mongolia. Moreover our data support the hypothesis of clonal expansion of the Siberian type B. miyamotoi. In contrast, although the isolates were found to belong to the Siberian type B. miyamotoi, two isolates from I. persulcatus in Honshu Island were identified to be of a different sequence type. Furthermore, B. miyamotoi isolates from I. ovatus were distinguishable from those from I. ricinus complex ticks, according to genetic analysis. In this study, we show that there may be some genetic diversity among B. miyamotoi in ticks from Honshu Island.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yukie Iwabu-Itoh
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan
| | - Boldbaatar Bazartseren
- Laboratory of Virology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Zaisan, Ulaanbaatar 17024, Mongolia
| | - Oyunnomin Naranbaatar
- Laboratory of Virology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Zaisan, Ulaanbaatar 17024, Mongolia
| | - Enkhmandakh Yondonjamts
- Laboratory of Virology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Zaisan, Ulaanbaatar 17024, Mongolia
| | - Kiwa Furuno
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan
| | - Kyunglee Lee
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan
| | - Kozue Sato
- Department of Bacteriology-I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Hiroki Kawabata
- Department of Bacteriology-I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan; United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Nobuhiro Takada
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, 23-3 Matsuoka, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan
| | - Masako Andoh
- Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
| | - Hiroko Kajita
- Iwate Prefecture Research Institute for Environmental Sciences and Public Health, 1-11-16 Kitaiioka, Morioka, Iwate 020-0857, Japan
| | - Yosaburo Oikawa
- Department of Medical Zoology, Kanazawa Medical University, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Kahoku, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan
| | - Minoru Nakao
- Asahikawa Medical University, 1-1-1 Higashi 2, Midorigaoka, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 078-8510, Japan
| | - Makoto Ohnishi
- Department of Bacteriology-I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Masahisa Watarai
- The United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi, 753-8515, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Shimoda
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan
| | - Ken Maeda
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan
| | - Ai Takano
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan; The United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi, 753-8515, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Cutler SJ, Rudenko N, Golovchenko M, Cramaro WJ, Kirpach J, Savic S, Christova I, Amaro A. Diagnosing Borreliosis. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2017; 17:2-11. [PMID: 28055580 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2016.1962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Borrelia species fall into two groups, the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) complex, the cause of Lyme borreliosis (also known as Lyme disease), and the relapsing fever group. Both groups exhibit inter- and intraspecies diversity and thus have variations in both clinical presentation and diagnostic approaches. A further layer of complexity is derived from the fact that ticks may carry multiple infectious agents and are able to transmit them to the host during blood feeding, with potential overlapping clinical manifestations. Besides this, pathogens like Borrelia have developed strategies to evade the host immune system, which allows them to persist within the host, including humans. Diagnostics can be applied at different times during the clinical course and utilize sample types, each with their own advantages and limitations. These differing methods should always be considered in conjunction with potential exposure and compatible clinical features. Throughout this review, we aim to explore different approaches providing the reader with an overview of methods appropriate for various situations. This review will cover human pathogenic members of Bbsl and relapsing fever borreliae, including newly recognized Borrelia miyamotoi spirochetes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sally J Cutler
- 1 School of Health, Sport & Bioscience, University of East London , London, United Kingdom
| | - Nataliia Rudenko
- 2 Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology , Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Maryna Golovchenko
- 2 Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology , Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Wibke J Cramaro
- 3 Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health , Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Josiane Kirpach
- 3 Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health , Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Sara Savic
- 4 Scientific Veterinary Institute "Novi Sad ," Rumenacki put 20, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Iva Christova
- 5 Department of Microbiology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases , Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ana Amaro
- 6 National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinarian Research (INIAV) , Lisboa, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Margos G, Hepner S, Mang C, Marosevic D, Reynolds SE, Krebs S, Sing A, Derdakova M, Reiter MA, Fingerle V. Lost in plasmids: next generation sequencing and the complex genome of the tick-borne pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:422. [PMID: 28558786 PMCID: PMC5450258 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-3804-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi sensu lato, including the tick-transmitted agents of human Lyme borreliosis, have particularly complex genomes, consisting of a linear main chromosome and numerous linear and circular plasmids. The number and structure of plasmids is variable even in strains within a single genospecies. Genes on these plasmids are known to play essential roles in virulence and pathogenicity as well as host and vector associations. For this reason, it is essential to explore methods for rapid and reliable characterisation of molecular level changes on plasmids. In this study we used three strains: a low passage isolate of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto strain B31(−NRZ) and two closely related strains (PAli and PAbe) that were isolated from human patients. Sequences of these strains were compared to the previously sequenced reference strain B31 (available in GenBank) to obtain proof-of-principle information on the suitability of next generation sequencing (NGS) library construction and sequencing methods on the assembly of bacterial plasmids. We tested the effectiveness of different short read assemblers on Illumina sequences, and of long read generation methods on sequence data from Pacific Bioscience single-molecule real-time (SMRT) and nanopore (Oxford Nanopore Technologies) sequencing technology. Results Inclusion of mate pair library reads improved the assembly in some plasmids as did prior enrichment of plasmids. While cp32 plasmids remained refractory to assembly using only short reads they were effectively assembled by long read sequencing methods. The long read SMRT and nanopore sequences came, however, at the cost of indels (insertions or deletions) appearing in an unpredictable manner. Using long and short read technologies together allowed us to show that the three B. burgdorferi s.s. strains investigated here, whilst having similar plasmid structures to each other (apart from fusion of cp32 plasmids), differed significantly from the reference strain B31-GB, especially in the case of cp32 plasmids. Conclusion Short read methods are sufficient to assemble the main chromosome and many of the plasmids in B. burgdorferi. However, a combination of short and long read sequencing methods is essential for proper assembly of all plasmids including cp32 and thus, for gaining an understanding of host- or vector adaptations. An important conclusion from our work is that the evolution of Borrelia plasmids appears to be dynamic. This has important implications for the development of useful research strategies to monitor the risk of Lyme disease occurrence and how to medically manage it. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-017-3804-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- G Margos
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia (NRZ), Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Veterinärstrasse 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
| | - S Hepner
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia (NRZ), Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Veterinärstrasse 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - C Mang
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia (NRZ), Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Veterinärstrasse 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - D Marosevic
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Veterinärstrasse 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany.,European Programme for Public Health Microbiology Training, European Centre of Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - S E Reynolds
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY, Bath, UK
| | - S Krebs
- Gene Centre, Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis, LMU Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 25, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - A Sing
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia (NRZ), Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Veterinärstrasse 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - M Derdakova
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - M A Reiter
- Institut für Hygiene und Angewandte Immunologie, Medizinische Universität Wien, Kinderspitalgasse 15, A-1090, Wien, Austria
| | - V Fingerle
- German National Reference Centre for Borrelia (NRZ), Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), Veterinärstrasse 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Estrada-Peña A, Sprong H, Cabezas-Cruz A, de la Fuente J, Ramo A, Coipan EC. Nested coevolutionary networks shape the ecological relationships of ticks, hosts, and the Lyme disease bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) complex. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:517. [PMID: 27662832 PMCID: PMC5035442 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1803-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) (BBG) complex constitute a group of tick-transmitted pathogens that are linked to many vertebrate and tick species. The ecological relationships between the pathogens, the ticks and the vertebrate carriers have not been analysed. The aim of this study was to quantitatively analyse these interactions by creating a network based on a large dataset of associations. Specifically, we examined the relative positions of partners in the network, the phylogenetic diversity of the tick’s hosts and its impact on BBG circulation. The secondary aim was to evaluate the segregation of BBG strains in different vectors and reservoirs. Results BBG circulates through a nested recursive network of ticks and vertebrates that delineate closed clusters. Each cluster contains generalist ticks with high values of centrality as well as specialist ticks that originate nested sub-networks and that link secondary vertebrates to the cluster. These results highlighted the importance of host phylogenetic diversity for ticks in the circulation of BBG, as this diversity was correlated with high centrality values for the ticks. The ticks and BBG species in each cluster were not significantly associated with specific branches of the phylogeny of host genera (R2 = 0.156, P = 0.784 for BBG; R2 = 0.299, P = 0.699 for ticks). A few host genera had higher centrality values and thus higher importance for BBG circulation. However, the combined contribution of hosts with low centrality values could maintain active BBG foci. The results suggested that ticks do not share strains of BBG, which were highly segregated among sympatric species of ticks. Conclusions We conclude that BBG circulation is supported by a highly redundant network. This network includes ticks with high centrality values and high host phylogenetic diversity as well as ticks with low centrality values. This promotes ecological sub-networks and reflects the high resilience of BBG circulation. The functional redundancy in BBG circulation reduces disturbances due to the removal of vertebrates as it allows ticks to fill other biotic niches. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1803-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Estrada-Peña
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Miguel Servet, 177, Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - Hein Sprong
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), INSERM U1019 - CNRS UMR 8204, Université Lille Nord de France, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain.,Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA
| | - Ana Ramo
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Miguel Servet, 177, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Elena Claudia Coipan
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Becker NS, Margos G, Blum H, Krebs S, Graf A, Lane RS, Castillo-Ramírez S, Sing A, Fingerle V. Recurrent evolution of host and vector association in bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species complex. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:734. [PMID: 27632983 PMCID: PMC5025617 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-3016-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) species complex consists of tick-transmitted bacteria and currently comprises approximately 20 named and proposed genospecies some of which are known to cause Lyme Borreliosis. Species have been defined via genetic distances and ecological niches they occupy. Understanding the evolutionary relationship of species of the complex is fundamental to explaining patterns of speciation. This in turn forms a crucial basis to frame testable hypotheses concerning the underlying processes including host and vector adaptations. Results Illumina Technology was used to obtain genome-wide sequence data for 93 strains of 14 named genospecies of the B. burgdorferi species complex and genomic data already published for 18 additional strain (including one new species) was added. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on 114 orthologous single copy genes shows that the genospecies represent clearly distinguishable taxa with recent and still ongoing speciation events apparent in Europe and Asia. The position of Borrelia species in the phylogeny is consistent with host associations constituting a major driver for speciation. Interestingly, the data also demonstrate that vector associations are an additional driver for diversification in this tick-borne species complex. This is particularly obvious in B. bavariensis, a rodent adapted species that has diverged from the bird-associated B. garinii most likely in Asia. It now consists of two populations one of which most probably invaded Europe following adaptation to a new vector (Ixodes ricinus) and currently expands its distribution range. Conclusions The results imply that genotypes/species with novel properties regarding host or vector associations have evolved recurrently during the history of the species complex and may emerge at any time. We suggest that the finding of vector associations as a driver for diversification may be a general pattern for tick-borne pathogens. The core genome analysis presented here provides an important source for investigations of the underlying mechanisms of speciation in tick-borne pathogens. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3016-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noémie S Becker
- Faculty of Biology, Division of Evolutionary Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Grosshaderner Strasse 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
| | - Gabriele Margos
- National Reference Centre for Borrelia at the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Helmut Blum
- Gene Center, Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 25, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Krebs
- Gene Center, Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 25, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Alexander Graf
- Gene Center, Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 25, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Robert S Lane
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Santiago Castillo-Ramírez
- Programa de Genómica Evolutiva, Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 565-A, CP 62210, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Andreas Sing
- National Reference Centre for Borrelia at the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Volker Fingerle
- National Reference Centre for Borrelia at the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Abstract
In North America, Lyme disease (LD) is a tick-borne zoonosis caused by the spirochete bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, which is maintained by wildlife. Tick vectors and bacteria are currently spreading into Canada and causing increasing numbers of cases of LD in humans and raising a pressing need for public health responses. There is no vaccine, and LD prevention depends on knowing who is at risk and informing them how to protect themselves from infection. Recently, it was found in the United States that some strains of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto cause severe disease, whereas others cause mild, self-limiting disease. While many strains occurring in the United States also occur in Canada, strains in some parts of Canada are different from those in the United States. We therefore recognize a need to identify which strains specific to Canada can cause severe disease and to characterize their geographic distribution to determine which Canadians are particularly at risk. In this review, we summarize the history of emergence of LD in North America, our current knowledge of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto diversity, its intriguing origins in the ecology and evolution of the bacterium, and its importance for the epidemiology and clinical and laboratory diagnosis of LD. We propose methods for investigating associations between B. burgdorferi sensu stricto diversity, ecology, and pathogenicity and for developing predictive tools to guide public health interventions. We also highlight the emergence of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto in Canada as a unique opportunity for exploring the evolutionary aspects of tick-borne pathogen emergence.
Collapse
|