1
|
Paul B, Siddaramappa S. Comparative analysis of the diversity of trinucleotide repeats in bacterial genomes. Genome 2024. [PMID: 38593473 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2023-0097] [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: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
The human gut is the most favorable niche for microbial populations, and few studies have explored the possibilities of horizontal gene transfer between host and pathogen. Trinucleotide repeat (TNR) expansion in humans can cause more than 40 neurodegenerative diseases. Further, TNRs are a type of microsatellite that resides on coding regions can contribute to the synthesis of homopolymeric amino acids. Hence, the present study aims to estimate the occurrence and diversity of TNRs in bacterial genomes available in the NCBI Genome database. Genome-wide analyses revealed that several bacterial genomes contain different types of uninterrupted TNRs. It was found that TNRs are abundant in the genomes of Alcaligenes faecalis, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma genitalium, Sorangium cellulosum, and Thermus thermophilus. Interestingly, the genome of Bacillus thuringiensis strain YBT-1518 contained 169 uninterrupted ATT repeats. The genome of Leclercia adecarboxylata had 46 uninterrupted CAG repeats, which potentially translate into polyglutamine. In some instances, the TNRs were present in genes that potentially encode essential functions. Similar occurrences in human genes are known to cause genetic disorders. Further analysis of the occurrence of TNRs in bacterial genomes is likely to provide a better understanding of mismatch repair, genetic disorders, host-pathogen interaction, and homopolymeric amino acids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bobby Paul
- Department of Bioinformatics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Shivakumara Siddaramappa
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Biotech Park, Electronic City, Bengaluru 560100, Karnataka, India
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Huang HJ, Li LL, Ye ZX, Lu JB, Lou YH, Wei ZY, Sun ZT, Chen JP, Li JM, Zhang CX. Salivary proteins potentially derived from horizontal gene transfer are critical for salivary sheath formation and other feeding processes. Commun Biol 2024; 7:257. [PMID: 38431762 PMCID: PMC10908841 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05961-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Herbivorous insects employ an array of salivary proteins to aid feeding. However, the mechanisms behind the recruitment and evolution of these genes to mediate plant-insect interactions remain poorly understood. Here, we report a potential horizontal gene transfer (HGT) event from bacteria to an ancestral bug of Eutrichophora. The acquired genes subsequently underwent duplications and evolved through co-option. We annotated them as horizontal-transferred, Eutrichophora-specific salivary protein (HESPs) according to their origin and function. In Riptortus pedestris (Coreoidea), all nine HESPs are secreted into plants during feeding. The RpHESP4 to RpHESP8 are recently duplicated and found to be indispensable for salivary sheath formation. Silencing of RpHESP4-8 increases the difficulty of R. pedestris in probing the soybean, and the treated insects display a decreased survivability. Although silencing the other RpHESPs does not affect the salivary sheath formation, negative effects are also observed. In Pyrrhocoris apterus (Pyrrhocoroidea), five out of six PaHESPs are secretory salivary proteins, with PaHESP3 being critical for insect survival. The PaHESP5, while important for insects, no longer functions as a salivary protein. Our results provide insight into the potential origin of insect saliva and shed light on the evolution of salivary proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Jian Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
| | - Li-Li Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Zhuang-Xin Ye
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Jia-Bao Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Yi-Han Lou
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, 310051, China
| | - Zhong-Yan Wei
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Zong-Tao Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Jian-Ping Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Jun-Min Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Chuan-Xi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Cantin LJ, Dunning Hotopp JC, Foster JM. Improved metagenome assemblies through selective enrichment of bacterial genomic DNA from eukaryotic host genomic DNA using ATAC-seq. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1352378. [PMID: 38426058 PMCID: PMC10902005 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1352378] [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: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Genomics can be used to study the complex relationships between hosts and their microbiota. Many bacteria cannot be cultured in the laboratory, making it difficult to obtain adequate amounts of bacterial DNA and to limit host DNA contamination for the construction of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). For example, Wolbachia is a genus of exclusively obligate intracellular bacteria that live in a wide range of arthropods and some nematodes. While Wolbachia endosymbionts are frequently described as facultative reproductive parasites in arthropods, the bacteria are obligate mutualistic endosymbionts of filarial worms. Here, we achieve 50-fold enrichment of bacterial sequences using ATAC-seq (Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using sequencing) with Brugia malayi nematodes, containing Wolbachia (wBm). ATAC-seq uses the Tn5 transposase to cut and attach Illumina sequencing adapters to accessible DNA lacking histones, typically thought to be open chromatin. Bacterial and mitochondrial DNA in the lysates are also cut preferentially since they lack histones, leading to the enrichment of these sequences. The benefits of this include minimal tissue input (<1 mg of tissue), a quick protocol (<4 h), low sequencing costs, less bias, correct assembly of lateral gene transfers and no prior sequence knowledge required. We assembled the wBm genome with as few as 1 million Illumina short paired-end reads with >97% coverage of the published genome, compared to only 12% coverage with the standard gDNA libraries. We found significant bacterial sequence enrichment that facilitated genome assembly in previously published ATAC-seq data sets from human cells infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and C. elegans contaminated with their food source, the OP50 strain of E. coli. These results demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of using ATAC-seq to easily obtain bacterial genomes to aid in symbiosis, infectious disease, and microbiome research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey J. Cantin
- Biochemistry and Microbiology Division, New England BioLabs, Ipswich, MA, United States
| | - Julie C. Dunning Hotopp
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jeremy M. Foster
- Biochemistry and Microbiology Division, New England BioLabs, Ipswich, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lerner A, Benzvi C, Vojdani A. The Potential Harmful Effects of Genetically Engineered Microorganisms (GEMs) on the Intestinal Microbiome and Public Health. Microorganisms 2024; 12:238. [PMID: 38399642 PMCID: PMC10892181 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020238] [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: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Gut luminal dysbiosis and pathobiosis result in compositional and biodiversified alterations in the microbial and host co-metabolites. The primary mechanism of bacterial evolution is horizontal gene transfer (HGT), and the acquisition of new traits can be achieved through the exchange of mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Introducing genetically engineered microbes (GEMs) might break the harmonized balance in the intestinal compartment. The present objectives are: 1. To reveal the role played by the GEMs' horizontal gene transfers in changing the landscape of the enteric microbiome eubiosis 2. To expand on the potential detrimental effects of those changes on the human genome and health. A search of articles published in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scielo from 2000 to August 2023 using appropriate MeSH entry terms was performed. The GEMs' horizontal gene exchanges might induce multiple human diseases. The new GEMs can change the long-term natural evolution of the enteric pro- or eukaryotic cell inhabitants. The worldwide regulatory authority's safety control of GEMs is not enough to protect public health. Viability, biocontainment, and many other aspects are only partially controlled and harmful consequences for public health should be avoided. It is important to remember that prevention is the most cost-effective strategy and primum non nocere should be the focus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Lerner
- Chaim Sheba Medical Center, The Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Ramat Gan 52621, Israel;
- Ariel Campus, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel
| | - Carina Benzvi
- Chaim Sheba Medical Center, The Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Ramat Gan 52621, Israel;
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Muharromah AF, Reyes JIL, Kagia N, Watanabe K. Genome-wide detection of Wolbachia in natural Aedes aegypti populations using ddRAD-Seq. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1252656. [PMID: 38162582 PMCID: PMC10755911 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1252656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Wolbachia, an endosymbiotic bacterium, is globally used to control arboviruses because of its ability to block arboviral replication and manipulate the reproduction of Wolbachia host, Aedes aegypti. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based Wolbachia detection has been recently reported from natural Ae. aegypti populations. However, due to the technical limitations of PCR, such as primer incompatibility, PCR-based assays are not sufficiently reliable or accurate. In this study, we examined double digestion restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-Seq) efficiency and limitations in Wolbachia detection and quantification in field-collected Ae. aegypti natural populations in Metro Manila, the Philippines, compared with PCR-based assays. Methods A total of 217 individuals Ae. aegypti were collected from Metropolitan Manila, Philippines. We separated it into 14 populations consisting of 7 female and male populations. We constructed a library for pool ddRAD-Seq per population and also screened for Wolbachia by PCR assays using wsp and 16S rRNA. Wolbachia density per population were measured using RPS17 as the housekeeping gene. Results From 146,239,637 sequence reads obtained, 26,299 and 43,778 reads were mapped across the entire Wolbachia genome (with the wAlbA and wAlbB strains, respectively), suggesting that ddRAD-Seq complements PCR assays and supports more reliable Wolbachia detection from a genome-wide perspective. The number of reads mapped to the Wolbachia genome per population positively correlated with the number of Wolbachia-infected individuals per population based on PCR assays and the relative density of Wolbachia in the Ae. aegypti populations based on qPCR, suggesting ddRAD-Seq-based semi-quantification of Wolbachia by ddRAD-Seq. Male Ae. aegypti exhibited more reads mapped to the Wolbachia genome than females, suggesting higher Wolbachia prevalence rates in their case. We detected 150 single nucleotide polymorphism loci across the Wolbachia genome, allowing for more accurate the detection of four strains: wPip, wRi, TRS of Brugia malayi, and wMel. Conclusions Taken together, our results demonstrate the feasibility of ddRAD-Seq-based Wolbachia detection from field-collected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Atikah Fitria Muharromah
- Molecular Ecology and Health Laboratory, Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
- Entomology Laboratory, Department of Tropical Biology, Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Jerica Isabel L. Reyes
- Molecular Ecology and Health Laboratory, Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Ngure Kagia
- Molecular Ecology and Health Laboratory, Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Kozo Watanabe
- Molecular Ecology and Health Laboratory, Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wang Y, Shahid MQ. Genome sequencing and resequencing identified three horizontal gene transfers and uncovered the genetic mechanism on the intraspecies adaptive evolution of Gastrodia elata Blume. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1035157. [PMID: 36684780 PMCID: PMC9848658 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1035157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer is a rare and useful genetic mechanism in higher plants. Gastrodia elata Blume (GE) (Orchidaceae), well known as traditional medicinal material in East Asia, adopts a heterotrophic lifestyle, thus being considered to be more prone to horizontal gene transfer (HGT). GE is a "polytypic species" that currently comprised of five recognized forms according to the plant morphology. G. elata Blume forma elata (GEE) and G. elata Bl.f.glauca (GEG) are two common forms that naturally grow in different habitats with difference in altitude and latitude. G. elata Bl.f.viridis (GEV) often occurs sporadically in cultivated populations of GEE and GEG. However, the genetic relationships and genetic mechanism underpinned the divergent ecological adaptations of GEE and GEG have not been revealed. Here, we assembled a chromosome-level draft genome of GEE with 1.04 Gb. Among predicted 17,895 protein coding genes, we identified three HGTs. Meanwhile, we resequenced 10 GEE accessions, nine GEG accessions, and 10 GEV accessions, and identified two independent genetic lineages: GEG_pedigree (GEG individuals and GEV individuals collected from GEG populations) and GEE_pedigree (GEE individuals and GEV individuals collected from GEE populations), which strongly support the taxonomic status of GEE and GEG as subspecies, not as different forms. In highly differentiated genomic regions of GEE_pedigree and GEG_pedigree, three chalcone synthase-encoding genes and one Phox/Bem1p (PB1) domain of encoding Auxin (AUX)/Indoleacetic acid (IAA) were identified in selection sweeping genome regions, which suggested that differentiation between GEE_pedigree and GEG_pedigree was promoted by the selection of genes related to photoresponse and growth and development. Overall, this new genome would be helpful for breeding and utilization of GE and the new findings would deepen the understanding about ecological adaptation and evolution of GE.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yunsheng Wang
- School of Health and Life Science, Kaili University, Kaili, Guizhou, China
| | - Muhammad Qasim Shahid
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Philips JG, Martin-Avila E, Robold AV. Horizontal gene transfer from genetically modified plants - Regulatory considerations. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:971402. [PMID: 36118580 PMCID: PMC9471246 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.971402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene technology regulators receive applications seeking permission for the environmental release of genetically modified (GM) plants, many of which possess beneficial traits such as improved production, enhanced nutrition and resistance to drought, pests and diseases. The regulators must assess the risks to human and animal health and to the environment from releasing these GM plants. One such consideration, of many, is the likelihood and potential consequence of the introduced or modified DNA being transferred to other organisms, including people. While such gene transfer is most likely to occur to sexually compatible relatives (vertical gene transfer), horizontal gene transfer (HGT), which is the acquisition of genetic material that has not been inherited from a parent, is also a possibility considered during these assessments. Advances in HGT detection, aided by next generation sequencing, have demonstrated that HGT occurrence may have been previously underestimated. In this review, we provide updated evidence on the likelihood, factors and the barriers for the introduced or modified DNA in GM plants to be horizontally transferred into a variety of recipients. We present the legislation and frameworks the Australian Gene Technology Regulator adheres to with respect to the consideration of risks posed by HGT. Such a perspective may generally be applicable to regulators in other jurisdictions as well as to commercial and research organisations who develop GM plants.
Collapse
|
8
|
Liu L, Yu X, Wu D, Su J. Antibiotic resistance gene profile in aerobic granular reactor under antibiotic stress: Can eukaryotic microalgae act as inhibiting factor? ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 304:119221. [PMID: 35358636 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) pollution is critical environmental problem, and horizontal gene transfer acts as a driving evolutionary force. In theory, due to the phylogenetic distance between eukaryotes and prokaryotes, eukaryotic microalgae can be a natural barrier that plays a negative role in ARG transfer among the symbiotic bacteria to decrease ARG abundance in sludge during wastewater treatment. However, this hypothesis is far from proven and needs to be tested experimentally, so this study investigated the influence of eukaryote microalgae (Scenedesmus) on the ARG profile of symbiotic bacteria based on aerobic granular reactor. The results indicated that Scenedesmus symbiosis could affect ARG diversity of bacteria, and the detected numbers of ARG in aerobic granular sludge (AG) group and algae-bacteria granular consortia (AAG) group were 45-53 and 44-47, respectively. In terms of relative abundance, after target microalgae symbiosis, the total abundance of ARGs significantly decreased from 1.17 × 10°, 2.69 × 10° and 1.36 × 10-1 to 6.53 × 10-1, 9.64 × 10-1 and 1.04 × 10-1 in the systems with the addition of streptomycin, azithromycin and vancomycin, respectively (P < 0.05), yet there was no significant difference between AG and AAG under the stress of ampicillin, sulfamethazine and tetracycline (P > 0.05). Redundancy analysis showed that the eukaryotic microalgae were significant factor explaining the change in ARG relative abundance (P < 0.05), which contributed 15.3% of ARG variation. Furthermore, the results show that, except for the tetracycline treatment system, the total relative abundances of MGEs in the AAG under the stress of the other five antibiotics were 3.54 × 10-2-7.13 × 10-1, which were all significantly lower than those in the AG (8.38 × 10-2-1.59 × 10°). There was a more significant positive correlation relationship between ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) than that between ARGs and dominated bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Xin Yu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Daizhuo Wu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jianqiang Su
- Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Tvedte ES, Gasser M, Zhao X, Tallon LJ, Sadzewicz L, Bromley RE, Chung M, Mattick J, Sparklin BC, Dunning Hotopp JC. Accumulation of endosymbiont genomes in an insect autosome followed by endosymbiont replacement. Curr Biol 2022; 32:2786-2795.e5. [PMID: 35671755 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.05.024] [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: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic genomes can acquire bacterial DNA via lateral gene transfer (LGT).1 A prominent source of LGT is Wolbachia,2 a widespread endosymbiont of arthropods and nematodes that is transmitted maternally through female germline cells.3,4 The DNA transfer from the Wolbachia endosymbiont wAna to Drosophila ananassae is extensive5-7 and has been localized to chromosome 4, contributing to chromosome expansion in this lineage.6 As has happened frequently with claims of bacteria-to-eukaryote LGT, the contribution of wAna transfers to the expanded size of D. ananassae chromosome 4 has been specifically contested8 owing to an assembly where Wolbachia sequences were classified as contaminants and removed.9 Here, long-read sequencing with DNA from a Wolbachia-cured line enabled assembly of 4.9 Mbp of nuclear Wolbachia transfers (nuwts) in D. ananassae and a 24-kbp nuclear mitochondrial transfer. The nuwts are <8,000 years old in at least two locations in chromosome 4 with at least one whole-genome integration followed by rapid extensive duplication of most of the genome with regions that have up to 10 copies. The genes in nuwts are accumulating small indels and mobile element insertions. Among the highly duplicated genes are cifA and cifB, two genes associated with Wolbachia-mediated Drosophila cytoplasmic incompatibility. The wAna strain that was the source of nuwts was subsequently replaced by a different wAna endosymbiont. Direct RNA Nanopore sequencing of Wolbachia-cured lines identified nuwt transcripts, including spliced transcripts, but functionality, if any, remains elusive.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric S Tvedte
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Health Sciences Facility III #2106, 670 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Mark Gasser
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Health Sciences Facility III #2106, 670 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Xuechu Zhao
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Health Sciences Facility III #2106, 670 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Luke J Tallon
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Health Sciences Facility III #2106, 670 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Lisa Sadzewicz
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Health Sciences Facility III #2106, 670 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Robin E Bromley
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Health Sciences Facility III #2106, 670 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Matthew Chung
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Health Sciences Facility III #2106, 670 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - John Mattick
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Health Sciences Facility III #2106, 670 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Benjamin C Sparklin
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Health Sciences Facility III #2106, 670 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Julie C Dunning Hotopp
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Health Sciences Facility III #2106, 670 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Jiang J, Mei J, Ma Y, Jiang S, Zhang J, Yi S, Feng C, Liu Y, Liu Y. Tumor hijacks macrophages and microbiota through extracellular vesicles. EXPLORATION (BEIJING, CHINA) 2022; 2:20210144. [PMID: 37324578 PMCID: PMC10190998 DOI: 10.1002/exp.20210144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a biological system with sophisticated constituents. In addition to tumor cells, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and microbiota are also dominant components. The phenotypic and functional changes of TAMs are widely considered to be related to most tumor progressions. The chronic colonization of pathogenic microbes and opportunistic pathogens accounts for the generation and development of tumors. As messengers of cell-to-cell communication, tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (TDEVs) can transfer various malignant factors, regulating physiological and pathological changes in the recipients and affecting TAMs and microbes in the TME. Despite the new insights into tumorigenesis and progress brought by the above factors, the crosstalk among tumor cells, macrophages, and microbiota remain elusive, and few studies have focused on how TDEVs act as an intermediary. We reviewed how tumor cells recruit and domesticate macrophages and microbes through extracellular vehicles and how hijacked macrophages and microbiota interact with tumor-promoting feedback, achieving a reciprocal coexistence under the TME and working together to facilitate tumor progression. It is significant to seek evidence to clarify those specific interactions and reveal therapeutic targets to curb tumor progression and improve prognosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jipeng Jiang
- Postgraduate SchoolMedical School of Chinese PLABeijingP. R. China
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryThe First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Jie Mei
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety & CAS Center for Excellence in NanoscienceNational Center for Nanoscience and Technology of ChinaBeijingP. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of ScienceBeijingP. R. China
| | - Yongfu Ma
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryThe First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Shasha Jiang
- Postgraduate SchoolMedical School of Chinese PLABeijingP. R. China
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryThe First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryThe First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Shaoqiong Yi
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryThe First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Changjiang Feng
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryThe First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Yang Liu
- Postgraduate SchoolMedical School of Chinese PLABeijingP. R. China
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryThe First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Ying Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety & CAS Center for Excellence in NanoscienceNational Center for Nanoscience and Technology of ChinaBeijingP. R. China
- GBA National Institute for Nanotechnology InnovationGuangdongP. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Detecting Bacterial-Human Lateral Gene Transfer in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031094. [PMID: 35163016 PMCID: PMC8835664 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a very common and mostly incurable B-cell malignancy. Recent studies revealed high interpatient mutational heterogeneity and worsened therapy response and survival of patients with complex genomic aberrations. In line with this, a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of specific genetic aberrations would reveal new prognostic factors and possible therapeutic targets. It is known that chromosomal rearrangements including DNA insertions often play a role during carcinogenesis. Recently it was reported that bacteria (microbiome)–human lateral gene transfer occurs in somatic cells and is enriched in cancer samples. To further investigate this mechanism in CLL, we analyzed paired-end RNA sequencing data of 45 CLL patients and 9 healthy donors, in which we particularly searched for bacterial DNA integrations into the human somatic genome. Applying the Burrows–Wheeler aligner (BWA) first on a human genome and then on bacterial genome references, we differentiated between sequencing reads mapping to the human genome, to the microbiome or to bacterial integrations into the human genome. Our results indicate that CLL samples featured bacterial DNA integrations more frequently (approx. two-fold) compared to normal samples, which corroborates the latest findings in other cancer entities. Moreover, we determined common integration sites and recurrent integrated bacterial transcripts. Finally, we investigated the contribution of bacterial integrations to oncogenesis and disease progression.
Collapse
|
12
|
Zhu S, Gao B, Umetsu Y, Peigneur S, Li P, Ohki S, Tytgat J. Adaptively evolved human oral actinomyces-sourced defensins show therapeutic potential. EMBO Mol Med 2021; 14:e14499. [PMID: 34927385 PMCID: PMC8819291 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202114499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of eukaryote‐derived antimicrobial peptides as systemically administered drugs has proven a challenging task. Here, we report the first human oral actinomyces‐sourced defensin—actinomycesin—that shows promise for systemic therapy. Actinomycesin and its homologs are only present in actinobacteria and myxobacteria, and share similarity with a group of ancient invertebrate‐type defensins reported in fungi and invertebrates. Signatures of natural selection were detected in defensins from the actinomyces colonized in human oral cavity and ruminant rumen and dental plaque, highlighting their role in adaptation to complex multispecies bacterial communities. Consistently, actinomycesin exhibited potent antibacterial activity against oral bacteria and clinical isolates of Staphylococcus and synergized with two classes of human salivary antibacterial factors. Actinomycesin specifically inhibited bacterial peptidoglycan synthesis and displayed weak immunomodulatory activity and low toxicity on human and mammalian cells and ion channels in the heart and central nervous system. Actinomycesin was highly efficient in mice infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae and mice with MRSA‐induced experimental peritoneal infection. This work identifies human oral bacteria as a new source of systemic anti‐infective drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shunyi Zhu
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Gao
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yoshitaka Umetsu
- Center for Nano Materials and Technology (CNMT), Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Nomi, Japan
| | - Steve Peigneur
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ping Li
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety (Chinese Academy of Sciences), National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Shinya Ohki
- Center for Nano Materials and Technology (CNMT), Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Nomi, Japan
| | - Jan Tytgat
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ikegaya M, Miyazaki T, Park EY. Biochemical characterization of Bombyx mori α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase belonging to the glycoside hydrolase family 31. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 30:367-378. [PMID: 33742736 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer is an important evolutionary mechanism not only for bacteria but also for eukaryotes. In the domestic silkworm Bombyx mori, a model species of lepidopteran insects, some enzymes are known to have been acquired by horizontal transfer; however, the enzymatic features of protein BmNag31, belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 31 (GH31) and whose gene was predicted to be transferred from Enterococcus sp. are unknown. In this study, we reveal that the transcription of BmNag31 increases significantly during the prepupal to pupal stage, and decreases in the adult stage. The full-length BmNag31 and its truncated mutants were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and characterized. Its catalytic domain exhibits α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity and the carbohydrate-binding module family 32 domain shows binding activity towards N-acetylgalactosamine, similar to the Enterococcus faecalis homolog, EfNag31A. Gel filtration chromatography and blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analyses indicate that BmNag31 forms a hexamer whereas EfNag31A is monomeric. These results provide insights into the function of lepidopteran GH31 α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Ikegaya
- Department of Agriculture, Graduate School of Integrated Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - T Miyazaki
- Department of Agriculture, Graduate School of Integrated Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan
- Green Chemistry Research Division, Research Institute of Green Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - E Y Park
- Department of Agriculture, Graduate School of Integrated Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan
- Green Chemistry Research Division, Research Institute of Green Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Sheikh A, Taube J, Greathouse KL. Contribution of the Microbiota and their Secretory Products to Inflammation and Colorectal Cancer Pathogenesis: The Role of Toll-like Receptors. Carcinogenesis 2021; 42:1133-1142. [PMID: 34218275 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgab060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in diversity and function of the gut microbiome are associated with concomitant changes in immune response, including chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is a major risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). An important component of the inflammatory response system are the toll-like receptors (TLRs). TLRs are capable of sensing microbial components, including nucleic acids, lipopolysaccharides, and peptidoglycans, as well as bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMV). OMVs can be decorated with or carry as cargo these TLR activating factors. These microbial factors can either promote tolerance or activate signaling pathways leading to chronic inflammation. Herein we discuss the role of the microbiome and the OMVs that originate from intestinal bacteria in promoting chronic inflammation and the development of colitis-associated CRC. We also discuss the contribution of TLRs in mediating the microbiome-inflammation axis and subsequent cancer development. Understanding the role of the microbiome and its secretory factors in TLR response may lead to the development of better cancer therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aadil Sheikh
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Baylor University
| | - Joseph Taube
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Baylor University
| | - K Leigh Greathouse
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Baylor University.,Human Science and Design, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, Baylor University
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Zilber-Rosenberg I, Rosenberg E. Microbial driven genetic variation in holobionts. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:6261188. [PMID: 33930136 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variation in holobionts, (host and microbiome), occurring by changes in both host and microbiome genomes, can be observed from two perspectives: observable variations and the processes that bring about the variation. The observable includes the enormous genetic diversity of prokaryotes, which gave rise to eukaryotic organisms. Holobionts then evolved a rich microbiome with a stable core containing essential genes, less so common taxa, and a more diverse non-core enabling considerable genetic variation. The result being that, the human gut microbiome, for example, contains 1,000 times more unique genes than are present in the human genome. Microbial driven genetic variation processes in holobionts include: (1) Acquisition of novel microbes from the environment, which bring in multiple genes in one step, (2) amplification/reduction of certain microbes in the microbiome, that contribute to holobiont` s adaptation to changing conditions, (3) horizontal gene transfer between microbes and between microbes and host, (4) mutation, which plays an important role in optimizing interactions between different microbiota and between microbiota and host. We suggest that invertebrates and plants, where microbes can live intracellularly, have a greater chance of genetic exchange between microbiota and host, thus a greater chance of vertical transmission and a greater effect of microbiome on evolution of host than vertebrates. However, even in vertebrates the microbiome can aid in environmental fluctuations by amplification/reduction and by acquisition of novel microorganisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilana Zilber-Rosenberg
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv Israel
| | - Eugene Rosenberg
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv Israel
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Patel JG, Narra HP, Sepuru KM, Sahni A, Golla SR, Sahni A, Singh A, Schroeder CLC, Chowdhury IH, Popov VL, Sahni SK. Evolution, purification, and characterization of RC0497: a peptidoglycan amidase from the prototypical spotted fever species Rickettsia conorii. Biol Chem 2021; 401:249-262. [PMID: 31299006 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2018-0389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Rickettsial species have independently lost several genes owing to reductive evolution while retaining those predominantly implicated in virulence, survival, and biosynthetic pathways. In this study, we have identified a previously uncharacterized Rickettsia conorii gene RC0497 as an N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase constitutively expressed during infection of cultured human microvascular endothelial cells at the levels of both mRNA transcript and encoded protein. A homology-based search of rickettsial genomes reveals that RC0497 homologs, containing amidase_2 family and peptidoglycan binding domains, are highly conserved among the spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae. The recombinant RC0497 protein exhibits α-helix secondary structure, undergoes a conformational change in the presence of zinc, and exists as a dimer at higher concentrations. We have further ascertained the enzymatic activity of RC0497 via demonstration of its ability to hydrolyze Escherichia coli peptidoglycan. Confocal microscopy on E. coli expressing RC0497 and transmission immunoelectron microscopy of R. conorii revealed its localization predominantly to the cell wall, septal regions of replicating bacteria, and the membrane of vesicles pinching off the cell wall. In summary, we have identified and functionally characterized RC0497 as a peptidoglycan hydrolase unique to spotted fever rickettsiae, which may potentially serve as a novel moonlighting protein capable of performing multiple functions during host-pathogen interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jignesh G Patel
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Hema P Narra
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.,Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Krishna Mohan Sepuru
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Abha Sahni
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.,Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Sandhya R Golla
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Aishwarya Sahni
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Amber Singh
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Casey L C Schroeder
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Imran H Chowdhury
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Vsevolod L Popov
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.,Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Sanjeev K Sahni
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.,Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Post-Transcriptional Modifications of Conserved Nucleotides in the T-Loop of tRNA: A Tale of Functional Convergent Evolution. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12020140. [PMID: 33499018 PMCID: PMC7912444 DOI: 10.3390/genes12020140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The high conservation of nucleotides of the T-loop, including their chemical identity, are hallmarks of tRNAs from organisms belonging to the three Domains of Life. These structural characteristics allow the T-loop to adopt a peculiar intraloop conformation able to interact specifically with other conserved residues of the D-loop, which ultimately folds the mature tRNA in a unique functional canonical L-shaped architecture. Paradoxically, despite the high conservation of modified nucleotides in the T-loop, enzymes catalyzing their formation depend mostly on the considered organism, attesting for an independent but convergent evolution of the post-transcriptional modification processes. The driving force behind this is the preservation of a native conformation of the tRNA elbow that underlies the various interactions of tRNA molecules with different cellular components.
Collapse
|
18
|
Li HS, Tang XF, Huang YH, Xu ZY, Chen ML, Du XY, Qiu BY, Chen PT, Zhang W, Ślipiński A, Escalona HE, Waterhouse RM, Zwick A, Pang H. Horizontally acquired antibacterial genes associated with adaptive radiation of ladybird beetles. BMC Biol 2021; 19:7. [PMID: 33446206 PMCID: PMC7807722 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00945-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has been documented in many herbivorous insects, conferring the ability to digest plant material and promoting their remarkable ecological diversification. Previous reports suggest HGT of antibacterial enzymes may have contributed to the insect immune response and limit bacterial growth. Carnivorous insects also display many evolutionary successful lineages, but in contrast to the plant feeders, the potential role of HGTs has been less well-studied. RESULTS Using genomic and transcriptomic data from 38 species of ladybird beetles, we identified a set of bacterial cell wall hydrolase (cwh) genes acquired by this group of beetles. Infection with Bacillus subtilis led to upregulated expression of these ladybird cwh genes, and their recombinantly produced proteins limited bacterial proliferation. Moreover, RNAi-mediated cwh knockdown led to downregulation of other antibacterial genes, indicating a role in antibacterial immune defense. cwh genes are rare in eukaryotes, but have been maintained in all tested Coccinellinae species, suggesting that this putative immune-related HGT event played a role in the evolution of this speciose subfamily of predominant predatory ladybirds. CONCLUSION Our work demonstrates that, in a manner analogous to HGT-facilitated plant feeding, enhanced immunity through HGT might have played a key role in the prey adaptation and niche expansion that promoted the diversification of carnivorous beetle lineages. We believe that this represents the first example of immune-related HGT in carnivorous insects with an association with a subsequent successful species radiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Sen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences / School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Xue-Fei Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences / School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Yu-Hao Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences / School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Ze-Yu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences / School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Mei-Lan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences / School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
- School of Environment and Life Science, Nanning Normal University, Nanning, 530001, China
| | - Xue-Yong Du
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences / School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Bo-Yuan Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences / School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Pei-Tao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences / School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences / School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Adam Ślipiński
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Hermes E Escalona
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Robert M Waterhouse
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Zwick
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Hong Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences / School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Shinozuka H, Shinozuka M, de Vries EM, Sawbridge TI, Spangenberg GC, Cocks BG. Fungus-originated genes in the genomes of cereal and pasture grasses acquired through ancient lateral transfer. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19883. [PMID: 33199756 PMCID: PMC7670438 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76478-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence for ancestral gene transfer between Epichloë fungal endophyte ancestors and their host grass species is described. From genomes of cool-season grasses (the Poeae tribe), two Epichloë-originated genes were identified through DNA sequence similarity analysis. The two genes showed 96% and 85% DNA sequence identities between the corresponding Epichloë genes. One of the genes was specific to the Loliinae sub-tribe. The other gene was more widely conserved in the Poeae and Triticeae tribes, including wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The genes were independently transferred during the last 39 million years. The transferred genes were expressed in plant tissues, presumably retaining molecular functions. Multiple gene transfer events between the specific plant and fungal lineages are unique. A range of cereal crops is included in the Poeae and Triticeae tribes, and the Loliinae sub-tribe is consisted of economically important pasture and forage crops. Identification and characterisation of the 'natural' adaptation transgenes in the genomes of cereals, and pasture and forage grasses, that worldwide underpin the production of major foods, such as bread, meat, and milk, may change the 'unnatural' perception status of transgenic and gene-edited plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Shinozuka
- Centre for AgriBioscience, Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
| | - Maiko Shinozuka
- Centre for AgriBioscience, Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Ellen M de Vries
- Centre for AgriBioscience, Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.,School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Timothy I Sawbridge
- Centre for AgriBioscience, Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.,School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - German C Spangenberg
- Centre for AgriBioscience, Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.,School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Benjamin G Cocks
- Centre for AgriBioscience, Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.,School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Lateral Gene Transfer Mechanisms and Pan-genomes in Eukaryotes. Trends Parasitol 2020; 36:927-941. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
|
21
|
Anthony ET, Ojemaye MO, Okoh OO, Okoh AI. A critical review on the occurrence of resistomes in the environment and their removal from wastewater using apposite treatment technologies: Limitations, successes and future improvement. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 263:113791. [PMID: 32224385 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Recent reports are pointing towards the potential increasing risks of resistomes in human host. With no permissible limit in sight, resistomes are continually multiplying at an alarming rate in the ecosystem, with a disturbing level in drinking water source. The morphology and chemical constituent of resistomes afford them to resist degradation, elude membrane and counter ionic charge, thereby, rendering both conventional and advanced water and wastewater treatment inefficient. Water and wastewater matrix may govern the propagation of individual resistomes sub-type, co-selection and specific interaction towards precise condition may have enhanced the current challenge. This review covers recent reports (2011-2019) on the occurrence of ARB/ARGs and ease of spread of resistance genes in the aquatic ecosystem. The contributions of water matrix to the spread and mitigation, treatment options, via bulk removal or capture, and intracellular and extracellular DNA lysis were discussed. A complete summary of recent occurrences of ARB/ARGs, fate after disinfection and optimum conditions of individual treatment technology or in tandem, including process limitations, with a brief assessment of removal or degradation mechanism were highlighted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Tobechukwu Anthony
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa; SAMRC, Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa; AEMREG, Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.
| | - Mike O Ojemaye
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa; SAMRC, Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa; AEMREG, Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
| | - Omobola O Okoh
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa; SAMRC, Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa; AEMREG, Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
| | - Anthony I Okoh
- SAMRC, Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa; AEMREG, Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Li X, Fang C, Zhao JP, Zhou XY, Ni Z, Niu DK. Desiccation does not drastically increase the accessibility of exogenous DNA to nuclear genomes: evidence from the frequency of endosymbiotic DNA transfer. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:452. [PMID: 32611311 PMCID: PMC7329468 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06865-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a widely accepted force in the evolution of prokaryotic genomes, its role in the evolution of eukaryotic genomes remains hotly debated. Some bdelloid rotifers that are resistant to extreme desiccation and radiation undergo a very high level of HGT, whereas in another desiccation-resistant invertebrate, the tardigrade, the pattern does not exist. Overall, the DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced by prolonged desiccation have been postulated to open a gateway to the nuclear genome for exogenous DNA integration and thus to facilitate the HGT process, thereby enhancing the rate of endosymbiotic DNA transfer (EDT). Results We first surveyed the abundance of nuclear mitochondrial DNAs (NUMTs) and nuclear plastid DNAs (NUPTs) in five eukaryotes that are highly resistant to desiccation: the bdelloid rotifers Adineta vaga and Adineta ricciae, the tardigrade Ramazzottius varieornatus, and the resurrection plants Dorcoceras hygrometricum and Selaginella tamariscina. Excessive NUMTs or NUPTs were not detected. Furthermore, we compared 24 groups of desiccation-tolerant organisms with their relatively less desiccation-tolerant relatives but did not find a significant difference in NUMT/NUPT contents. Conclusions Desiccation may induce DSBs, but it is unlikely to dramatically increase the frequency of exogenous sequence integration in most eukaryotes. The capture of exogenous DNA sequences is possible only when DSBs are repaired through a subtype of non-homologous end joining, named alternative end joining (alt-EJ). Due to the deleterious effects of the resulting insertion mutations, alt-EJ is less frequently initiated than other mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xixi Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering and Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Cheng Fang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering and Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Jun-Peng Zhao
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering and Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Zhou
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering and Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Zhihua Ni
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering and Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.,College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Deng-Ke Niu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering and Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Exploration of space to achieve scientific breakthroughs. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 43:107572. [PMID: 32540473 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Living organisms adapt to changing environments using their amazing flexibility to remodel themselves by a process called evolution. Environmental stress causes selective pressure and is associated with genetic and phenotypic shifts for better modifications, maintenance, and functioning of organismal systems. The natural evolution process can be used in complement to rational strain engineering for the development of desired traits or phenotypes as well as for the production of novel biomaterials through the imposition of one or more selective pressures. Space provides a unique environment of stressors (e.g., weightlessness and high radiation) that organisms have never experienced on Earth. Cells in the outer space reorganize and develop or activate a range of molecular responses that lead to changes in cellular properties. Exposure of cells to the outer space will lead to the development of novel variants more efficiently than on Earth. For instance, natural crop varieties can be generated with higher nutrition value, yield, and improved features, such as resistance against high and low temperatures, salt stress, and microbial and pest attacks. The review summarizes the literature on the parameters of outer space that affect the growth and behavior of cells and organisms as well as complex colloidal systems. We illustrate an understanding of gravity-related basic biological mechanisms and enlighten the possibility to explore the outer space environment for application-oriented aspects. This will stimulate biological research in the pursuit of innovative approaches for the future of agriculture and health on Earth.
Collapse
|
24
|
Shuffling type of biological evolution based on horizontal gene transfer and the biosphere gene pool hypothesis. Biosystems 2020; 193-194:104131. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2020.104131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
|
25
|
Yuan W, Tian T, Yang Q, Riaz L. Transfer potentials of antibiotic resistance genes in Escherichia spp. strains from different sources. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 246:125736. [PMID: 31896018 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli and antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) present a danger to public health. However, information on the dissemination potentials of antibiotic resistance among bacteria from different environments is lacking. We isolated multiple antibiotic-resistant Escherichia spp. from animal farms, hospitals, and municipal wastewater-treatment plants (MWWTPs) using culture-based methods, and carried out resistance phenotype and gene analyses. Thirty-five isolates of multiple antibiotic-resistant Escherichia spp. were further screened to detect 61 ARGs, 18 mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and gene cassettes. The isolates from livestock manure and MWWTPs showed greater diversity in plasmid profiling than hospital wastewater. Each Escherichia sp. carried 21-26 ARGs and 8-12 MGEs. In addition, 11 gene cassettes were detected in 34 Escherichia isolates, with greater diversity in livestock manure and MWWTPs than in hospital wastewater. The results indicated that the potential for ARG transfer was higher in livestock manure and MWWTPs compared with human clinical sources, possibly related to the high occurrence of both residual antibiotics and heavy metals in these environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yuan
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Agricultural Microbial Ecology and Technology (Henan Provincial Department of Science and Technology), Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China; School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China
| | - Tiantian Tian
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Qingxiang Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China; Henan International Joint Laboratory of Agricultural Microbial Ecology and Technology (Henan Provincial Department of Science and Technology), Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China.
| | - Luqman Riaz
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China; Henan International Joint Laboratory of Agricultural Microbial Ecology and Technology (Henan Provincial Department of Science and Technology), Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Serwer P, Wright ET. In-Gel Isolation and Characterization of Large (and Other) Phages. Viruses 2020; 12:v12040410. [PMID: 32272774 PMCID: PMC7232213 DOI: 10.3390/v12040410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We review some aspects of the rapid isolation of, screening for and characterization of jumbo phages, i.e., phages that have dsDNA genomes longer than 200 Kb. The first aspect is that, as plaque-supporting gels become more concentrated, jumbo phage plaques become smaller. Dilute agarose gels are better than conventional agar gels for supporting plaques of both jumbo phages and, prospectively, the even larger (>520 Kb genome), not-yet-isolated mega-phages. Second, dilute agarose gels stimulate propagation of at least some jumbo phages. Third, in-plaque techniques exist for screening for both phage aggregation and high-in-magnitude, negative average electrical surface charge density. The latter is possibly correlated with high phage persistence in blood. Fourth, electron microscopy of a thin section of a phage plaque reveals phage type, size and some phage life cycle information. Fifth, in-gel propagation is an effective preparative technique for at least some jumbo phages. Sixth, centrifugation through sucrose density gradients is a relatively non-destructive jumbo phage purification technique. These basics have ramifications in the development of procedures for (1) use of jumbo phages for phage therapy of infectious disease, (2) exploration of genomic diversity and evolution and (3) obtaining accurate metagenomic analyses.
Collapse
|
27
|
Di Dato V, Barbarinaldi R, Amato A, Di Costanzo F, Fontanarosa C, Perna A, Amoresano A, Esposito F, Cutignano A, Ianora A, Romano G. Variation in prostaglandin metabolism during growth of the diatom Thalassiosira rotula. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5374. [PMID: 32214130 PMCID: PMC7096440 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61967-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostaglandins (PGs) are hormone-like mediators in many physiological and pathological processes that are present in all vertebrates, in some terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, and have also been identified in some macroalgae. They have recently been reported also in marine microalgae but their role as chemical mediators is largely unknown. Here we studied the expression pattern of the PG biosynthetic pathway during different growth phases of the centric diatom Thalassiosira rotula and assessed the release of PGs in the surrounding environment for the first time. We show that enzymes responsible for PGs formation such as cyclooxygenase, prostaglandin E synthase 2-like and prostaglandin F synthase are mainly expressed at the end of the exponential phase and that PGs are released especially during the stationary and senescent phases, suggesting a possible signaling function for these compounds. Phylogenetic analysis of the limiting enzyme, COX, indicate the presence in diatoms of more than one enzyme related to the oxidative metabolism of fatty acids belonging to the peroxidase-cyclooxygenase superfamily. These findings suggest a more complex evolution and diversity of metabolic pathways leading to the synthesis of lipid mediators in diatoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Di Dato
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Napoli, Italy.
| | | | - Alberto Amato
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire Végétale, Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, INRA, IRIG-LPCV 38054, Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | | | - Carolina Fontanarosa
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Napoli, Monte Sant'Angelo, 80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Anna Perna
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Napoli, Italy
| | - Angela Amoresano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Napoli, Monte Sant'Angelo, 80126, Napoli, Italy
| | | | - Adele Cutignano
- Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare-CNR, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078, Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy
| | - Adrianna Ianora
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Napoli, Italy
| | - Giovanna Romano
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Napoli, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Abstract
Rapidly increasing scientific reports of exosomes and their biological effects have improved our understanding of their cellular sources and their cell-to-cell communication. These nano-sized vesicles act as potent carriers of regulatory bio-macromolecules and can induce regulatory functions by delivering them from its source to recipient cells. The details of their communication network are less understood. Recent studies have shown that apart from delivering its cargo to the cells, it can directly act on extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and growth factors and can induce various remodeling events. More importantly, exosomes carry many surface-bound proteases, which can cleave different ECM proteins and carbohydrates and can shed cell surface receptors. These local extracellular events can modulate signaling cascades, which consequently influences the whole tissue and organ. This review aims to highlight the critical roles of exosomal proteases and their mechanistic insights within the cellular and extracellular environment.
Collapse
|
29
|
Nalepa CA. Origin of Mutualism Between Termites and Flagellated Gut Protists: Transition From Horizontal to Vertical Transmission. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
|
30
|
Reydon TAC. Taxa hold little information about organisms: Some inferential problems in biological systematics. HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE LIFE SCIENCES 2019; 41:40. [PMID: 31591647 DOI: 10.1007/s40656-019-0281-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The taxa that appear in biological classifications are commonly seen as representing information about the traits of their member organisms. This paper examines in what way taxa feature in the storage and retrieval of such information. I will argue that taxa do not actually store much information about the traits of their member organisms. Rather, I want to suggest, taxa should be understood as functioning to localize organisms in the genealogical network of life on Earth. Taxa store information about where organisms are localized in the network, which is important background information when it comes to establishing knowledge about organismal traits, but it is not itself information about these traits. The view of species and higher taxa that is proposed here follows from examining three problems that occur in contemporary biological systematics and are discussed here: the problem of generalization over taxa, the problem of phylogenetic inference, and the problematic nature of the Tree of Life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A C Reydon
- Institute of Philosophy & Centre for Ethics and Law in the Life Sciences (CELLS), Leibniz University Hannover, Im Moore 21, 30167, Hannover, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Wu H, Singh S, Shi X, Xie Z, Lin E, Li X, Li H. Functional heritage: the evolution of chimeric RNA into a gene. RNA Biol 2019; 17:125-134. [PMID: 31566065 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2019.1670038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Once believed to be unique features of neoplasia, chimeric RNAs are now being discovered in normal physiology. We speculated that some chimeric RNAs may be functional precursors of genes, and that forming chimeric RNA at the transcriptional level may be a 'trial' mechanism before the functional element is fixed into the genome. Supporting this idea, we identified a chimeric RNA, HNRNPA1L2-SUGT1 (H-S), whose sequence is highly similar to that of a 'pseudogene' MRPS31P5. Sequence analysis revealed that MRPS31P5 transcript is more similar to H-S chimeric RNA than its 'parent' gene, MRPS31. Evolutionarily, H-S precedes MRPS31P5, as it can be detected bioinformatically and experimentally in marmosets, which do not yet possess MRPS31P5 in their genome. Conversely, H-S is minimally expressed in humans, while instead, MRPS31P5 is abundantly expressed. Silencing H-S in marmoset cells resulted in similar phenotype as silencing MRPS31P5 in human cells. In addition, whole transcriptome analysis and candidate downstream target validation revealed common signalling pathways shared by the two transcripts. Interestingly, H-S failed to rescue the phenotype caused by silencing MPRS31P5 in human and rhesus cells, whereas MRPS31P5 can at least partially rescue the phenotype caused by silencing H-S in marmoset cells, suggesting that MRPS31P5 may have further evolved into a distinct entity. Thus, multiple lines of evidence support that MRPS31P5 is not truly a pseudogene of MRPS31, but a likely functional descendent of H-S chimera. Instead being a gene fusion product, H-S is a product of cis-splicing between adjacent genes, while MRPS31P5 is likely produced by genome rearrangement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Sandeep Singh
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Xinrui Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Zhongqiu Xie
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Emily Lin
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Xiaorong Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Rosenberg E, Zilber‐Rosenberg I. The hologenome concept of evolution: do mothers matter most? BJOG 2019; 127:129-137. [DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.15882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E Rosenberg
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Tel Aviv University Ramat Aviv Israel
| | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Abstract
The distribution of all peptidase homologues across all phyla of organisms was analysed to determine within which kingdom each of the 271 families originated. No family was found to be ubiquitous and even peptidases thought to be essential for life, such as signal peptidase and methionyl aminopeptides are missing from some clades. There are 33 peptidase families common to archaea, bacteria and eukaryotes and are assumed to have originated in the last universal common ancestor (LUCA). These include peptidases with different catalytic types, exo- and endopeptidases, peptidases with different tertiary structures and peptidases from different families but with similar structures. This implies that the different catalytic types and structures pre-date LUCA. Other families have had their origins in the ancestors of viruses, archaea, bacteria, fungi, plants and animals, and a number of families have had their origins in the ancestors of particular phyla. The evolution of peptidases is compared to recent hypotheses about the evolution of organisms. Sequences of proteolytic enzymes can be clustered into 271 families. No family is present in all organisms. Only 33 families are predicted to originate in the last universal common ancestor. Different structures and activities predate the last universal common ancestor. Other families have originated in organism kingdoms, phyla or even families.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Neil D Rawlings
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SD, UK.
| | - Alex Bateman
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Miller IJ, Rees ER, Ross J, Miller I, Baxa J, Lopera J, Kerby RL, Rey FE, Kwan JC. Autometa: automated extraction of microbial genomes from individual shotgun metagenomes. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:e57. [PMID: 30838416 PMCID: PMC6547426 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Shotgun metagenomics is a powerful, high-resolution technique enabling the study of microbial communities in situ. However, species-level resolution is only achieved after a process of 'binning' where contigs predicted to originate from the same genome are clustered. Such culture-independent sequencing frequently unearths novel microbes, and so various methods have been devised for reference-free binning. As novel microbiomes of increasing complexity are explored, sometimes associated with non-model hosts, robust automated binning methods are required. Existing methods struggle with eukaryotic contamination and cannot handle highly complex single metagenomes. We therefore developed an automated binning pipeline, termed 'Autometa', to address these issues. This command-line application integrates sequence homology, nucleotide composition, coverage and the presence of single-copy marker genes to separate microbial genomes from non-model host genomes and other eukaryotic contaminants, before deconvoluting individual genomes from single metagenomes. The method is able to effectively separate over 1000 genomes from a metagenome, allowing the study of previously intractably complex environments at the level of single species. Autometa is freely available at https://bitbucket.org/jason_c_kwan/autometa and as a docker image at https://hub.docker.com/r/jasonkwan/autometa under the GNU Affero General Public License 3 (AGPL 3).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ian J Miller
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Evan R Rees
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Jennifer Ross
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Izaak Miller
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Jared Baxa
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Juan Lopera
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Robert L Kerby
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Federico E Rey
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Jason C Kwan
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Mignolet J, Fontaine L, Sass A, Nannan C, Mahillon J, Coenye T, Hols P. Circuitry Rewiring Directly Couples Competence to Predation in the Gut Dweller Streptococcus salivarius. Cell Rep 2019; 22:1627-1638. [PMID: 29444418 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.01.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Small distortions in transcriptional networks might lead to drastic phenotypical changes, especially in cellular developmental programs such as competence for natural transformation. Here, we report a pervasive circuitry rewiring for competence and predation interplay in commensal streptococci. Canonically, in streptococci paradigms such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus mutans, the pheromone-based two-component system BlpRH is a central node that orchestrates the production of antimicrobial compounds (bacteriocins) and incorporates signal from the competence activation cascade. However, the human commensal Streptococcus salivarius does not contain a functional BlpRH pair, while the competence signaling system ComRS directly couples bacteriocin production and competence commitment. This network shortcut might underlie an optimal adaptation against microbial competitors and explain the high prevalence of S. salivarius in the human digestive tract. Moreover, the broad spectrum of bacteriocin activity against pathogenic bacteria showcases the commensal and genetically tractable S. salivarius species as a user-friendly model for competence and bacterial predation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johann Mignolet
- Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Genetics of Microorganisms (BBGM), Institute of Life Sciences, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
| | - Laetitia Fontaine
- Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Genetics of Microorganisms (BBGM), Institute of Life Sciences, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Andrea Sass
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Catherine Nannan
- Laboratory of Food and Environmental Microbiology, Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Jacques Mahillon
- Laboratory of Food and Environmental Microbiology, Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Tom Coenye
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Pascal Hols
- Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Genetics of Microorganisms (BBGM), Institute of Life Sciences, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Yao J, Subramanian C, Rock CO, Jackowski S. Human pantothenate kinase 4 is a pseudo-pantothenate kinase. Protein Sci 2019; 28:1031-1047. [PMID: 30927326 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Pantothenate kinase generates 4'-phosphopantothenate in the first and rate-determining step of coenzyme A (CoA) biosynthesis. The human genome encodes three well-characterized and nearly identical pantothenate kinases (PANK1-3) plus a putative bifunctional protein (PANK4) with a predicted amino-terminal pantothenate kinase domain fused to a carboxy-terminal phosphatase domain. Structural and phylogenetic analyses show that all active, characterized PANKs contain the key catalytic residues Glu138 and Arg207 (HsPANK3 numbering). However, all amniote PANK4s, including human PANK4, encode Glu138Val and Arg207Trp substitutions which are predicted to inactivate kinase activity. Biochemical analysis corroborates bioinformatic predictions-human PANK4 lacks pantothenate kinase activity. Introducing Glu138Val and Arg207Trp substitutions to the human PANK3 and plant PANK4 abolished their robust pantothenate kinase activity. Introducing both catalytic residues back into human PANK4 restored kinase activity, but only to a low level. This result suggests that epistatic changes to the rest of the protein already reduced the kinase activity prior to mutation of the catalytic residues in the course of evolution. The PANK4 from frog, an anamniote living relative encoding the catalytically active residues, had only a low level of kinase activity, supporting the view that HsPANK4 had reduced kinase activity prior to the catalytic residue substitutions in amniotes. Together, our data show that human PANK4 is a pseudo-pantothenate kinase-a catalytically deficient variant of the catalytically active PANK4 found in plants and fungi. The Glu138Val and Arg207Trp substitutions in amniotes (HsPANK3 numbering) completely deactivated the pantothenate kinase activity that had already been reduced by prior epistatic mutations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiangwei Yao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105
| | - Chitra Subramanian
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105
| | - Charles O Rock
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105
| | - Suzanne Jackowski
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, 38105
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Wu J, Li H, Xie H, Wu X, Lan P. The malignant role of exosomes in the communication among colorectal cancer cell, macrophage and microbiome. Carcinogenesis 2019; 40:601-610. [PMID: 30864655 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgy138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 09/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jinjie Wu
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Haiyan Li
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hongyu Xie
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xianrui Wu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ping Lan
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Di Lelio I, Illiano A, Astarita F, Gianfranceschi L, Horner D, Varricchio P, Amoresano A, Pucci P, Pennacchio F, Caccia S. Evolution of an insect immune barrier through horizontal gene transfer mediated by a parasitic wasp. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007998. [PMID: 30835731 PMCID: PMC6420030 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome sequencing data have recently demonstrated that eukaryote evolution has been remarkably influenced by the acquisition of a large number of genes by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) across different kingdoms. However, in depth-studies on the physiological traits conferred by these accidental DNA acquisitions are largely lacking. Here we elucidate the functional role of Sl gasmin, a gene of a symbiotic virus of a parasitic wasp that has been transferred to an ancestor of the moth species Spodoptera littoralis and domesticated. This gene is highly expressed in circulating immune cells (haemocytes) of larval stages, where its transcription is rapidly boosted by injection of microorganisms into the body cavity. RNAi silencing of Sl gasmin generates a phenotype characterized by a precocious suppression of phagocytic activity by haemocytes, which is rescued when these immune cells are incubated in plasma samples of control larvae, containing high levels of the encoded protein. Proteomic analysis demonstrates that the protein Sl gasmin is released by haemocytes into the haemolymph, where it opsonizes the invading bacteria to promote their phagocytosis, both in vitro and in vivo. Our results show that important physiological traits do not necessarily originate from evolution of pre-existing genes, but can be acquired by HGT events, through unique pathways of symbiotic evolution. These findings indicate that insects can paradoxically acquire selective advantages with the help of their natural enemies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Di Lelio
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy
| | - Anna Illiano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Federica Astarita
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy
| | | | - David Horner
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Paola Varricchio
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy
| | - Angela Amoresano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Pietro Pucci
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Francesco Pennacchio
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy
| | - Silvia Caccia
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Ayala‐Ruano S, Santander‐Gordón D, Tejera E, Perez‐Castillo Y, Armijos-Jaramillo V. A putative antimicrobial peptide from Hymenoptera in the megaplasmid pSCL4 of Streptomyces clavuligerus ATCC 27064 reveals a singular case of horizontal gene transfer with potential applications. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:2602-2614. [PMID: 30891203 PMCID: PMC6406012 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Revised: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptomyces clavuligerus is a Gram-positive bacterium that is a high producer of secondary metabolites with industrial applications. The production of antibiotics such as clavulanic acid or cephamycin has been extensively studied in this species; nevertheless, other aspects, such as evolution or ecology, have received less attention. Furthermore, genes that arise from ancient events of lateral transfer have been demonstrated to be implicated in important functions of host species. This approximation discovered relevant genes that genomic analyses overlooked. Thus, we studied the impact of horizontal gene transfer in the S. clavuligerus genome. To perform this task, we applied whole-genome analysis to identify a laterally transferred sequence from different domains. The most relevant result was a putative antimicrobial peptide (AMP) with a clear origin in the Hymenoptera order of insects. Next, we determined that two copies of these genes were present in the megaplasmid pSCL4 but absent in the S. clavuligerus ATCC 27064 chromosome. Additionally, we found that these sequences were exclusive to the ATCC 27064 strain (and so were not present in any other bacteria) and we also verified the expression of the genes using RNAseq data. Next, we used several AMP predictors to validate the original annotation extracted from Hymenoptera sequences and explored the possibility that these proteins had post-translational modifications using peptidase cleavage prediction. We suggest that Hymenoptera AMP-like proteins of S. clavuligerus ATCC 27064 may be useful for both species adaptation and as an antimicrobial molecule with industrial applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Ayala‐Ruano
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales (COCIBA‐USFQ)QuitoEcuador
| | - Daniela Santander‐Gordón
- Carrera de Ingeniería en Biotecnología, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias AplicadasUniversidad de Las AméricasQuitoEcuador
| | - Eduardo Tejera
- Carrera de Ingeniería en Biotecnología, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias AplicadasUniversidad de Las AméricasQuitoEcuador
- Grupo de Bio‐QuimioinformáticaUniversidad de Las AméricasQuitoEcuador
| | - Yunierkis Perez‐Castillo
- Grupo de Bio‐QuimioinformáticaUniversidad de Las AméricasQuitoEcuador
- Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas‐Facultad de Formación GeneralUniversidad de Las AméricasQuitoEcuador
| | - Vinicio Armijos-Jaramillo
- Carrera de Ingeniería en Biotecnología, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias AplicadasUniversidad de Las AméricasQuitoEcuador
- Grupo de Bio‐QuimioinformáticaUniversidad de Las AméricasQuitoEcuador
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are ubiquitous in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and the dynamic character of their interaction with host genomes brings about numerous evolutionary innovations and shapes genome structure and function in a multitude of ways. In traditional classification systems, TEs are often being depicted in simplistic ways, based primarily on the key enzymes required for transposition, such as transposases/recombinases and reverse transcriptases. Recent progress in whole-genome sequencing and long-read assembly, combined with expansion of the familiar range of model organisms, resulted in identification of unprecedentedly long transposable units spanning dozens or even hundreds of kilobases, initially in prokaryotic and more recently in eukaryotic systems. Here, we focus on such oversized eukaryotic TEs, including retrotransposons and DNA transposons, outline their complex and often combinatorial nature and closely intertwined relationship with viruses, and discuss their potential for participating in transfer of long stretches of DNA in eukaryotes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irina R Arkhipova
- Josephine Bay Paul Center for Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
- Corresponding author: E-mail:
| | - Irina A Yushenova
- Josephine Bay Paul Center for Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Newton ILG, Slatko BE. Symbiosis Comes of age at the 10 th Biennial Meeting of Wolbachia Researchers. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.03071-18. [PMID: 30796064 PMCID: PMC6450017 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03071-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia pipientis is an alpha-proteobacterial, obligate intracellular microbe and arguably the most successful infection on our planet, colonizing 40-60% of insect species. Wolbachia are also present in most, but not all, filarial nematodes where they are obligate mutualists and are the targets for anti-filarial drug discovery. Although Wolbachia are related to important human pathogens they do not infect mammals, but instead are well known for their reproductive manipulations of insect populations, inducing the following phenotypes: male-killing, feminization, parthenogenesis induction, or cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). The most common of these, CI, results in a sperm-egg incompatibility and increases the relative fecundity of infected females in a population. In the last decade, Wolbachia have also been shown to provide a benefit to insects, where the infection can inhibit RNA virus replication within the host. Wolbachia cannot be cultivated outside of host cells and no genetic tools are available in the symbiont, limiting approaches available to its study. This means that many questions fundamental to our understanding of Wolbachia basic biology remained unknown for decades. The tenth biennial international Wolbachia conference, "Wolbachia Evolution, Ecology, Genomics and Cell Biology: A Chronicle of the Most Ubiquitous Symbiont", was held on June 17-22, 2018, Salem, MA USA. In the review below we highlight the new science presented at the meeting, link it to prior efforts to answer these questions across the Wolbachia genus, and the importance to the field of symbiosis. The topics covered in this review are based on the presentations at the conference.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Barton E. Slatko
- Molecular Parasitology Group, New England BioLabs, Ipswich, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Abstract
All natural animals and plants are holobionts, consisting of the host and microbiome, which is composed of abundant and diverse microorganisms. Health and disease of holobionts depend as much on interactions between host and microbiome and within the microbiome, as on interactions between organs and body parts of the host. Recent evidence indicates that a significant fraction of the microbiome is transferred by a variety of mechanisms from parent to offspring for many generations. Genetic variation in holobionts can occur in the microbiome as well as in the host genome, and it occurs more rapidly and by more mechanisms in genomes of microbiomes than in host genomes (e.g. via acquisition of novel microbes and horizontal gene transfer of microbial genes into host chromosomes). Evidence discussed in this review supports the concept that holobionts with their hologenomes can be considered levels of selection in evolution. Though changes in the microbiome can lead to evolution of the holobiont, it can also lead to dysbiosis and diseases (e.g. obesity, diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, and autism). In practice, the possibility of manipulating microbiomes offers the potential to prevent and cure diseases.
Collapse
|
43
|
Exaptation at the molecular genetic level. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2018; 62:437-452. [PMID: 30798493 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-018-9447-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The realization that body parts of animals and plants can be recruited or coopted for novel functions dates back to, or even predates the observations of Darwin. S.J. Gould and E.S. Vrba recognized a mode of evolution of characters that differs from adaptation. The umbrella term aptation was supplemented with the concept of exaptation. Unlike adaptations, which are restricted to features built by selection for their current role, exaptations are features that currently enhance fitness, even though their present role was not a result of natural selection. Exaptations can also arise from nonaptations; these are characters which had previously been evolving neutrally. All nonaptations are potential exaptations. The concept of exaptation was expanded to the molecular genetic level which aided greatly in understanding the enormous potential of neutrally evolving repetitive DNA-including transposed elements, formerly considered junk DNA-for the evolution of genes and genomes. The distinction between adaptations and exaptations is outlined in this review and examples are given. Also elaborated on is the fact that such distinctions are sometimes more difficult to determine; this is a widespread phenomenon in biology, where continua abound and clear borders between states and definitions are rare.
Collapse
|
44
|
Rosenberg E, Zilber-Rosenberg I. The hologenome concept of evolution after 10 years. MICROBIOME 2018; 6:78. [PMID: 29695294 PMCID: PMC5922317 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-018-0457-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 223] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The holobiont (host with its endocellular and extracellular microbiome) can function as a distinct biological entity, an additional organismal level to the ones previously considered, on which natural selection operates. The holobiont can function as a whole: anatomically, metabolically, immunologically, developmentally, and during evolution. Consideration of the holobiont with its hologenome as an independent level of selection in evolution has led to a better understanding of underappreciated modes of genetic variation and evolution. The hologenome is comprised of two complimentary parts: host and microbiome genomes. Changes in either genome can result in variations that can be selected for or against. The host genome is highly conserved, and genetic changes within it occur slowly, whereas the microbiome genome is dynamic and can change rapidly in response to the environment by increasing or reducing particular microbes, by acquisition of novel microbes, by horizontal gene transfer, and by mutation. Recent experiments showing that microbiota can play an initial role in speciation have been suggested as an additional mode of enhancing evolution. Some of the genetic variations can be transferred to offspring by a variety of mechanisms. Strain-specific DNA analysis has shown that at least some of the microbiota can be maintained across hundreds of thousands of host generations, implying the existence of a microbial core. We argue that rapid changes in the microbiome genome could allow holobionts to adapt and survive under changing environmental conditions thus providing the time necessary for the host genome to adapt and evolve. As Darwin wrote, "It is not the strongest of the species that survives but the most adaptable".
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eugene Rosenberg
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel
| | - Ilana Zilber-Rosenberg
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Muñoz M, Camargo M, Ramírez JD. Estimating the Intra-taxa Diversity, Population Genetic Structure, and Evolutionary Pathways of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. Front Genet 2018; 9:148. [PMID: 29740480 PMCID: PMC5928140 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the Cryptococcus complex, includes Cryptococcus neoformans (most common fungal infection of the brain) and Cryptococcus gattii (high-impact emerging pathogen worldwide). Currently, the fungal multilocus sequence typing database (Fungal MLST Database) constitutes a valuable data repository of the genes used for molecular typing of these pathogens. We analyzed the data available in the Fungal MLST Database for seven housekeeping genes, with the aim to evaluate its contribution in the description of intra-taxa diversity, population genetic structure, and evolutionary patterns. Although the Fungal MLST Database has a greater number of reports for C. neoformans (n = 487) than for C. gattii (n = 344), similar results were obtained for both species in terms of allelic diversity. Phylogenetic reconstructions revealed grouping by molecular type in both species and allowed us to propose differences in evolutionary patterns (gradualism in the case of C. neoformans and punctuated evolution in the case of C. gattii). In addition, C. neoformans showed a population genetic structure consisting of 37 clonal complexes (CCs; CC1 being predominant), high crosslinking [without sequence type (ST) grouping by molecular type], marked divergence events in phylogenetic analysis, and few introgression events (mainly between VNI and VNIV). By contrast, C. gattii showed 50 CCs (with greater homogeneity in ST number by CC) and clustering by molecular type with marked crosslinking events in phylogenetic networks being less evident. Understanding relationships at the molecular level for species of the Cryptococcus complex, based on the sequences of the housekeeping genes, provides information for describing the evolutionary history of these emerging pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marina Muñoz
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Programa de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
- Centro de Tecnología en Salud (CETESA), Upqua SAS, Bogotá, Colombia
- Posgrado Interfacultades Doctorado en Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Milena Camargo
- Centro de Tecnología en Salud (CETESA), Upqua SAS, Bogotá, Colombia
- Departamento de Biología Molecular e Inmunología, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
- Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas y Biológicas, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan D. Ramírez
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Programa de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Beyond Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation: Horizontal Gene Transfer from Bacteria to Eukaryotes. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2018; 418:443-462. [DOI: 10.1007/82_2018_82] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|
47
|
Barteneva NS, Baiken Y, Fasler-Kan E, Alibek K, Wang S, Maltsev N, Ponomarev ED, Sautbayeva Z, Kauanova S, Moore A, Beglinger C, Vorobjev IA. Extracellular vesicles in gastrointestinal cancer in conjunction with microbiota: On the border of Kingdoms. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2017; 1868:372-393. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2017.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
|
48
|
Lerner A, Matthias T, Aminov R. Potential Effects of Horizontal Gene Exchange in the Human Gut. Front Immunol 2017; 8:1630. [PMID: 29230215 PMCID: PMC5711824 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Many essential functions of the human body are dependent on the symbiotic microbiota, which is present at especially high numbers and diversity in the gut. This intricate host-microbe relationship is a result of the long-term coevolution between the two. While the inheritance of mutational changes in the host evolution is almost exclusively vertical, the main mechanism of bacterial evolution is horizontal gene exchange. The gut conditions, with stable temperature, continuous food supply, constant physicochemical conditions, extremely high concentration of microbial cells and phages, and plenty of opportunities for conjugation on the surfaces of food particles and host tissues, represent one of the most favorable ecological niches for horizontal gene exchange. Thus, the gut microbial system genetically is very dynamic and capable of rapid response, at the genetic level, to selection, for example, by antibiotics. There are many other factors to which the microbiota may dynamically respond including lifestyle, therapy, diet, refined food, food additives, consumption of pre- and probiotics, and many others. The impact of the changing selective pressures on gut microbiota, however, is poorly understood. Presumably, the gut microbiome responds to these changes by genetic restructuring of gut populations, driven mainly via horizontal gene exchange. Thus, our main goal is to reveal the role played by horizontal gene exchange in the changing landscape of the gastrointestinal microbiome and potential effect of these changes on human health in general and autoimmune diseases in particular.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Lerner
- B. Rappaport School of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.,AESKU.KIPP Institute, Wendelsheim, Germany
| | | | - Rustam Aminov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia.,School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|