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Duron O. Nutritional symbiosis in ticks: singularities of the genus Ixodes. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:696-706. [PMID: 38942646 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Symbiosis with intracellular bacteria is essential for the nutrition of ticks, particularly through the biosynthesis of B vitamins. Yet, ticks of the genus Ixodes, which include major vectors of human pathogens, lack the nutritional symbionts usually found in other tick genera. This paradox raises questions about the mechanisms that Ixodes ticks use to prevent nutritional deficiencies. Nonetheless, Ixodes ticks commonly harbor other symbionts belonging to the order Rickettsiales. Although these obligate intracellular bacteria are primarily known as human pathogens, Rickettsiales symbionts often dominate the Ixodes microbial community without causing diseases. They also significantly influence Ixodes physiology, synthesize key B vitamins, and are crucial for immatures. These findings underscore unique associations between Rickettsiales and Ixodes ticks distinct from other tick genera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Duron
- MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier (UM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD), Montpellier, France.
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2
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Floriano AM, Batisti Biffignandi G, Castelli M, Olivieri E, Clementi E, Comandatore F, Rinaldi L, Opara M, Plantard O, Palomar AM, Noël V, Vijay A, Lo N, Makepeace BL, Duron O, Jex A, Guy L, Sassera D. The evolution of intramitochondriality in Midichloria bacteria. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:2102-2117. [PMID: 37305924 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Midichloria spp. are intracellular bacterial symbionts of ticks. Representatives of this genus colonise mitochondria in the cells of their hosts. To shed light on this unique interaction we evaluated the presence of an intramitochondrial localization for three Midichloria in the respective tick host species and generated eight high-quality draft genomes and one closed genome, showing that this trait is non-monophyletic, either due to losses or multiple acquisitions. Comparative genomics supports the first hypothesis, as the genomes of non-mitochondrial symbionts are reduced subsets of those capable of colonising the organelles. We detect genomic signatures of mitochondrial tropism, including the differential presence of type IV secretion system and flagellum, which could allow the secretion of unique effectors and/or direct interaction with mitochondria. Other genes, including adhesion molecules, proteins involved in actin polymerisation, cell wall and outer membrane proteins, are only present in mitochondrial symbionts. The bacteria could use these to manipulate host structures, including mitochondrial membranes, to fuse with the organelles or manipulate the mitochondrial network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Maria Floriano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology 'L. Spallanzani', University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, VetAgro Sup, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Gherard Batisti Biffignandi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology 'L. Spallanzani', University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Michele Castelli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology 'L. Spallanzani', University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Emanuela Olivieri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology 'L. Spallanzani', University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Pavia Department, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna, Pavia, Italy
| | - Emanuela Clementi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology 'L. Spallanzani', University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Francesco Comandatore
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Pediatric Clinical Research Center 'Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi', University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Rinaldi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR Regione Campania, Naples, Italy
| | - Maxwell Opara
- Zoonotic Parasites Research Group, Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria
| | | | - Ana M Palomar
- Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases (CRETAV), San Pedro University Hospital, Center of Biomedical Research from La Rioja (CIBIR), Logroño, Spain
| | - Valérie Noël
- MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle), University of Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France
| | - Amrita Vijay
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nathan Lo
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Benjamin L Makepeace
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Olivier Duron
- MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle), University of Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France
| | - Aaron Jex
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lionel Guy
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratories, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Davide Sassera
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology 'L. Spallanzani', University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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Guizzo MG, Hatalová T, Frantová H, Zurek L, Kopáček P, Perner J. Ixodes ricinus ticks have a functional association with Midichloria mitochondrii. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 12:1081666. [PMID: 36699720 PMCID: PMC9868949 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1081666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In addition to being vectors of pathogenic bacteria, ticks also harbor intracellular bacteria that associate with ticks over generations, aka symbionts. The biological significance of such bacterial symbiosis has been described in several tick species but its function in Ixodes ricinus is not understood. We have previously shown that I. ricinus ticks are primarily inhabited by a single species of symbiont, Midichloria mitochondrii, an intracellular bacterium that resides and reproduces mainly in the mitochondria of ovaries of fully engorged I. ricinus females. To study the functional integration of M. mitochondrii into the biology of I. ricinus, an M. mitochondrii-depleted model of I. ricinus ticks was sought. Various techniques have been described in the literature to achieve dysbiosed or apo-symbiotic ticks with various degrees of success. To address the lack of a standardized experimental procedure for the production of apo-symbiotic ticks, we present here an approach utilizing the ex vivo membrane blood feeding system. In order to deplete M. mitochondrii from ovaries, we supplemented dietary blood with tetracycline. We noted, however, that the use of tetracycline caused immediate toxicity in ticks, caused by impairment of mitochondrial proteosynthesis. To overcome the tetracycline-mediated off-target effect, we established a protocol that leads to the production of an apo-symbiotic strain of I. ricinus, which can be sustained in subsequent generations. In two generations following tetracycline administration and tetracycline-mediated symbiont reduction, M. mitochondrii was gradually eliminated from the lineage. Larvae hatched from eggs laid by such M. mitochondrii-free females repeatedly performed poorly during blood-feeding, while the nymphs and adults performed similarly to controls. These data indicate that M. mitochondrii represents an integral component of tick ovarian tissue, and when absent, results in the formation of substandard larvae with reduced capacity to blood-feed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Garcia Guizzo
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Tereza Hatalová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Helena Frantová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Ludek Zurek
- CEITEC, University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno, Czechia,Department of Microbiology, Nutrition and Dietetics/CINeZ, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czechia,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Petr Kopáček
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Jan Perner
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia,*Correspondence: Jan Perner,
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Guizzo MG, Budachetri K, Adegoke A, Ribeiro JMC, Karim S. Rickettsia parkeri infection modulates the sialome and ovariome of the Gulf coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1023980. [PMID: 36439862 PMCID: PMC9684213 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1023980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum, is a vector of several tick-borne pathogens, including Rickettsia parkeri. The ability of R. parkeri to persist within the tick population through transovarial and transstadial transmission, without apparently harming the ticks, contributes to the pathogen's perpetuation in the tick population. Previous studies have shown that the R. parkeri load in A. maculatum is regulated by the tick tissues' oxidant/antioxidant balance and the non-pathogenic tick microbiome. To obtain further insights into the interaction between tick and pathogen, we performed a bulk RNA-Seq for differential transcriptomic analysis of ovaries and salivary glands from R. parkeri-infected and uninfected ticks over the feeding course on a host. The most differentially expressed functional category was of bacterial origin, exhibiting a massive overexpression of bacterial transcripts in response to the R. parkeri infection. Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii and bacteria from the genus Rickettsia were mainly responsible for the overexpression of bacterial transcripts. Host genes were also modulated in R. parkeri-infected tick organs. A similar number of host transcripts from all analyzed functional categories was negatively and positively modulated, revealing a global alteration of the A. maculatum transcriptome in response to pathogen infection. R. parkeri infection led to an increase in salivary transcripts involved in blood feeding success as well as a decrease in ovarian immune transcripts. We hypothesize that these transcriptional alterations facilitate pathogen persistence and transmission within tick population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Garcia Guizzo
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Khemraj Budachetri
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Abdulsalam Adegoke
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Jose M. C. Ribeiro
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Shahid Karim
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
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Sgroi G, Iatta R, Lovreglio P, Stufano A, Laidoudi Y, Mendoza-Roldan JA, Bezerra-Santos MA, Veneziano V, Di Gennaro F, Saracino A, Chironna M, Bandi C, Otranto D. Detection of Endosymbiont Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii and Tickborne Pathogens in Humans Exposed to Tick Bites, Italy. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:1824-1832. [PMID: 35997363 PMCID: PMC9423927 DOI: 10.3201/eid2809.220329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
During 2021, we collected blood and serum samples from 135 persons exposed to tick bites in southern Italy. We serologically and molecularly screened for zoonotic tickborne pathogens and only molecularly screened for Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii. Overall, 62 (45.9%) persons tested positive for tickborne pathogens. Coxiella burnetii was detected most frequently (27.4%), along with Rickettsia spp. (21.5%) and Borrelia spp. (10.4%). We detected Candidatus M. mitochondrii DNA in 46 (34.1%) participants who had statistically significant associations to tickborne pathogens (p<0.0001). Phylogenetic analysis of Candidatus M. mitochondrii sequences revealed 5 clades and 8 human sequence types that correlated with vertebrates, Ixodes spp. ticks, and countries in Europe. These data demonstrated a high circulation of tickborne pathogens and Candidatus M. mitochondrii DNA in persons participating in outdoor activities in southern Italy. Our study shows how coordinated surveillance among patients, clinicians, and veterinarians could inform a One Health approach for monitoring and controlling the circulation of tickborne pathogens.
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Buysse M, Binetruy F, Leibson R, Gottlieb Y, Duron O. Ecological Contacts and Host Specificity Promote Replacement of Nutritional Endosymbionts in Ticks. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022; 83:776-788. [PMID: 34235554 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01773-0] [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: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Symbiosis with vitamin-provisioning microbes is essential for the nutrition of animals with some specialized feeding habits. While coevolution favors the interdependence between symbiotic partners, their associations are not necessarily stable: Recently acquired symbionts can replace ancestral symbionts. In this study, we demonstrate successful replacement by Francisella-like endosymbionts (-LE), a group of B-vitamin-provisioning endosymbionts, across tick communities driven by horizontal transfers. Using a broad collection of Francisella-LE-infected tick species, we determined the diversity of Francisella-LE haplotypes through a multi-locus strain typing approach and further characterized their phylogenetic relationships and their association with biological traits of their tick hosts. The patterns observed showed that Francisella-LE commonly transfer through similar ecological networks and geographic distributions shared among different tick species and, in certain cases, through preferential shuffling across congeneric tick species. Altogether, these findings reveal the importance of geographic, ecological, and phylogenetic proximity in shaping the replacement pattern in which new nutritional symbioses are initiated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Buysse
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs : Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD), Université de Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France.
- CREES (Centre de Recherche en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé), Montpellier, France.
| | - Florian Binetruy
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs : Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD), Université de Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France
| | - Raz Leibson
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yuval Gottlieb
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Olivier Duron
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs : Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD), Université de Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France.
- CREES (Centre de Recherche en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé), Montpellier, France.
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Dall'Agnol B, McCulloch JA, Mayer FQ, Souza U, Webster A, Antunes P, Doyle RL, Reck J, Ferreira CAS. Molecular characterization of bacterial communities of two neotropical tick species (Amblyomma aureolatum and Ornithodoros brasiliensis) using rDNA 16S sequencing. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101746. [PMID: 34091278 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101746] [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: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are one of the main vectors of pathogens for humans and animals worldwide. However, they harbor non-pathogenic microorganisms that are important for their survival, facilitating both their nutrition and immunity. We investigated the bacterial communities associated with two neotropical tick species of human and veterinary potential health importance from Brazil: Amblyomma aureolatum and Ornithodoros brasiliensis. In A. aureolatum (adult ticks collected from wild canids from Southern Brazil), the predominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria (98.68%), Tenericutes (0.70%), Bacteroidetes (0.14%), Actinobacteria (0.13%), and Acidobacteria (0.05%). The predominant genera were Francisella (97.01%), Spiroplasma (0.70%), Wolbachia (0.51%), Candidatus Midichloria (0.25%), and Alkanindiges (0.13%). The predominant phyla in O. brasiliensis (adults, fed and unfed nymphs collected at the environment from Southern Brazil) were Proteobacteria (90.27%), Actinobacteria (7.38%), Firmicutes (0.77%), Bacteroidetes (0.44%), and Planctomycetes (0.22%). The predominant bacterial genera were Coxiella (87.71%), Nocardioides (1.73%), Saccharopolyspora (0.54%), Marmoricola (0.42%), and Staphylococcus (0.40%). Considering the genera with potential importance for human and animal health which can be transmitted by ticks, Coxiella sp. was found in all stages of O. brasiliensis, Francisella sp. in all stages of A. aureolatum and in unfed nymphs of O. brasiliensis, and Rickettsia sp. in females of A. aureolatum from Banhado dos Pachecos (BP) in Viamão municipality, Brazil, and in females and unfed nymphs of O. brasiliensis. These results deepen our understanding of the tick-microbiota relationship in Ixodidae and Argasidae, driving new studies with the focus on the manipulation of tick microbiota to prevent outbreaks of tick-borne diseases in South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Dall'Agnol
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil; Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | | | - Fabiana Quoos Mayer
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Ugo Souza
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Anelise Webster
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Paola Antunes
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Rovaina Laureano Doyle
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - José Reck
- Centro de Pesquisa em Saúde Animal, Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil.
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Olivieri E, Kariuki E, Floriano AM, Castelli M, Tafesse YM, Magoga G, Kumsa B, Montagna M, Sassera D. Multi-country investigation of the diversity and associated microorganisms isolated from tick species from domestic animals, wildlife and vegetation in selected african countries. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 83:427-448. [PMID: 33646482 PMCID: PMC7940270 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00598-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In many areas of Africa, recent studies highlighted the great impact of ticks on animal and human health throughout the continent. On the other hand, very limited information on the bacterial endosymbionts of the African ticks and their pattern of co-infections with other bacteria are found in literature, notwithstanding their pivotal role in tick survival and vector efficiency. Thus, we investigated the distribution of selected pathogenic and symbiotic bacteria in hard ticks collected from wild, domestic animals and from vegetation in various ecological zones in Africa and their co-occurrence in the same tick host. Overall, 339 hard ticks were morphologically identified as belonging to the genera Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Hyalomma, Haemaphysalis, Ixodes and Rhipicephalus. Molecular screening provided information on pathogens circulation in Africa, detecting spotted fever group rickettsiae, Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia ruminantium, Borrelia garinii, Babesia spp., Theileria spp. and Coxiella burnetii. Furthermore, our work provides insights on the African scenario of tick-symbiont associations, revealing the presence of Coxiella, Francisella and Midichloria across multiple tick populations. Coxiella endosymbionts were the most prevalent microorganisms, and that with the broadest spectrum of hosts, being detected in 16 tick species. Francisella was highly prevalent among the Hyalomma species tested and correlated negatively with the presence of Coxiella, showing a potential competitive interaction. Interestingly, we detected a positive association of Francisella with Rickettsia in specimens of Hy. rufipes, suggesting a synergistic interaction between them. Finally, Midichloria was the most prevalent symbiont in Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato from Egypt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Olivieri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Edward Kariuki
- Department of Veterinary Service, Wildlife Service, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Anna Maria Floriano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Michele Castelli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Yohannes Mulatu Tafesse
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giulia Magoga
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Agroambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 2, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Bersissa Kumsa
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Addis Ababa University, P.O Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia
| | - Matteo Montagna
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Agroambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 2, 20133, Milan, Italy
- BAT Center - Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology, University of Napoli 'Federico II', 80138, Portici, Italy
| | - Davide Sassera
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
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Bonnet SI, Pollet T. Update on the intricate tango between tick microbiomes and tick-borne pathogens. Parasite Immunol 2020; 43:e12813. [PMID: 33314216 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The recent development of high-throughput NGS technologies, (ie, next-generation sequencing) has highlighted the complexity of tick microbial communities-which include pathogens, symbionts, and commensals-and also their dynamic variability. Symbionts and commensals can confer crucial and diverse benefits to their hosts, playing nutritional roles or affecting fitness, development, nutrition, reproduction, defence against environmental stress and immunity. Nonpathogenic tick bacteria may also play a role in modifying tick-borne pathogen colonization and transmission, as relationships between microorganisms existing together in one environment can be competitive, exclusive, facilitating or absent, with many potential implications for both human and animal health. Consequently, ticks represent a compelling yet challenging system in which to investigate the composition and both the functional and ecological implications of tick bacterial communities, and thus merits greater attention. Ultimately, deciphering the relationships between microorganisms carried by ticks as well as symbiont-tick interactions will garner invaluable information, which may aid in some future arthropod-pest and vector-borne pathogen transmission control strategies. This review outlines recent research on tick microbiome composition and dynamics, highlights elements favouring the reciprocal influence of the tick microbiome and tick-borne agents and finally discusses how ticks and tick-borne diseases might potentially be controlled through tick microbiome manipulation in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Irène Bonnet
- UMR BIPAR 0956, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
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Arrais RC, Paula RC, Martins TF, Nieri-Bastos FA, Marcili A, Labruna MB. Survey of ticks and tick-borne agents in maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) from a natural landscape in Brazil. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 12:101639. [PMID: 33360385 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This study evaluated ticks and tick-borne agents in 104 captures of the maned wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus (50 different individuals and 54 recaptures) in the Serra da Canastra National Park (SCNP), a Cerrado preserved area in southeastern Brazil, from 2005 to 2012. From the 104 capture events, a total of 1,206 ticks were collected on 94 occasions (90.4 %), and identified into five species: Amblyomma tigrinum (77.3 % of all collected ticks), Amblyomma sculptum (16.6 %), Amblyomma ovale (0.1 %), Amblyomma brasiliense (0.1 %), Rhipicephalus microplus (0.1 %), and Amblyomma spp. larvae (5.8 %). Molecular analyses of A. tigrinum adult ticks revealed the presence of 'Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae', Rickettsia parkeri sensu stricto, two different haplotypes of 'Ca. Midichloria sp.', and a Hepatozoon canis haplotype. Molecular analyses of maned wolf blood samples revealed two distinct haplotypes of Hepatozoon spp., one identical to the H. canis genotype that was detected in the A. tigrinum ticks, and a Hepatozoon americanum-like haplotype. None tick or blood samples yielded amplicons through PCR assays targeting the genera Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Babesia, Rangelia, Cytauxzoon, and Theileria. Maned wolf serum samples were tested by immunofluorescence assay against antigens of five Rickettsia species (R. parkeri, R. rickettsii, R. amblyommatis, R. rhipicephali, and R. bellii) and Ehrlichia canis. Among 78 serum samples (45 captures plus 33 recaptures), 74 (95 %) were reactive to at least one Rickettsia species, with R. parkeri eliciting the highest endpoint titers. Some maned wolves that were recaptured during the study were shown to seroconvert to R. parkeri. Serum-reactiveness to E. canis was detected in 36 % (16/45) maned wolves. During the study, general clinical signs of tick-borne diseases were not found in any of the captured animals, indicating that they were under a good health status in the SCNP, despite of been exposed to ticks (mostly A. tigrinum) and some tick-borne agents (Rickettsia, Hepatozoon, Ehrlichia). The results of the present study might represent baseline data for the conservation of the maned wolf in its natural habitat, which should be used to interpret further studies about ticks and tick-borne diseases in maned wolves within human-modified landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo C Arrais
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Rogério C Paula
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Atibaia, SP, Brazil
| | - Thiago F Martins
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Departamento de Laboratórios Especializados, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fernanda A Nieri-Bastos
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Arlei Marcili
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina e Bem-Estar Animal e Saúde Única, Universidade Santo Amaro, R. Prof. Enéas de Siqueira Neto, 340 - Jardim das Imbuias, São Paulo, SP, 04829-300, Brazil
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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11
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Díaz-Sánchez S, Fernández AM, Habela MA, Calero-Bernal R, de Mera IGF, de la Fuente J. Microbial community of Hyalomma lusitanicum is dominated by Francisella-like endosymbiont. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 12:101624. [PMID: 33418339 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Exploring tick associations with complex microbial communities and single-microbial partners, especially intracellular symbionts, has become crucial to understand tick biology. Of particular interest are the underlying interactions with biological consequences i.e. tick fitness, vector competence. In this study, we first sequenced the 16S rRNA bacterial phylogenetic marker in adult male ticks of Hyalomma lusitanicum collected from 5 locations in the province of Cáceres to explore the composition of its microbial community. Overall, 16S rRNA sequencing results demonstrated that the microbial community of H. lusitanicum is mostly dominated by Francisella-like endosymbionts (FLEs) (ranging from 52% to 99% of relative abundance) suggesting it is a key taxon within the microbial community and likely a primary endosymbiont. However, further research is required to explore the mechanisms underlying the interaction between FLEs and H. lusitanicum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Díaz-Sánchez
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Alberto Moraga Fernández
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Miguel A Habela
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Avenida Complutense s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Calero-Bernal
- Animal Health Department, University of Extremadura, Avda. Universidad s/n, 10071, Cáceres, Spain; SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Avenida Complutense s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel G Fernández de Mera
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
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12
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Al-Khafaji AM, Armstrong SD, Varotto Boccazzi I, Gaiarsa S, Sinha A, Li Z, Sassera D, Carlow CKS, Epis S, Makepeace BL. Rickettsia buchneri, symbiont of the deer tick Ixodes scapularis, can colonise the salivary glands of its host. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 11:101299. [PMID: 31542229 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.101299] [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: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Vertically-transmitted bacterial symbionts are widespread in ticks and have manifold impacts on the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases. For instance, they may provide essential nutrients to ticks, affect vector competence, induce immune responses in vertebrate hosts, or even evolve to become vertebrate pathogens. The deer or blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis harbours the symbiont Rickettsia buchneri in its ovarian tissues. Here we show by molecular, proteomic and imaging methods that R. buchneri is also capable of colonising the salivary glands of wild I. scapularis. This finding has important implications for the diagnosis of rickettsial infections and for pathogen-symbiont interactions in this notorious vector of Lyme borreliosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa M Al-Khafaji
- Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK; College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Qadisiyyah Province, Iraq
| | - Stuart D Armstrong
- Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Ilaria Varotto Boccazzi
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Gaiarsa
- Microbiology and Virology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Zhiru Li
- New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA, USA
| | - Davide Sassera
- Department of Biology & Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Sara Epis
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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13
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Olivieri E, Epis S, Castelli M, Varotto Boccazzi I, Romeo C, Desirò A, Bazzocchi C, Bandi C, Sassera D. Tissue tropism and metabolic pathways of Midichloria mitochondrii suggest tissue-specific functions in the symbiosis with Ixodes ricinus. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 10:1070-1077. [PMID: 31176662 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
A wide range of arthropod species harbour bacterial endosymbionts in various tissues, many of them playing important roles in the fitness and biology of their hosts. In several cases, many different symbionts have been reported to coexist simultaneously within the same host and synergistic or antagonistic interactions can occur between them. While the associations with endosymbiotic bacteria have been widely studied in many insect species, in ticks such interactions are less investigated. The females and immatures of Ixodes ricinus (Ixodidae), the most common hard tick in Europe, harbour the intracellular endosymbiont "Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii" with a prevalence up to 100%, suggesting a mutualistic relationship. Considering that the tissue distribution of a symbiont might be indicative of its functional role in the physiology of the host, we investigated M. mitochondrii specific localization pattern and the corresponding abundance in selected organs of I. ricinus females. We paired these experiments with in silico analysis of the metabolic pathways of M. mitochondrii, inferred from the available genome sequence, and additionally compared the presence of these pathways in seven other symbionts commonly harboured by ticks to try to obtain a comparative understanding of their biological effects on the tick hosts. M. mitochondrii was found to be abundant in ovaries and tracheae of unfed I. ricinus, and in ovaries, Malpighian tubules and salivary glands of semi-engorged females. These results, together with the in silico metabolic reconstruction allow to hypothesize that the bacterium could play multiple tissue-specific roles in the host, both enhancing the host fitness (supplying essential nutrients, enhancing the reproductive fitness, helping in the anti-oxidative defence, in the energy production and in the maintenance of homeostasis and water balance) and/or for ensuring its presence in the host population (nutrients acquisition, vertical and horizontal transmission). The ability of M. mitochondrii to colonize different tissues allows to speculate that distinctive sub-populations may display different specializations in accordance with tissue tropism. Our hypotheses should be corroborated with future nutritional and physiological experiments for a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying this symbiotic interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Olivieri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Sara Epis
- Department of Biosciences University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Castelli
- Department of Biosciences University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria Varotto Boccazzi
- Department of Biosciences University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Romeo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 10, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandro Desirò
- Department of Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Chiara Bazzocchi
- Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy; Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 10, 20133, Milano, Italy; Coordinated Research Center "EpiSoMI", University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudio Bandi
- Department of Biosciences University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Sassera
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
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