1
|
Zheng B, Wang G, Qu Z, Hu J, Bao Z, Wang M. Glycosaminoglycan lyase: A new competition between bacteria and the pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 156:105177. [PMID: 38593892 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2024.105177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is an important evolutionary force in the formation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. In recent years, many HGT genes horizontally transferred from prokaryotes to eukaryotes have been reported, and most of them are present in arthropods. The Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, an important economic species of arthropod, has close relationships with bacteria, providing a platform for horizontal gene transfer (HGT). In this study, we analyzed bacteria-derived HGT based on a high-quality genome of L. vannamei via a homology search and phylogenetic analysis, and six HGT genes were identified. Among these six horizontally transferred genes, we found one gene (LOC113799989) that contains a bacterial chondroitinase AC structural domain and encodes an unknown glycosaminoglycan (GAG) lyase in L. vannamei. The real-time quantitative PCR results showed that the mRNA expression level of LOC113799989 was highest in the hepatopancreas and heart, and after stimulation by Vibrio parahaemolyticus, its mRNA expression level was rapidly up-regulated within 12 h. Furthermore, after injecting si-RNA and stimulation by V. parahaemolyticus, we found that the experimental group had a higher cumulative mortality rate in 48 h than the control group, indicating that the bacteria-derived GAG lyase can reduce the mortality of shrimp with respect to infection by V. parahaemolyticus and might be related to the resistance of shrimp to bacterial diseases. Our findings contribute to the study of the function of GAGs and provide new insights into GAG-related microbial pathogenesis and host defense mechanisms in arthropods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zheng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Gengzhuo Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Zhe Qu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya, 572024, China.
| | - Jingjie Hu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya, 572024, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China
| | - Zhenmin Bao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya, 572024, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China
| | - Mengqiang Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya, 572024, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Walt HK, Ahn SJ, Hoffmann FG. Horizontally transferred glycoside hydrolase 26 may aid hemipteran insects in plant tissue digestion. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2024; 198:108134. [PMID: 38901473 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108134] [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: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Glycoside hydrolases are enzymes that break down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars by catalyzing the hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds. There have been multiple instances of adaptive horizontal gene transfer of genes belonging to various glycoside hydrolase families from microbes to insects, as glycoside hydrolases can metabolize constituents of the carbohydrate-rich plant cell wall. In this study, we characterize the horizontal transfer of a gene from the glycoside hydrolase family 26 (GH26) from bacteria to insects of the order Hemiptera. Our phylogenies trace the horizontal gene transfer to the common ancestor of the superfamilies Pentatomoidea and Lygaeoidea, which include stink bugs and seed bugs. After horizontal transfer, the gene was assimilated into the insect genome as indicated by the gain of an intron, and a eukaryotic signal peptide. Subsequently, the gene has undergone independent losses and expansions in copy number in multiple lineages, suggesting an adaptive role of GH26s in some insects. Finally, we measured tissue-level gene expression of multiple stink bugs and the large milkweed bug using publicly available RNA-seq datasets. We found that the GH26 genes are highly expressed in tissues associated with plant digestion, especially in the principal salivary glands of the stink bugs. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that this horizontally transferred GH26 was co-opted by the insect to aid in plant tissue digestion and that this HGT event was likely adaptive.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hunter K Walt
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Seung-Joon Ahn
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Federico G Hoffmann
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA; Institute for Genomics, Biotechnology and Biocomputing, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li Y, Sun J, Wang Q, Su C, Chen X, Ma C, Yang X, Feng C, Shi C. Lysis-Free Isolation and Direct Amplification of Pathogenic Bacterial DNA Using Diatom Frustules. Anal Chem 2024; 96:9113-9121. [PMID: 38771353 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c00671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
DNA has been implicated as an important biomarker for the diagnosis of bacterial infections. Herein, we developed a streamlined methodology that uses diatom frustules (DFs) to liberate and capture bacterial DNA and allows direct downstream amplification tests without any lysis, washing, or elution steps. Unlike most conventional DNA isolation methods that rely on cell lysis to release bacterial DNA, DFs can trigger the oxidative stress response of bacterial cells to promote bacterial membrane vesicle formation and DNA release by generating reactive oxygen species in aqueous solutions. Due to the hierarchical porous structure, DFs provided high DNA capture efficiency exceeding 80% over a wide range of DNA amounts from 10 pg to 10 ng, making only 10 μg DFs sufficient for each test. Since laborious liquid handling steps are not required, the entire DNA sample preparation process using DFs can be completed within 3 min. The diagnostic use of this DF-based methodology was illustrated, which showed that the DNA of the pathogenic bacteria in serum samples was isolated by DFs and directly detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at concentrations as low as 102 CFU/mL, outperforming the most used approaches based on solid-phase DNA extraction. Furthermore, most of the bacterial cells were still alive after DNA isolation using DFs, providing the possibility of recycling samples for storage and further diagnosis. The proposed DF-based methodology is anticipated to simplify bacterial infection diagnosis and be broadly applied to various medical diagnoses and biological research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- Qingdao Nucleic Acid Rapid Testing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base, College of Life Sciences, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, P. R. China
| | - Jiachen Sun
- Qingdao Nucleic Acid Rapid Testing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base, College of Life Sciences, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, P. R. China
| | - Qing Wang
- Qingdao Nucleic Acid Rapid Testing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base, College of Life Sciences, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, P. R. China
| | - Chang Su
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P. R. China
| | - Xiguang Chen
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P. R. China
- Sanya Oceanographic Institute, Ocean University of China, Floor 7, Building 1, Yonyou Industrial Park, Yazhou Bay Science & Technology City, Sanya 572025, P. R. China
| | - Cuiping Ma
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Qingdao Nucleic Acid Rapid Detection Engineering Research Center, Qingdao Key Laboratory of Nucleic Acid Rapid Detection, Sino-UAE International Cooperative Joint Laboratory of Pathogenic Microorganism Rapid Detection, College of Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, P. R. China
| | - Xuecheng Yang
- Qingdao Nucleic Acid Rapid Testing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base, College of Life Sciences, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, P. R. China
| | - Chao Feng
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P. R. China
- Sanya Oceanographic Institute, Ocean University of China, Floor 7, Building 1, Yonyou Industrial Park, Yazhou Bay Science & Technology City, Sanya 572025, P. R. China
| | - Chao Shi
- Qingdao Nucleic Acid Rapid Testing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base, College of Life Sciences, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, P. R. China
- Qingdao JianMa Gene Technology Co., Ltd., Qingdao 266114, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Liu H, Al-Dhabi NA, Jiang H, Liu B, Qing T, Feng B, Ma T, Tang W, Zhang P. Toward nitrogen recovery: Co-cultivation of microalgae and bacteria enhances the production of high-value nitrogen-rich cyanophycin. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 256:121624. [PMID: 38669903 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
The algal-bacterial wastewater treatment process has been proven to be highly efficient in removing nutrients and recovering nitrogen (N). However, the recovery of the valuable N-rich biopolymer, cyanophycin, remains limited. This research explored the synthesis mechanism and recovery potential of cyanophycin within two algal-bacterial symbiotic reactors. The findings reveal that the synergy between algae and bacteria enhances the removal of N and phosphorus. The crude contents of cyanophycin in the algal-bacterial consortia reached 115 and 124 mg/g of mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS), respectively, showing an increase of 11.7 %-20.4 % (p < 0.001) compared with conventional activated sludge. Among the 170 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) analyzed, 50 were capable of synthesizing cyanophycin, indicating that cyanophycin producers are common in algal-bacterial systems. The compositions of cyanophycin producers in the two algal-bacterial reactors were affected by different lighting initiation time. The study identified two intracellular synthesis pathways for cyanophycin. Approximately 36 MAGs can synthesize cyanophycin de novo using ammonium and glucose, while the remaining 14 MAGs require exogenous arginine for production. Notably, several MAGs with high abundance are capable of assimilating both nitrate and ammonium into cyanophycin, demonstrating a robust N utilization capability. This research also marks the first identification of potential horizontal gene transfer of the cyanophycin synthase encoding gene (cphA) within the wastewater microbial community. This suggests that the spread of cphA could expand the population of cyanophycin producers. The study offers new insights into recycling the high-value N-rich biopolymer cyanophycin, contributing to the advancement of wastewater resource utilization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongyuan Liu
- Department of Environment, College of Environment and Resources, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, China
| | - Naif Abdullah Al-Dhabi
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Huiling Jiang
- Department of Environment, College of Environment and Resources, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, China
| | - Bingzhi Liu
- Faculty of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Taiping Qing
- Department of Environment, College of Environment and Resources, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, China
| | - Bo Feng
- Department of Environment, College of Environment and Resources, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, China
| | - Tengfei Ma
- National Research Base of Intelligent Manufacturing Service, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing 400067, China
| | - Wangwang Tang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Environment, College of Environment and Resources, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wu X, Hou L, Zhang H, Ma Y, Wang J, Cai M, Tang X. Identification of 3-ketocapnine reductase activity within the human microbiota. MLIFE 2024; 3:307-316. [PMID: 38948141 PMCID: PMC11211663 DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
The microbial synthesis of sulfonolipids within the human body is likely involved in maintaining human health or causing diseases. However, the enzymes responsible for their biosynthesis remain largely unknown. In this study, we identified and verified the role of 3-ketocapnine reductase, the third-step enzyme, in the four-step conversion of l-phosphoserine into sulfobacin B both in vivo and in vitro. This finding builds upon our previous research into sulfonolipid biosynthesis, which focused on the vaginal bacterium Chryseobacterium gleum DSM 16776 and the gut bacterium Alistipes finegoldii DSM 17242. Through comprehensive gene mapping, we demonstrate the widespread presence of potential sulfonolipid biosynthetic genes across diverse bacterial species inhabiting various regions of the human body. These findings shed light on the prevalence of sulfonolipid-like metabolites within the human microbiota, suggesting a potential role for these lipid molecules in influencing the intricate biointeractions within the complex microbial ecosystem of the human body.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Wu
- School of Biology and Biological EngineeringSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhouChina
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Shenzhen Bay LaboratoryShenzhenChina
| | - Lukuan Hou
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Shenzhen Bay LaboratoryShenzhenChina
- College of Chemistry and PharmacyNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingChina
| | - Haili Zhang
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Shenzhen Bay LaboratoryShenzhenChina
| | - Yi Ma
- School of Biology and Biological EngineeringSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhouChina
| | - Jufang Wang
- School of Biology and Biological EngineeringSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhouChina
| | - Mingwei Cai
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Shenzhen Bay LaboratoryShenzhenChina
| | - Xiaoyu Tang
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Shenzhen Bay LaboratoryShenzhenChina
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Randriantseheno LN, Andrianaivoarimanana V, Pizarro-Cerdá J, Wagner DM, Rajerison M. Review of genotyping methods for Yersinia pestis in Madagascar. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012252. [PMID: 38935608 PMCID: PMC11210753 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plague, a zoonotic disease caused by Yersinia pestis, was responsible for 3 historical human pandemics that killed millions of people. It remains endemic in rodent populations in Africa, Asia, North America, and South America but human plague is rare in most of these locations. However, human plague is still highly prevalent in Madagascar, which typically records a significant part of all annual global cases. This has afforded an opportunity to study contemporary human plague in detail using various typing methods for Y. pestis. AIM This review aims to summarize the methods that have been used to type Y. pestis in Madagascar along with the major discoveries that have been made using these approaches. METHODS Pubmed and Google Scholar were used to search for the keywords: "typing Yersinia pestis Madagascar," "evolution Yersinia pestis Madagascar," and "diversity Yersinia pestis Madagascar." Eleven publications were relevant to our topic and further information was retrieved from references cited in those publications. RESULTS The history of Y. pestis typing in Madagascar can be divided in 2 periods: the pre-genomics and genomics eras. During the pre-genomics era, ribotyping, direct observation of plasmid content and plasmid restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) were employed but only revealed a limited amount of diversity among Malagasy Y. pestis strains. Extensive diversity only started to be revealed in the genomics era with the use of clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR), multiple-locus variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) analysis (MLVA), and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) discovered from whole genome sequences. These higher-resolution genotyping methods have made it possible to highlight the distribution and persistence of genotypes in the different plague foci of Madagascar (Mahajanga and the Central and Northern Highlands) by genotyping strains from the same locations across years, to detect transfers between foci, to date the emergence of genotypes, and even to document the transmission of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) strains during a pneumonic plague outbreak. Despite these discoveries, there still remain topics that deserve to be explored, such as the contribution of horizontal gene transfer to the evolution of Malagasy Y. pestis strains and the evolutionary history of Y. pestis in Madagascar. CONCLUSIONS Genotyping of Y. pestis has yielded important insights on plague in Madagascar, particularly since the advent of whole-genome sequencing (WGS). These include a better understanding of plague persistence in the environment, antimicrobial AMR and multi-drug resistance in Y. pestis, and the person-to-person spread of pneumonic plague. Considering that human plague is still a significant public health threat in Madagascar, these insights can be useful for controlling and preventing human plague in Madagascar and elsewhere, and also are relevant for understanding the historical pandemics and the possible use of Y. pestis as a biological weapon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lovasoa Nomena Randriantseheno
- Plague Unit, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
- Ecole doctorale Sciences de la Vie et de l’Environnement, Faculty of Sciences, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | - Javier Pizarro-Cerdá
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Yersinia Research Unit, Paris, France
- Institut Pasteur, French National Reference Laboratory ‘Plague & Other Yersiniosis’, WHO Collaborating Centre for Plague FRA-140, Paris, France
| | - David M. Wagner
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Keeling PJ. Horizontal gene transfer in eukaryotes: aligning theory with data. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:416-430. [PMID: 38263430 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00688-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT), or lateral gene transfer, is the non-sexual movement of genetic information between genomes. It has played a pronounced part in bacterial and archaeal evolution, but its role in eukaryotes is less clear. Behaviours unique to eukaryotic cells - phagocytosis and endosymbiosis - have been proposed to increase the frequency of HGT, but nuclear genomes encode fewer HGTs than bacteria and archaea. Here, I review the existing theory in the context of the growing body of data on HGT in eukaryotes, which suggests that any increased chance of acquiring new genes through phagocytosis and endosymbiosis is offset by a reduced need for these genes in eukaryotes, because selection in most eukaryotes operates on variation not readily generated by HGT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick J Keeling
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Delic S, Shuman B, Lee S, Bahmanyar S, Momany M, Onishi M. The Evolutionary Origins and Ancestral Features of Septins. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.25.586683. [PMID: 38585751 PMCID: PMC10996617 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.25.586683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Septins are a family of membrane-associated cytoskeletal GTPases that play crucial roles in various cellular processes, such as cell division, phagocytosis, and organelle fission. Despite their importance, the evolutionary origins and ancestral function of septins remain unclear. In opisthokonts, septins form five distinct groups of orthologs, with subunits from multiple groups assembling into heteropolymers, thus supporting their diverse molecular functions. Recent studies have revealed that septins are also conserved in algae and protists, indicating an ancient origin from the last eukaryotic common ancestor. However, the phylogenetic relationships among septins across eukaryotes remained unclear. Here, we expanded the list of non-opisthokont septins, including previously unrecognized septins from rhodophyte red algae and glaucophyte algae. Constructing a rooted phylogenetic tree of 254 total septins, we observed a bifurcation between the major non-opisthokont and opisthokont septin clades. Within the non-opisthokont septins, we identified three major subclades: Group 6 representing chlorophyte green algae (6A mostly for species with single septins, 6B for species with multiple septins), Group 7 representing algae in chlorophytes, heterokonts, haptophytes, chrysophytes, and rhodophytes, and Group 8 representing ciliates. Glaucophyte and some ciliate septins formed orphan lineages in-between all other septins and the outgroup. Combining ancestral-sequence reconstruction and AlphaFold predictions, we tracked the structural evolution of septins across eukaryotes. In the GTPase domain, we identified a conserved GAP-like arginine finger within the G-interface of at least one septin in most algal and ciliate species. This residue is required for homodimerization of the single Chlamydomonas septin, and its loss coincided with septin duplication events in various lineages. The loss of the arginine finger is often accompanied by the emergence of the α0 helix, a known NC-interface interaction motif, potentially signifying the diversification of septin-septin interaction mechanisms from homo-dimerization to hetero-oligomerization. Lastly, we found amphipathic helices in all septin groups, suggesting that curvature-sensing is an ancestral trait of septin proteins. Coiled-coil domains were also broadly distributed, while transmembrane domains were found in some septins in Group 6A and 7. In summary, this study advances our understanding of septin distribution and phylogenetic groupings, shedding light on their ancestral features, potential function, and early evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samed Delic
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brent Shuman
- Fungal Biology Group and Plant Biology Department, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Shoken Lee
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Shirin Bahmanyar
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Michelle Momany
- Fungal Biology Group and Plant Biology Department, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Masayuki Onishi
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Habig M, Grasse AV, Müller J, Stukenbrock EH, Leitner H, Cremer S. Frequent horizontal chromosome transfer between asexual fungal insect pathogens. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2316284121. [PMID: 38442176 PMCID: PMC10945790 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316284121] [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: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Entire chromosomes are typically only transmitted vertically from one generation to the next. The horizontal transfer of such chromosomes has long been considered improbable, yet gained recent support in several pathogenic fungi where it may affect the fitness or host specificity. To date, it is unknown how these transfers occur, how common they are, and whether they can occur between different species. In this study, we show multiple independent instances of horizontal transfers of the same accessory chromosome between two distinct strains of the asexual entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium robertsii during experimental co-infection of its insect host, the Argentine ant. Notably, only the one chromosome-but no other-was transferred from the donor to the recipient strain. The recipient strain, now harboring the accessory chromosome, exhibited a competitive advantage under certain host conditions. By phylogenetic analysis, we further demonstrate that the same accessory chromosome was horizontally transferred in a natural environment between M. robertsii and another congeneric insect pathogen, Metarhizium guizhouense. Hence, horizontal chromosome transfer is not limited to the observed frequent events within species during experimental infections but also occurs naturally across species. The accessory chromosome that was transferred contains genes that may be involved in its preferential horizontal transfer or support its establishment. These genes encode putative histones and histone-modifying enzymes, as well as putative virulence factors. Our study reveals that both intra- and interspecies horizontal transfer of entire chromosomes is more frequent than previously assumed, likely representing a not uncommon mechanism for gene exchange.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Habig
- Environmental Genomics, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel24118, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön24306, Germany
| | - Anna V. Grasse
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Klosterneuburg3400, Austria
| | - Judith Müller
- Environmental Genomics, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel24118, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön24306, Germany
| | - Eva H. Stukenbrock
- Environmental Genomics, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel24118, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön24306, Germany
| | - Hanna Leitner
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Klosterneuburg3400, Austria
| | - Sylvia Cremer
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Klosterneuburg3400, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Duwor S, Brites D, Mäser P. Phylogenetic Analysis of Pyruvate-Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase, a Redox Enzyme Involved in the Pharmacological Activation of Nitro-Based Prodrugs in Bacteria and Protozoa. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:178. [PMID: 38534448 DOI: 10.3390/biology13030178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
The present frontrunners in the chemotherapy of infections caused by protozoa are nitro-based prodrugs that are selectively activated by PFOR-mediated redox reactions. This study seeks to analyze the distribution of PFOR in selected protozoa and bacteria by applying comparative genomics to test the hypothesis that PFOR in eukaryotes was acquired through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from bacteria. Furthermore, to identify other putatively acquired genes, proteome-wide and gene enrichment analyses were used. A plausible explanation for the patchy occurrence of PFOR in protozoa is based on the hypothesis that bacteria are potential sources of genes that enhance the adaptation of protozoa in hostile environments. Comparative genomics of Entamoeba histolytica and the putative gene donor, Desulfovibrio vulgaris, identified eleven candidate genes for HGT involved in intermediary metabolism. If these results can be reproduced in other PFOR-possessing protozoa, it would provide more validated evidence to support the horizontal transfer of pfor from bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seth Duwor
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Brites
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Mäser
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Luthra I, Jensen C, Chen XE, Salaudeen AL, Rafi AM, de Boer CG. Regulatory activity is the default DNA state in eukaryotes. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:559-567. [PMID: 38448573 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01235-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Genomes encode for genes and non-coding DNA, both capable of transcriptional activity. However, unlike canonical genes, many transcripts from non-coding DNA have limited evidence of conservation or function. Here, to determine how much biological noise is expected from non-genic sequences, we quantify the regulatory activity of evolutionarily naive DNA using RNA-seq in yeast and computational predictions in humans. In yeast, more than 99% of naive DNA bases were transcribed. Unlike the evolved transcriptome, naive transcripts frequently overlapped with opposite sense transcripts, suggesting selection favored coherent gene structures in the yeast genome. In humans, regulation-associated chromatin activity is predicted to be common in naive dinucleotide-content-matched randomized DNA. Here, naive and evolved DNA have similar co-occurrence and cell-type specificity of chromatin marks, challenging these as indicators of selection. However, in both yeast and humans, extreme high activities were rare in naive DNA, suggesting they result from selection. Overall, basal regulatory activity seems to be the default, which selection can hone to evolve a function or, if detrimental, repress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ishika Luthra
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Cassandra Jensen
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Xinyi E Chen
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Asfar Lathif Salaudeen
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Abdul Muntakim Rafi
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Carl G de Boer
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
López Sánchez A, Lafond M. Predicting horizontal gene transfers with perfect transfer networks. Algorithms Mol Biol 2024; 19:6. [PMID: 38321476 PMCID: PMC10848447 DOI: 10.1186/s13015-023-00242-2] [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: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Horizontal gene transfer inference approaches are usually based on gene sequences: parametric methods search for patterns that deviate from a particular genomic signature, while phylogenetic methods use sequences to reconstruct the gene and species trees. However, it is well-known that sequences have difficulty identifying ancient transfers since mutations have enough time to erase all evidence of such events. In this work, we ask whether character-based methods can predict gene transfers. Their advantage over sequences is that homologous genes can have low DNA similarity, but still have retained enough important common motifs that allow them to have common character traits, for instance the same functional or expression profile. A phylogeny that has two separate clades that acquired the same character independently might indicate the presence of a transfer even in the absence of sequence similarity. OUR CONTRIBUTIONS We introduce perfect transfer networks, which are phylogenetic networks that can explain the character diversity of a set of taxa under the assumption that characters have unique births, and that once a character is gained it is rarely lost. Examples of such traits include transposable elements, biochemical markers and emergence of organelles, just to name a few. We study the differences between our model and two similar models: perfect phylogenetic networks and ancestral recombination networks. Our goals are to initiate a study on the structural and algorithmic properties of perfect transfer networks. We then show that in polynomial time, one can decide whether a given network is a valid explanation for a set of taxa, and show how, for a given tree, one can add transfer edges to it so that it explains a set of taxa. We finally provide lower and upper bounds on the number of transfers required to explain a set of taxa, in the worst case.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Manuel Lafond
- Department of Computer Science, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Bennett T. Plant signalling: The case of the recycled receptor. Curr Biol 2024; 34:R82-R84. [PMID: 38320476 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
RsbQ from bacteria and KAI2 from plants are highly related α/β-hydrolase proteins with unknown ligands. In a new study, Melville, Kamran et al. attempt to understand the ligand binding of RsbQ using knowledge from studies of KAI2, with surprising results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tom Bennett
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Zhang Z, Zhao J, Li J, Yao J, Wang B, Ma Y, Li N, Wang H, Wang T, Liu B, Gong L. Evolutionary trajectory of organelle-derived nuclear DNAs in the Triticum/Aegilops complex species. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 194:918-935. [PMID: 37847157 PMCID: PMC10828211 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Organelle-derived nuclear DNAs, nuclear plastid DNAs (NUPTs), and nuclear mitochondrial DNAs (NUMTs) have been identified in plants. Most, if not all, genes residing in NUPTs/NUMTs (NUPGs/NUMGs) are known to be inactivated and pseudogenized. However, the role of epigenetic control in silencing NUPGs/NUMGs and the dynamic evolution of NUPTs/NUMTs with respect to organismal phylogeny remain barely explored. Based on the available nuclear and organellar genomic resources of wheat (genus Triticum) and goat grass (genus Aegilops) within Triticum/Aegilops complex species, we investigated the evolutionary fates of NUPTs/NUMTs in terms of their epigenetic silencing and their dynamic occurrence rates in the nuclear diploid genomes and allopolyploid subgenomes. NUPTs and NUMTs possessed similar genomic atlas, including (i) predominantly located in intergenic regions and preferential integration to gene regulation regions and (ii) generating sequence variations in the nuclear genome. Unlike nuclear indigenous genes, the alien NUPGs/NUMGs were associated with repressive epigenetic signals, namely high levels of DNA methylation and low levels of active histone modifications. Phylogenomic analyses suggested that the species-specific and gradual accumulation of NUPTs/NUMTs accompanied the speciation processes. Moreover, based on further pan-genomic analyses, we found significant subgenomic asymmetry in the NUPT/NUMT occurrence, which accumulated during allopolyploid wheat evolution. Our findings provide insight into the dynamic evolutionary fates of organelle-derived nuclear DNA in plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhibin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Juzuo Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Jinyang Yao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Yiqiao Ma
- Jilin Academy of Vegetable and Flower Science, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Ning Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Hongyan Wang
- Laboratory of Plant Epigenetics and Evolution, School of Life Science, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, China
| | - Tianya Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Bao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Lei Gong
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Zhao Z, Li Y, Zhai JW, Liu ZJ, Li MH. Organelle Genomes of Epipogium roseum Provide Insight into the Evolution of Mycoheterotrophic Orchids. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1578. [PMID: 38338856 PMCID: PMC10855806 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Epipogium roseum, commonly known as one of the ghost orchids due to its rarity and almost transparent color, is a non-photosynthetic and fully mycoheterotrophic plant. Given its special nutritional strategies and evolutionary significance, the mitogenome was first characterized, and three plastomes sampled from Asia were assembled. The plastomes were found to be the smallest among Orchidaceae, with lengths ranging from 18,339 to 19,047 bp, and exhibited high sequence variety. For the mitogenome, a total of 414,552 bp in length, comprising 26 circular chromosomes, were identified. A total of 54 genes, including 38 protein-coding genes, 13 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes, were annotated. Multiple repeat sequences spanning a length of 203,423 bp (45.47%) were discovered. Intriguingly, six plastid regions via intracellular gene transfer and four plastid regions via horizontal gene transfer to the mitogenome were observed. The phylogenomics, incorporating 90 plastomes and 56 mitogenomes, consistently revealed the sister relationship of Epipogium and Gastrodia, with a bootstrap percentage of 100%. These findings shed light on the organelle evolution of Orchidaceae and non-photosynthetic plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Zhong-Jian Liu
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Z.Z.); (Y.L.); (J.-W.Z.)
| | - Ming-He Li
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Z.Z.); (Y.L.); (J.-W.Z.)
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Kiørboe T. Predation in a Microbial World: Mechanisms and Trade-Offs of Flagellate Foraging. ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE 2024; 16:361-381. [PMID: 37368955 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-020123-102001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Heterotrophic nanoflagellates are the main consumers of bacteria and picophytoplankton in the ocean and thus play a key role in ocean biogeochemistry. They are found in all major branches of the eukaryotic tree of life but are united by all being equipped with one or a few flagella that they use to generate a feeding current. These microbial predators are faced with the challenges that viscosity at this small scale impedes predator-prey contact and that their foraging activity disturbs the ambient water and thus attracts their own flow-sensing predators. Here, I describe some of the diverse adaptations of the flagellum to produce sufficient force to overcome viscosity and of the flagellar arrangement to minimize fluid disturbances, and thus of the various solutions to optimize the foraging-predation risk trade-off. I demonstrate how insights into this trade-off can be used to develop robust trait-based models of microbial food webs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Kiørboe
- Centre for Ocean Life, DTU Aqua, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark;
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Thureborn O, Wikström N, Razafimandimbison SG, Rydin C. Phylogenomics and topological conflicts in the tribe Anthospermeae (Rubiaceae). Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10868. [PMID: 38274863 PMCID: PMC10809029 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10868] [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: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Genome skimming (shallow whole-genome sequencing) offers time- and cost-efficient production of large amounts of DNA data that can be used to address unsolved evolutionary questions. Here we address phylogenetic relationships and topological incongruence in the tribe Anthospermeae (Rubiaceae), using phylogenomic data from the mitochondrion, the nuclear ribosomal cistron, and the plastome. All three genomic compartments resolve relationships in the Anthospermeae; the tribe is monophyletic and consists of three major subclades. Carpacoce Sond. is sister to the remaining clade, which comprises an African subclade and a Pacific subclade. Most results, from all three genomic compartments, are statistically well supported; however, not fully consistent. Intergenomic topological incongruence is most notable in the Pacific subclade but present also in the African subclade. Hybridization and introgression followed by organelle capture may explain these conflicts but other processes, such as incomplete lineage sorting (ILS), can yield similar patterns and cannot be ruled out based on the results. Whereas the null hypothesis of congruence among all sequenced loci in the individual genomes could not be rejected for nuclear and mitochondrial data, it was rejected for plastid data. Phylogenetic analyses of three subsets of plastid loci identified using the hierarchical likelihood ratio test demonstrated statistically supported intragenomic topological incongruence. Given that plastid genes are thought to be fully linked, this result is surprising and may suggest modeling or sampling error. However, biological processes such as biparental inheritance and inter-plastome recombination have been reported and may be responsible for the observed intragenomic incongruence. Mitochondrial insertions into the plastome are rarely documented in angiosperms. Our results indicate that a mitochondrial insertion event in the plastid trnS GGA - rps4 IGS region occurred in the common ancestor of the Pacific clade of Anthospermeae. Exclusion/inclusion of this locus in phylogenetic analyses had a strong impact on topological results in the Pacific clade.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olle Thureborn
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Niklas Wikström
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
- The Bergius FoundationThe Royal Academy of SciencesStockholmSweden
| | | | - Catarina Rydin
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
- The Bergius FoundationThe Royal Academy of SciencesStockholmSweden
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Esquivel MM, Aboobucker SI, Suza WP. The impact of 'framing' in the adoption of GM crops. GM CROPS & FOOD 2023; 14:1-11. [PMID: 38100553 PMCID: PMC10730198 DOI: 10.1080/21645698.2023.2275723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Genetically modified (GM) crops offer significant advantages in our crop improvement programs because they are created using a more targeted approach which is not possible in traditional breeding methods. Human benefit is one of the main objectives of crop improvement but the legal framework for the introduction of GM crops and the depiction and portrayal of GM crops in the media create barriers to these benefits. This article attempts to highlight the barriers to GM crop adoption particularly focusing on the idea of "framing" and the way GM technology is framed in the media. The resulting public health, economic, and ecological concerns about genetically modified plants, along with the reality of these misconceptions, are discussed with specific examples. Finally, we propose potential routes toward increased acceptance of GM crops.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Walter P. Suza
- Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Zhang Z, Li B, Chai Z, Yang Z, Zhang F, Kang F, Ren H, Jin Y, Yue J. Evolution of the ability to evade host innate immune defense by Talaromyces marneffei. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127597. [PMID: 37884245 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Talaromyces (Penicillium) marneffei is an intracellular pathogenic fungus. Some strains of this fungus have been misidentified due to the similarity between Talaromyces and Penicillium. T. marneffei has mainly been found to afflict immunocompromised individuals, causing respiratory, skin, and systemic mycosis. Mp1p is a key virulence factor that can help T. marneffei evade clearance by the normally functioning immune system. Understanding how novel functions arise is an intriguing question in many fields of biology. Mp1p has two homologous domains (Mp1p-LBD1 and Mp1p-LBD2). Sequence similarity searches with Mp1p-LBD sequences revealed Mp1p homologs in many other pathogenic fungi. Integrated information on the taxonomic distribution, phylogenetic relationships, and sequence similarity of Mp1p domains revealed that the ancestor of Mp1p-LBDs was acquired through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Additional evidence revealed that Mp1p homologs have undergone extensive gene duplications in T. marneffei. Mp1p might be a result of gene fusion following gene duplication. Furthermore, we propose a new method for identifying Talaromyces and identify 4 strains with misclassification errors. Our results characterize the evolutionary mechanism of T. marneffei evasion of host innate immune defense and clearly demonstrate the role of gene duplication and HGT in the evolution of host immune escape by T. marneffei.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zehan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Beiping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Zili Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Zilong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Fengwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Fuqiang Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Hongguang Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China.
| | - Yuan Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China.
| | - Junjie Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Yoon PH, Skopintsev P, Shi H, Chen L, Adler BA, Al-Shimary M, Craig RJ, Loi KJ, DeTurk EC, Li Z, Amerasekera J, Trinidad M, Nisonoff H, Chen K, Lahiri A, Boger R, Jacobsen S, Banfield JF, Doudna JA. Eukaryotic RNA-guided endonucleases evolved from a unique clade of bacterial enzymes. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:12414-12427. [PMID: 37971304 PMCID: PMC10711439 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA-guided endonucleases form the crux of diverse biological processes and technologies, including adaptive immunity, transposition, and genome editing. Some of these enzymes are components of insertion sequences (IS) in the IS200/IS605 and IS607 transposon families. Both IS families encode a TnpA transposase and a TnpB nuclease, an RNA-guided enzyme ancestral to CRISPR-Cas12s. In eukaryotes, TnpB homologs occur as two distinct types, Fanzor1s and Fanzor2s. We analyzed the evolutionary relationships between prokaryotic TnpBs and eukaryotic Fanzors, which revealed that both Fanzor1s and Fanzor2s stem from a single lineage of IS607 TnpBs with unusual active site arrangement. The widespread nature of Fanzors implies that the properties of this particular lineage of IS607 TnpBs were particularly suited to adaptation in eukaryotes. Biochemical analysis of an IS607 TnpB and Fanzor1s revealed common strategies employed by TnpBs and Fanzors to co-evolve with their cognate transposases. Collectively, our results provide a new model of sequential evolution from IS607 TnpBs to Fanzor2s, and Fanzor2s to Fanzor1s that details how genes of prokaryotic origin evolve to give rise to new protein families in eukaryotes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter H Yoon
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Petr Skopintsev
- Innovative Genomics Institute; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Honglue Shi
- Innovative Genomics Institute; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - LinXing Chen
- Innovative Genomics Institute; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin A Adler
- Innovative Genomics Institute; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Muntathar Al-Shimary
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Rory J Craig
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Kenneth J Loi
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Evan C DeTurk
- Innovative Genomics Institute; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Zheng Li
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jasmine Amerasekera
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marena Trinidad
- Innovative Genomics Institute; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Hunter Nisonoff
- Center for Computational Biology, University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Kai Chen
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Arushi Lahiri
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ron Boger
- Innovative Genomics Institute; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Steve Jacobsen
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Los Angeles CA, USA
| | - Jillian F Banfield
- Innovative Genomics Institute; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer A Doudna
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute; University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA, USA
- Gladstone Institutes; San Francisco, CA, USA
- Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology; San Francisco, CA, USA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Culbertson EM, Levin TC. Eukaryotic CD-NTase, STING, and viperin proteins evolved via domain shuffling, horizontal transfer, and ancient inheritance from prokaryotes. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002436. [PMID: 38064485 PMCID: PMC10732462 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals use a variety of cell-autonomous innate immune proteins to detect viral infections and prevent replication. Recent studies have discovered that a subset of mammalian antiviral proteins have homology to antiphage defense proteins in bacteria, implying that there are aspects of innate immunity that are shared across the Tree of Life. While the majority of these studies have focused on characterizing the diversity and biochemical functions of the bacterial proteins, the evolutionary relationships between animal and bacterial proteins are less clear. This ambiguity is partly due to the long evolutionary distances separating animal and bacterial proteins, which obscures their relationships. Here, we tackle this problem for 3 innate immune families (CD-NTases [including cGAS], STINGs, and viperins) by deeply sampling protein diversity across eukaryotes. We find that viperins and OAS family CD-NTases are ancient immune proteins, likely inherited since the earliest eukaryotes first arose. In contrast, we find other immune proteins that were acquired via at least 4 independent events of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from bacteria. Two of these events allowed algae to acquire new bacterial viperins, while 2 more HGT events gave rise to distinct superfamilies of eukaryotic CD-NTases: the cGLR superfamily (containing cGAS) that has since diversified via a series of animal-specific duplications and a previously undefined eSMODS superfamily, which more closely resembles bacterial CD-NTases. Finally, we found that cGAS and STING proteins have substantially different histories, with STING protein domains undergoing convergent domain shuffling in bacteria and eukaryotes. Overall, our findings paint a picture of eukaryotic innate immunity as highly dynamic, where eukaryotes build upon their ancient antiviral repertoires through the reuse of protein domains and by repeatedly sampling a rich reservoir of bacterial antiphage genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edward M. Culbertson
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Biological Sciences, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Tera C. Levin
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Biological Sciences, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Raimondeau P, Bianconi ME, Pereira L, Parisod C, Christin PA, Dunning LT. Lateral gene transfer generates accessory genes that accumulate at different rates within a grass lineage. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:2072-2084. [PMID: 37793435 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Lateral gene transfer (LGT) is the movement of DNA between organisms without sexual reproduction. The acquired genes represent genetic novelties that have independently evolved in the donor's genome. Phylogenetic methods have shown that LGT is widespread across the entire grass family, although we know little about the underlying dynamics. We identify laterally acquired genes in five de novo reference genomes from the same grass genus (four Alloteropsis semialata and one Alloteropsis angusta). Using additional resequencing data for a further 40 Alloteropsis individuals, we place the acquisition of each gene onto a phylogeny using stochastic character mapping, and then infer rates of gains and losses. We detect 168 laterally acquired genes in the five reference genomes (32-100 per genome). Exponential decay models indicate that the rate of LGT acquisitions (6-28 per Ma) and subsequent losses (11-24% per Ma) varied significantly among lineages. Laterally acquired genes were lost at a higher rate than vertically inherited loci (0.02-0.8% per Ma). This high turnover creates intraspecific gene content variation, with a preponderance of them occurring as accessory genes in the Alloteropsis pangenome. This rapid turnover generates standing variation that can ultimately fuel local adaptation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Raimondeau
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR5174, CNRS/IRD/Université Toulouse 3, Toulouse, 31062, France
| | - Matheus E Bianconi
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Lara Pereira
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Christian Parisod
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, Fribourg, 1700, Switzerland
| | - Pascal-Antoine Christin
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, Fribourg, 1700, Switzerland
| | - Luke T Dunning
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Ai G, Si J, Cheng Y, Meng R, Wu Z, Xu R, Wang X, Zhai Y, Peng H, Li Y, Dou D, Jing M. The oomycete-specific BAG subfamily maintains protein homeostasis and promotes pathogenicity in an atypical HSP70-independent manner. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113391. [PMID: 37930886 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113391] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein homeostasis is vital for organisms and requires chaperones like the conserved Bcl-2-associated athanogene (BAG) co-chaperones that bind to the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) through their C-terminal BAG domain (BD). Here, we show an unconventional BAG subfamily exclusively found in oomycetes. Oomycete BAGs feature an atypical N-terminal BD with a short and oomycete-specific α1 helix (α1'), plus a C-terminal small heat shock protein (sHSP) domain. In oomycete pathogen Phytophthora sojae, both BD-α1' and sHSP domains are required for P. sojae BAG (PsBAG) function in cyst germination, pathogenicity, and unfolded protein response assisting in 26S proteasome-mediated degradation of misfolded proteins. PsBAGs form homo- and heterodimers through their unique BD-α1' to function properly, with no recruitment of HSP70s to form the common BAG-HSP70 complex found in other eukaryotes. Our study highlights an oomycete-exclusive protein homeostasis mechanism mediated by atypical BAGs, which provides a potential target for oomycete disease control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gan Ai
- Department of Plant Pathology, Key Laboratory of Soybean Disease and Pest Control (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jierui Si
- Department of Plant Pathology, Key Laboratory of Soybean Disease and Pest Control (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yang Cheng
- Department of Plant Pathology, Key Laboratory of Soybean Disease and Pest Control (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Rui Meng
- Department of Plant Pathology, Key Laboratory of Soybean Disease and Pest Control (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zishan Wu
- Department of Plant Pathology, Key Laboratory of Soybean Disease and Pest Control (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ruofei Xu
- Department of Plant Pathology, Key Laboratory of Soybean Disease and Pest Control (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiaodan Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Ying Zhai
- USDA-ARS, Crop Diseases, Pests and Genetics Research Unit, Parlier, CA 93648, USA
| | - Hao Peng
- USDA-ARS, Crop Diseases, Pests and Genetics Research Unit, Parlier, CA 93648, USA
| | - Yurong Li
- Corteva Agriscience, Johnston, IA 50131, USA
| | - Daolong Dou
- Department of Plant Pathology, Key Laboratory of Soybean Disease and Pest Control (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Maofeng Jing
- Department of Plant Pathology, Key Laboratory of Soybean Disease and Pest Control (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Li S, Li X, Chang H, Zhong N, Ren N, Ho SH. Comprehensive insights into antibiotic resistance gene migration in microalgal-bacterial consortia: Mechanisms, factors, and perspectives. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 901:166029. [PMID: 37541493 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
With the overuse of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) prevalence is gradually increasing. ARGs are considered emerging contaminants that are broadly concentrated and dispersed in most aquatic environments. Recently, interest in microalgal-bacterial biotreatment of antibiotics has increased, as eukaryotes are not the primary target of antimicrobial drugs. Moreover, research has shown that microalgal-bacterial consortia can minimize the transmission of antibiotic resistance in the environment. Unfortunately, reviews surrounding the ARG migration mechanism in microalgal-bacterial consortia have not yet been performed. This review briefly introduces the migration of ARGs in aquatic environments. Additionally, an in-depth summary of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between cyanobacteria and bacteria and from bacteria to eukaryotic microalgae is presented. Factors influencing gene transfer in microalgal-bacterial consortia are discussed systematically, including bacteriophage abundance, environmental conditions (temperature, pH, and nutrient availability), and other selective pressure conditions including nanomaterials, heavy metals, and pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Furthermore, considering that quorum sensing could be involved in DNA transformation by affecting secondary metabolites, current knowledge surrounding quorum sensing regulation of HGT of ARGs is summarized. In summary, this review gives valuable information to promote the development of practical and innovative techniques for ARG removal by microalgal-bacterial consortia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shengnan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Xue Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Haixing Chang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China
| | - Nianbing Zhong
- Liangjiang International College, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 401135, China
| | - Nanqi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Shih-Hsin Ho
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Lu G, Wang W, Mao J, Li Q, Que Y. Complete mitogenome assembly of Selenicereus monacanthus revealed its molecular features, genome evolution, and phylogenetic implications. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:541. [PMID: 37924024 PMCID: PMC10625231 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04529-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell and are critical for plant growth and development. Pitaya (Selenicereus or Hylocereus) is the most important economic crop in the family Cactaceae and is grown worldwide, however its mitogenome is unreported. RESULTS This study assembled the complete mitogenome of the red skin and flesh of pitaya (Selenicereus monacanthus). It is a full-length, 2,290,019 bp circular molecule encoding 59 unique genes that only occupy 2.17% of the entire length. In addition, 4,459 pairs of dispersed repeats (≥ 50 bp) were identified, accounting for 84.78% of the total length, and three repeats (394,588, 124,827, and 13,437 bp) mediating genomic recombination were identified by long read mapping and Sanger sequencing. RNA editing events were identified in all 32 protein-coding genes (PCGs), among which four sites (nad1-2, nad4L-2, atp9-copy3-223, and ccmFC-1309) were associated with the initiation or termination of PCGs. Seventy-eight homologous fragments of the chloroplast genome were identified in the mitogenome, the longest having 4,523 bp. In addition, evolutionary analyses suggest that S. monacanthus may have undergone multiple genomic reorganization events during evolution, with the loss of at least nine PCGs (rpl2, rpl10, rps2, rps3, rps10, rps11, rps14, rps19, and sdh3). CONCLUSIONS This study revealed the genetic basis of the S. monacanthus mitogenome, and provided a scientific basis for further research on phenotypic traits and germplasm resource development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guilong Lu
- College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, 453003, China
| | - Wenhua Wang
- Institute of Vegetables, Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Lhasa, 890032, China
| | - Juan Mao
- Institute of Vegetables, Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Lhasa, 890032, China
| | - Qing Li
- Institute of Vegetables, Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Lhasa, 890032, China.
| | - Youxiong Que
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Tanniche I, Behkam B. Engineered live bacteria as disease detection and diagnosis tools. J Biol Eng 2023; 17:65. [PMID: 37875910 PMCID: PMC10598922 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-023-00379-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensitive and minimally invasive medical diagnostics are essential to the early detection of diseases, monitoring their progression and response to treatment. Engineered bacteria as live sensors are being developed as a new class of biosensors for sensitive, robust, noninvasive, and in situ detection of disease onset at low cost. Akin to microrobotic systems, a combination of simple genetic rules, basic logic gates, and complex synthetic bioengineering principles are used to program bacterial vectors as living machines for detecting biomarkers of diseases, some of which cannot be detected with other sensing technologies. Bacterial whole-cell biosensors (BWCBs) can have wide-ranging functions from detection only, to detection and recording, to closed-loop detection-regulated treatment. In this review article, we first summarize the unique benefits of bacteria as living sensors. We then describe the different bacteria-based diagnosis approaches and provide examples of diagnosing various diseases and disorders. We also discuss the use of bacteria as imaging vectors for disease detection and image-guided surgery. We conclude by highlighting current challenges and opportunities for further exploration toward clinical translation of these bacteria-based systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Imen Tanniche
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Bahareh Behkam
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
- School of Biomedical Engineered and Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
- Center for Engineered Health, Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Aubin E, Llauro C, Garrigue J, Mirouze M, Panaud O, El Baidouri M. Genome-wide analysis of horizontal transfer in non-model wild species from a natural ecosystem reveals new insights into genetic exchange in plants. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010964. [PMID: 37856455 PMCID: PMC10586619 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Horizontal transfer (HT) refers to the exchange of genetic material between divergent species by mechanisms other than reproduction. In recent years, several studies have demonstrated HTs in eukaryotes, particularly in the context of parasitic relationships and in model species. However, very little is known about HT in natural ecosystems, especially those involving non-parasitic wild species, and the nature of the ecological relationships that promote these HTs. In this work, we conducted a pilot study investigating HTs by sequencing the genomes of 17 wild non-model species from a natural ecosystem, the Massane forest, located in southern France. To this end, we developed a new computational pipeline called INTERCHANGE that is able to characterize HTs at the whole genome level without prior annotation and directly in the raw sequencing reads. Using this pipeline, we identified 12 HT events, half of which occurred between lianas and trees. We found that mainly low copy number LTR-retrotransposons from the Copia superfamily were transferred between these wild plant species, especially those of the Ivana and Ale lineages. This study revealed a possible new route for HTs between non-parasitic plants and provides new insights into the genomic characteristics of horizontally transferred DNA in plant genomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Aubin
- Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, Perpignan, Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Perpignan, France
| | - Christel Llauro
- Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, Perpignan, Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Perpignan, France
- Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Perpignan, France
| | - Joseph Garrigue
- Réserve Naturelle Nationale de la forêt de la Massane, France
| | - Marie Mirouze
- Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, Perpignan, Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Perpignan, France
- Diversité, Adaptation, Développement des Plantes, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Olivier Panaud
- Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, Perpignan, Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Perpignan, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Moaine El Baidouri
- Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, Perpignan, Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Perpignan, France
- Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Perpignan, France
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Kalia VC, Patel SKS, Lee JK. Bacterial biofilm inhibitors: An overview. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 264:115389. [PMID: 37634478 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria that cause infectious diseases adopt biofilms as one of their most prevalent lifestyles. Biofilms enable bacteria to tolerate environmental stress and evade antibacterial agents. This bacterial defense mechanism has rendered the use of antibiotics ineffective for the treatment of infectious diseases. However, many highly drug-resistant microbes have rapidly emerged owing to such treatments. Different signaling mechanisms regulate bacterial biofilm formation, including cyclic dinucleotide (c-di-GMP), small non-coding RNAs, and quorum sensing (QS). A cell density-dependent phenomenon, QS is associated with c-di-GMP (a global messenger), which regulates gene expression related to adhesion, extracellular matrix production, the transition from the planktonic to biofilm stage, stability, pathogenicity, virulence, and acquisition of nutrients. The article aims to provide information on inhibiting biofilm formation and disintegrating mature/preformed biofilms. This treatment enables antimicrobials to target the free-living/exposed bacterial cells at lower concentrations than those needed to treat bacteria within the biofilm. Therefore, a complementary action of antibiofilm and antimicrobial agents can be a robust strategic approach to dealing with infectious diseases. Taken together, these molecules have broad implications for human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vipin Chandra Kalia
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanjay K S Patel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Kul Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Carscadden KA, Batstone RT, Hauser FE. Origins and evolution of biological novelty. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1472-1491. [PMID: 37056155 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12963] [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: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the origins and impacts of novel traits has been a perennial interest in many realms of ecology and evolutionary biology. Here, we build on previous evolutionary and philosophical treatments of this subject to encompass novelties across biological scales and eco-evolutionary perspectives. By defining novelties as new features at one biological scale that have emergent effects at other biological scales, we incorporate many forms of novelty that have previously been treated in isolation (such as novelty from genetic mutations, new developmental pathways, new morphological features, and new species). Our perspective is based on the fundamental idea that the emergence of a novelty, at any biological scale, depends on its environmental and genetic context. Through this lens, we outline a broad array of generative mechanisms underlying novelty and highlight how genomic tools are transforming our understanding of the origins of novelty. Lastly, we present several case studies to illustrate how novelties across biological scales and systems can be understood based on common mechanisms of change and their environmental and genetic contexts. Specifically, we highlight how gene duplication contributes to the evolution of new complex structures in visual systems; how genetic exchange in symbiosis alters functions of both host and symbiont, resulting in a novel organism; and how hybridisation between species can generate new species with new niches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A Carscadden
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 1900 Pleasant St, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Rebecca T Batstone
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Frances E Hauser
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Bucknell AH, McDonald MC. That's no moon, it's a Starship: Giant transposons driving fungal horizontal gene transfer. Mol Microbiol 2023; 120:555-563. [PMID: 37434470 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
To date, most reports of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in fungi rely on genome sequence data and are therefore an indirect measure of HGT after the event has occurred. However, a novel group of class II-like transposons known as Starships may soon alter this status quo. Starships are giant transposable elements that carry dozens of genes, some of which are host-beneficial, and are linked to many recent HGT events in the fungal kingdom. These transposons remain active and mobile in many fungal genomes and their transposition has recently been shown to be driven by a conserved tyrosine-recombinase called 'Captain'. This perspective explores some of the remaining unanswered questions about how these Starship transposons move, both within a genome and between different species. We seek to outline several experimental approaches that can be used to identify the genes essential for Starship-mediated HGT and draw links to other recently discovered giant transposons outside of the fungal kingdom.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angus H Bucknell
- School of Biosciences, Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Megan C McDonald
- School of Biosciences, Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Li J, Cullis C. Comparative Analysis of Tylosema esculentum Mitochondrial DNA Revealed Two Distinct Genome Structures. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1244. [PMID: 37759643 PMCID: PMC10525999 DOI: 10.3390/biology12091244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Tylosema esculentum, commonly known as the marama bean, is an underutilized legume with nutritious seeds, holding potential to enhance food security in southern Africa due to its resilience to prolonged drought and heat. To promote the selection of this agronomically valuable germplasm, this study assembled and compared the mitogenomes of 84 marama individuals, identifying variations in genome structure, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), insertions/deletions (indels), heteroplasmy, and horizontal transfer. Two distinct germplasms were identified, and a novel mitogenome structure consisting of three circular molecules and one long linear chromosome was discovered. The structural variation led to an increased copy number of specific genes, nad5, nad9, rrnS, rrn5, trnC, and trnfM. The two mitogenomes also exhibited differences at 230 loci, with only one notable nonsynonymous substitution in the matR gene. Heteroplasmy was concentrated at certain loci on chromosome LS1 (OK638188). Moreover, the marama mitogenome contained an over 9 kb insertion of cpDNA, originating from chloroplast genomes, but had accumulated mutations and lost gene functionality. The evolutionary and comparative genomics analysis indicated that mitogenome divergence in marama might not be solely constrained by geographical factors. Additionally, marama, as a member from the Cercidoideae subfamily, tends to possess a more complete set of mitochondrial genes than Faboideae legumes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher Cullis
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Kobayashi N, Dang TA, Pham KTM, Gómez Luciano LB, Van Vu B, Izumitsu K, Shimizu M, Ikeda KI, Li WH, Nakayashiki H. Horizontally Transferred DNA in the Genome of the Fungus Pyricularia oryzae is Associated With Repressive Histone Modifications. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad186. [PMID: 37595132 PMCID: PMC10473863 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad186] [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: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a means of exchanging genetic material asexually. The process by which horizontally transferred genes are domesticated by the host genome is of great interest but is not well understood. In this study, we determined the telomere-to-telomere genome sequence of the wheat-infecting Pyricularia oryzae strain Br48. SNP analysis indicated that the Br48 strain is a hybrid of wheat- and Brachiaria-infecting strains by a sexual or parasexual cross. Comparative genomic analysis identified several megabase-scale "insertions" in the Br48 genome, some of which were possibly gained by HGT-related events from related species, such as P. pennisetigena or P. grisea. Notably, the mega-insertions often contained genes whose phylogeny is not congruent with the species phylogeny. Moreover, some of the genes have a close homolog even in distantly related organisms, such as basidiomycetes or prokaryotes, implying the involvement of multiple HGT events. Interestingly, the levels of the silent epigenetic marks H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 in a genomic region tended to be negatively correlated with the phylogenetic concordance of genes in the same region, suggesting that horizontally transferred DNA is preferentially targeted for epigenetic silencing. Indeed, the putative HGT-derived genes were activated when MoKmt6, the gene responsible for H3K27me3 modification, was deleted. Notably, these genes also tended to be up-regulated during infection, suggesting that they are now under host control and have contributed to establishing a fungal niche. In conclusion, this study suggests that epigenetic modifications have played an important role in the domestication of HGT-derived genes in the P. oryzae genome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natsuki Kobayashi
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Thach An Dang
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Kieu Thi Minh Pham
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Luis B Gómez Luciano
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ba Van Vu
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Kosuke Izumitsu
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, The University of Shiga Prefecture, Hikone, Japan
| | - Motoki Shimizu
- Department of Genomics and Breeding, Iwate Biotechnology Research Center, Kitakami, Japan
| | - Ken-ichi Ikeda
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Wen-Hsiung Li
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Culbertson EM, Levin TC. Eukaryotic antiviral immune proteins arose via convergence, horizontal transfer, and ancient inheritance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.27.546753. [PMID: 37425898 PMCID: PMC10327000 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.27.546753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Animals use a variety of cell-autonomous innate immune proteins to detect viral infections and prevent replication. Recent studies have discovered that a subset of mammalian antiviral proteins have homology to anti-phage defense proteins in bacteria, implying that there are aspects of innate immunity that are shared across the Tree of Life. While the majority of these studies have focused on characterizing the diversity and biochemical functions of the bacterial proteins, the evolutionary relationships between animal and bacterial proteins are less clear. This ambiguity is partly due to the long evolutionary distances separating animal and bacterial proteins, which obscures their relationships. Here, we tackle this problem for three innate immune families (CD-NTases [including cGAS], STINGs, and Viperins) by deeply sampling protein diversity across eukaryotes. We find that Viperins and OAS family CD-NTases are truly ancient immune proteins, likely inherited since the last eukaryotic common ancestor and possibly longer. In contrast, we find other immune proteins that arose via at least four independent events of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from bacteria. Two of these events allowed algae to acquire new bacterial viperins, while two more HGT events gave rise to distinct superfamilies of eukaryotic CD-NTases: the Mab21 superfamily (containing cGAS) which has diversified via a series of animal-specific duplications, and a previously undefined eSMODS superfamily, which more closely resembles bacterial CD-NTases. Finally, we found that cGAS and STING proteins have substantially different histories, with STINGs arising via convergent domain shuffling in bacteria and eukaryotes. Overall, our findings paint a picture of eukaryotic innate immunity as highly dynamic, where eukaryotes build upon their ancient antiviral repertoires through the reuse of protein domains and by repeatedly sampling a rich reservoir of bacterial anti-phage genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Tera C. Levin
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Biological Sciences
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Singh S, Hu X, Dixelius C. Dynamics of nucleic acid mobility. Genetics 2023; 225:iyad132. [PMID: 37491977 PMCID: PMC10471207 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad132] [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: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in sequencing technologies and bioinformatic analyses are accelerating the quantity and quality of data from all domains of life. This rich resource has the potential to reveal a number of important incidences with respect to possible exchange of nucleic acids. Ancient events have impacted species evolution and adaptation to new ecological niches. However, we still lack a full picture of processes ongoing within and between somatic cells, gametes, and different organisms. We propose that events linked to acceptance of alien nucleic acids grossly could be divided into 2 main routes in plants: one, when plants are exposed to extreme challenges and, the second level, a more everyday or season-related stress incited by biotic or abiotic factors. Here, many events seem to comprise somatic cells. Are the transport and acceptance processes of alien sequences random or are there specific regulatory systems not yet fully understood? Following entrance into a new cell, a number of intracellular processes leading to chromosomal integration and function are required. Modification of nucleic acids and possibly exchange of sequences within a cell may also occur. Such fine-tune events are most likely very common. There are multiple questions that we will discuss concerning different types of vesicles and their roles in nucleic acid transport and possible intracellular sequence exchange between species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shailja Singh
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Linnéan Center for Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7080, Uppsala, SE-75007, Sweden
| | - Xinyi Hu
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Linnéan Center for Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7080, Uppsala, SE-75007, Sweden
| | - Christina Dixelius
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Linnéan Center for Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7080, Uppsala, SE-75007, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Yoon PH, Skopintsev P, Shi H, Chen LX, Adler BA, Al-Shimary M, Craig RJ, Li Z, Amerasekera J, Trinidad M, Nisonoff H, Chen K, Lahiri A, Boger R, Jacobsen S, Banfield JF, Doudna JA. Eukaryotic RNA-guided endonucleases evolved from a unique clade of bacterial enzymes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.09.552727. [PMID: 37609353 PMCID: PMC10441404 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.09.552727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
RNA-guided endonucleases form the crux of diverse biological processes and technologies, including adaptive immunity, transposition, and genome editing. Some of these enzymes are components of insertion sequences (IS) in the IS200/IS605 and IS607 transposon families. Both IS families encode a TnpA transposase and TnpB nuclease, an RNA-guided enzyme ancestral to CRISPR-Cas12. In eukaryotes and their viruses, TnpB homologs occur as two distinct types, Fanzor1 and Fanzor2. We analyzed the evolutionary relationships between prokaryotic TnpBs and eukaryotic Fanzors, revealing that a clade of IS607 TnpBs with unusual active site arrangement found primarily in Cyanobacteriota likely gave rise to both types of Fanzors. The wide-spread nature of Fanzors imply that the properties of this particular group of IS607 TnpBs were particularly suited to adaptation and evolution in eukaryotes and their viruses. Experimental characterization of a prokaryotic IS607 TnpB and virally encoded Fanzor1s uncovered features that may have fostered coevolution between TnpBs/Fanzors and their cognate transposases. Our results provide insight into the evolutionary origins of a ubiquitous family of RNA-guided proteins that shows remarkable conservation across domains of life.
Collapse
|
36
|
Vale F, Sousa CA, Sousa H, Simões LC, McBain AJ, Simões M. Bacteria and microalgae associations in periphyton-mechanisms and biotechnological opportunities. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuad047. [PMID: 37586879 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuad047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Phototrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms coexist in complex and dynamic structures called periphyton. These structures shape the biogeochemistry and biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems. In particular, microalgae-bacteria interactions are a prominent focus of study by microbial ecologists and can provide biotechnological opportunities for numerous applications (i.e. microalgal bloom control, aquaculture, biorefinery, and wastewater bioremediation). In this review, we analyze the species dynamics (i.e. periphyton formation and factors determining the prevalence of one species over another), coexisting communities, exchange of resources, and communication mechanisms of periphytic microalgae and bacteria. We extend periphyton mathematical modelling as a tool to comprehend complex interactions. This review is expected to boost the applicability of microalgae-bacteria consortia, by drawing out knowledge from natural periphyton.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Vale
- ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Cátia A Sousa
- ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Henrique Sousa
- ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Lúcia C Simões
- CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS - Associate Laboratory in Biotechnology, Bioengineering and Microelectromechanical Systems, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Andrew J McBain
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom
| | - Manuel Simões
- ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Lapadula WJ, Juri Ayub M. Ribosome Inactivating Proteins in Insects: HGT, gene expression, and functional implications. Gene 2023:147547. [PMID: 37286020 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147547] [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: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are RNA N-glycosidases that depurinate an adenine residue in the conserved alpha-sarcin/ricin loop (SRL) of rRNA, inhibiting protein synthesis. Previously, we reported the existence of these toxins in insects, whose presence is restricted to mosquitoes from the Culicinae subfamily (e.g., Aedes aegypti) and whiteflies from the Aleyrodidae family (e.g., Bemisia tabaci). Both groups of genes are derived from two independent horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events and are evolved under purifying selection. Here, we report and characterize the occurrence of a third HGT event in the Sciaroidea superfamily, which supports the recurrent acquisition of RIP genes by insects. Transcriptomic experiments, available in databases, allowed us to describe the temporal and spatial expression profiles for these foreign genes in these organisms. Furthermore, we found that RIP expression is induced after infection with pathogens and provided, for the first time, transcriptomic evidence of parasite SRL depurination. This evidence suggests a possible role of these foreign genes as immune effectors in insects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Walter J Lapadula
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis, IMIBIO-SL-CONICET and Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Ejército de Los Andes, 950, D5700HHW San Luis, Argentina.
| | - Maximiliano Juri Ayub
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis, IMIBIO-SL-CONICET and Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Ejército de Los Andes, 950, D5700HHW San Luis, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Tokuda R, Iwabuchi N, Kitazawa Y, Nijo T, Suzuki M, Maejima K, Oshima K, Namba S, Yamaji Y. Potential mobile units drive the horizontal transfer of phytoplasma effector phyllogen genes. Front Genet 2023; 14:1132432. [PMID: 37252660 PMCID: PMC10210161 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1132432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Phytoplasmas are obligate intracellular plant pathogenic bacteria that can induce phyllody, which is a type of abnormal floral organ development. Phytoplasmas possess phyllogens, which are effector proteins that cause phyllody in plants. Phylogenetic comparisons of phyllogen and 16S rRNA genes have suggested that phyllogen genes undergo horizontal transfer between phytoplasma species and strains. However, the mechanisms and evolutionary implications of this horizontal gene transfer are unclear. Here, we analyzed synteny in phyllogen flanking genomic regions from 17 phytoplasma strains that were related to six 'Candidatus' species, including three strains newly sequenced in this study. Many of the phyllogens were flanked by multicopy genes within potential mobile units (PMUs), which are putative transposable elements found in phytoplasmas. The multicopy genes exhibited two distinct patterns of synteny that correlated with the linked phyllogens. The low level of sequence identities and partial truncations found among these phyllogen flanking genes indicate that the PMU sequences are deteriorating, whereas the highly conserved sequences and functions (e.g., inducing phyllody) of the phyllogens suggest that the latter are important for phytoplasma fitness. Furthermore, although their phyllogens were similar, PMUs in strains related to 'Ca. P. asteris' were often located in different regions of the genome. These findings strongly indicate that PMUs drive the horizontal transfer of phyllogens among phytoplasma species and strains. These insights improve our understanding of how symptom-determinant genes have been shared among phytoplasmas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryosuke Tokuda
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nozomu Iwabuchi
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yugo Kitazawa
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takamichi Nijo
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masato Suzuki
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kensaku Maejima
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenro Oshima
- Faculty of Bioscience and Applied Chemistry, Hosei University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigetou Namba
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Yamaji
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Yan X, Li Y, Li W, Liang D, Nie S, Chen R, Qiao J, Wen M, Caiyin Q. Transcriptome Analysis and Identification of Sesquiterpene Synthases in Liverwort Jungermannia exsertifolia. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:bioengineering10050569. [PMID: 37237639 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10050569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The liverwort Jungermannia exsertifolia is one of the oldest terrestrial plants and rich in structurally specific sesquiterpenes. There are several sesquiterpene synthases (STSs) with non-classical conserved motifs that have been discovered in recent studies on liverworts; these motifs are rich in aspartate and bind with cofactors. However, more detailed sequence information is needed to clarify the biochemical diversity of these atypical STSs. This study mined J. exsertifolia sesquiterpene synthases (JeSTSs) through transcriptome analysis using BGISEQ-500 sequencing technology. A total of 257,133 unigenes was obtained, and the average length was 933 bp. Among them, a total of 36 unigenes participated in the biosynthesis of sesquiterpenes. In addition, the in vitro enzymatic characterization and heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed that JeSTS1 and JeSTS2 produced nerolidol as the major product, while JeSTS4 could produce bicyclogermacrene and viridiflorol, suggesting a specificity of J. exsertifolia sesquiterpene profiles. Furthermore, the identified JeSTSs had a phylogenetic relationship with a new branch of plant terpene synthases, the microbial terpene synthase-like (MTPSL) STSs. This work contributes to the understanding of the metabolic mechanism for MTPSL-STSs in J. exsertifolia and could provide an efficient alternative to microbial synthesis of these bioactive sesquiterpenes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoguang Yan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University, Shaoxing 312300, China
| | - Yukun Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Weiguo Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University, Shaoxing 312300, China
| | - Dongmei Liang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University, Shaoxing 312300, China
| | - Shengxin Nie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ruiqi Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jianjun Qiao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University, Shaoxing 312300, China
| | - Mingzhang Wen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Qinggele Caiyin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, China
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Grochau-Wright ZI, Nedelcu AM, Michod RE. The Genetics of Fitness Reorganization during the Transition to Multicellularity: The Volvocine regA-like Family as a Model. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14040941. [PMID: 37107699 PMCID: PMC10137558 DOI: 10.3390/genes14040941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary transition from single-celled to multicellular individuality requires organismal fitness to shift from the cell level to a cell group. This reorganization of fitness occurs by re-allocating the two components of fitness, survival and reproduction, between two specialized cell types in the multicellular group: soma and germ, respectively. How does the genetic basis for such fitness reorganization evolve? One possible mechanism is the co-option of life history genes present in the unicellular ancestors of a multicellular lineage. For instance, single-celled organisms must regulate their investment in survival and reproduction in response to environmental changes, particularly decreasing reproduction to ensure survival under stress. Such stress response life history genes can provide the genetic basis for the evolution of cellular differentiation in multicellular lineages. The regA-like gene family in the volvocine green algal lineage provides an excellent model system to study how this co-option can occur. We discuss the origin and evolution of the volvocine regA-like gene family, including regA-the gene that controls somatic cell development in the model organism Volvox carteri. We hypothesize that the co-option of life history trade-off genes is a general mechanism involved in the transition to multicellular individuality, making volvocine algae and the regA-like family a useful template for similar investigations in other lineages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Aurora M Nedelcu
- Biology Department, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Richard E Michod
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Gilbert C, Maumus F. Sidestepping Darwin: horizontal gene transfer from plants to insects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 57:101035. [PMID: 37061183 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Horizontal transfer of genetic material (HT) is the passage of DNA between organisms by means other than reproduction. Increasing numbers of HT are reported in insects, with bacteria, fungi, plants, and insects acting as the main sources of these transfers. Here, we provide a detailed account of plant-to-insect HT events. At least 14 insect species belonging to 6 orders are known to have received plant genetic material through HT. One of them, the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Middle East Asia Minor 1), concentrates most of these transfers, with no less than 28 HT events yielding 55 plant-derived genes in this species. Several plant-to-insect HT events reported so far involve gene families known to play a role in plant-parasite interactions. We highlight methodological approaches that may further help characterize these transfers. We argue that plant-to-insect HT is likely more frequent than currently appreciated and that in-depth studies of these transfers will shed new light on plant-insect interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clément Gilbert
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Evolution, Génomes, Comportement et Ecologie, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Florian Maumus
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, URGI, Versailles, France
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Lyu F, Hai X, Wang Z. A Review of the Host Plant Location and Recognition Mechanisms of Asian Longhorn Beetle. INSECTS 2023; 14:insects14030292. [PMID: 36975977 PMCID: PMC10054519 DOI: 10.3390/insects14030292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The Asian longhorn beetle (ALB), Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky, is a polyphagous xylophage with dozens of reported host tree species. However, the mechanisms by which individuals locate and recognize host plants are still unknown. We summarize the current knowledge of the host plant list, host kairomones, odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and microbial symbionts of this beetle and their practical applications, and finally discuss the host localization and recognition mechanisms. A total of 209 species (or cultivars) were reported as ALB host plants, including 101 species of higher sensitivity; host kairomones were preferentially bound to ALB recombinant OBPs, including cis-3-hexen-1-ol, δ-3-carene, nonanal, linalool, and β-caryophyllene. In addition, microbial symbionts may help ALB degrade their host. Complementarity of tree species with different levels of resistance may reduce damage, but trapping effectiveness for adults was limited using a combination of host kairomones and sex pheromones in the field. Therefore, we discuss host location behavior from a new perspective and show that multiple cues are used by ALB to locate and recognize host plants. Further research into host resistance mechanisms and visual signal recognition, and the interaction of sex pheromone synthesis, symbiont microbiota, and host plants may help reveal the host recognition mechanisms of ALBs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fei Lyu
- Correspondence: (F.L.); (Z.W.); Tel.: +86-03127520216 (F.L.)
| | | | - Zhigang Wang
- Correspondence: (F.L.); (Z.W.); Tel.: +86-03127520216 (F.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Liu C, Li Y, Chen Y, Chen XX, Huang J, Rokas A, Shen XX. How has horizontal gene transfer shaped the evolution of insect genomes? Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:642-645. [PMID: 36511824 PMCID: PMC10153070 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
As the most diverse group of animals on Earth, insects are key organisms in ecosystems. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) refers to the transfer of genetic material between species by non-reproductive means. HGT is a major evolutionary force in prokaryotic genome evolution, but its importance in different eukaryotic groups, such as insects, has only recently begun to be understood. Genomic data from hundreds of insect species have enabled the detection of large numbers of HGT events and the elucidation of the functions of some of these foreign genes. Although quantification of the extent of HGT in insects broadens our understanding of its role in insect evolution, the scope of its influence and underlying mechanism(s) of its occurrence remain open questions for the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Liu
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology and Centre for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Yang Li
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology and Centre for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yun Chen
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology and Centre for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xue-xin Chen
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology and Centre for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jianhua Huang
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology and Centre for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Xing-Xing Shen
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology and Centre for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou 311121, China
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Dong LF, Rohlena J, Zobalova R, Nahacka Z, Rodriguez AM, Berridge MV, Neuzil J. Mitochondria on the move: Horizontal mitochondrial transfer in disease and health. J Cell Biol 2023; 222:213873. [PMID: 36795453 PMCID: PMC9960264 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202211044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian genes were long thought to be constrained within somatic cells in most cell types. This concept was challenged recently when cellular organelles including mitochondria were shown to move between mammalian cells in culture via cytoplasmic bridges. Recent research in animals indicates transfer of mitochondria in cancer and during lung injury in vivo, with considerable functional consequences. Since these pioneering discoveries, many studies have confirmed horizontal mitochondrial transfer (HMT) in vivo, and its functional characteristics and consequences have been described. Additional support for this phenomenon has come from phylogenetic studies. Apparently, mitochondrial trafficking between cells occurs more frequently than previously thought and contributes to diverse processes including bioenergetic crosstalk and homeostasis, disease treatment and recovery, and development of resistance to cancer therapy. Here we highlight current knowledge of HMT between cells, focusing primarily on in vivo systems, and contend that this process is not only (patho)physiologically relevant, but also can be exploited for the design of novel therapeutic approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lan-Feng Dong
- https://ror.org/02sc3r913School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Southport, Australia,Lan-Feng Dong:
| | - Jakub Rohlena
- https://ror.org/00wzqmx94Institute of Biotechnology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague-West, Czech Republic
| | - Renata Zobalova
- https://ror.org/00wzqmx94Institute of Biotechnology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague-West, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Nahacka
- https://ror.org/00wzqmx94Institute of Biotechnology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague-West, Czech Republic
| | | | | | - Jiri Neuzil
- https://ror.org/02sc3r913School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Southport, Australia,https://ror.org/00wzqmx94Institute of Biotechnology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague-West, Czech Republic,Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic,First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic,Correspondence to Jiri Neuzil: ,
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Structural and Functional Annotation of Hypothetical Proteins from the Microsporidia Species Vittaforma corneae ATCC 50505 Using in silico Approaches. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043507. [PMID: 36834914 PMCID: PMC9960886 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Microsporidia are spore-forming eukaryotes that are related to fungi but have unique traits that set them apart. They have compact genomes as a result of evolutionary gene loss associated with their complete dependency on hosts for survival. Despite having a relatively small number of genes, a disproportionately high percentage of the genes in microsporidia genomes code for proteins whose functions remain unknown (hypothetical proteins-HPs). Computational annotation of HPs has become a more efficient and cost-effective alternative to experimental investigation. This research developed a robust bioinformatics annotation pipeline of HPs from Vittaforma corneae, a clinically important microsporidian that causes ocular infections in immunocompromised individuals. Here, we describe various steps to retrieve sequences and homologs and to carry out physicochemical characterization, protein family classification, identification of motifs and domains, protein-protein interaction network analysis, and homology modelling using a variety of online resources. Classification of protein families produced consistent findings across platforms, demonstrating the accuracy of annotation utilizing in silico methods. A total of 162 out of 2034 HPs were fully annotated, with the bulk of them categorized as binding proteins, enzymes, or regulatory proteins. The protein functions of several HPs from Vittaforma corneae were accurately inferred. This improved our understanding of microsporidian HPs despite challenges related to the obligate nature of microsporidia, the absence of fully characterized genes, and the lack of homologous genes in other systems.
Collapse
|
46
|
Gontier N, Sukhoverkhov A. Reticulate evolution underlies synergistic trait formation in human communities. Evol Anthropol 2023; 32:26-38. [PMID: 36205197 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21962] [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: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
This paper investigates how reticulate evolution contributes to a better understanding of human sociocultural evolution in general, and community formation in particular. Reticulate evolution is evolution as it occurs by means of symbiosis, symbiogenesis, lateral gene transfer, infective heredity, and hybridization. From these mechanisms and processes, we mainly zoom in on symbiosis and we investigate how it underlies the rise of (1) human, plant, animal, and machine interactions typical of agriculture, animal husbandry, farming, and industrialization; (2) diet-microbiome relationships; and (3) host-virome and other pathogen interactions that underlie human health and disease. We demonstrate that reticulate evolution necessitates an understanding of behavioral and cultural evolution at a community level, where reticulate causal processes underlie the rise of synergistic organizational traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Gontier
- Applied Evolutionary Epistemology Lab, Centro de Filosofia das Ciências, Departamento de História e Filosofia das Ciências, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Anton Sukhoverkhov
- Department of Philosophy, Kuban State Agrarian University, Krasnodar, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Dereeper A, Allouch N, Guerlais V, Garnier M, Ma L, De Jonckheere JF, Joseph SJ, Ali IKM, Talarmin A, Marcelino I. Naegleria genus pangenome reveals new structural and functional insights into the versatility of these free-living amoebae. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1056418. [PMID: 36817109 PMCID: PMC9928731 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1056418] [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: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Free-living amoebae of the Naegleria genus belong to the major protist clade Heterolobosea and are ubiquitously distributed in soil and freshwater habitats. Of the 47 Naegleria species described, N. fowleri is the only one being pathogenic to humans, causing a rare but fulminant primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Some Naegleria genome sequences are publicly available, but the genetic basis for Naegleria diversity and ability to thrive in diverse environments (including human brain) remains unclear. Methods Herein, we constructed a high-quality Naegleria genus pangenome to obtain a comprehensive catalog of genes encoded by these amoebae. For this, we first sequenced, assembled, and annotated six new Naegleria genomes. Results and Discussion Genome architecture analyses revealed that Naegleria may use genome plasticity features such as ploidy/aneuploidy to modulate their behavior in different environments. When comparing 14 near-to-complete genome sequences, our results estimated the theoretical Naegleria pangenome as a closed genome, with 13,943 genes, including 3,563 core and 10,380 accessory genes. The functional annotations revealed that a large fraction of Naegleria genes show significant sequence similarity with those already described in other kingdoms, namely Animalia and Plantae. Comparative analyses highlighted a remarkable genomic heterogeneity, even for closely related strains and demonstrate that Naegleria harbors extensive genome variability, reflected in different metabolic repertoires. If Naegleria core genome was enriched in conserved genes essential for metabolic, regulatory and survival processes, the accessory genome revealed the presence of genes involved in stress response, macromolecule modifications, cell signaling and immune response. Commonly reported N. fowleri virulence-associated genes were present in both core and accessory genomes, suggesting that N. fowleri's ability to infect human brain could be related to its unique species-specific genes (mostly of unknown function) and/or to differential gene expression. The construction of Naegleria first pangenome allowed us to move away from a single reference genome (that does not necessarily represent each species as a whole) and to identify essential and dispensable genes in Naegleria evolution, diversity and biology, paving the way for further genomic and post-genomic studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Dereeper
- Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe, Unité TReD-Path, Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Nina Allouch
- Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe, Unité TReD-Path, Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Vincent Guerlais
- Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe, Unité TReD-Path, Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Maëlle Garnier
- Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe, Unité TReD-Path, Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Laurence Ma
- Institut Pasteur de Paris, Biomics, Paris, France
| | | | - Sandeep J. Joseph
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ibne Karim M. Ali
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Antoine Talarmin
- Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe, Unité TReD-Path, Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Isabel Marcelino
- Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe, Unité TReD-Path, Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, France,*Correspondence: Isabel Marcelino,
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Shimpi GG, Bentlage B. Ancient endosymbiont-mediated transmission of a selfish gene provides a model for overcoming barriers to gene transfer into animal mitochondrial genomes. Bioessays 2023; 45:e2200190. [PMID: 36412071 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200190] [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: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In contrast to bilaterian animals, non-bilaterian mitochondrial genomes contain atypical genes, often attributed to horizontal gene transfer (HGT) as an ad hoc explanation. Although prevalent in plants, HGT into animal mitochondrial genomes is rare, lacking suitable explanatory models for their occurrence. HGT of the mismatch DNA repair gene (mtMutS) from giant viruses to octocoral (soft corals and their kin) mitochondrial genomes provides a model for how barriers to HGT to animal mitochondria may be overcome. A review of the available literature suggests that this HGT was mediated by an alveolate endosymbiont infected with a lysogenic phycodnavirus that enabled insertion of the homing endonuclease containing mtMutS into octocoral mitochondrial genomes. We posit that homing endonuclease domains and similar selfish elements play a crucial role in such inter-domain gene transfers. Understanding the role of selfish genetic elements in HGT has the potential to aid development of tools for manipulating animal mitochondrial DNA.
Collapse
|
49
|
Gou M, Balint-Kurti P, Xu M, Yang Q. Quantitative disease resistance: Multifaceted players in plant defense. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 65:594-610. [PMID: 36448658 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In contrast to large-effect qualitative disease resistance, quantitative disease resistance (QDR) exhibits partial and generally durable resistance and has been extensively utilized in crop breeding. The molecular mechanisms underlying QDR remain largely unknown but considerable progress has been made in this area in recent years. In this review, we summarize the genes that have been associated with plant QDR and their biological functions. Many QDR genes belong to the canonical resistance gene categories with predicted functions in pathogen perception, signal transduction, phytohormone homeostasis, metabolite transport and biosynthesis, and epigenetic regulation. However, other "atypical" QDR genes are predicted to be involved in processes that are not commonly associated with disease resistance, such as vesicle trafficking, molecular chaperones, and others. This diversity of function for QDR genes contrasts with qualitative resistance, which is often based on the actions of nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) resistance proteins. An understanding of the diversity of QDR mechanisms and of which mechanisms are effective against which classes of pathogens will enable the more effective deployment of QDR to produce more durably resistant, resilient crops.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Gou
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, Center for Crop Genome Engineering, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
- The Shennong Laboratory, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Peter Balint-Kurti
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
- Plant Science Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Mingliang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, National Maize Improvement Center, Center for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Agronomy, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Qin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Key Laboratory of Maize Biology and Genetic Breeding in Arid Area of Northwest Region of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Zhang Y, Zhang C, Huo W, Wang X, Zhang M, Palmer K, Chen M. An expectation-maximization algorithm for estimating proportions of deletions among bacterial populations with application to study antibiotic resistance gene transfer in Enterococcus faecalis. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 5:28-43. [PMID: 36744155 PMCID: PMC9888353 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-022-00144-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria limits the availability of antibiotic choices for treatment and infection control, thereby representing a major threat to human health. The de novo mutation of bacterial genomes is an essential mechanism by which bacteria acquire antibiotic resistance. Previously, deletion mutations within bacterial immune systems, ranging from dozens to thousands of base pairs (bps) in length, have been associated with the spread of antibiotic resistance. Most current methods for evaluating genomic structural variations (SVs) have concentrated on detecting them, rather than estimating the proportions of populations that carry distinct SVs. A better understanding of the distribution of mutations and subpopulations dynamics in bacterial populations is needed to appreciate antibiotic resistance evolution and movement of resistance genes through populations. Here, we propose a statistical model to estimate the proportions of genomic deletions in a mixed population based on Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithms and next-generation sequencing (NGS) data. The method integrates both insert size and split-read mapping information to iteratively update estimated distributions. The proposed method was evaluated with three simulations that demonstrated the production of accurate estimations. The proposed method was then applied to investigate the horizontal transfers of antibiotic resistance genes in concert with changes in the CRISPR-Cas system of E. faecalis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-022-00144-z.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266000 China
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080 USA
| | - Cong Zhang
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080 USA
| | - Wenwen Huo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080 USA
| | - Xinlei Wang
- Department of Statistical Science, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205 USA
| | - Michael Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080 USA
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China
| | - Kelli Palmer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080 USA
| | - Min Chen
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080 USA
- Department of Population and Data Sciences, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390 USA
| |
Collapse
|