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Chmelová Ľ, Kraeva N, Saura A, Krayzel A, Vieira CS, Ferreira TN, Soares RP, Bučková B, Galan A, Horáková E, Vojtková B, Sádlová J, Malysheva MN, Butenko A, Prokopchuk G, Frolov AO, Lukeš J, Horváth A, Škodová-Sveráková I, Feder D, Yu Kostygov A, Yurchenko V. Intricate balance of dually-localized catalase modulates infectivity of Leptomonas seymouri (Kinetoplastea: Trypanosomatidae). Int J Parasitol 2024; 54:391-400. [PMID: 38663543 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.04.007] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Nearly all aerobic organisms are equipped with catalases, powerful enzymes scavenging hydrogen peroxide and facilitating defense against harmful reactive oxygen species. In trypanosomatids, this enzyme was not present in the common ancestor, yet it had been independently acquired by different lineages of monoxenous trypanosomatids from different bacteria at least three times. This observation posited an obvious question: why was catalase so "sought after" if many trypanosomatid groups do just fine without it? In this work, we analyzed subcellular localization and function of catalase in Leptomonas seymouri. We demonstrated that this enzyme is present in the cytoplasm and a subset of glycosomes, and that its cytoplasmic retention is H2O2-dependent. The ablation of catalase in this parasite is not detrimental in vivo, while its overexpression resulted in a substantially higher parasite load in the experimental infection of Dysdercus peruvianus. We propose that the capacity of studied flagellates to modulate the catalase activity in the midgut of its insect host facilitates their development and protects them from oxidative damage at elevated temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ľubomíra Chmelová
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Natalya Kraeva
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Andreu Saura
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Adam Krayzel
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Cecilia Stahl Vieira
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Biologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Tainá Neves Ferreira
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Biologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Pedro Soares
- Biotechnology Applied to Pathogens (BAP), Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Barbora Bučková
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Arnau Galan
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Eva Horáková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Barbora Vojtková
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jovana Sádlová
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Marina N Malysheva
- Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anzhelika Butenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Galina Prokopchuk
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Alexander O Frolov
- Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Anton Horváth
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ingrid Škodová-Sveráková
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Denise Feder
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Biologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Niterói, Brazil; Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Biologia, Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Niterói, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alexei Yu Kostygov
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia; Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.
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Sharma N, Vuppu S. In Silico Study of Enzymatic Degradation of Bioplastic by Microalgae: An Outlook on Microplastic Environmental Impact Assessment, Challenges, and Opportunities. Mol Biotechnol 2023:10.1007/s12033-023-00886-w. [PMID: 37758971 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00886-w] [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: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are tiny pieces of non-biodegradable plastic that can take thousands of years to break down. As microplastics degrade, they release harmful compounds into the environment, which can be found in the surroundings. The microplastics found in the environment are hard to detect and remove because of their small particle sizes. Microplastics cannot decompose naturally, so they accumulate in the environment and cause pollution. As a result, bioplastics can be produced from a vast array of substrates, including biopolymers, citrus peels, leather, and feather wastes. Blue-green microalgae namely Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) contains enzymes such as laccase and catalase which can be responsible for the degradation of bioplastics. In our study, we performed molecular docking to identify the binding affinities of different enzymes such as laccase and catalase with different substrates, focusing on determining the most suitable substrate for enhancing enzyme activity for degradation of bioplastics. The analysis revealed that veratryl alcohol is the most suitable substrate for laccase, whereas lignin is the more preferred substrate for catalase with the highest binding affinity score of - 5.9 and - 8.1 kcal/mol. Moreover, degradation, challenges, opportunities, and applications of bioplastics in numerous domains such as cosmetics, electronics, agriculture, medical, textiles, and food industries have also been highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioscience and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu, Vellore, 632014, India
| | - Suneetha Vuppu
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioscience and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu, Vellore, 632014, India.
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Barranco-Gómez O, De Paula JC, Parada JS, Gómez-Moracho T, Marfil AV, Zafra M, Orantes Bermejo FJ, Osuna A, De Pablos LM. Development of a TaqMan qPCR assay for trypanosomatid multi-species detection and quantification in insects. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:69. [PMID: 36788540 PMCID: PMC9930332 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05687-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trypanosomatid parasites are widely distributed in nature and can have a monoxenous or dixenous life-cycle. These parasites thrive in a wide number of insect orders, some of which have an important economic and environmental value, such as bees. The objective of this study was to develop a robust and sensitive real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay for detecting trypanosomatid parasites in any type of parasitized insect sample. METHODS A TaqMan qPCR assay based on a trypanosomatid-conserved region of the α-tubulin gene was standardized and evaluated. The limits of detection, sensitivity and versatility of the α-tubulin TaqMan assay were tested and validated using field samples of honeybee workers, wild bees, bumblebees and grasshoppers, as well as in the human infective trypanosomatid Leishmania major. RESULTS The assay showed a detection limit of 1 parasite equivalent/µl and successfully detected trypanosomatids in 10 different hosts belonging to the insect orders Hymenoptera and Orthoptera. The methodology was also tested using honeybee samples from four apiaries (n = 224 worker honeybees) located in the Alpujarra region (Granada, Spain). Trypanosomatids were detected in 2.7% of the honeybees, with an intra-colony prevalence of 0% to 13%. Parasite loads in the four different classes of insects ranged from 40.6 up to 1.1 × 108 cell equivalents per host. CONCLUSIONS These results show that the α-tubulin TaqMan qPCR assay described here is a versatile diagnostic tool for the accurate detection and quantification of trypanosomatids in a wide range of environmental settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Barranco-Gómez
- Departamento de Parasitología, Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular CTS-183, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.,Institute of Biotechnology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Jessica Carreira De Paula
- Departamento de Parasitología, Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular CTS-183, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.,Institute of Biotechnology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Jennifer Solano Parada
- Departamento de Parasitología, Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular CTS-183, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.,Institute of Biotechnology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Tamara Gómez-Moracho
- Departamento de Parasitología, Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular CTS-183, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.,Institute of Biotechnology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Ana Vic Marfil
- Departamento de Parasitología, Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular CTS-183, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - María Zafra
- Departamento de Parasitología, Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular CTS-183, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Antonio Osuna
- Departamento de Parasitología, Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular CTS-183, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.,Institute of Biotechnology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Luis Miguel De Pablos
- Departamento de Parasitología, Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular CTS-183, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain. .,Institute of Biotechnology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
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Zakharova A, Albanaz ATS, Opperdoes FR, Škodová-Sveráková I, Zagirova D, Saura A, Chmelová L, Gerasimov ES, Leštinová T, Bečvář T, Sádlová J, Volf P, Lukeš J, Horváth A, Butenko A, Yurchenko V. Leishmania guyanensis M4147 as a new LRV1-bearing model parasite: Phosphatidate phosphatase 2-like protein controls cell cycle progression and intracellular lipid content. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010510. [PMID: 35749562 PMCID: PMC9232130 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic vector-borne disease caused by the protistan flagellates of the genus Leishmania. Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis is one of the most common causative agents of the American tegumentary leishmaniasis. It has previously been shown that L. guyanensis strains that carry the endosymbiotic Leishmania RNA virus 1 (LRV1) cause more severe form of the disease in a mouse model than those that do not. The presence of the virus was implicated into the parasite’s replication and spreading. In this respect, studying the molecular mechanisms of cellular control of viral infection is of great medical importance. Here, we report ~30.5 Mb high-quality genome assembly of the LRV1-positive L. guyanensis M4147. This strain was turned into a model by establishing the CRISPR-Cas9 system and ablating the gene encoding phosphatidate phosphatase 2-like (PAP2L) protein. The orthologue of this gene is conspicuously absent from the genome of an unusual member of the family Trypanosomatidae, Vickermania ingenoplastis, a species with mostly bi-flagellated cells. Our analysis of the PAP2L-null L. guyanensis showed an increase in the number of cells strikingly resembling the bi-flagellated V. ingenoplastis, likely as a result of the disruption of the cell cycle, significant accumulation of phosphatidic acid, and increased virulence compared to the wild type cells. Worldwide, over one million people are getting infected by the parasitic flagellates of the genus Leishmania annually leading to ~30,000 deaths. Notably, there is still no approved vaccine against human leishmaniases. A range of methods of forward and reverse genetics has recently been developed for several model Leishmania species. Unfortunately, these methods are often not transferrable to non-model species, which may be of even greater medical importance. Leishmania guyanensis is one of such cases. It frequently carries a symbiotic RNA virus that contributes to the development of a more aggressive form of leishmaniasis in an experimental murine model. In order to establish and optimize the system for genetic manipulations in L. guyanensis, we sequenced and annotated its genome. Next, we applied the CRISPR-Cas9 technology to target a gene of interest. This approach was validated by ablating a gene encoding a protein involved in lipid metabolism. In this work, we document that deletion of this gene leads to the disturbance of cell cycle and affects the ratio of critical intracellular lipids. We believe that our study will facilitate research into more effective treatment of leishmaniases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Zakharova
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Amanda T. S. Albanaz
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Fred R. Opperdoes
- De Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ingrid Škodová-Sveráková
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Diana Zagirova
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Andreu Saura
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Lˇubomíra Chmelová
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Evgeny S. Gerasimov
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Leštinová
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Bečvář
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jovana Sádlová
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Anton Horváth
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Anzhelika Butenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
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Chmelová Ľ, Bianchi C, Albanaz ATS, Režnarová J, Wheeler R, Kostygov AY, Kraeva N, Yurchenko V. Comparative Analysis of Three Trypanosomatid Catalases of Different Origin. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 11:46. [PMID: 35052550 PMCID: PMC8773446 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11010046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Most trypanosomatid flagellates do not have catalase. In the evolution of this group, the gene encoding catalase has been independently acquired at least three times from three different bacterial groups. Here, we demonstrate that the catalase of Vickermania was obtained by horizontal gene transfer from Gammaproteobacteria, extending the list of known bacterial sources of this gene. Comparative biochemical analyses revealed that the enzymes of V. ingenoplastis, Leptomonas pyrrhocoris, and Blastocrithidia sp., representing the three independent catalase-bearing trypanosomatid lineages, have similar properties, except for the unique cyanide resistance in the catalase of the latter species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ľubomíra Chmelová
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (Ľ.C.); (C.B.); (A.T.S.A.); (J.R.); (A.Y.K.); (N.K.)
| | - Claretta Bianchi
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (Ľ.C.); (C.B.); (A.T.S.A.); (J.R.); (A.Y.K.); (N.K.)
| | - Amanda T. S. Albanaz
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (Ľ.C.); (C.B.); (A.T.S.A.); (J.R.); (A.Y.K.); (N.K.)
| | - Jana Režnarová
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (Ľ.C.); (C.B.); (A.T.S.A.); (J.R.); (A.Y.K.); (N.K.)
| | - Richard Wheeler
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK;
| | - Alexei Yu. Kostygov
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (Ľ.C.); (C.B.); (A.T.S.A.); (J.R.); (A.Y.K.); (N.K.)
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Natalya Kraeva
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (Ľ.C.); (C.B.); (A.T.S.A.); (J.R.); (A.Y.K.); (N.K.)
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (Ľ.C.); (C.B.); (A.T.S.A.); (J.R.); (A.Y.K.); (N.K.)
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, 119435 Moscow, Russia
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Poláková E, Albanaz ATS, Zakharova A, Novozhilova TS, Gerasimov ES, Yurchenko V. Ku80 is involved in telomere maintenance but dispensable for genomic stability in Leishmania mexicana. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0010041. [PMID: 34965251 PMCID: PMC8716037 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomeres are indispensable for genome stability maintenance. They are maintained by the telomere-associated protein complex, which include Ku proteins and a telomerase among others. Here, we investigated a role of Ku80 in Leishmania mexicana. Leishmania is a genus of parasitic protists of the family Trypanosomatidae causing a vector-born disease called leishmaniasis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We used the previously established CRISPR/Cas9 system to mediate ablation of Ku80- and Ku70-encoding genes in L. mexicana. Complete knock-outs of both genes were confirmed by Southern blotting, whole-genome Illumina sequencing, and RT-qPCR. Resulting telomeric phenotypes were subsequently investigated using Southern blotting detection of terminal restriction fragments. The genome integrity in the Ku80- deficient cells was further investigated by whole-genome sequencing. Our work revealed that telomeres in the ΔKu80 L. mexicana are elongated compared to those of the wild type. This is a surprising finding considering that in another model trypanosomatid, Trypanosoma brucei, they are shortened upon ablation of the same gene. A telomere elongation phenotype has been documented in other species and associated with a presence of telomerase-independent alternative telomere lengthening pathway. Our results also showed that Ku80 appears to be not involved in genome stability maintenance in L. mexicana. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE Ablation of the Ku proteins in L. mexicana triggers telomere elongation, but does not have an adverse impact on genome integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Poláková
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Amanda T. S. Albanaz
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Alexandra Zakharova
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | | | - Evgeny S. Gerasimov
- Faculty of Biology, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
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7
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Analyses of Leishmania-LRV Co-Phylogenetic Patterns and Evolutionary Variability of Viral Proteins. Viruses 2021; 13:v13112305. [PMID: 34835111 PMCID: PMC8624691 DOI: 10.3390/v13112305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania spp. are important pathogens causing a vector-borne disease with a broad range of clinical manifestations from self-healing ulcers to the life-threatening visceral forms. Presence of Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) confers survival advantage to these parasites by suppressing anti-leishmanial immunity in the vertebrate host. The two viral species, LRV1 and LRV2 infect species of the subgenera Viannia and Leishmania, respectively. In this work we investigated co-phylogenetic patterns of leishmaniae and their viruses on a small scale (LRV2 in L. major) and demonstrated their predominant coevolution, occasionally broken by intraspecific host switches. Our analysis of the two viral genes, encoding the capsid and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP), revealed them to be under the pressure of purifying selection, which was considerably stronger for the former gene across the whole tree. The selective pressure also differs between the LRV clades and correlates with the frequency of interspecific host switches. In addition, using experimental (capsid) and predicted (RDRP) models we demonstrated that the evolutionary variability across the structure is strikingly different in these two viral proteins.
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8
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Bombaça ACS, Gandara ACP, Ennes-Vidal V, Bottino-Rojas V, Dias FA, Farnesi LC, Sorgine MH, Bahia AC, Bruno RV, Menna-Barreto RFS. Aedes aegypti Infection With Trypanosomatid Strigomonas culicis Alters Midgut Redox Metabolism and Reduces Mosquito Reproductive Fitness. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:732925. [PMID: 34485182 PMCID: PMC8414984 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.732925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes transmit arboviruses of important global health impact, and their intestinal microbiota can influence vector competence by stimulating the innate immune system. Midgut epithelial cells also produce toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) by dual oxidases (DUOXs) that are essential players in insect immunity. Strigomonas culicis is a monoxenous trypanosomatid that naturally inhabits mosquitoes; it hosts an endosymbiotic bacterium that completes essential biosynthetic pathways of the parasite and influences its oxidative metabolism. Our group previously showed that S. culicis hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-resistant (WTR) strain is more infectious to A. aegypti mosquitoes than the wild-type (WT) strain. Here, we investigated the influence of both strains on the midgut oxidative environment and the effect of infection on mosquito fitness and immunity. WT stimulated the production of superoxide by mitochondrial metabolism of midgut epithelial cells after 4 days post-infection, while WTR exacerbated H2O2 production mediated by increased DUOX activity and impairment of antioxidant system. The infection with both strains also disrupted the fecundity and fertility of the females, with a greater impact on reproductive fitness of WTR-infected mosquitoes. The presence of these parasites induced specific transcriptional modulation of immune-related genes, such as attacin and defensin A during WTR infection (11.8- and 6.4-fold, respectively) and defensin C in WT infection (7.1-fold). Thus, we propose that A. aegypti oxidative response starts in early infection time and does not affect the survival of the H2O2-resistant strain, which has a more efficient antioxidant system. Our data provide new biological aspects of A. aegypti–S. culicis relationship that can be used later in alternative vector control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cristina S Bombaça
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Caroline P Gandara
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vitor Ennes-Vidal
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Bottino-Rojas
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Felipe A Dias
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luana C Farnesi
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcos H Sorgine
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Cristina Bahia
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Insetos e Parasitos, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rafaela V Bruno
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM/CNPq), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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