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Serbus LR. A Light in the Dark: Uncovering Wolbachia-Host Interactions Using Fluorescence Imaging. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2739:349-373. [PMID: 38006562 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3553-7_21] [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] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
The success of microbial endosymbionts, which reside naturally within a eukaryotic "host" organism, requires effective microbial interaction with, and manipulation of, the host cells. Fluorescence microscopy has played a key role in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of endosymbiosis. For 30 years, fluorescence analyses have been a cornerstone in studies of endosymbiotic Wolbachia bacteria, focused on host colonization, maternal transmission, reproductive parasitism, horizontal gene transfer, viral suppression, and metabolic interactions in arthropods and nematodes. Fluorescence-based studies stand to continue informing Wolbachia-host interactions in increasingly detailed and innovative ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Renee Serbus
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
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2
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Aikawa T, Maehara N, Ichihara Y, Masuya H, Nakamura K, Anbutsu H. Cytoplasmic incompatibility in the semivoltine longicorn beetle Acalolepta fraudatrix (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) double infected with Wolbachia. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261928. [PMID: 35030199 PMCID: PMC8759696 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia are obligatory endosymbiotic α-proteobacteria found in many arthropods. They are maternally inherited, and can induce reproductive alterations in the hosts. Despite considerable recent progress in studies on the associations between Wolbachia and various taxonomic groups of insects, none of the researches have revealed the effects of Wolbachia on longicorn beetles as the host insect. Acalolepta fraudatrix is a forest longicorn beetle that is distributed in East Asia. In this study, the relationship between Wolbachia and A. fraudatrix was investigated. Out of two populations of A. fraudatrix screened for Wolbachia using the genes ftsZ, wsp, and 16S rRNA, only one of the populations showed detection of all three genes indicating the presence of Wolbachia. Electron microscopy and fluorescent in situ hybridization also confirmed that the A. fraudatrix population was infected with Wolbachia. Sequencing the wsp genes derived from single insects revealed that two strains of Wolbachia coexisted in the insects based on the detection of two different sequences of the wsp gene. We designated these strains as wFra1 and wFra2. The bacterial titers of wFra1 were nearly 2-fold and 3-fold higher than wFra2 in the testes and ovaries, respectively. The two strains of Wolbachia in the insects were completely eliminated by rearing the insects on artificial diets containing 1% concentration of tetracycline for 1 generation. Reciprocal crosses between Wolbachia-infected and Wolbachia-uninfected A. fraudatrix demonstrated that only eggs produced by the crosses between Wolbachia-infected males and Wolbachia-uninfected females did not hatch, indicating that Wolbachia infecting A. fraudatrix causes cytoplasmic incompatibility in the host insect. This is the first report showing the effect of Wolbachia on reproductive function in a longicorn beetle, A. fraudatrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Aikawa
- Tohoku Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Morioka, Iwate, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Noritoshi Maehara
- Department of Forest Entomology, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yu Ichihara
- Kansai Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hayato Masuya
- Department of Mushroom Science and Forest Microbiology, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Katsunori Nakamura
- Tohoku Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Morioka, Iwate, Japan
| | - Hisashi Anbutsu
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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3
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Kaur R, Shropshire JD, Cross KL, Leigh B, Mansueto AJ, Stewart V, Bordenstein SR, Bordenstein SR. Living in the endosymbiotic world of Wolbachia: A centennial review. Cell Host Microbe 2021. [PMID: 33945798 DOI: 10.20944/preprints202103.0338.v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The most widespread intracellular bacteria in the animal kingdom are maternally inherited endosymbionts of the genus Wolbachia. Their prevalence in arthropods and nematodes worldwide and stunning arsenal of parasitic and mutualistic adaptations make these bacteria a biological archetype for basic studies of symbiosis and applied outcomes for curbing human and agricultural diseases. Here, we conduct a summative, centennial analysis of living in the Wolbachia world. We synthesize literature on Wolbachia's host range, phylogenetic diversity, genomics, cell biology, and applications to filarial, arboviral, and agricultural diseases. We also review the mobilome of Wolbachia including phage WO and its essentiality to hallmark reproductive phenotypes in arthropods. Finally, the Wolbachia system is an exemplar for discovery-based science education using biodiversity, biotechnology, and bioinformatics lessons. As we approach a century of Wolbachia research, the interdisciplinary science of this symbiosis stands as a model for consolidating and teaching the integrative rules of endosymbiotic life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupinder Kaur
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
| | - J Dylan Shropshire
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Karissa L Cross
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Brittany Leigh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Alexander J Mansueto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Victoria Stewart
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Sarah R Bordenstein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Seth R Bordenstein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
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4
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Kaur R, Shropshire JD, Cross KL, Leigh B, Mansueto AJ, Stewart V, Bordenstein SR, Bordenstein SR. Living in the endosymbiotic world of Wolbachia: A centennial review. Cell Host Microbe 2021; 29:879-893. [PMID: 33945798 PMCID: PMC8192442 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The most widespread intracellular bacteria in the animal kingdom are maternally inherited endosymbionts of the genus Wolbachia. Their prevalence in arthropods and nematodes worldwide and stunning arsenal of parasitic and mutualistic adaptations make these bacteria a biological archetype for basic studies of symbiosis and applied outcomes for curbing human and agricultural diseases. Here, we conduct a summative, centennial analysis of living in the Wolbachia world. We synthesize literature on Wolbachia's host range, phylogenetic diversity, genomics, cell biology, and applications to filarial, arboviral, and agricultural diseases. We also review the mobilome of Wolbachia including phage WO and its essentiality to hallmark reproductive phenotypes in arthropods. Finally, the Wolbachia system is an exemplar for discovery-based science education using biodiversity, biotechnology, and bioinformatics lessons. As we approach a century of Wolbachia research, the interdisciplinary science of this symbiosis stands as a model for consolidating and teaching the integrative rules of endosymbiotic life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupinder Kaur
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
| | - J Dylan Shropshire
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Karissa L Cross
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Brittany Leigh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Alexander J Mansueto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Victoria Stewart
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Sarah R Bordenstein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Seth R Bordenstein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
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Genome of the fatal tapeworm Sparganum proliferum uncovers mechanisms for cryptic life cycle and aberrant larval proliferation. Commun Biol 2021; 4:649. [PMID: 34059788 PMCID: PMC8166898 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02160-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cryptic parasite Sparganum proliferum proliferates in humans and invades tissues and organs. Only scattered cases have been reported, but S. proliferum infection is always fatal. However, S. proliferum’s phylogeny and life cycle remain enigmatic. To investigate the phylogenetic relationships between S. proliferum and other cestode species, and to examine the mechanisms underlying pathogenicity, we sequenced the entire genomes of S. proliferum and a closely related non–life-threatening tapeworm Spirometra erinaceieuropaei. Additionally, we performed larvae transcriptome analyses of S. proliferum plerocercoid to identify genes involved in asexual reproduction in the host. The genome sequences confirmed that the S. proliferum has experienced a clearly distinct evolutionary history from S. erinaceieuropaei. Moreover, we found that nonordinal extracellular matrix coordination allows asexual reproduction in the host, and loss of sexual maturity in S. proliferum are responsible for its fatal pathogenicity to humans. Our high-quality reference genome sequences should be valuable for future studies of pseudophyllidean tapeworm biology and parasitism. Kikuchi et al. sequence the genome of the fatal tapeworm Sparganum proliferum and a closely related non–life-threatening tapeworm Spirometra erinaceieuropaei, and describe its genomic features suggesting the natural history and molecular mechanisms underlying pathogenicity. Their findings indicate that nonordinal extracellular matrix coordination is important for its asexual reproduction, and suggest that loss of sexual maturity contributes to the fatal pathogenicity of S. proliferum to humans.
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Bacterial Symbionts of Tsetse Flies: Relationships and Functional Interactions Between Tsetse Flies and Their Symbionts. Results Probl Cell Differ 2021; 69:497-536. [PMID: 33263885 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-51849-3_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
Tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) act as the sole vectors of the African trypanosome species that cause Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT or African Sleeping Sickness) and Nagana in animals. These flies have undergone a variety of specializations during their evolution including an exclusive diet consisting solely of vertebrate blood for both sexes as well as an obligate viviparous reproductive biology. Alongside these adaptations, Glossina species have developed intricate relationships with specific microbes ranging from mutualistic to parasitic. These relationships provide fundamental support required to sustain the specializations associated with tsetse's biology. This chapter provides an overview on the knowledge to date regarding the biology behind these relationships and focuses primarily on four bacterial species that are consistently associated with Glossina species. Here their interactions with the host are reviewed at the morphological, biochemical and genetic levels. This includes: the obligate symbiont Wigglesworthia, which is found in all tsetse species and is essential for nutritional supplementation to the blood-specific diet, immune system maturation and facilitation of viviparous reproduction; the commensal symbiont Sodalis, which is a frequently associated symbiont optimized for survival within the fly via nutritional adaptation, vertical transmission through mating and may alter vectorial capacity of Glossina for trypanosomes; the parasitic symbiont Wolbachia, which can manipulate Glossina via cytoplasmic incompatibility and shows unique interactions at the genetic level via horizontal transmission of its genetic material into the genome in two Glossina species; finally, knowledge on recently observed relations between Spiroplasma and Glossina is explored and potential interactions are discussed based on knowledge of interactions between this bacterial Genera and other insect species. These flies have a simple microbiome relative to that of other insects. However, these relationships are deep, well-studied and provide a window into the complexity and function of host/symbiont interactions in an important disease vector.
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7
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Zha YP, Wu XL, Zhang ZY, Chen JY, Chen QC. Influence of ultrasound on juvenile hormone titers in Monochamus alternatus Hope (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Sci Rep 2021; 11:1450. [PMID: 33446862 PMCID: PMC7809024 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81227-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Abiotic stress factors can significantly affect insects. In particular, the stressful effects of exposure to ultrasound on insects are considered important. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ultrasound on the important global pest Monochamus alternatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), which is the main vector of the pinewood nematode. We exposed M. alternatus adults (aged 1 day, 3 days, and 5 days) to ultrasound at different frequencies (using two ultrasonic devices, i.e., LHC20 with a mixture of frequencies at 35 kHz, 70 kHz, and 105 kHz; and GFG-8016G at two separate frequencies of 30 kHz and 60 kHz) for different periods of time (1 h, 12 h, and 24 h), before evaluating the juvenile hormone III (JHIII) titers. All of the ultrasound treatments significantly decreased the JHIII titers in M. alternatus adults. The decreases in the JHIII titers due to ultrasound exposure did not differ according to sex, but the effects on beetles of different ages differed significantly depending on the duration of exposure. The decreases in the JHIII titers were highest in male and female beetles after exposure to ultrasound for 12 h. Following exposure to ultrasound for any time period, the decreases in the JHIII titers were lower in adults aged 3 days than those aged 1 day and 5 days. The different ultrasonic frequencies led to variable decreases in the JHIII titers in M. alternatus adults, where the greatest decreases occurred in beetles exposed to ultrasound at 60 kHz. Our results indicate that ultrasound can negatively affect the normal JHIII levels and it may further disrupt sexual maturation by M. alternatus adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ping Zha
- Hubei Academy of Forestry, Wuhan, 430075, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiao-Ling Wu
- College of Life Sciences and Hubei Key Lab of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, People's Republic of China
| | - Zi-Yi Zhang
- Hubei Academy of Forestry, Wuhan, 430075, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Yuan Chen
- Hubei Academy of Forestry, Wuhan, 430075, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi-Cai Chen
- College of Life Sciences and Hubei Key Lab of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, People's Republic of China
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8
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Driscoll TP, Verhoeve VI, Brockway C, Shrewsberry DL, Plumer M, Sevdalis SE, Beckmann JF, Krueger LM, Macaluso KR, Azad AF, Gillespie JJ. Evolution of Wolbachia mutualism and reproductive parasitism: insight from two novel strains that co-infect cat fleas. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10646. [PMID: 33362982 PMCID: PMC7750005 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachiae are obligate intracellular bacteria that infect arthropods and certain nematodes. Usually maternally inherited, they may provision nutrients to (mutualism) or alter sexual biology of (reproductive parasitism) their invertebrate hosts. We report the assembly of closed genomes for two novel wolbachiae, wCfeT and wCfeJ, found co-infecting cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) of the Elward Laboratory colony (Soquel, CA, USA). wCfeT is basal to nearly all described Wolbachia supergroups, while wCfeJ is related to supergroups C, D and F. Both genomes contain laterally transferred genes that inform on the evolution of Wolbachia host associations. wCfeT carries the Biotin synthesis Operon of Obligate intracellular Microbes (BOOM); our analyses reveal five independent acquisitions of BOOM across the Wolbachia tree, indicating parallel evolution towards mutualism. Alternately, wCfeJ harbors a toxin-antidote operon analogous to the wPip cinAB operon recently characterized as an inducer of cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) in flies. wCfeJ cinB and three adjacent genes are collectively similar to large modular toxins encoded in CI-like operons of certain Wolbachia strains and Rickettsia species, signifying that CI toxins streamline by fission of large modular toxins. Remarkably, the C. felis genome itself contains two CI-like antidote genes, divergent from wCfeJ cinA, revealing episodic reproductive parasitism in cat fleas and evidencing mobility of CI loci independent of WO-phage. Additional screening revealed predominant co-infection (wCfeT/wCfeJ) amongst C. felis colonies, though fleas in wild populations mostly harbor wCfeT alone. Collectively, genomes of wCfeT, wCfeJ, and their cat flea host supply instances of lateral gene transfers that could drive transitions between parasitism and mutualism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Victoria I Verhoeve
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Mariah Plumer
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Spiridon E Sevdalis
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - John F Beckmann
- Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Laura M Krueger
- Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District, Garden Grove, CA, USA
| | - Kevin R Macaluso
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
| | - Abdu F Azad
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joseph J Gillespie
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Madhav M, Baker D, Morgan JAT, Asgari S, James P. Wolbachia: A tool for livestock ectoparasite control. Vet Parasitol 2020; 288:109297. [PMID: 33248417 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ectoparasites and livestock-associated insects are a major concern throughout the world because of their economic and welfare impacts. Effective control is challenging and relies mainly on the use of chemical insecticides and acaricides. Wolbachia, an arthropod and nematode-infecting, maternally-transmitted endosymbiont is currently of widespread interest for use in novel strategies for the control of a range of arthropod-vectored human diseases and plant pests but to date has received only limited consideration for use in the control of diseases of veterinary concern. Here, we review the currently available information on Wolbachia in veterinary ectoparasites and disease vectors, consider the feasibility for use of Wolbachia in the control of livestock pests and diseases and highlight critical issues which need further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukund Madhav
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Dalton Baker
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jess A T Morgan
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sassan Asgari
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Peter James
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
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10
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Asimakis ED, Doudoumis V, Hadapad AB, Hire RS, Batargias C, Niu C, Khan M, Bourtzis K, Tsiamis G. Detection and characterization of bacterial endosymbionts in Southeast Asian tephritid fruit fly populations. BMC Microbiol 2019; 19:290. [PMID: 31870298 PMCID: PMC7050614 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-019-1653-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Various endosymbiotic bacteria, including Wolbachia of the Alphaproteobacteria, infect a wide range of insects and are capable of inducing reproductive abnormalities to their hosts such as cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), parthenogenesis, feminization and male-killing. These extended phenotypes can be potentially exploited in enhancing environmentally friendly methods, such as the sterile insect technique (SIT), for controlling natural populations of agricultural pests. The goal of the present study is to investigate the presence of Wolbachia, Spiroplasma, Arsenophonus and Cardinium among Bactrocera, Dacus and Zeugodacus flies of Southeast Asian populations, and to genotype any detected Wolbachia strains. RESULTS A specific 16S rRNA PCR assay was used to investigate the presence of reproductive parasites in natural populations of nine different tephritid species originating from three Asian countries, Bangladesh, China and India. Wolbachia infections were identified in Bactrocera dorsalis, B. correcta, B. scutellaris and B. zonata, with 12.2-42.9% occurrence, Entomoplasmatales in B. dorsalis, B. correcta, B. scutellaris, B. zonata, Zeugodacus cucurbitae and Z. tau (0.8-14.3%) and Cardinium in B. dorsalis and Z. tau (0.9-5.8%), while none of the species tested, harbored infections with Arsenophonus. Infected populations showed a medium (between 10 and 90%) or low (< 10%) prevalence, ranging from 3 to 80% for Wolbachia, 2 to 33% for Entomoplasmatales and 5 to 45% for Cardinium. Wolbachia and Entomoplasmatales infections were found both in tropical and subtropical populations, the former mostly in India and the latter in various regions of India and Bangladesh. Cardinium infections were identified in both countries but only in subtropical populations. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of Wolbachia with some strains belonging either to supergroup B or supergroup A. Sequence analysis revealed deletions of variable length and nucleotide variation in three Wolbachia genes. Spiroplasma strains were characterized as citri-chrysopicola-mirum and ixodetis strains while the remaining Entomoplasmatales to the Mycoides-Entomoplasmataceae clade. Cardinium strains were characterized as group A, similar to strains infecting Encarsia pergandiella. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicated that in the Southeast natural populations examined, supergroup A Wolbachia strain infections were the most common, followed by Entomoplasmatales and Cardinium. In terms of diversity, most strains of each bacterial genus detected clustered in a common group. Interestingly, the deletions detected in three Wolbachia genes were either new or similar to those of previously identified pseudogenes that were integrated in the host genome indicating putative horizontal gene transfer events in B. dorsalis, B. correcta and B. zonata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias D. Asimakis
- Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Patras, 2 Seferi St., 30100 Agrinio, Greece
| | - Vangelis Doudoumis
- Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Patras, 2 Seferi St., 30100 Agrinio, Greece
- Department of Fisheries & Aquaculture Management, Technological Educational Institute of Western Greece, 30200 Messolonghi, Greece
| | - Ashok B. Hadapad
- Nuclear Agriculture & Biotechnology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400 085 India
| | - Ramesh S. Hire
- Nuclear Agriculture & Biotechnology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400 085 India
| | - Costas Batargias
- Department of Fisheries & Aquaculture Management, Technological Educational Institute of Western Greece, 30200 Messolonghi, Greece
| | - Changying Niu
- Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070 Hubei China
| | - Mahfuza Khan
- Insect Biotechnology Division, Institute of Food and Radiation Biology
(IFRB), Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), Ganakbari, Savar, Dhaka 1349 Bangladesh
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear
Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna International Centre, P.O. Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria
| | - George Tsiamis
- Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Patras, 2 Seferi St., 30100 Agrinio, Greece
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11
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Aquatic Hemiptera in Southwest Cameroon: Biodiversity of Potential Reservoirs of Mycobacterium ulcerans and Multiple Wolbachia Sequence Types Revealed by Metagenomics. DIVERSITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/d11120225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Buruli ulcer (BU), caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, is a neglected tropical disease associated with freshwater habitats. A variety of limnic organisms harbor this pathogen, including aquatic bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), which have been hypothesized to be epidemiologically important reservoirs. Aquatic Hemiptera exhibit high levels of diversity in the tropics, but species identification remains challenging. In this study, we collected aquatic bugs from emerging foci of BU in the Southwest Region of Cameroon, which were identified using morphological and molecular methods. The bugs were screened for mycobacterial DNA and a selection of 20 mycobacteria-positive specimens from the families Gerridae and Veliidae were subjected to next-generation sequencing. Only one individual revealed putative M. ulcerans DNA, but all specimens contained sequences from the widespread alpha-proteobacterial symbiont, Wolbachia. Phylogenetic analysis placed the Wolbachia sequences into supergroups A, B, and F. Circularized mitogenomes were obtained for seven gerrids and two veliids, the first from these families for the African continent. This study suggests that aquatic Hemiptera may have a minor role (if any) in the spread of BU in Southwest Cameroon. Our metagenomic analysis provides new insights into the incursion of Wolbachia into aquatic environments and generated valuable resources to aid molecular taxonomic studies of aquatic Hemiptera.
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Abstract
Analysis of sequence read pairs can be essential for characterizing structural variation, including junction-spanning pairs of reads (JSPRs) suggesting recent lateral/horizontal gene transfer. TwinBLAST can be used to facilitate this analysis of JSPRs by enabling the visualization and curation of two BLAST reports side by side in a single interface. Analysis of sequence read pairs can be essential for characterizing structural variation, including junction-spanning pairs of reads (JSPRs) suggesting recent lateral/horizontal gene transfer. TwinBLAST can be used to facilitate this analysis of JSPRs by enabling the visualization and curation of two BLAST reports side by side in a single interface.
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Dhaygude K, Nair A, Johansson H, Wurm Y, Sundström L. The first draft genomes of the ant Formica exsecta, and its Wolbachia endosymbiont reveal extensive gene transfer from endosymbiont to host. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:301. [PMID: 30991952 PMCID: PMC6469114 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5665-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Adapting to changes in the environment is the foundation of species survival, and is usually thought to be a gradual process. However, transposable elements (TEs), epigenetic modifications, and/or genetic material acquired from other organisms by means of horizontal gene transfer (HGTs), can also lead to novel adaptive traits. Social insects form dense societies, which attract and maintain extra- and intracellular accessory inhabitants, which may facilitate gene transfer between species. The wood ant Formica exsecta (Formicidae; Hymenoptera), is a common ant species throughout the Palearctic region. The species is a well-established model for studies of ecological characteristics and evolutionary conflict. Results In this study, we sequenced and assembled draft genomes for F. exsecta and its endosymbiont Wolbachia. The F. exsecta draft genome is 277.7 Mb long; we identify 13,767 protein coding genes, for which we provide gene ontology and protein domain annotations. This is also the first report of a Wolbachia genome from ants, and provides insights into the phylogenetic position of this endosymbiont. We also identified multiple horizontal gene transfer events (HGTs) from Wolbachia to F. exsecta. Some of these HGTs have also occurred in parallel in multiple other insect genomes, highlighting the extent of HGTs in eukaryotes. Conclusion We present the first draft genome of ant F. exsecta, and its endosymbiont Wolbachia (wFex), and show considerable rates of gene transfer from the symbiont to the host. We expect that especially the F. exsecta genome will be valuable resource in further exploration of the molecular basis of the evolution of social organization. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5665-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kishor Dhaygude
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and environmental sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Abhilash Nair
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and environmental sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Helena Johansson
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and environmental sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Yannick Wurm
- Organismal Biology Department, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Liselotte Sundström
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and environmental sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland.,Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, J.A. Palménin tie 260, FI-10900, Hanko, Finland
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Using host species traits to understand the Wolbachia infection distribution across terrestrial beetles. Sci Rep 2019; 9:847. [PMID: 30696916 PMCID: PMC6351630 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-38155-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of Wolbachia prevalence with respect to its hosts is restricted mainly to taxonomic/phylogenetic context. In contrast, relations between infection and most host’s ecological and biological traits are poorly understood. This study aimed to elaborate on relations between bacteria and its beetle hosts in taxonomic and the ecological contexts. In particular, the goal is to verify which ecological and biological traits of beetles could cause them to be prone to be infected. Verification of Wolbachia infection status across 297 beetle taxa showed that approximately 27% of taxa are infected by supergroups A and B. Only minor support for coevolution between bacteria and its beetle hosts was observed in some genera of beetles, but in general coevolution between beetles and Wolbachia was rejected. Some traits of beetles were found to be unrelated to Wolbachia prevalence (type of range and thermal preferences); some traits were related with ambiguous effects (habitats, distribution, mobility and body size); some were substantially related (reproduction mode and trophy). The aforementioned summary does not show obvious patterns of Wolbachia prevalence and diversity in relation to host taxonomy, biology, and ecology. As both Wolbachia and Coleoptera are diverse groups, this lack of clear patterns is probably a reflection of nature, which is characterised by highly diversified and probably unstable relations.
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Dunning Hotopp JC. Grafting or pruning in the animal tree: lateral gene transfer and gene loss? BMC Genomics 2018; 19:470. [PMID: 29914363 PMCID: PMC6006793 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4832-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lateral gene transfer (LGT), also known as horizontal gene transfer, into multicellular eukaryotes with differentiated tissues, particularly gonads, continues to be met with skepticism by many prominent evolutionary and genomic biologists. A detailed examination of 26 animal genomes identified putative LGTs in invertebrate and vertebrate genomes, concluding that there are fewer predicted LGTs in vertebrates/chordates than invertebrates, but there is still evidence of LGT into chordates, including humans. More recently, a reanalysis of a subset of these putative LGTs into vertebrates concluded that there is not horizontal gene transfer in the human genome. One of the genes in dispute is an N-acyl-aromatic-L-amino acid amidohydrolase (ENSG00000132744), which encodes ACY3. This gene was initially identified as a putative bacteria-chordate LGT but was later debunked as it has a significant BLAST match to a more recently deposited genome of Saccoglossus kowalevskii, a flatworm, Metazoan, and hemichordate. RESULTS Using BLAST searches, HMM searches, and phylogenetics to assess the evidence for LGT, gene loss, and rate variation in ACY3/ASPA homologues, the most parsimonious explanation for the distribution of ACY3/ASPA genes in eukaryotes involves both gene loss and bacteria-animal LGT, albeit LGT that occurred hundreds of millions of years ago prior to the divergence of gnathostomes. CONCLUSIONS ACY3/ASPA is most likely a bacteria-animal LGT. LGTs at these time scales in the ancestors of humans are not unexpected given the many known, well-characterized, and adaptive LGTs from bacteria to insects and nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie C Dunning Hotopp
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
- Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
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Wybouw N, Van Leeuwen T, Dermauw W. A massive incorporation of microbial genes into the genome of Tetranychus urticae, a polyphagous arthropod herbivore. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 27:333-351. [PMID: 29377385 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
A number of horizontal gene transfers (HGTs) have been identified in the spider mite Tetranychus urticae, a chelicerate herbivore. However, the genome of this mite species has at present not been thoroughly mined for the presence of HGT genes. Here, we performed a systematic screen for HGT genes in the T. urticae genome using the h-index metric. Our results not only validated previously identified HGT genes but also uncovered 25 novel HGT genes. In addition to HGT genes with a predicted biochemical function in carbohydrate, lipid and folate metabolism, we also identified the horizontal transfer of a ketopantoate hydroxymethyltransferase and a pantoate β-alanine ligase gene. In plants and bacteria, both genes are essential for vitamin B5 biosynthesis and their presence in the mite genome strongly suggests that spider mites, similar to Bemisia tabaci and nematodes, can synthesize their own vitamin B5. We further show that HGT genes were physically embedded within the mite genome and were expressed in different life stages. By screening chelicerate genomes and transcriptomes, we were able to estimate the evolutionary histories of these HGTs during chelicerate evolution. Our study suggests that HGT has made a significant and underestimated impact on the metabolic repertoire of plant-feeding spider mites.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Wybouw
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - T Van Leeuwen
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - W Dermauw
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Kajtoch Ł, Kotásková N. Current state of knowledge on Wolbachia infection among Coleoptera: a systematic review. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4471. [PMID: 29568706 PMCID: PMC5846457 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite great progress in studies on Wolbachia infection in insects, the knowledge about its relations with beetle species, populations and individuals, and the effects of bacteria on these hosts, is still unsatisfactory. In this review we summarize the current state of knowledge about Wolbachia occurrence and interactions with Coleopteran hosts. Methods An intensive search of the available literature resulted in the selection of 86 publications that describe the relevant details about Wolbachia presence among beetles. These publications were then examined with respect to the distribution and taxonomy of infected hosts and diversity of Wolbachia found in beetles. Sequences of Wolbachia genes (16S rDNA, ftsZ) were used for the phylogenetic analyses. Results The collected publications revealed that Wolbachia has been confirmed in 204 beetle species and that the estimated average prevalence of this bacteria across beetle species is 38.3% and varies greatly across families and genera (0–88% infected members) and is much lower (c. 13%) in geographic studies. The majority of the examined and infected beetles were from Europe and East Asia. The most intensively studied have been two groups of herbivorous beetles: Curculionidae and Chrysomelidae. Coleoptera harbor Wolbachia belonging to three supergroups: F found in only three species, and A and B found in similar numbers of beetles (including some doubly infected); however the latter two were most prevalent in different families. A total of 59% of species with precise data were found to be totally infected. Single infections were found in 69% of species and others were doubly- or multiply-infected. Wolbachia caused numerous effects on its beetle hosts, including selective sweep with host mtDNA (found in 3% of species), cytoplasmic incompatibility (detected in c. 6% of beetles) and other effects related to reproduction or development (like male-killing, possible parthenogenesis or haplodiploidy induction, and egg development). Phylogenetic reconstructions for Wolbachia genes rejected cospeciation between these bacteria and Coleoptera, with minor exceptions found in some Hydraenidae, Curculionidae and Chrysomelidae. In contrast, horizontal transmission of bacteria has been suspected or proven in numerous cases (e.g., among beetles sharing habitats and/or host plants). Discussion The present knowledge about Wolbachia infection across beetle species and populations is very uneven. Even the basic data about infection status in species and frequency of infected species across genera and families is very superficial, as only c. 0.15% of all beetle species have been tested so far. Future studies on Wolbachia diversity in Coleoptera should still be based on the Multi-locus Sequence Typing system, and next-generation sequencing technologies will be important for uncovering Wolbachia relations with host evolution and ecology, as well as with other, co-occurring endosymbiotic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Kajtoch
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Nela Kotásková
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
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Shapiro JA. Living Organisms Author Their Read-Write Genomes in Evolution. BIOLOGY 2017; 6:E42. [PMID: 29211049 PMCID: PMC5745447 DOI: 10.3390/biology6040042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Evolutionary variations generating phenotypic adaptations and novel taxa resulted from complex cellular activities altering genome content and expression: (i) Symbiogenetic cell mergers producing the mitochondrion-bearing ancestor of eukaryotes and chloroplast-bearing ancestors of photosynthetic eukaryotes; (ii) interspecific hybridizations and genome doublings generating new species and adaptive radiations of higher plants and animals; and, (iii) interspecific horizontal DNA transfer encoding virtually all of the cellular functions between organisms and their viruses in all domains of life. Consequently, assuming that evolutionary processes occur in isolated genomes of individual species has become an unrealistic abstraction. Adaptive variations also involved natural genetic engineering of mobile DNA elements to rewire regulatory networks. In the most highly evolved organisms, biological complexity scales with "non-coding" DNA content more closely than with protein-coding capacity. Coincidentally, we have learned how so-called "non-coding" RNAs that are rich in repetitive mobile DNA sequences are key regulators of complex phenotypes. Both biotic and abiotic ecological challenges serve as triggers for episodes of elevated genome change. The intersections of cell activities, biosphere interactions, horizontal DNA transfers, and non-random Read-Write genome modifications by natural genetic engineering provide a rich molecular and biological foundation for understanding how ecological disruptions can stimulate productive, often abrupt, evolutionary transformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Shapiro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago GCIS W123B, 979 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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19
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Drezen JM, Josse T, Bézier A, Gauthier J, Huguet E, Herniou EA. Impact of Lateral Transfers on the Genomes of Lepidoptera. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:E315. [PMID: 29120392 PMCID: PMC5704228 DOI: 10.3390/genes8110315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Revised: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Transfer of DNA sequences between species regardless of their evolutionary distance is very common in bacteria, but evidence that horizontal gene transfer (HGT) also occurs in multicellular organisms has been accumulating in the past few years. The actual extent of this phenomenon is underestimated due to frequent sequence filtering of "alien" DNA before genome assembly. However, recent studies based on genome sequencing have revealed, and experimentally verified, the presence of foreign DNA sequences in the genetic material of several species of Lepidoptera. Large DNA viruses, such as baculoviruses and the symbiotic viruses of parasitic wasps (bracoviruses), have the potential to mediate these transfers in Lepidoptera. In particular, using ultra-deep sequencing, newly integrated transposons have been identified within baculovirus genomes. Bacterial genes have also been acquired by genomes of Lepidoptera, as in other insects and nematodes. In addition, insertions of bracovirus sequences were present in the genomes of certain moth and butterfly lineages, that were likely corresponding to rearrangements of ancient integrations. The viral genes present in these sequences, sometimes of hymenopteran origin, have been co-opted by lepidopteran species to confer some protection against pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Michel Drezen
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR CNRS 7261, UFR des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Tours-François Rabelais, 37200 Tours, France.
| | - Thibaut Josse
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR CNRS 7261, UFR des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Tours-François Rabelais, 37200 Tours, France.
| | - Annie Bézier
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR CNRS 7261, UFR des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Tours-François Rabelais, 37200 Tours, France.
| | - Jérémy Gauthier
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR CNRS 7261, UFR des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Tours-François Rabelais, 37200 Tours, France.
| | - Elisabeth Huguet
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR CNRS 7261, UFR des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Tours-François Rabelais, 37200 Tours, France.
| | - Elisabeth Anne Herniou
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR CNRS 7261, UFR des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Tours-François Rabelais, 37200 Tours, France.
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20
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Drezen JM, Gauthier J, Josse T, Bézier A, Herniou E, Huguet E. Foreign DNA acquisition by invertebrate genomes. J Invertebr Pathol 2017; 147:157-168. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2016] [Revised: 09/09/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Chromosomal localization of Wolbachia inserts in the genomes of two subspecies of Chorthippus parallelus forming a Pyrenean hybrid zone. Chromosome Res 2017; 25:215-225. [PMID: 28477267 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-017-9557-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Wolbachia are endosymbiotic bacteria of arthropods and nematodes that can manipulate the reproduction of various host organisms to facilitate their own maternal transmission. Moreover, Wolbachia's presence in host germ cells may contribute to the many cases of lateral gene transfer from Wolbachia to host genomes that have been described. A previous study in Chorthippus parallelus, a well-known orthopteroid forming a hybrid zone in the Pyrenees, identified Wolbachia sequences from two major supergroups in the genomes of infected and uninfected Chorthippus parallelus parallelus (Cpp) and Chorthippus parallelus erythropus (Cpe) subspecies. In this study, we map the Wolbachia genomic inserts to specific regions on the chromosomes of Cpp and Cpe by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) using tyramides to increase the accuracy and detection of these insertions. Additionally, we consider some of the possible roles that these bacterial inserts play in the organization and function of the grasshopper genome, as well as how they can serve as markers for phylogenetic relationships of these organisms.
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22
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Dunning Hotopp JC, Slatko BE, Foster JM. Targeted Enrichment and Sequencing of Recent Endosymbiont-Host Lateral Gene Transfers. Sci Rep 2017; 7:857. [PMID: 28405008 PMCID: PMC5429809 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-00814-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Lateral gene transfer (LGT) from microbial symbionts to invertebrate animals is described at an increasing rate, particularly between Wolbachia endosymbionts and their diverse invertebrate hosts. We sought to assess the use of a capture system to cost-effectively sequence such LGT from the host genome. The sequencing depth of Illumina paired end data obtained with a Wolbachia capture system correlated well with that for an Illumina paired end data set used to detect LGT in Wolbachia-depleted B. malayi (p-value: <2e-16). Using a sequencing depth threshold of two or three standard deviations above the mean, 96.9% or 96.7% of positions, respectively, are predicted in the same manner between the two datasets, with 24.7% or 42.5% of the known 49.0 kbp of LGT sequence predicted correctly, respectively. Prior qPCR results for nuwts showed similar correlations for both datasets supporting our conclusion that oligonucleotide-based capture methods can be used to obtain sequences from Wolbachia-host LGT. However, at least 121 positions had a minority of the reads supporting the endosymbiont reference base call using the capture data, illustrating that sequence reads from endosymbiont-host LGTs can confound endosymbiont genome projects, erroneously altering the called consensus genome, a problem that is irrespective to the sequencing technology or platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie C Dunning Hotopp
- Institute for Genome Sciences, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, 21201, United States.
| | - Barton E Slatko
- Genome Biology Division, New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
| | - Jeremy M Foster
- Genome Biology Division, New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
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Nakao R, Abe T, Funayama S, Sugimoto C. Horizontally Transferred Genetic Elements in the Tsetse Fly Genome: An Alignment-Free Clustering Approach Using Batch Learning Self-Organising Map (BLSOM). BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 2016:3164624. [PMID: 28074180 PMCID: PMC5198169 DOI: 10.1155/2016/3164624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Revised: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) are the primary vectors of trypanosomes, which can cause human and animal African trypanosomiasis in Sub-Saharan African countries. The objective of this study was to explore the genome of Glossina morsitans morsitans for evidence of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from microorganisms. We employed an alignment-free clustering method, that is, batch learning self-organising map (BLSOM), in which sequence fragments are clustered based on the similarity of oligonucleotide frequencies independently of sequence homology. After an initial scan of HGT events using BLSOM, we identified 3.8% of the tsetse fly genome as HGT candidates. The predicted donors of these HGT candidates included known symbionts, such as Wolbachia, as well as bacteria that have not previously been associated with the tsetse fly. We detected HGT candidates from diverse bacteria such as Bacillus and Flavobacteria, suggesting a past association between these taxa. Functional annotation revealed that the HGT candidates encoded loci in various functional pathways, such as metabolic and antibiotic biosynthesis pathways. These findings provide a basis for understanding the coevolutionary history of the tsetse fly and its microbes and establish the effectiveness of BLSOM for the detection of HGT events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Nakao
- Unit of Risk Analysis and Management, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita 20, Nishi 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
| | - Takashi Abe
- Graduate School of Science & Technology, Niigata University, No. 8050, Igarashi 2-no-cho, Nishi-ku, Niigata 950-2181, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Funayama
- Graduate School of Science & Technology, Niigata University, No. 8050, Igarashi 2-no-cho, Nishi-ku, Niigata 950-2181, Japan
| | - Chihiro Sugimoto
- Division of Collaboration and Education, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita 20, Nishi 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
- Global Station for Zoonosis Control, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University, Kita 20, Nishi 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
- Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia
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Truong A, Sondossi M, Clark JB. Genetic characterization of Wolbachia from Great Salt Lake brine flies. Symbiosis 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s13199-016-0446-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Funkhouser-Jones LJ, Sehnert SR, Martínez-Rodríguez P, Toribio-Fernández R, Pita M, Bella JL, Bordenstein SR. Wolbachia co-infection in a hybrid zone: discovery of horizontal gene transfers from two Wolbachia supergroups into an animal genome. PeerJ 2015; 3:e1479. [PMID: 26664808 PMCID: PMC4675112 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hybrid zones and the consequences of hybridization have contributed greatly to our understanding of evolutionary processes. Hybrid zones also provide valuable insight into the dynamics of symbiosis since each subspecies or species brings its unique microbial symbionts, including germline bacteria such as Wolbachia, to the hybrid zone. Here, we investigate a natural hybrid zone of two subspecies of the meadow grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus in the Pyrenees Mountains. We set out to test whether co-infections of B and F Wolbachia in hybrid grasshoppers enabled horizontal transfer of phage WO, similar to the numerous examples of phage WO transfer between A and B Wolbachia co-infections. While we found no evidence for transfer between the divergent co-infections, we discovered horizontal transfer of at least three phage WO haplotypes to the grasshopper genome. Subsequent genome sequencing of uninfected grasshoppers uncovered the first evidence for two discrete Wolbachia supergroups (B and F) contributing at least 448 kb and 144 kb of DNA, respectively, into the host nuclear genome. Fluorescent in situ hybridization verified the presence of Wolbachia DNA in C. parallelus chromosomes and revealed that some inserts are subspecies-specific while others are present in both subspecies. We discuss our findings in light of symbiont dynamics in an animal hybrid zone.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephanie R Sehnert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, TN , United States
| | - Paloma Martínez-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Biología (Genética), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , Madrid , Spain ; INRA, Univ. Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, UMR 1355-7254 Institut Sophia Agrobiotech , Sophia Antipolis , France
| | - Raquel Toribio-Fernández
- Departamento de Biología (Genética), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | - Miguel Pita
- Departamento de Biología (Genética), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | - José L Bella
- Departamento de Biología (Genética), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | - Seth R Bordenstein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, TN , United States ; Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, TN , United States
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Choi JY, Bubnell JE, Aquadro CF. Population Genomics of Infectious and Integrated Wolbachia pipientis Genomes in Drosophila ananassae. Genome Biol Evol 2015; 7:2362-82. [PMID: 26254486 PMCID: PMC4558871 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evv158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Coevolution between Drosophila and its endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis has many intriguing aspects. For example, Drosophila ananassae hosts two forms of W. pipientis genomes: One being the infectious bacterial genome and the other integrated into the host nuclear genome. Here, we characterize the infectious and integrated genomes of W. pipientis infecting D. ananassae (wAna), by genome sequencing 15 strains of D. ananassae that have either the infectious or integrated wAna genomes. Results indicate evolutionarily stable maternal transmission for the infectious wAna genome suggesting a relatively long-term coevolution with its host. In contrast, the integrated wAna genome showed pseudogene-like characteristics accumulating many variants that are predicted to have deleterious effects if present in an infectious bacterial genome. Phylogenomic analysis of sequence variation together with genotyping by polymerase chain reaction of large structural variations indicated several wAna variants among the eight infectious wAna genomes. In contrast, only a single wAna variant was found among the seven integrated wAna genomes examined in lines from Africa, south Asia, and south Pacific islands suggesting that the integration occurred once from a single infectious wAna genome and then spread geographically. Further analysis revealed that for all D. ananassae we examined with the integrated wAna genomes, the majority of the integrated wAna genomic regions is represented in at least two copies suggesting a double integration or single integration followed by an integrated genome duplication. The possible evolutionary mechanism underlying the widespread geographical presence of the duplicate integration of the wAna genome is an intriguing question remaining to be answered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Young Choi
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University
| | - Jaclyn E Bubnell
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University
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Nakabachi A. Horizontal gene transfers in insects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2015; 7:24-29. [PMID: 32131363 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2014] [Revised: 02/28/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer is the transfer of genetic material across species boundaries. Although horizontal gene transfers are relatively rare in animals, the recent rapid accumulation of genomic data has identified increasing amounts of exogenous DNA inserts in insect genomes. Most of the horizontally acquired sequences appear to be non-functional; however, there is growing evidence that some genes are truly expressed and confer novel functions on the recipient insects. These include previously unavailable metabolic properties including digesting food, degrading toxins, providing resistance to pathogens, and facilitating an obligate mutualistic relationship with intracellular bacteria. A recent analysis revealed that an aphid gene of bacterial origin encodes a protein that is transported into the obligate symbiont, paralleling the evolution of endosymbiotic organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Nakabachi
- Electronics-Inspired Interdisciplinary Research Institute, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan.
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Klasson L, Kumar N, Bromley R, Sieber K, Flowers M, Ott SH, Tallon LJ, Andersson SGE, Dunning Hotopp JC. Extensive duplication of the Wolbachia DNA in chromosome four of Drosophila ananassae. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:1097. [PMID: 25496002 PMCID: PMC4299567 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-1097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lateral gene transfer (LGT) from bacterial Wolbachia endosymbionts has been detected in ~20% of arthropod and nematode genome sequencing projects. Many of these transfers are large and contain a substantial part of the Wolbachia genome. Results Here, we re-sequenced three D. ananassae genomes from Asia and the Pacific that contain large LGTs from Wolbachia. We find that multiple copies of the Wolbachia genome are transferred to the Drosophila nuclear genome in all three lines. In the D. ananassae line from Indonesia, the copies of Wolbachia DNA in the nuclear genome are nearly identical in size and sequence yielding an even coverage of mapped reads over the Wolbachia genome. In contrast, the D. ananassae lines from Hawaii and India show an uneven coverage of mapped reads over the Wolbachia genome suggesting that different parts of these LGTs are present in different copy numbers. In the Hawaii line, we find that this LGT is underrepresented in third instar larvae indicative of being heterochromatic. Fluorescence in situ hybridization of mitotic chromosomes confirms that the LGT in the Hawaii line is heterochromatic and represents ~20% of the sequence on chromosome 4 (dot chromosome, Muller element F). Conclusions This collection of related lines contain large lateral gene transfers composed of multiple Wolbachia genomes that constitute >2% of the D. ananassae genome (~5 Mbp) and partially explain the abnormally large size of chromosome 4 in D. ananassae. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-1097) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Julie C Dunning Hotopp
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
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Augustinos AA, Asimakopoulou AK, Moraiti CA, Mavragani-Tsipidou P, Papadopoulos NT, Bourtzis K. Microsatellite and Wolbachia analysis in Rhagoletis cerasi natural populations: population structuring and multiple infections. Ecol Evol 2014; 4:1943-62. [PMID: 24963388 PMCID: PMC4063487 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2012] [Revised: 03/05/2013] [Accepted: 03/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhagoletis cerasi (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a major pest of sweet and sour cherries in Europe and parts of Asia. Despite its economic significance, there is a lack of studies on the genetic structure of R. cerasi populations. Elucidating the genetic structure of insects of economic importance is crucial for developing phenological-predictive models and environmental friendly control methods. All natural populations of R. cerasi have been found to harbor the endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis, which widely affects multiple biological traits contributing to the evolution of its hosts, and has been suggested as a tool for the biological control of insect pests and disease vectors. In the current study, the analysis of 18 R. cerasi populations collected in Greece, Germany, and Russia using 13 microsatellite markers revealed structuring of R. cerasi natural populations, even at close geographic range. We also analyzed the Wolbachia infection status of these populations using 16S rRNA-, MLST- and wsp-based approaches. All 244 individuals screened were positive for Wolbachia. Our results suggest the fixation of the wCer1 strain in Greece while wCer2, wCer4, wCer5, and probably other uncharacterized strains were also detected in multiply infected individuals. The role of Wolbachia and its potential extended phenotypes needs a thorough investigation in R. cerasi. Our data suggest an involvement of this symbiont in the observed restriction in the gene flow in addition to a number of different ecological factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios A Augustinos
- Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Western GreeceAgrinio, Greece
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of ThessalyLarissa, Greece
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Programme of Nuclear Techniques in Food and AgricultureVienna, Austria
| | | | - Cleopatra A Moraiti
- Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of ThessalyN. Ionia (Volos), Magnesia, Greece
| | - Penelope Mavragani-Tsipidou
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Aristotle University of ThessalonikiThessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nikolaos T Papadopoulos
- Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of ThessalyN. Ionia (Volos), Magnesia, Greece
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Western GreeceAgrinio, Greece
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Programme of Nuclear Techniques in Food and AgricultureVienna, Austria
- Biomedical Sciences Research Center Al. FlemingVari, Greece
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Brelsfoard C, Tsiamis G, Falchetto M, Gomulski LM, Telleria E, Alam U, Doudoumis V, Scolari F, Benoit JB, Swain M, Takac P, Malacrida AR, Bourtzis K, Aksoy S. Presence of extensive Wolbachia symbiont insertions discovered in the genome of its host Glossina morsitans morsitans. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e2728. [PMID: 24763283 PMCID: PMC3998919 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2013] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) are the cyclical vectors of Trypanosoma spp., which are unicellular parasites responsible for multiple diseases, including nagana in livestock and sleeping sickness in humans in Africa. Glossina species, including Glossina morsitans morsitans (Gmm), for which the Whole Genome Sequence (WGS) is now available, have established symbiotic associations with three endosymbionts: Wigglesworthia glossinidia, Sodalis glossinidius and Wolbachia pipientis (Wolbachia). The presence of Wolbachia in both natural and laboratory populations of Glossina species, including the presence of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events in a laboratory colony of Gmm, has already been shown. We herein report on the draft genome sequence of the cytoplasmic Wolbachia endosymbiont (cytWol) associated with Gmm. By in silico and molecular and cytogenetic analysis, we discovered and validated the presence of multiple insertions of Wolbachia (chrWol) in the host Gmm genome. We identified at least two large insertions of chrWol, 527,507 and 484,123 bp in size, from Gmm WGS data. Southern hybridizations confirmed the presence of Wolbachia insertions in Gmm genome, and FISH revealed multiple insertions located on the two sex chromosomes (X and Y), as well as on the supernumerary B-chromosomes. We compare the chrWol insertions to the cytWol draft genome in an attempt to clarify the evolutionary history of the HGT events. We discuss our findings in light of the evolution of Wolbachia infections in the tsetse fly and their potential impacts on the control of tsetse populations and trypanosomiasis. African trypanosomes are transmitted to man and animals by tsetse fly, a blood sucking insect. Tsetse flies include all Glossina species with the genome of Glossina morsitans morsitans (Gmm) being sequenced under the International Glossina Genome Initiative. The endosymbionts Wigglesworthia glossinidia, Sodalis glossinidius and Wolbachia pipientis (Wolbachia) have been found to establish symbiotic associations with Gmm. Wolbachia is known to be present in natural and laboratory populations of Glossina species. In this study we report the genome sequence of the Wolbachia strain that is associated with Gmm. With the aid of in silico and molecular and cytogenetic analyses, multiple insertions of the Wolbachia genome were revealed and confirmed in Gmm chromosome. Comparison of the cytoplasmic Wolbachia draft genome and the chromosomal insertions enabled us to infer the evolutionary history of the Wolbachia horizontal transfer events. These findings are discussed in relation to their impact on the development of Wolbachia-based strategies for the control of tsetse flies and trypanosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Brelsfoard
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Natural Sciences, St. Catharine College, St. Catharine, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - George Tsiamis
- Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Patras, Agrinio, Greece
| | - Marco Falchetto
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università di Pavia, Pavia, Italia
| | - Ludvik M. Gomulski
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università di Pavia, Pavia, Italia
| | - Erich Telleria
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Uzma Alam
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Vangelis Doudoumis
- Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Patras, Agrinio, Greece
| | - Francesca Scolari
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università di Pavia, Pavia, Italia
| | - Joshua B. Benoit
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, McMicken College of Arts and Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Martin Swain
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Penglais, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Takac
- Institute of Zoology, Section of Molecular and Applied Zoology, Slovak Academy of Science, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Anna R. Malacrida
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università di Pavia, Pavia, Italia
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Patras, Agrinio, Greece
- Biomedical Sciences Research Center Al. Fleming, Vari, Greece
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria
- * E-mail: (KB); (SA)
| | - Serap Aksoy
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- * E-mail: (KB); (SA)
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Hou Q, He J, Yu J, Ye Y, Zhou D, Sun Y, Zhang D, Ma L, Shen B, Zhu C. A case of horizontal gene transfer from Wolbachia to Aedes albopictus C6/36 cell line. Mob Genet Elements 2014; 4:e28914. [PMID: 24812591 PMCID: PMC4013104 DOI: 10.4161/mge.28914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2013] [Revised: 04/01/2014] [Accepted: 04/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer plays an essential role in evolution and ecological adaptation, yet this phenomenon has remained controversial, particularly where it occurs between prokaryotes and eukaryotes. There are a handful of reported examples of horizontal gene transfer occurring between prokaryotes and eukaryotes in the literature, with most of these documented cases pertaining to invertebrates and endosymbionts. However, the vast majority of these horizontally transferred genes were either eventually excluded or rapidly became nonfunctional in the recipient genome. In this study, we report the discovery of a horizontal gene transfer from the endosymbiont Wolbachia in the C6/36 cell line derived from the mosquito Aedes albopictus. Moreover, we report that this horizontally transferred gene displayed high transcription level. This finding and the results of further experimentation strongly suggest this gene is functional and has been expressed and translated into a protein in the mosquito host cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Hou
- Department of Pathogen Biology; Nanjing Medical University; Nanjing, Jiangsu People's Republic of China
| | - Ji He
- Department of Pathogen Biology; Nanjing Medical University; Nanjing, Jiangsu People's Republic of China ; State Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Detection for Medical Vectors; Xiamen Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau; Xiamen, Fujian People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Yu
- Department of Pathogen Biology; Nanjing Medical University; Nanjing, Jiangsu People's Republic of China
| | - Yuting Ye
- Department of Pathogen Biology; Nanjing Medical University; Nanjing, Jiangsu People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Zhou
- Department of Pathogen Biology; Nanjing Medical University; Nanjing, Jiangsu People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Pathogen Biology; Nanjing Medical University; Nanjing, Jiangsu People's Republic of China
| | - Donghui Zhang
- Department of Pathogen Biology; Nanjing Medical University; Nanjing, Jiangsu People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Ma
- Department of Pathogen Biology; Nanjing Medical University; Nanjing, Jiangsu People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Shen
- Department of Pathogen Biology; Nanjing Medical University; Nanjing, Jiangsu People's Republic of China
| | - Changliang Zhu
- Department of Pathogen Biology; Nanjing Medical University; Nanjing, Jiangsu People's Republic of China
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Robinson KM, Sieber KB, Dunning Hotopp JC. A review of bacteria-animal lateral gene transfer may inform our understanding of diseases like cancer. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003877. [PMID: 24146634 PMCID: PMC3798261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Lateral gene transfer (LGT) from bacteria to animals occurs more frequently than was appreciated prior to the advent of genome sequencing. In 2007, LGT from bacterial Wolbachia endosymbionts was detected in ∼33% of the sequenced arthropod genomes using a bioinformatic approach. Today, Wolbachia/host LGT is thought to be widespread and many other cases of bacteria-animal LGT have been described. In insects, LGT may be more frequently associated with endosymbionts that colonize germ cells and germ stem cells, like Wolbachia endosymbionts. We speculate that LGT may occur from bacteria to a wide variety of eukaryotes, but only becomes vertically inherited when it occurs in germ cells. As such, LGT may happen routinely in somatic cells but never become inherited or fixed in the population. Lack of inheritance of such mutations greatly decreases our ability to detect them. In this review, we propose that such noninherited bacterial DNA integration into chromosomes in human somatic cells could induce mutations leading to cancer or autoimmune diseases in a manner analogous to mobile elements and viral integrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M. Robinson
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Karsten B. Sieber
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Julie C. Dunning Hotopp
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryand, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Driscoll T, Gillespie JJ, Nordberg EK, Azad AF, Sobral BW. Bacterial DNA sifted from the Trichoplax adhaerens (Animalia: Placozoa) genome project reveals a putative rickettsial endosymbiont. Genome Biol Evol 2013; 5:621-45. [PMID: 23475938 PMCID: PMC3641634 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evt036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic genome sequencing projects often yield bacterial DNA sequences, data typically considered as microbial contamination. However, these sequences may also indicate either symbiont genes or lateral gene transfer (LGT) to host genomes. These bacterial sequences can provide clues about eukaryote-microbe interactions. Here, we used the genome of the primitive animal Trichoplax adhaerens (Metazoa: Placozoa), which is known to harbor an uncharacterized Gram-negative endosymbiont, to search for the presence of bacterial DNA sequences. Bioinformatic and phylogenomic analyses of extracted data from the genome assembly (181 bacterial coding sequences [CDS]) and trace read archive (16S rDNA) revealed a dominant proteobacterial profile strongly skewed to Rickettsiales (Alphaproteobacteria) genomes. By way of phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA and 113 proteins conserved across proteobacterial genomes, as well as identification of 27 rickettsial signature genes, we propose a Rickettsiales endosymbiont of T. adhaerens (RETA). The majority (93%) of the identified bacterial CDS belongs to small scaffolds containing prokaryotic-like genes; however, 12 CDS were identified on large scaffolds comprised of eukaryotic-like genes, suggesting that T. adhaerens might have recently acquired bacterial genes. These putative LGTs may coincide with the placozoan's aquatic niche and symbiosis with RETA. This work underscores the rich, and relatively untapped, resource of eukaryotic genome projects for harboring data pertinent to host-microbial interactions. The nature of unknown (or poorly characterized) bacterial species may only emerge via analysis of host genome sequencing projects, particularly if these species are resistant to cell culturing, as are many obligate intracellular microbes. Our work provides methodological insight for such an approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Driscoll
- Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA
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Husnik F, Nikoh N, Koga R, Ross L, Duncan RP, Fujie M, Tanaka M, Satoh N, Bachtrog D, Wilson ACC, von Dohlen CD, Fukatsu T, McCutcheon JP. Horizontal gene transfer from diverse bacteria to an insect genome enables a tripartite nested mealybug symbiosis. Cell 2013; 153:1567-78. [PMID: 23791183 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.05.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 288] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2013] [Revised: 05/01/2013] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The smallest reported bacterial genome belongs to Tremblaya princeps, a symbiont of Planococcus citri mealybugs (PCIT). Tremblaya PCIT not only has a 139 kb genome, but possesses its own bacterial endosymbiont, Moranella endobia. Genome and transcriptome sequencing, including genome sequencing from a Tremblaya lineage lacking intracellular bacteria, reveals that the extreme genomic degeneracy of Tremblaya PCIT likely resulted from acquiring Moranella as an endosymbiont. In addition, at least 22 expressed horizontally transferred genes from multiple diverse bacteria to the mealybug genome likely complement missing symbiont genes. However, none of these horizontally transferred genes are from Tremblaya, showing that genome reduction in this symbiont has not been enabled by gene transfer to the host nucleus. Our results thus indicate that the functioning of this three-way symbiosis is dependent on genes from at least six lineages of organisms and reveal a path to intimate endosymbiosis distinct from that followed by organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Husnik
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia and Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre ASCR, České Budějovice 370 05, Czech Republic
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Yuan JB, Zhang XJ, Liu CZ, Wei JK, Li FH, Xiang JH. Horizontally transferred genes in the genome of Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. BMC Evol Biol 2013; 13:165. [PMID: 23914989 PMCID: PMC3750580 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-13-165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 08/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, as the development of next-generation sequencing technology, a growing number of genes have been reported as being horizontally transferred from prokaryotes to eukaryotes, most of them involving arthropods. As a member of the phylum Arthropoda, the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei has to adapt to the complex water environments with various symbiotic or parasitic microorganisms, which provide a platform for horizontal gene transfer (HGT). RESULTS In this study, we analyzed the genome-wide HGT events in L. vannamei. Through homology search and phylogenetic analysis, followed by experimental PCR confirmation, 14 genes with HGT event were identified: 12 of them were transferred from bacteria and two from fungi. Structure analysis of these genes showed that the introns of the two fungi-originated genes were substituted by shrimp DNA fragment, two genes transferred from bacteria had shrimp specific introns inserted in them. Furthermore, around other three bacteria-originated genes, there were three large DNA segments inserted into the shrimp genome. One segment was a transposon that fully transferred, and the other two segments contained only coding regions of bacteria. Functional prediction of these 14 genes showed that 6 of them might be related to energy metabolism, and 4 others related to defense of the organism. CONCLUSIONS HGT events from bacteria or fungi were happened in the genome of L. vannamei, and these horizontally transferred genes can be transcribed in shrimp. This is the first time to report the existence of horizontally transferred genes in shrimp. Importantly, most of these genes are exposed to a negative selection pressure and appeared to be functional.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Bo Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7, Nanhai Road, Qingdao 266071, China
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Sun BF, Xiao JH, He SM, Liu L, Murphy RW, Huang DW. Multiple ancient horizontal gene transfers and duplications in lepidopteran species. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2013; 22:72-87. [PMID: 23211014 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Eukaryotic horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events are increasingly being discovered yet few reports have summarized multiple occurrences in a wide range of species. We systematically investigated HGT events in the order Lepidoptera by employing a series of filters. Bombyx mori, Danaus plexippus and Heliconius melpomene had 13, 12 and 12 HGTs, respectively, from bacteria and fungi. These HGTs contributed a total of 64 predicted genes: 22 to B. mori, 22 to D. plexippus and 20 to H. melpomene. Several new genes were generated by post-transfer duplications. Post-transfer duplication of a suite of functional HGTs has rarely been reported in higher organisms. The distributional patterns of paralogues for certain genes differed in the three species, indicating potential independent duplication or loss events. All of these HGTs had homologues expressed in some other lepidopterans, indicating ancient transfer events. Most HGTs were involved in the metabolism of sugar and amino acids. These HGTs appeared to have experienced amelioration, purifying selection and accelerated evolution to adapt to the background genome of the recipient. The discovery of ancient, massive HGTs and duplications in lepidopterans and their adaptive evolution provides further insights into the evolutionary significance of the events from donors to multicellular host recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- B F Sun
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Doudoumis V, Alam U, Aksoy E, Abd-Alla AMM, Tsiamis G, Brelsfoard C, Aksoy S, Bourtzis K. Tsetse-Wolbachia symbiosis: comes of age and has great potential for pest and disease control. J Invertebr Pathol 2012; 112 Suppl:S94-103. [PMID: 22835476 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2012.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2012] [Revised: 05/12/2012] [Accepted: 05/14/2012] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are the sole vectors of African trypanosomes, the causative agent of sleeping sickness in human and nagana in animals. Like most eukaryotic organisms, Glossina species have established symbiotic associations with bacteria. Three main symbiotic bacteria have been found in tsetse flies: Wigglesworthia glossinidia, an obligate symbiotic bacterium, the secondary endosymbiont Sodalis glossinidius and the reproductive symbiont Wolbachia pipientis. In the present review, we discuss recent studies on the detection and characterization of Wolbachia infections in Glossina species, the horizontal transfer of Wolbachia genes to tsetse chromosomes, the ability of this symbiont to induce cytoplasmic incompatibility in Glossina morsitans morsitans and also how new environment-friendly tools for disease control could be developed by harnessing Wolbachia symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vangelis Doudoumis
- Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Ioannina, 2 Seferi St., 30100 Agrinio, Greece.
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Schneider DI, Garschall KI, Parker AG, Abd-Alla AMM, Miller WJ. Global Wolbachia prevalence, titer fluctuations and their potential of causing cytoplasmic incompatibilities in tsetse flies and hybrids of Glossina morsitans subgroup species. J Invertebr Pathol 2012; 112 Suppl:S104-15. [PMID: 22516306 PMCID: PMC3625123 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2012.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2012] [Revised: 03/25/2012] [Accepted: 03/26/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
We demonstrate the high applicability of a novel VNTR-based (Variable-Number-Tandem-Repeat) molecular screening tool for fingerprinting Wolbachia-infections in tsetse flies. The VNTR-141 locus provides reliable and concise differentiation between Wolbachia strains deriving from Glossina morsitans morsitans, Glossina morsitans centralis, and Glossina brevipalpis. Moreover, we show that certain Wolbachia-infections in Glossina spp. are capable of escaping standard PCR screening methods by 'hiding' as low-titer infections below the detection threshold. By applying a highly sensitive PCR-blot technique to our Glossina specimen, we were able to enhance the symbiont detection limit substantially and, consequently, trace unequivocally Wolbachia-infections at high prevalence in laboratory-reared G. swynnertoni individuals. To our knowledge, Wolbachia-persistence was reported exclusively for field-collected samples, and at low prevalence only. Finally, we highlight the substantially higher Wolbachia titer levels found in hybrid Glossina compared to non-hybrid hosts and the possible impact of these titers on hybrid host fitness that potentially trigger incipient speciation in tsetse flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela I Schneider
- Laboratories of Genome Dynamics, Department Cell and Developmental Biology, Center of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Doudoumis V, Tsiamis G, Wamwiri F, Brelsfoard C, Alam U, Aksoy E, Dalaperas S, Abd-Alla A, Ouma J, Takac P, Aksoy S, Bourtzis K. Detection and characterization of Wolbachia infections in laboratory and natural populations of different species of tsetse flies (genus Glossina). BMC Microbiol 2012; 12 Suppl 1:S3. [PMID: 22376025 PMCID: PMC3287514 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-12-s1-s3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Wolbachia is a genus of endosymbiotic α-Proteobacteria infecting a wide range of arthropods and filarial nematodes. Wolbachia is able to induce reproductive abnormalities such as cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), thelytokous parthenogenesis, feminization and male killing, thus affecting biology, ecology and evolution of its hosts. The bacterial group has prompted research regarding its potential for the control of agricultural and medical disease vectors, including Glossina spp., which transmits African trypanosomes, the causative agents of sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in animals. Results In the present study, we employed a Wolbachia specific 16S rRNA PCR assay to investigate the presence of Wolbachia in six different laboratory stocks as well as in natural populations of nine different Glossina species originating from 10 African countries. Wolbachia was prevalent in Glossina morsitans morsitans, G. morsitans centralis and G. austeni populations. It was also detected in G. brevipalpis, and, for the first time, in G. pallidipes and G. palpalis gambiensis. On the other hand, Wolbachia was not found in G. p. palpalis, G. fuscipes fuscipes and G. tachinoides. Wolbachia infections of different laboratory and natural populations of Glossina species were characterized using 16S rRNA, the wsp (Wolbachia Surface Protein) gene and MLST (Multi Locus Sequence Typing) gene markers. This analysis led to the detection of horizontal gene transfer events, in which Wobachia genes were inserted into the tsetse flies fly nuclear genome. Conclusions Wolbachia infections were detected in both laboratory and natural populations of several different Glossina species. The characterization of these Wolbachia strains promises to lead to a deeper insight in tsetse flies-Wolbachia interactions, which is essential for the development and use of Wolbachia-based biological control methods.
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Phylogenetically distinct Wolbachia gene and pseudogene sequences obtained from the African onchocerciasis vector Simulium squamosum. Int J Parasitol 2010; 40:569-78. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2009.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2009] [Revised: 10/16/2009] [Accepted: 10/19/2009] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Nikoh N, McCutcheon JP, Kudo T, Miyagishima SY, Moran NA, Nakabachi A. Bacterial genes in the aphid genome: absence of functional gene transfer from Buchnera to its host. PLoS Genet 2010; 6:e1000827. [PMID: 20195500 PMCID: PMC2829048 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2009] [Accepted: 12/21/2009] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome reduction is typical of obligate symbionts. In cellular organelles, this reduction partly reflects transfer of ancestral bacterial genes to the host genome, but little is known about gene transfer in other obligate symbioses. Aphids harbor anciently acquired obligate mutualists, Buchnera aphidicola (Gammaproteobacteria), which have highly reduced genomes (420–650 kb), raising the possibility of gene transfer from ancestral Buchnera to the aphid genome. In addition, aphids often harbor other bacteria that also are potential sources of transferred genes. Previous limited sampling of genes expressed in bacteriocytes, the specialized cells that harbor Buchnera, revealed that aphids acquired at least two genes from bacteria. The newly sequenced genome of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, presents the first opportunity for a complete inventory of genes transferred from bacteria to the host genome in the context of an ancient obligate symbiosis. Computational screening of the entire A. pisum genome, followed by phylogenetic and experimental analyses, provided strong support for the transfer of 12 genes or gene fragments from bacteria to the aphid genome: three LD–carboxypeptidases (LdcA1, LdcA2,ψLdcA), five rare lipoprotein As (RlpA1-5), N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase (AmiD), 1,4-beta-N-acetylmuramidase (bLys), DNA polymerase III alpha chain (ψDnaE), and ATP synthase delta chain (ψAtpH). Buchnera was the apparent source of two highly truncated pseudogenes (ψDnaE and ψAtpH). Most other transferred genes were closely related to genes from relatives of Wolbachia (Alphaproteobacteria). At least eight of the transferred genes (LdcA1, AmiD, RlpA1-5, bLys) appear to be functional, and expression of seven (LdcA1, AmiD, RlpA1-5) are highly upregulated in bacteriocytes. The LdcAs and RlpAs appear to have been duplicated after transfer. Our results excluded the hypothesis that genome reduction in Buchnera has been accompanied by gene transfer to the host nuclear genome, but suggest that aphids utilize a set of duplicated genes acquired from other bacteria in the context of the Buchnera–aphid mutualism. Bacterial lineages have repeatedly evolved intimate symbioses with eukaryotic hosts, the most famous cases being those of the cell organelles, mitochondria, and plastids. Symbiont genomes typically lose many ancestral genes, raising the question of how they function with so few genes. In organelles, part of the answer involves gene transfer to the host genome, allowing maintenance of essential functions. So far, the extent of gene transfer to hosts has not been assessed for other cases of intimate, obligate symbiosis. Aphids harbor an ancient coevolved intracellular symbiont, called Buchnera. We used the newly available sequence of the pea aphid genome to conduct an exhaustive computational search for genes of bacterial ancestry. We found that no functional genes have been transferred from Buchnera, ruling out such transfer as a driving force in genome reduction in this symbiont. However, the aphid genome does contain eight transcribed genes of apparent bacterial origin, some of which have been duplicated after transfer. Based on their expression patterns, most of these appear to function specifically in the aphid-Buchnera symbiosis, presenting the possibility that the maintenance of obligate intracellular symbioses can be affected by the acquisition and duplication of genes transferred from unrelated bacterial lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naruo Nikoh
- Department of Liberal Arts, The Open University of Japan, Chiba, Japan
| | - John P. McCutcheon
- Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Toshiaki Kudo
- Discovery Research Institute, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | | | - Nancy A. Moran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
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McCutcheon JP. The bacterial essence of tiny symbiont genomes. Curr Opin Microbiol 2010; 13:73-8. [PMID: 20044299 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2009.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2009] [Revised: 12/01/2009] [Accepted: 12/02/2009] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial genomes vary in size over two orders of magnitude. The Mycoplasma genitalium genome has historically defined the extreme small end of this spectrum, and has therefore heavily informed theoretical and experimental work aimed at determining the minimal gene content necessary to support cellular life. Recent genomic data from insect symbionts have revealed bacterial genomes that are incredibly small-two to four times smaller than M. genitalium-and these tiny genomes have raised questions about the limits of genome reduction and have blurred the once-clear distinction between autonomous cellular life and highly integrated organelle. New data from various systems with symbiotic bacterial or archaeal partners have begun to shed light on how these bacteria may function with such small gene sets, but major mechanistic questions remain.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P McCutcheon
- Center for Insect Science, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
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Wolbachia: more than just a bug in insects genitals. Curr Opin Microbiol 2009; 13:67-72. [PMID: 20036185 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2009.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2009] [Revised: 11/24/2009] [Accepted: 11/24/2009] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Research on the intracellular bacterial symbiont Wolbachia has grown on many levels, providing interesting insights on various aspects of the microbe's biology. Although data from fully sequenced genomes of different Wolbachia strains and from experimental studies of host-microbe interactions continue to arise, most of the molecular mechanisms employed by Wolbachia to manipulate the host cytoplasmic machinery and to ensure vertical transmission are yet to be discovered. Apart from the well-established role of Wolbachia in triggering reproductive alterations, a new fascinating aspect is emerging, related to the ecological benefits that the symbiont provides to the host. The mutualistic relationship of Wolbachia strains with disease vectors remains among the top research priorities with new insights having an impact on putative anti-filarial strategies.
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