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Jiang S, Kang M, Li Z, Han X, Chen C, He S, Hu X, He Y, Wang Y, Li Z, Chen J, Geng P, Chen Q, Ma J, Zhang X, Tai X, Li Y. The impact of bloodmeal and geographic region on the richness, diversity, and function of internal microbial community in Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis from the Qinghai province, China. Heliyon 2024; 10:e35429. [PMID: 39165970 PMCID: PMC11334854 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Ticks are ectoparasites that feed on blood and pose a threat to both the livestock industry and public health due to their ability to transmit pathogens through biting. However, the impact of factors such as bloodmeal and geographic regions on the bacterial microbiota of Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis remains poorly understood. Methods In this study, we used the v3-v4 region of the 16S rRNA gene to sequence the microbiota of Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis from eight groups (HY_M, YS_M, XH_M, LD_M, BM_M, LD_F_F, LD_F, and BM_F_F) in Qinghai Province. Results Significant differences in bacterial richness were observed between LD_F_F, BM_F_F, and LD_F (P < 0.01), and among the five groups (HY_M, YS_M, XH_M, BM_M, and LD_M) (P < 0.05). The bacterial diversity also differed significantly between LD_F_F, LD_F, and BM_F_F (P < 0.01), as well as among the five groups (HY_M, YS_M, XH_M, LD_M, and BM_M) (P < 0.01). The group with the highest number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) was LD_F, accounting for 23.93 % (419/1751), while BM_F_F accounted for at least 0.80 % (14/1751). At the phylum level, Firmicutes was the most abundant, with relative abundance ranging from 7.44 % to 96.62 %. At the genus level, Staphylococcus had the highest abundance, ranging from 1.67 % to 97.53 %. The endosymbiotic bacteria Coxiella and Rickettsia were predominantly enriched in LD_F_F. Additionally, the 16S gene of Coxiella showed the highest identity of 99.07 % with Coxiella sp. isolated from Xinxiang hl9 (MG9066 71.1), while the 16S gene of Rickettsia had 100 % identity with Candidatus Rickettsia hongyuanensis strains (OK 662395.1). Functional predictions for the prokaryotic microbial community indicated that the main functional categories were Metabolic, Genetic information processing, and Environmental information processing across the eight groups. Conclusion This study provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of tick-borne diseases, which is of great significance for public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Jiang
- Qinghai University State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Xining, 810016, Qinghai, China
| | - Ming Kang
- Qinghai University State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Xining, 810016, Qinghai, China
| | - Zengkui Li
- Qinghai University State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Xining, 810016, Qinghai, China
| | - Xiaoling Han
- Qinghai National Park Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Center, Xining, 810008, Qinghai, China
| | - Changjiang Chen
- Huangyuan Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station, Xining, 810016, Qinghai, China
| | - Shunfu He
- Xining Wildlife Park, Xining, 810016, Qinghai, China
| | - Xiaoyu Hu
- Qinghai University State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Xining, 810016, Qinghai, China
| | - Yongcai He
- Qinghai University State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Xining, 810016, Qinghai, China
| | - Yuezhong Wang
- Huangnan Prefecture Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Tongren, 811300, Qinghai, China
| | - Zhongyu Li
- Qinghai Xunhua Salar Autonomous County Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station, Haidong, 811100, Qinghai, China
| | - Jiyong Chen
- Yushu Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Yushu, 815099, Qinghai, China
| | - Pengcheng Geng
- Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Animal Epidemic Disease Prevention Control Center, Golog, 814000, Qinghai, China
| | - Qiang Chen
- Qinghai University State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Xining, 810016, Qinghai, China
| | - Jinghua Ma
- Qinghai University State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Xining, 810016, Qinghai, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Qinghai University State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Xining, 810016, Qinghai, China
| | - Ximei Tai
- Qinghai University State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Xining, 810016, Qinghai, China
| | - Ying Li
- Qinghai University State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Xining, 810016, Qinghai, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogen Diagnosis for Animal Diseases and Green Technical Research for Prevention and Control, Xining, 810016, Qinghai, China
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Martyn C, Hayes BM, Lauko D, Midthun E, Castaneda G, Bosco-Lauth A, Salkeld DJ, Kistler A, Pollard KS, Chou S. Metatranscriptomic investigation of single Ixodes pacificus ticks reveals diverse microbes, viruses, and novel mRNA-like endogenous viral elements. mSystems 2024; 9:e0032124. [PMID: 38742892 PMCID: PMC11237458 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00321-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are increasingly important vectors of human and agricultural diseases. While many studies have focused on tick-borne bacteria, far less is known about tick-associated viruses and their roles in public health or tick physiology. To address this, we investigated patterns of bacterial and viral communities across two field populations of western black-legged ticks (Ixodes pacificus). Through metatranscriptomic analysis of 100 individual ticks, we quantified taxon prevalence, abundance, and co-occurrence with other members of the tick microbiome. In addition to commonly found tick-associated microbes, we assembled 11 novel RNA virus genomes from Rhabdoviridae, Chuviridae, Picornaviridae, Phenuiviridae, Reoviridae, Solemovidiae, Narnaviridae and two highly divergent RNA virus genomes lacking sequence similarity to any known viral families. We experimentally verified the presence of these in I. pacificus ticks across several life stages. We also unexpectedly identified numerous virus-like transcripts that are likely encoded by tick genomic DNA, and which are distinct from known endogenous viral element-mediated immunity pathways in invertebrates. Taken together, our work reveals that I. pacificus ticks carry a greater diversity of viruses than previously appreciated, in some cases resulting in evolutionarily acquired virus-like transcripts. Our findings highlight how pervasive and intimate tick-virus interactions are, with major implications for both the fundamental biology and vectorial capacity of I. pacificus ticks. IMPORTANCE Ticks are increasingly important vectors of disease, particularly in the United States where expanding tick ranges and intrusion into previously wild areas has resulted in increasing human exposure to ticks. Emerging human pathogens have been identified in ticks at an increasing rate, and yet little is known about the full community of microbes circulating in various tick species, a crucial first step to understanding how they interact with each and their tick host, as well as their ability to cause disease in humans. We investigated the bacterial and viral communities of the Western blacklegged tick in California and found 11 previously uncharacterized viruses circulating in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calla Martyn
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Gladstone Institute of Data Science & Biotechnology, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Beth M. Hayes
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- One Health Institute, Colorado State University–Fort Collins, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Domokos Lauko
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Edward Midthun
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University–Fort Collins, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Gloria Castaneda
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Angela Bosco-Lauth
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University–Fort Collins, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Daniel J. Salkeld
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University–Fort Collins, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Amy Kistler
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Katherine S. Pollard
- Gladstone Institute of Data Science & Biotechnology, San Francisco, California, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Seemay Chou
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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Da Lage JL, Fontenelle A, Filée J, Merle M, Béranger JM, Almeida CE, Folly Ramos E, Harry M. Evidence that hematophagous triatomine bugs may eat plants in the wild. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 165:104059. [PMID: 38101706 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.104059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Blood feeding is a secondary adaptation in hematophagous bugs. Many proteins are secreted in the saliva that are devoted to coping with the host's defense and to process the blood meal. Digestive enzymes that are no longer required for a blood meal would be expected to be eventually lost. Yet, in many strictly hematophagous arthropods, α-amylase genes, which encode the enzymes that digest starch from plants, are still present and transcribed, including in the kissing bug Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) and its related species, which transmit the Chagas disease. We hypothesized that retaining α-amylase could be advantageous if the bugs occasionally consume plant tissues. We first checked that the α-amylase protein of Rhodnius robustus retains normal amylolytic activity. Then we surveyed hundreds of gut DNA extracts from the sylvatic R. robustus to detect traces of plants. We found plant DNA in 8% of the samples, mainly identified as Attalea palm trees, where R. robustus are usually found. We suggest that although of secondary importance in the blood-sucking bugs, α-amylase may be needed during occasional plant feeding and thus has been retained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Luc Da Lage
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR 9191 Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Alice Fontenelle
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR 9191 Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Jonathan Filée
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR 9191 Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Marie Merle
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR 9191 Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Jean-Michel Béranger
- Département Systématique and Evolution, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France; IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Carlos Eduardo Almeida
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Elaine Folly Ramos
- Departamento de Engenharia e Meio Ambiente - DEMA, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Myriam Harry
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR 9191 Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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Omondi D, Zweygarth E, Murungi E, Jongejan F, Nijhof AM. De novo assembly and annotation of the Amblyomma hebraeum tick midgut transcriptome response to Ehrlichia ruminantium infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011554. [PMID: 37578991 PMCID: PMC10449191 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The South African bont tick Amblyomma hebraeum is a hematophagous vector for the heartwater disease pathogen Ehrlichia ruminantium in southern Africa. During feeding, the tick's enterocytes express proteins that perform vital functions in blood digestion, including proteins that may be involved in E. ruminantium acquisition, colonization or immunity. To delineate the molecular mechanism of midgut response to E. ruminantium infection, we performed comparative analyses of midgut transcriptomes of E. ruminantium infected engorged A. hebraeum nymphs, and infected adult male and female ticks with their corresponding matched uninfected controls, before and during feeding. A total of 102,036 unigenes were annotated in public databases and their expression levels analyzed for engorged nymphs as well as unfed and partly-fed adult ticks. There were 2,025 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in midguts, of which 1,225 unigenes were up-regulated and 800 unigenes were down-regulated in the midguts of infected ticks. Annotation of DEGs revealed an increase in metabolic and cellular processes among E. ruminantium infected ticks. Notably, among the infected ticks, there was up-regulation in the expression of genes involved in tick immunity, histone proteins and oxidative stress responses. We also observed up-regulation of glycoproteins that E. ruminantium could potentially use as docking sites for host cell entry. Insights uncovered in this study offer a platform for further investigations into the molecular interaction between E. ruminantium and A. hebraeum.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Omondi
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research (TZR), Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Egerton University, Njoro, Kenya
| | - Erich Zweygarth
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Edwin Murungi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Health Sciences, Kisii University, Kisii, Kenya
| | - Frans Jongejan
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Ard M. Nijhof
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research (TZR), Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Sapiro AL, Hayes BM, Volk RF, Zhang JY, Brooks DM, Martyn C, Radkov A, Zhao Z, Kinnersley M, Secor PR, Zaro BW, Chou S. Longitudinal map of transcriptome changes in the Lyme pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi during tick-borne transmission. eLife 2023; 12:RP86636. [PMID: 37449477 PMCID: PMC10393048 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), the causative agent of Lyme disease, adapts to vastly different environments as it cycles between tick vector and vertebrate host. During a tick bloodmeal, Bb alters its gene expression to prepare for vertebrate infection; however, the full range of transcriptional changes that occur over several days inside of the tick are technically challenging to capture. We developed an experimental approach to enrich Bb cells to longitudinally define their global transcriptomic landscape inside nymphal Ixodes scapularis ticks during a transmitting bloodmeal. We identified 192 Bb genes that substantially change expression over the course of the bloodmeal from 1 to 4 days after host attachment. The majority of upregulated genes encode proteins found at the cell envelope or proteins of unknown function, including 45 outer surface lipoproteins embedded in the unusual protein-rich coat of Bb. As these proteins may facilitate Bb interactions with the host, we utilized mass spectrometry to identify candidate tick proteins that physically associate with Bb. The Bb enrichment methodology along with the ex vivo Bb transcriptomes and candidate tick interacting proteins presented here provide a resource to facilitate investigations into key determinants of Bb priming and transmission during the tick stage of its unique transmission cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne L Sapiro
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Beth M Hayes
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Regan F Volk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Jenny Y Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Diane M Brooks
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of MontanaMissoulaUnited States
| | - Calla Martyn
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Atanas Radkov
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Ziyi Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Margie Kinnersley
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of MontanaMissoulaUnited States
| | - Patrick R Secor
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of MontanaMissoulaUnited States
| | - Balyn W Zaro
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Seemay Chou
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
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