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Yuan C, Xu Q, Ning Y, Xia Q. Potential mechanisms implied in tick infection by arboviruses and their transmission to vertebrate hosts. Integr Zool 2024. [PMID: 39016029 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Ticks can transmit many pathogens, including arboviruses, to their vertebrate hosts. Arboviruses must overcome or evade defense mechanisms during their passage from the tick gut to the hemolymph, salivary glands, and the feeding site in the host skin. This review summarizes current knowledge of defense mechanisms in specific tick tissues and at the feeding site in the host skin. We discuss the possible roles of these defense mechanisms in viral infection and transmission. The responses of tick salivary proteins to arbovirus infection are also discussed. This review provides information that may help accelerate research on virus-tick interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanfei Yuan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiong Xu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Yunjia Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and National Virus Resource Center, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Jiangxia Laboratory, Wuhan, China
| | - Qianfeng Xia
- NHC Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, School of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
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Perumalsamy N, Sharma R, Subramanian M, Nagarajan SA. Hard Ticks as Vectors: The Emerging Threat of Tick-Borne Diseases in India. Pathogens 2024; 13:556. [PMID: 39057783 PMCID: PMC11279560 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13070556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Hard ticks (Ixodidae) play a critical role in transmitting various tick-borne diseases (TBDs), posing significant global threats to human and animal health. Climatic factors influence the abundance, diversity, and vectorial capacity of tick vectors. It is imperative to have a comprehensive understanding of hard ticks, pathogens, eco-epidemiology, and the impact of climatic changes on the transmission dynamics of TBDs. The distribution and life cycle patterns of hard ticks are influenced by diverse ecological factors that, in turn, can be impacted by changes in climate, leading to the expansion of the tick vector's range and geographical distribution. Vector competence, a pivotal aspect of vectorial capacity, involves the tick's ability to acquire, maintain, and transmit pathogens. Hard ticks, by efficiently feeding on diverse hosts and manipulating their immunity through their saliva, emerge as competent vectors for various pathogens, such as viruses, parasites and bacteria. This ability significantly influences the success of pathogen transmission. Further exploration of genetic diversity, population structure, and hybrid tick vectors is crucial, as they play a substantial role in influencing vector competence and complicating the dynamics of TBDs. This comprehensive review deals with important TBDs in India and delves into a profound understanding of hard ticks as vectors, their biology, and the factors influencing their vector competence. Given that TBDs continue to pose a substantial threat to global health, the review emphasizes the urgency of investigating tick control strategies and advancing vaccine development. Special attention is given to the pivotal role of population genetics in comprehending the genetic diversity of tick populations and providing essential insights into their adaptability to environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Shriram Ananganallur Nagarajan
- Division of Vector Biology and Control, Indian Council of Medical Research—Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Puducherry 605006, India; (N.P.); (R.S.); (M.S.)
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Holt JR, Cavichiolli de Oliveira N, Medina RF, Malacrinò A, Lindsey ARI. Insect-microbe interactions and their influence on organisms and ecosystems. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11699. [PMID: 39041011 PMCID: PMC11260886 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms are important associates of insect and arthropod species. Insect-associated microbes, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, can drastically impact host physiology, ecology, and fitness, while many microbes still have no known role. Over the past decade, we have increased our knowledge of the taxonomic composition and functional roles of insect-associated microbiomes and viromes. There has been a more recent shift toward examining the complexity of microbial communities, including how they vary in response to different factors (e.g., host genome, microbial strain, environment, and time), and the consequences of this variation for the host and the wider ecological community. We provide an overview of insect-microbe interactions, the variety of associated microbial functions, and the evolutionary ecology of these relationships. We explore the influence of the environment and the interactive effects of insects and their microbiomes across trophic levels. Additionally, we discuss the potential for subsequent synergistic and reciprocal impacts on the associated microbiomes, ecological interactions, and communities. Lastly, we discuss some potential avenues for the future of insect-microbe interactions that include the modification of existing microbial symbionts as well as the construction of synthetic microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Raul F. Medina
- Department of EntomologyTexas A&M University, Minnie Bell Heep CenterCollege StationTexasUSA
| | - Antonino Malacrinò
- Department of AgricultureUniversità Degli Studi Mediterranea di Reggio CalabriaReggio CalabriaItaly
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Hernandez JR, Xiong C, Pietrantonio PV. A fluorescently-tagged tick kinin neuropeptide triggers peristalsis and labels tick midgut muscles. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10863. [PMID: 38740831 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61570-w] [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: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are blood-feeding arthropods that require heme for their successful reproduction. During feeding they also acquire pathogens that are subsequently transmitted to humans, wildlife and/or livestock. Understanding the regulation of tick midgut is important for blood meal digestion, heme and nutrient absorption processes and for aspects of pathogen biology in the host. We previously demonstrated the activity of tick kinins on the cognate G protein-coupled receptor. Herein we uncovered the physiological role of the kinin receptor in the tick midgut. A fluorescently-labeled kinin peptide with the endogenous kinin 8 sequence (TMR-RK8), identical in the ticks Rhipicephalus microplus and R. sanguineus, activated and labeled the recombinant R. microplus receptor expressed in CHO-K1 cells. When applied to the live midgut the TMR-RK8 labeled the kinin receptor in muscles while the labeled peptide with the scrambled-sequence of kinin 8 (TMR-Scrambled) did not. The unlabeled kinin 8 peptide competed TMR-RK8, decreasing confocal microscopy signal intensity, indicating TMR-RK8 specificity to muscles. TMR-RK8 was active, inducing significant midgut peristalsis that was video-recorded and evaluated with video tracking software. The TMR-Scrambled peptide used as a negative control did not elicit peristalsis. The myotropic function of kinins in eliciting tick midgut peristalsis was established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R Hernandez
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2475, USA
| | - Caixing Xiong
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2475, USA
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Abuin-Denis L, Piloto-Sardiñas E, Maître A, Wu-Chuang A, Mateos-Hernández L, Obregon D, Corona-González B, Fogaça AC, Palinauskas V, Aželytė J, Rodríguez-Mallon A, Cabezas-Cruz A. Exploring the impact of Anaplasma phagocytophilum on colonization resistance of Ixodes scapularis microbiota using network node manipulation. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES 2024; 5:100177. [PMID: 38765730 PMCID: PMC11098721 DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2024.100177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Upon ingestion from an infected host, tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) have to overcome colonization resistance, a defense mechanism by which tick microbiota prevent microbial invasions. Previous studies have shown that the pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum alters the microbiota composition of the nymphs of Ixodes scapularis, but its impact on tick colonization resistance remains unclear. We analyzed tick microbiome genetic data using published Illumina 16S rRNA sequences, assessing microbial diversity within ticks (alpha diversity) through species richness, evenness, and phylogenetic diversity. We compared microbial communities in ticks with and without infection with A. phagocytophilum (beta diversity) using the Bray-Curtis index. We also built co-occurrence networks and used node manipulation to study the impact of A. phagocytophilum on microbial assembly and network robustness, crucial for colonization resistance. We examined network robustness by altering its connectivity, observing changes in the largest connected component (LCC) and the average path length (APL). Our findings revealed that infection with A. phagocytophilum does not significantly alter the overall microbial diversity in ticks. Despite a decrease in the number of nodes and connections within the microbial networks of infected ticks, certain core microbes remained consistently interconnected, suggesting a functional role. The network of infected ticks showed a heightened vulnerability to node removal, with smaller LCC and longer APL, indicating reduced resilience compared to the network of uninfected ticks. Interestingly, adding nodes to the network of infected ticks led to an increase in LCC and a decrease in APL, suggesting a recovery in network robustness, a trend not observed in networks of uninfected ticks. This improvement in network robustness upon node addition hints that infection with A. phagocytophilum might lower ticks' resistance to colonization, potentially facilitating further microbial invasions. We conclude that the compromised colonization resistance observed in tick microbiota following infection with A. phagocytophilum may facilitate co-infection in natural tick populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianet Abuin-Denis
- Animal Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Avenue 31 between 158 and 190, P.O. Box 6162, Havana, 10600, Cuba
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Elianne Piloto-Sardiñas
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
- Direction of Animal Health, National Center for Animal and Plant Health, Carretera de Tapaste y Autopista Nacional, Apartado Postal 10, San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque, 32700, Cuba
| | - Apolline Maître
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
- INRAE, UR 0045 Laboratoire de Recherches sur le Développement de l'Elevage (SELMET-LRDE), 20250, Corte, France
- EA 7310, Laboratoire de Virologie, Université de Corse, Corte, France
| | - Alejandra Wu-Chuang
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernández
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Dasiel Obregon
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Belkis Corona-González
- Direction of Animal Health, National Center for Animal and Plant Health, Carretera de Tapaste y Autopista Nacional, Apartado Postal 10, San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque, 32700, Cuba
| | - Andréa Cristina Fogaça
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Justė Aželytė
- Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Alina Rodríguez-Mallon
- Animal Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Avenue 31 between 158 and 190, P.O. Box 6162, Havana, 10600, Cuba
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
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Zhong Z, Wang K, Wang J. Tick symbiosis. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 62:101163. [PMID: 38244689 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2024.101163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
As obligate blood-feeders, ticks serve as vectors for a variety of pathogens that pose threats on both human and livestock health. The microbiota that ticks harbor play important roles in influencing tick nutrition, development, reproduction, and vector. These microbes also affect the capacity of ticks to transmit pathogens (vector competence). Therefore, comprehending the functions of tick microbiota will help in developing novel and effective tick control strategies. Here, we summarize the effects of main tick symbiotic bacteria on tick physiology and vector competency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengwei Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Kun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Jingwen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China.
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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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