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Tischer M, Bleidorn C. Further evidence of low infection frequencies of Wolbachia in soil arthropod communities. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2024; 123:105641. [PMID: 39004260 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2024.105641] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Endosymbiotic Alphaproteobacteria of the genus Wolbachia are exclusively transferred maternally from mother to offspring, but horizontal transfer across species boundaries seems to be frequent as well. However, the (ecological) mechanisms of how these bacteria are transferred between distantly related arthropod hosts remain unclear. Based on the observation that species that are part of the same ecological community often also share similar Wolbachia strains, host ecology has been hypothesized as an important factor enabling transmission and a key factor in explaining the global distribution of Wolbachia lineages. In this study, we focus on the diversity and abundance of Wolbachia strains in soil arthropods, a so far rather neglected community. We screened 82 arthropod morphotypes collected in the beech forest (dominated by Fagus sp.) soil in the area of Göttingen in central Germany for the presence of Wolbachia. By performing a PCR screen with Wolbachia-MLST markers (coxA, dnaA, fbpA, ftsZ, gatB, and hcpA), we found a rather low infection frequency of 12,2%. Additionally, we performed metagenomic screening of pooled individuals from the same sampling site and could not find evidence that this low infection frequency is an artefact due to PCR-primer bias. Phylogenetic analyses of the recovered Wolbachia strains grouped them in three known supergroups (A, B, and E), with the first report of Wolbachia in Protura (Hexapoda). Moreover, Wolbachia sequences from the pseudoscorpion Neobisium carcinoides cluster outside the currently known supergroup diversity. Our screening supports results from previous studies that the prevalence of Wolbachia infections seems to be lower in soil habitats than in above-ground terrestrial habitats. The reasons for this pattern are not completely understood but might stem from the low opportunity of physical contact and the prevalence of supergroups that are less suited for horizontal transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Tischer
- Department for Animal Evolution and Biodiversity, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institut für Zoologie und Anthropologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Christoph Bleidorn
- Department for Animal Evolution and Biodiversity, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institut für Zoologie und Anthropologie, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
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Behrmann LV, Meier K, Vollmer J, Chiedu CC, Schiefer A, Hoerauf A, Pfarr K. In vitro extracellular replication of Wolbachia endobacteria. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1405287. [PMID: 39091298 PMCID: PMC11293327 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1405287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Obligate intracellular endobacteria of the genus Wolbachia are widespread in arthropods and several filarial nematodes. Control programs for vector-borne diseases (dengue, Zika, malaria) and anti-filarial therapy with antibiotics are based on this important endosymbiont. Investigating Wolbachia, however, is impeded by the need for host cells. In this study, the requirements for Wolbachia wAlbB growth in a host cell-free in vitro culture system were characterized via qPCRs. A cell lysate fraction from Aedes albopictus C6/36 insect cells containing cell membranes and medium with fetal bovine serum were identified as requisite for cell-free replication of Wolbachia. Supplementation with the membrane fraction of insect cell lysate increased extracellular Wolbachia replication by 4.2-fold. Replication rates in the insect cell-free culture were lower compared to Wolbachia grown inside insect cells. However, the endobacteria were able to replicate for up to 12 days and to infect uninfected C6/36 cells. Cell-free Wolbachia treated with the lipid II biosynthesis inhibitor fosfomycin had an enlarged phenotype, seen previously for intracellular Wolbachia in C6/36 cells, indicating that the bacteria were unable to divide. In conclusion, we have developed a cell-free culture system in which Wolbachia replicate for up to 12 days, providing an in vitro tool to elucidate the biology of these endobacteria, e.g., cell division by using compounds that may not enter the C6/36 cells. A better understanding of Wolbachia biology, and in particular host-symbiont interactions, is key to the use of Wolbachia in vector control programs and to future drug development against filarial diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Vanessa Behrmann
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kirstin Meier
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jennifer Vollmer
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Chukwuebuka Chibuzo Chiedu
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Andrea Schiefer
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Achim Hoerauf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kenneth Pfarr
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
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Arai H, Ueda M, Hirano T, Akizuki N, Lin S, Hanh DK, Widada J, Rohman MS, Nakai M, Kunimi Y, Vang LV, Wijonarko A, Inoue MN. Conserved infections and reproductive phenotypes of Wolbachia symbionts in Asian tortrix moths. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2024; 16:e13219. [PMID: 38070178 PMCID: PMC10866051 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Wolbachia is a ubiquitous endosymbiotic bacterium that manipulates insect reproduction. A notable feature of Wolbachia is male killing (MK), whereby sons of infected females are killed during development; however, the evolutionary processes by which Wolbachia acquired the MK ability remain unclear. The tea tortrix moth Homona magnanima (Tortricidae) harbours three non-MK Wolbachia strains (wHm-a, wHm-b and wHm-c) and an MK strain wHm-t. Although wHm-t and wHm-c are closely related, only wHm-t has an MK-associated prophage region. To understand the evolutionary processes underlying the emergence of MK wHm-t, we examined Wolbachia infections and phenotypes in 62 tortricid species collected from 39 localities across Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia. PCR assays detected wHm-c relatives in 51 species and triple infection of wHm-a, wHm-b and wHm-c in 31 species. Apart from Taiwanese H. magnanima, no species exhibited the MK phenotype and were positive for the wHm-t-specific prophage. While wHm-t infection was dominant in Taiwanese H. magnanima, wHm-a, wHm-b and wHm-c were dominant in Japanese H. magnanima populations. These results suggest that wHm-a, wHm-b and wHm-c strains descended from a common ancestor with repeated infection loss and that wHm-t evolved from the wHm-c acquiring MK ability in allopatric populations of H. magnanima.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Arai
- United Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyTokyoJapan
| | - Masatoshi Ueda
- United Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyTokyoJapan
| | - Tatsuya Hirano
- United Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyTokyoJapan
| | - Naoya Akizuki
- United Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyTokyoJapan
| | - Shiou‐Ruei Lin
- Crop Environment SectionTea and Beverage Research Station, Ministry of AgricultureTaoyuan CityTaiwan
| | | | - Jaka Widada
- Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of AgricultureUniversitas Gadjah MadaYogyakartaIndonesia
| | - Muhammad Saifur Rohman
- Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of AgricultureUniversitas Gadjah MadaYogyakartaIndonesia
| | - Madoka Nakai
- United Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyTokyoJapan
| | - Yasuhisa Kunimi
- United Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyTokyoJapan
| | - Le Van Vang
- College of AgricultureCan Tho UniversityCan Tho CityVietnam
| | - Arman Wijonarko
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of AgricultureUniversitas Gadjah MadaYogyakartaIndonesia
| | - Maki N. Inoue
- United Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceTokyo University of Agriculture and TechnologyTokyoJapan
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Lin YT, Ip JCH, He X, Gao ZM, Perez M, Xu T, Sun J, Qian PY, Qiu JW. Scallop-bacteria symbiosis from the deep sea reveals strong genomic coupling in the absence of cellular integration. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae048. [PMID: 38531780 PMCID: PMC10999363 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Previous studies have revealed tight metabolic complementarity between bivalves and their endosymbiotic chemosynthetic bacteria, but little is known about their interactions with ectosymbionts. Our analysis of the ectosymbiosis between a deep-sea scallop (Catillopecten margaritatus) and a gammaproteobacterium showed that bivalves could be highly interdependent with their ectosymbionts as well. Our microscopic observation revealed abundant sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) on the surfaces of the gill epithelial cells. Microbial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of the gill tissues showed the dominance of the SOB. An analysis of the SOB genome showed that it is substantially smaller than its free-living relatives and has lost cellular components required for free-living. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses showed that this ectosymbiont relies on rhodanese-like proteins and SOX multienzyme complex for energy generation, mainly on the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle and peripherally on a phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase for carbon assimilation. Besides, the symbiont encodes an incomplete tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Observation of the scallop's digestive gland and its nitrogen metabolism pathways indicates it does not fully rely on the ectosymbiont for nutrition. Analysis of the host's gene expression provided evidence that it could offer intermediates for the ectosymbiont to complete its TCA cycle and some amino acid synthesis pathways using exosomes, and its phagosomes, endosomes, and lysosomes might be involved in harvesting nutrients from the symbionts. Overall, our study prompts us to rethink the intimacy between the hosts and ectosymbionts in Bivalvia and the evolution of chemosymbiosis in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Tao Lin
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
| | - Jack Chi-Ho Ip
- Science Unit, Lingnan University, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
| | - Xing He
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Zhao-Ming Gao
- Deep-sea Science Division, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Maeva Perez
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
| | - Ting Xu
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
| | - Jin Sun
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Pei-Yuan Qian
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
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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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6
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Abstract
Wolbachia are successful Gram-negative bacterial endosymbionts, globally infecting a large fraction of arthropod species and filarial nematodes. Efficient vertical transmission, the capacity for horizontal transmission, manipulation of host reproduction and enhancement of host fitness can promote the spread both within and between species. Wolbachia are abundant and can occupy extraordinary diverse and evolutionary distant host species, suggesting that they have evolved to engage and manipulate highly conserved core cellular processes. Here, we review recent studies identifying Wolbachia-host interactions at the molecular and cellular levels. We explore how Wolbachia interact with a wide array of host cytoplasmic and nuclear components in order to thrive in a diversity of cell types and cellular environments. This endosymbiont has also evolved the ability to precisely target and manipulate specific phases of the host cell cycle. The remarkable diversity of cellular interactions distinguishes Wolbachia from other endosymbionts and is largely responsible for facilitating its global propagation through host populations. Finally, we describe how insights into Wolbachia-host cellular interactions have led to promising applications in controlling insect-borne and filarial nematode-based diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian Porter
- Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, UC Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - William Sullivan
- Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, UC Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
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Bi S, Wang X, Tang Y, Lei K, Guo J, Yang N, Wan F, Lü Z, Liu W. Bacterial Communities of the Internal Reproductive and Digestive Tracts of Virgin and Mated Tuta absoluta. INSECTS 2023; 14:779. [PMID: 37887791 PMCID: PMC10606990 DOI: 10.3390/insects14100779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Microorganisms can affect host reproduction, defense, and immunity through sexual or opportunistic transmission; however, there are few studies on insect reproductive organs and intestinal bacterial communities and their effects on mating. Tuta absoluta is a worldwide quarantine pest that seriously threatens the production of Solanaceae crops, and the microbial community within tomato leafminers remains unclear. In this study, 16s rRNA sequencing was used to analyze bacterial communities related to the reproductive organs and intestinal tracts of tomato leafminers (the sample accession numbers are from CNS0856533 to CNS0856577). Different bacterial communities were found in the reproductive organs and intestinal tracts of females and males. Community ecological analysis revealed three potential signs of bacterial sexual transmission: (1) Mating increased the similarity between male and female sex organs and intestinal communities. (2) The bacteria carried by mated individuals were found in unmated individuals of the opposite sex but not in unmated individuals of the same sex. (3) The bacteria carried by unmated individuals were lost after mating. In addition, the abundances of bacterial communities carried by eggs were significantly higher than those of adult worms. Our results confirm that mating leads to the transfer of bacterial communities in the reproductive organs and gut of tomato leafminers, and suggest that this community strongly influences the reproductive process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyan Bi
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiaodi Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yanhong Tang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Kexin Lei
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jianyang Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Nianwan Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Institute of Western Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China
| | - Fanghao Wan
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhichuang Lü
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wanxue Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
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Zhou JC, Shang D, Liu SM, Zhang C, Huo LX, Zhang LS, Dong H. Wolbachia-infected Trichogramma dendrolimi is outcompeted by its uninfected counterpart in superparasitism but does not have developmental delay. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:1005-1017. [PMID: 36317957 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wolbachia infection increases the superparasitism frequency of Trichogramma females and provides an opportunity for horizontal intraspecific transmission. However, superparasitism may lead to interstrain competition between Wolbachia-infected Trichogramma offspring and their uninfected counterparts. This study investigated the outcome of interstrain intrinsic competition between Wolbachia-infected thelytokous strain (W) and uninfected bisexual strain (B) of Trichogramma dendrolimi. To determine the developmental rate of both strains, the sizes of immature stages of T. dendrolimi offspring at different times after parasitisation were measured in single parasitism and superparasitism conditions. RESULTS The results reflect increased superparasitism by Wolbachia-infected females compared with uninfected females. Trichogramma females did not discriminate between host eggs previously parasitised by either B or W females. When the first oviposition was performed by B females, the B offspring outcompeted W offspring deposited later. Although when W offspring was deposited 8 h earlier than the B offspring, it gained no advantage over B offspring. Regardless of parasitism conditions, differences in the development rate between W and B offspring were not significant. CONCLUSION The results reconfirmed that W females presented a higher tendency for superparasitism than B females, and showed that B offspring outcompeted W offspring even when the latter was deposited 8 h earlier. The inferiority of Wolbachia-infected Trichogramma compared with their uninfected counterparts is not due to the developmental delay. This study provides insights into the effects of intrinsic competition on the control efficacy of Wolbachia-infected Trichogramma against pests in biological control programs. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Cheng Zhou
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Shang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Shi-Meng Liu
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang-Xiao Huo
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Sheng Zhang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Dong
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
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Wolbachia Promotes Its Own Uptake by Host Cells. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0055722. [PMID: 36648231 PMCID: PMC9933726 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00557-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia pipientis is an incredibly widespread bacterial symbiont of insects, present in an estimated 25 to 52% of species worldwide. Wolbachia is faithfully maternally transmitted both in a laboratory setting and in the wild. In an established infection, Wolbachia is primarily intracellular, residing within host-derived vacuoles that are associated with the endoplasmic reticulum. However, Wolbachia also frequently transfers between host species, requiring an extracellular stage to its life cycle. Indeed, Wolbachia has been moved between insect species for the precise goal of controlling populations. The use of Wolbachia in this application requires that we better understand how it initiates and establishes new infections. Here, we designed a novel method for live tracking Wolbachia cells during infection using a combination of stains and microscopy. We show that live Wolbachia cells are taken up by host cells at a much faster rate than dead Wolbachia cells, indicating that Wolbachia bacteria play a role in their own uptake and that Wolbachia colonization is not just a passive process. We also show that the host actin cytoskeleton must be intact for this to occur and that drugs that disrupt the actin cytoskeleton effectively abrogate Wolbachia uptake. The development of this live infection assay will assist in future efforts to characterize Wolbachia factors used during host infection.
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Distribution of Bacterial Endosymbionts of the Cardinium Clade in Plant-Parasitic Nematodes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032905. [PMID: 36769231 PMCID: PMC9918034 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria of the genus "Candidatus Cardinium" and related organisms composing the Cardinium clade are intracellular endosymbionts frequently occurring in several arthropod groups, freshwater mussels and plant-parasitic nematodes. Phylogenetic analyses based on two gene sequences (16S rRNA and gyrB) showed that the Cardinium clade comprised at least five groups: A, B, C, D and E. In this study, a screening of 142 samples of plant-parasitic nematodes belonging to 93 species from 12 families and two orders using PCR with specific primers and sequencing, revealed bacteria of Cardinium clade in 14 nematode samples belonging to 12 species of cyst nematodes of the family Heteroderidae. Furthermore, in this study, the genome of the Cardinium cHhum from the hop cyst nematode, Heterodera humuli, was also amplified, sequenced and analyzed. The comparisons of the average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values for the strain Cardinium cHhum with regard to related organisms with available genomes, combined with the data on 16S rRNA and gyrB gene sequence identities, showed that this strain represents a new candidate species within the genus "Candidatus Paenicardinium". The phylogenetic position of endosymbionts of the Cardinium clade detected in nematode hosts was also compared to known representatives of this clade from other metazoans. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on analysis of 16S rRNA, gyrB, sufB, gloEL, fusA, infB genes and genomes and estimates of genetic distances both indicate that the endosymbiont of the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans represented a separate lineage and is designated herein as a new group F. The phylogenetic analysis also confirmed that endosymbionts of ostracods represent the novel group G. Evolutionary relationships of bacterial endosymbionts of the Cardinium clade within invertebrates are presented and discussed.
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11
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Dodson BL, Pujhari S, Brustolin M, Metz HC, Rasgon JL. Variable effects of Wolbachia on alphavirus infection in Aedes aegypti. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.20.524939. [PMID: 36711723 PMCID: PMC9884506 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.20.524939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Wolbachia pipientis (=Wolbachia) has promise as a tool to suppress virus transmission by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. However, Wolbachia can have variable effects on mosquito-borne viruses. This variation remains poorly characterized, yet the multimodal effects of Wolbachia on diverse pathogens could have important implications for public health. Here, we examine the effects of somatic infection with two strains of Wolbachia (wAlbB and wMel) on the alphaviruses Sindbis virus (SINV), O'nyong-nyong virus (ONNV), and Mayaro virus (MAYV) in Ae. aegypti. We found variable effects of Wolbachia including enhancement and suppression of viral infections, with some effects depending on Wolbachia strain. Both wAlbB- and wMel-infected mosquitoes showed enhancement of SINV infection rates one week post-infection, with wAlbB-infected mosquitoes also having higher viral titers than controls. Infection rates with ONNV were low across all treatments and no significant effects of Wolbachia were observed. The effects of Wolbachia on MAYV infections were strikingly strain-specific; wMel strongly blocked MAYV infections and suppressed viral titers, while wAlbB did not influence MAYV infection. The variable effects of Wolbachia on vector competence underscore the importance of further research into how this bacterium impacts the virome of wild mosquitoes including the emergent human pathogens they transmit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany L Dodson
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Sujit Pujhari
- Current address: Department of Pharmacology Physiology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, United States
| | - Marco Brustolin
- Current address: Unit of Entomology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Hillery C Metz
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Jason L Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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12
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Wolbachia-Driven Memory Loss in a Parasitic Wasp Increases Superparasitism to Enhance Horizontal Transmission. mBio 2022; 13:e0236222. [PMID: 36214563 PMCID: PMC9765423 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02362-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal transmission of the endosymbiont, Wolbachia, may occur during superparasitism when parasitoid females deposit a second clutch of eggs on a host. Wolbachia may increase the superparasitism tendency of Trichogramma wasps by depriving their memory. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the effects of conditioning experience and memory inhibitors (actinomycin D [ACD] and anisomycin [ANI]) on memory capacity, and expressions of memory-related genes (CREB1 and PKA), and superparasitism frequency of Wolbachia-infected (TDW) and uninfected (TD) lines of Trichogramma dendrolimi after conditioning with lemon or peppermint odor. We detected the presence of Wolbachia in eggs, larvae, pre-pupae, pupae, and adults of Trichogramma by using fluorescence in situ hybridization. The results showed that TDW females had a more reduced memory capacity than TD females after conditioning. Compared with TD females, TDW females showed a higher proportion of superparasitism and a downregulation of CREB1 and PKA genes after conditioning. TD females fed ACD or ANI showed a higher tendency for superparasitism and a downregulation of CREB1 and PKA, along with memory loss after conditioning than TD females fed honey solution only. The presence of Wolbachia was detected in the anterior region of the larva, pre-pupa, and pupa, but was not found in the head of the adult. The results provide evidence of host behavioral manipulation of Wolbachia by depriving memory of host Trichogramma wasps based on Poulin' s criteria. These host behavioral changes led by Wolbachia may be caused by the virulence of Wolbachia on the nervous system of the host. IMPORTANCE The endosymbiotic bacteria, Wolbachia, live widely within cells of arthropods. Wolbachia are not only transmitted vertically from host mother to offspring, but are also transmitted horizontally among host individuals. Horizontal transmission is expected to occur during superparasitism when host parasitoid females deposit a clutch of eggs on a host previously parasitized by the same parasitoid species. Thus, a question is proposed regarding whether superparasitism behavior is a behavior modification induced by the symbiont to favor symbiont transmission. This study highlights behavioral mechanisms of Wolbachia-induced superparasitism in Trichogramma wasps and the manipulation of symbionts on host parasitoids.
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Shaikevich E, Romanov D. Symbiotic Wolbachia bacteria in coccinellid parasitoids: genetic diversity, horizontal transfer, and recombination. Int Microbiol 2022; 26:269-280. [PMID: 36400975 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-022-00295-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Parasitoids, which constitute about 25% of all insects and attack arthropods of virtually all taxa, are considered the most suitable vectors for horizontal transmission of the symbiotic bacterium Wolbachia among insects. The parasitoids studied in this article develop in the larvae and pupae of ladybirds. For the first time, Wolbachia was found in parasitic wasp species of the genus Homalotylus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and from the subfamily Tetrastichinae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). To characterize the Wolbachia strains, six bacterial housekeeping genes were examined and compared with previously published Wolbachia gene sequences. The same bacterial strains were found in all individuals of each species of parasitic wasps collected in different places and at different times, which indicates the absence of contamination and testifies to the heritability of the symbionts in the studied chalcids. No evidence was found that the parasitic wasps were infected with Wolbachia, identical to the symbionts of their ladybirds hosts. We found one Wolbachia strain, wHom-2, which is a product of bacterial recombination from unrelated insects, including ladybirds. The lack of correspondence between the molecular phylogenies of Wolbachia strains and mitochondrial DNA of their hosts indicates horizontal transfers of Wolbachia among parasitic wasps of the genus Homalotylus and from the subfamily Tetrastichinae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Shaikevich
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Gubkina Str., 3, Moscow, 119333, Russia
| | - Denis Romanov
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Gubkina Str., 3, Moscow, 119333, Russia.
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14
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Díez-Vives C, Koutsouveli V, Conejero M, Riesgo A. Global patterns in symbiont selection and transmission strategies in sponges. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1015592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sponges host dense and diverse communities of microbes (known as the microbiome) beneficial for the host nutrition and defense. Symbionts in turn receive shelter and metabolites from the sponge host, making their relationship beneficial for both partners. Given that sponge-microbes associations are fundamental for the survival of both, especially the sponge, such relationship is maintained through their life and even passed on to the future generations. In many organisms, the microbiome has profound effects on the development of the host, but the influence of the microbiome on the reproductive and developmental pathways of the sponges are less understood. In sponges, microbes are passed on to oocytes, sperm, embryos, and larvae (known as vertical transmission), using a variety of methods that include direct uptake from the mesohyl through phagocytosis by oocytes to indirect transmission to the oocyte by nurse cells. Such microbes can remain in the reproductive elements untouched, for transfer to offspring, or can be digested to make the yolky nutrient reserves of oocytes and larvae. When and how those decisions are made are fundamentally unanswered questions in sponge reproduction. Here we review the diversity of vertical transmission modes existent in the entire phylum Porifera through detailed imaging using electron microscopy, available metabarcoding data from reproductive elements, and macroevolutionary patterns associated to phylogenetic constraints. Additionally, we examine the fidelity of this vertical transmission and possible reasons for the observed variability in some developmental stages. Our current understanding in marine sponges, however, is that the adult microbial community is established by a combination of both vertical and horizontal (acquisition from the surrounding environment in each new generation) transmission processes, although the extent in which each mode shapes the adult microbiome still remains to be determined. We also assessed the fundamental role of filtration, the cellular structures for acquiring external microbes, and the role of the host immune system, that ultimately shapes the stable communities of prokaryotes observed in adult sponges.
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Matthews ML, Covey HO, Drolet BS, Brelsfoard CL. Wolbachia wAlbB inhibits bluetongue and epizootic hemorrhagic fever viruses in Culicoides midge cells. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 36:320-328. [PMID: 35266572 PMCID: PMC9540819 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Culicoides midges are hematophagous insects that transmit arboviruses of veterinary importance. These viruses include bluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic hemorrhagic fever virus (EHDV). The endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis Hertig spreads rapidly through insect host populations and has been demonstrated to inhibit viral pathogen transmission in multiple mosquito vectors. Here, we have demonstrated a replication inhibitory effect on BTV and EHDV in a Wolbachia (wAlbB strain)-infected Culicoides sonorensis Wirth and Jones W8 cell line. Viral replication was significantly reduced by day 5 for BTV and by day 2 for EHDV as detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) of the non-structural NS3 gene of both viruses. Evaluation of innate cellular immune responses as a cause of the inhibitory effect showed responses associated with BTV but not with EHDV infection. Wolbachia density also did not play a role in the observed pathogen inhibitory effects, and an alternative hypothesis is suggested. Applications of Wolbachia-mediated pathogen interference to impact disease transmission by Culicoides midges are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L. Matthews
- Department of Biological SciencesTexas Tech UniversityLubbockTexasUSA
| | - Hunter O. Covey
- Department of Biological SciencesTexas Tech UniversityLubbockTexasUSA
| | - Barbara S. Drolet
- Arthropod‐Borne Animal Diseases Research Unit, USDA‐ARSManhattanKansasUSA
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16
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Sarwar MS, Jahan N, Ali A, Yousaf HK, Munzoor I. Establishment of Wolbachia infection in Aedes aegypti from Pakistan via embryonic microinjection and semi-field evaluation of general fitness of resultant mosquito population. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:191. [PMID: 35668540 PMCID: PMC9169386 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05317-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease that is mainly spread by Aedes aegypti. It is prevalent on five continents, predominantly in tropical and sub-tropical zones across the world. Wolbachia bacteria have been extensively used in vector control strategies worldwide. The focus of the current study was to obtain a natural population of Ae. aegypti harbouring Wolbachia and to determine the impact of this bacteria on the new host in a semi-field environment. Methods Wolbachia-infected Aedes albopictus was collected from the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, and Wolbachia were successfully introduced into laboratory-reared Ae. aegypti via embryonic microinjection. The stable vertical transmission of wAlbB in the host population was observed for eight generations, and the impact of Wolbachia on the general fitness of the host was evaluated in semi-field conditions. Results In the laboratory and semi-field experiments, wAlbB Wolbachia presented a strong cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) effect, evidenced as zero egg hatching, in crosses between Wolbachia-infected males and wild (uninfected) females of Ae. aegypti. Wolbachia infection had no noticeable impact on the general fitness (P > 0.05), fecundity, body size (females and males) and mating competitiveness of the new host, Ae. aegypti. However, there was a significant decrease in female fertility (egg hatch) (P < 0.001). In addition, under starvation conditions, there was a remarkable decrease (P < 0.0001) in the life span of Wolbachia-infected females compared to uninfected females (4 vs. > 5 days, respectively). Conclusions Wolbachia strain wAlbB has a great potential to control the dengue vector in Ae. aegypti populations by producing 100% CI with a limited burden on its host in natural field conditions. This strain can be used as a biological tool against vector-borne diseases. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05317-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Sajjad Sarwar
- Department of Zoology, University of Okara, Okara, 56300, Pakistan. .,Department of Zoology, Government College University, Katchery Road, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Nusrat Jahan
- Department of Zoology, Government College University, Katchery Road, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Azeem Ali
- Department of Statistics and Computer Science, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | - Iqra Munzoor
- Department of Zoology, University of Okara, Okara, 56300, Pakistan
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17
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Hornett EA, Kageyama D, Hurst GDD. Sex determination systems as the interface between male-killing bacteria and their hosts. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212781. [PMID: 35414231 PMCID: PMC9005997 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Arthropods host a range of sex-ratio-distorting selfish elements, including diverse maternally inherited endosymbionts that solely kill infected males. Male-killing heritable microbes are common, reach high frequency, but until recently have been poorly understood in terms of the host-microbe interaction. Additionally, while male killing should generate strong selection for host resistance, evidence of this has been scant. The interface of the microbe with host sex determination is integral to the understanding of how death is sex limited and how hosts can evolve evasion of male killing. We first review current knowledge of the mechanisms diverse endosymbionts use to induce male-specific death. We then examine recent evidence that these agents do produce intense selection for host nuclear suppressor elements. We argue, from our understanding of male-killing mechanisms, that suppression will commonly involve evolution of the host sex determination pathways and that the host's response to male-killing microbes thus represents an unrecognized driver of the diversity of arthropod sex determination. Further work is required to identify the genes and mechanisms responsible for male-killing suppression, which will both determine the components of sex determination (or other) systems associated with suppressor evolution, and allow insight into the mechanism of male killing itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A. Hornett
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary, and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Biosciences Building, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
- Vector Biology, LSTM, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
| | | | - Gregory D. D. Hurst
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary, and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Biosciences Building, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
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18
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Skinner KM, Underwood J, Ghosh A, Oliva Chavez AS, Brelsfoard CL. Wolbachia Impacts Anaplasma Infection in Ixodes scapularis Tick Cells. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19031051. [PMID: 35162074 PMCID: PMC8834366 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The specific interactions of members of tick bacterial microbiota and their effects on pathogen transmission remains relatively unexplored. Here, we introduced a novel Wolbachia infection type into Ixodes scapularis tick cells and examined the antipathogenic effects on the intracellular pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum. An increase in A. phagocytophilum replication was observed in Wolbachia-infected tick cells. However, Wolbachia infection densities decreased when cells were serially passaged and ultimately the infection was lost. Host-cell immune response was also examined as an additional factor that could have affected A. phagocytophilum replication in Wolbachia-infected cells. In early passages post-Wolbachia infection, a decreased immune response was observed, but in later passages of cells with low Wolbachia densities, there was no change in the immune response. The results are discussed in relation to the importance of studying the interactions of the tick microbiota, the host cell, and the pathogen and the development of novel tick and tick-borne disease-control approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalin M. Skinner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, 2901 Main St., Lubbock, TX 79409, USA; (K.M.S.); (A.G.)
| | - Jacob Underwood
- Department of Entomology, Texas A & M University, 370 Olsen Blvd, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (J.U.); (A.S.O.C.)
| | - Arnab Ghosh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, 2901 Main St., Lubbock, TX 79409, USA; (K.M.S.); (A.G.)
| | - Adela S. Oliva Chavez
- Department of Entomology, Texas A & M University, 370 Olsen Blvd, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (J.U.); (A.S.O.C.)
| | - Corey L. Brelsfoard
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, 2901 Main St., Lubbock, TX 79409, USA; (K.M.S.); (A.G.)
- Correspondence:
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19
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Neupane S, Bonilla SI, Manalo AM, Pelz-Stelinski KS. Complete de novo assembly of Wolbachia endosymbiont of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) using long-read genome sequencing. Sci Rep 2022; 12:125. [PMID: 34996906 PMCID: PMC8741817 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03184-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia, a gram-negative \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathrm{\alpha }$$\end{document}α-proteobacterium, is an endosymbiont found in some arthropods and nematodes. Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, the vector of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas), are naturally infected with a strain of Wolbachia (wDi), which has been shown to colocalize with the bacteria pathogens CLas, the pathogen associated with huanglongbing (HLB) disease of citrus. The relationship between wDi and CLas is poorly understood in part because the complete genome of wDi has not been available. Using high-quality long-read PacBio circular consensus sequences, we present the largest complete circular wDi genome among supergroup-B members. The assembled circular chromosome is 1.52 megabases with 95.7% genome completeness with contamination of 1.45%, as assessed by checkM. We identified Insertion Sequences (ISs) and prophage genes scattered throughout the genomes. The proteins were annotated using Pfam, eggNOG, and COG that assigned unique domains and functions. The wDi genome was compared with previously sequenced Wolbachia genomes using pangenome and phylogenetic analyses. The availability of a complete circular chromosome of wDi will facilitate understanding of its role within the insect vector, which may assist in developing tools for disease management. This information also provides a baseline for understanding phylogenetic relationships among Wolbachia of other insect vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surendra Neupane
- Entomology and Nematology Department, Citrus Research and Education Center/IFAS, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, Florida, 33850, USA
| | - Sylvia I Bonilla
- Entomology and Nematology Department, Citrus Research and Education Center/IFAS, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, Florida, 33850, USA
| | - Andrew M Manalo
- Entomology and Nematology Department, Citrus Research and Education Center/IFAS, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, Florida, 33850, USA
| | - Kirsten S Pelz-Stelinski
- Entomology and Nematology Department, Citrus Research and Education Center/IFAS, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, Florida, 33850, USA.
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20
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Brunetti M, Magoga G, Gionechetti F, De Biase A, Montagna M. Does diet breadth affect the complexity of the phytophagous insect microbiota? The case study of Chrysomelidae. Environ Microbiol 2021; 24:3565-3579. [PMID: 34850518 PMCID: PMC9543054 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Chrysomelidae is a family of phytophagous insects with a highly variable degree of trophic specialization. The aim of this study is to test whether species feeding on different plants (generalists) harbour more complex microbiotas than those feeding on a few or a single plant species (specialists). The microbiota of representative leaf beetle species was characterized with a metabarcoding approach targeting V1–V2 and V4 regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA. Almost all the analysed species harbour at least one reproductive manipulator bacteria (e.g., Wolbachia, Rickettsia). Two putative primary symbionts, previously isolated only from a single species (Bromius obscurus), have been detected in two species of the same subfamily, suggesting a widespread symbiosis in Eumolpinae. Surprisingly, the well‐known aphid symbiont Buchnera is well represented in the microbiota of Orsodacne humeralis. Moreover, in this study, using Hill numbers to dissect the components of the microbiota diversity (abundant and rare bacteria), it has been demonstrated that generalist insect species harbour a more diversified microbiota than specialists. The higher microbiota diversity associated with a wider host‐plant spectrum could be seen as an adaptive trait, conferring new metabolic potential useful to expand the diet breath, or as a result of environmental stochastic acquisition conveyed by diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Brunetti
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Giulia Magoga
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | | | - Alessio De Biase
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università 32, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Matteo Montagna
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, Milan, 20133, Italy.,BAT Center - Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology, University of Napoli "Federico II", Portici, Italy
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21
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Cruz LNPD, Carvalho-Costa LF, Rebêlo JMM. Molecular Evidence Suggests That Wolbachia pipientis (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) is Widely Associated With South American Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:2186-2195. [PMID: 34448004 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Wolbachia pipientis (Hertig) is an endosymbiotic microorganism widespread among arthropods and other invertebrate hosts, and employed in strategies to reduce the incidence of arthropod-borne diseases. Here, we used a PCR-based approach for 16S RNA and wsp genes to investigate the prevalence, geographical distribution, and strains of Wolbachia in sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), the main vectors of the causative agents of leishmaniasis, from three biomes in Brazil: Amazon, Cerrado, and Caatinga. We found that: 1) Wolbachia DNA is present in most (66.7%) of the sampled sand fly species, including vectors of Leishmania spp. (Ross, Trypanosomatida: Trypanosomatidae), 2) the prevalence of Wolbachia DNA varies among species and populations, 3) some strains of Wolbachia may have wider geographical and host range in South America, and 4) two phylogenetic distinct wsp sequences might represent two novel strains for Wolbachia in South America sand flies. Those findings increase the basic knowledge about Wolbachia in South American sand flies and might foster further researches on its use to reduce the transmission of sand fly-borne parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léo Nava Piorsky Dominici Cruz
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Genética Animal (Geneal), Departamento de Biologia (DEBio), Universidade Federal do Maranhão (UFMA), Avenida dos Portugueses, 1966, Bacanga, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
- Laboratório de Entomologia e Vetores (LEV), Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Avenida dos Portugueses, 1966, Bacanga, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Luis Fernando Carvalho-Costa
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Genética Animal (Geneal), Departamento de Biologia (DEBio), Universidade Federal do Maranhão (UFMA), Avenida dos Portugueses, 1966, Bacanga, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - José Manuel Macário Rebêlo
- Laboratório de Entomologia e Vetores (LEV), Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Avenida dos Portugueses, 1966, Bacanga, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
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22
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Leitner M, Bishop C, Asgari S. Transcriptional Response of Wolbachia to Dengue Virus Infection in Cells of the Mosquito Aedes aegypti. mSphere 2021; 6:e0043321. [PMID: 34190587 PMCID: PMC8265661 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00433-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti transmits one of the most significant mosquito-borne viruses, dengue virus (DENV). The absence of effective vaccines and clinical treatments and the emergence of insecticide resistance in A. aegypti necessitate novel vector control strategies. A new approach uses the endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia pipientis to reduce the spread of arboviruses. However, the Wolbachia-mediated antiviral mechanism is not well understood. To shed light on this mechanism, we investigated an unexplored aspect of Wolbachia-virus-mosquito interaction. We used RNA sequencing to examine the transcriptional response of Wolbachia to DENV infection in A. aegypti Aag2 cells transinfected with the wAlbB strain of Wolbachia. Our results suggest that genes encoding an endoribonuclease (RNase HI), a regulator of sigma 70-dependent gene transcription (6S RNA), essential cellular, transmembrane, and stress response functions and primary type I and IV secretion systems were upregulated, while a number of transport and binding proteins of Wolbachia, ribosome structure, and elongation factor-associated genes were downregulated due to DENV infection. Furthermore, bacterial retrotransposon, transposable, and phage-related elements were found among the up- and downregulated genes. We show that Wolbachia elicits a transcriptional response to virus infection and identify differentially expressed Wolbachia genes mostly at the early stages of virus infection. These findings highlight Wolbachia's ability to alter its gene expression in response to DENV infection of the host cell. IMPORTANCE Aedes aegypti is a vector of several pathogenic viruses, including dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever viruses, which are of importance to human health. Wolbachia is an endosymbiotic bacterium currently used in transinfected mosquitoes to suppress replication and transmission of dengue viruses. However, the mechanism of Wolbachia-mediated virus inhibition is not fully understood. While several studies have shown mosquitoes' transcriptional responses to dengue virus infection, none have investigated these responses in Wolbachia, which may provide clues to the inhibition mechanism. Our results suggest changes in the expression of a number of functionally important Wolbachia genes upon dengue virus infection, including those involved in stress responses, providing insights into the endosymbiont's reaction to virus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Leitner
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Cameron Bishop
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sassan Asgari
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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23
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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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24
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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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25
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Salje J. Cells within cells: Rickettsiales and the obligate intracellular bacterial lifestyle. Nat Rev Microbiol 2021; 19:375-390. [PMID: 33564174 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-020-00507-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The Rickettsiales are a group of obligate intracellular vector-borne Gram-negative bacteria that include many organisms of clinical and agricultural importance, including Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Wolbachia, Rickettsia spp. and Orientia tsutsugamushi. This Review provides an overview of the current state of knowledge of the biology of these bacteria and their interactions with host cells, with a focus on pathogenic species or those that are otherwise important for human health. This includes a description of rickettsial genomics, bacterial cell biology, the intracellular lifestyles of Rickettsiales and the mechanisms by which they induce and evade the innate immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne Salje
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. .,Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. .,Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA.
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26
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Cardoso A, Gómez-Zurita J. Food Resource Sharing of Alder Leaf Beetle Specialists (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) as Potential Insect-Plant Interface for Horizontal Transmission of Endosymbionts. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 49:1402-1414. [PMID: 33315074 PMCID: PMC7734963 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvaa111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that endosymbionts of herbivore insects can be horizontally transferred to other herbivores feeding on the same host plants, whereby the plant acts as an intermediate stage in the chain of transmission. If this mechanism operates, it is also expected that insect communities sharing the same host plant will have higher chances to share their endosymbionts. In this study, we use a high-throughput 16S rRNA metabarcoding approach to investigate the presence, diversity, and potential sharing of endosymbionts in several species of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) of a local community specialized on an alder diet in North America. Rickettsia and Wolbachia were predominant in the sample, with strong evidence for each species having their own dominant infection, of either or both types of bacteria. However, all species shared a much lower proportion of a particular Wolbachia type, compatible with the same strain dominant in one of the species of leaf beetles. Crucially, the same 16S rRNA haplotype of Wolbachia was found on alder leaf extracts. The combined evidence and the absence of this strain in a syntopic species of leaf beetle feeding on a different host plant support the hypothesis that at least the initial stages of the mechanism that would allow horizontal transmission of endosymbionts across species feeding on the same plant is possible. The accessibility and characteristics of endosymbiont associations of this system make it suitable for deeper analyses of their diversity and transmission in natural conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anabela Cardoso
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-University Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Gómez-Zurita
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-University Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, Barcelona, Spain
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27
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Sanaei E, Charlat S, Engelstädter J. Wolbachia
host shifts: routes, mechanisms, constraints and evolutionary consequences. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:433-453. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Sanaei
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland Saint Lucia Brisbane QLD 4067 Australia
| | - Sylvain Charlat
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5558 43 boulevard du 11 novembre 1918 Villeurbanne F‐69622 France
| | - Jan Engelstädter
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland Saint Lucia Brisbane QLD 4067 Australia
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28
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Duplouy A, Pranter R, Warren-Gash H, Tropek R, Wahlberg N. Towards unravelling Wolbachia global exchange: a contribution from the Bicyclus and Mylothris butterflies in the Afrotropics. BMC Microbiol 2020; 20:319. [PMID: 33081703 PMCID: PMC7576836 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-020-02011-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Phylogenetically closely related strains of maternally inherited endosymbiotic bacteria are often found in phylogenetically divergent, and geographically distant insect host species. The interspecies transfer of the symbiont Wolbachia has been thought to have occurred repeatedly, facilitating its observed global pandemic. Few ecological interactions have been proposed as potential routes for the horizontal transfer of Wolbachia within natural insect communities. These routes are however likely to act only at the local scale, but how they may support the global distribution of some Wolbachia strains remains unclear. Results Here, we characterize the Wolbachia diversity in butterflies from the tropical forest regions of central Africa to discuss transfer at both local and global scales. We show that numerous species from both the Mylothris (family Pieridae) and Bicyclus (family Nymphalidae) butterfly genera are infected with similar Wolbachia strains, despite only minor interclade contacts across the life cycles of the species within their partially overlapping ecological niches. The phylogenetic distance and differences in resource use between these genera rule out the role of ancestry, hybridization, and shared host-plants in the interspecies transfer of the symbiont. Furthermore, we could not identify any shared ecological factors to explain the presence of the strains in other arthropod species from other habitats, or even ecoregions. Conclusion Only the systematic surveys of the Wolbachia strains from entire species communities may offer the material currently lacking for understanding how Wolbachia may transfer between highly different and unrelated hosts, as well as across environmental scales. Supplementary information Supplementary information accompanies this paper at 10.1186/s12866-020-02011-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Duplouy
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. .,Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, The University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Robin Pranter
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Robert Tropek
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.,Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
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29
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Near-Complete Genome Sequences of a Wolbachia Strain Isolated from Diaphorina citri Kuwayama ( Hemiptera: Liviidae). Microbiol Resour Announc 2020; 9:9/35/e00560-20. [PMID: 32855244 PMCID: PMC7453280 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00560-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia strains are one of three endosymbionts associated with the insect vector of "Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus," Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae). We report three near-complete genome sequences of samples of Wolbachia from D. citri (wDi), with sizes of 1,518,595, 1,542,468, and 1,538,523 bp.
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30
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Phenotypic Response of Wolbachia pipientis in a Cell-Free Medium. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8071060. [PMID: 32708688 PMCID: PMC7409048 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8071060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia, an obligate intracellular bacterium estimated to infect millions of arthropod species worldwide, is currently being utilized in novel control strategies to limit the transmission of Dengue and Zika viruses. A limitation for Wolbachia-based control approaches is the difficulty of transferring Wolbachia to novel hosts and the lack of tools for the genetic transformation of Wolbachia due to the inability to culture Wolbachia outside the insect host cell in an axenic media. Here, we applied extracellular Wolbachia to phenotypic microarrays to measure the metabolic response of Wolbachia in media formulations with different pH levels and supplementation with Casamino acids. Results suggested a pH of 6.5–6.8 and showed that the supplementation of 1 mg/mL casamino acids increased the survival and longevity of Wolbachia in an axenic medium. In addition, phenotypic microarrays are a useful tool to measure the phenotypic response of Wolbachia under different media conditions, as well as determine specific components that may be required for an axenic medium. This study is an initial step toward the development of a potential Wolbachia axenic culture system.
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31
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Covey H, Hall RH, Krafsur A, Matthews ML, Shults PT, Brelsfoard CL. Cryptic Wolbachia (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) Detection and Prevalence in Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Midge Populations in the United States. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 57:1262-1269. [PMID: 31961929 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjaa003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Culicoides midges vector numerous veterinary and human pathogens. Many of these diseases lack effective therapeutic treatments or vaccines to limit transmission. The only effective approach to limit disease transmission is vector control. However, current vector control for Culicoides midges is complicated by the biology of many Culicoides species and is not always effective at reducing midge populations and impacting disease transmission. The endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis Hertig may offer an alternative control approach to limit disease transmission and affect Culicoides populations. Here the detection of Wolbachia infections in nine species of Culicoides midges is reported. Infections were detected at low densities using qPCR. Wolbachia infections were confirmed with the sequencing of a partial region of the 16S gene. Fluorescence in situ hybridization of Culicoides sonorensis Wirth and Jones adults and dissected ovaries confirm the presence of Wolbachia infections in an important vector of Bluetongue and Epizootic hemorrhagic disease viruses. The presence of Wolbachia in Culicoides populations in the United States suggests the need for further investigation of Wolbachia as a strategy to limit transmission of diseases vectored by Culicoides midges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter Covey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
| | - Rafe H Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
| | - Alyssa Krafsur
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
| | - Megan L Matthews
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
| | - Phillip T Shults
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
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32
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Mateos M, Martinez Montoya H, Lanzavecchia SB, Conte C, Guillén K, Morán-Aceves BM, Toledo J, Liedo P, Asimakis ED, Doudoumis V, Kyritsis GA, Papadopoulos NT, Augustinos AA, Segura DF, Tsiamis G. Wolbachia pipientis Associated With Tephritid Fruit Fly Pests: From Basic Research to Applications. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1080. [PMID: 32582067 PMCID: PMC7283806 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the true fruit flies (family Tephritidae) are among the most serious agricultural pests worldwide, whose control and management demands large and costly international efforts. The need for cost-effective and environmentally friendly integrated pest management (IPM) has led to the development and implementation of autocidal control strategies. These approaches include the widely used sterile insect technique and the incompatible insect technique (IIT). IIT relies on maternally transmitted bacteria (namely Wolbachia) to cause a conditional sterility in crosses between released mass-reared Wolbachia-infected males and wild females, which are either uninfected or infected with a different Wolbachia strain (i.e., cytoplasmic incompatibility; CI). Herein, we review the current state of knowledge on Wolbachia-tephritid interactions including infection prevalence in wild populations, phenotypic consequences, and their impact on life history traits. Numerous pest tephritid species are reported to harbor Wolbachia infections, with a subset exhibiting high prevalence. The phenotypic effects of Wolbachia have been assessed in very few tephritid species, due in part to the difficulty of manipulating Wolbachia infection (removal or transinfection). Based on recent methodological advances (high-throughput DNA sequencing) and breakthroughs concerning the mechanistic basis of CI, we suggest research avenues that could accelerate generation of necessary knowledge for the potential use of Wolbachia-based IIT in area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) strategies for the population control of tephritid pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Mateos
- Departments of Ecology and Conservation Biology, and Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Humberto Martinez Montoya
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Comparativa, Unidad Académica Multidisciplinaria Reynosa Aztlan, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Ciudad Victoria, Mexico
| | - Silvia B Lanzavecchia
- Instituto de Genética 'Ewald A. Favret' - GV IABIMO (INTA-CONICET) Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Claudia Conte
- Instituto de Genética 'Ewald A. Favret' - GV IABIMO (INTA-CONICET) Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | - Jorge Toledo
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Tapachula, Mexico
| | - Pablo Liedo
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Tapachula, Mexico
| | - Elias D Asimakis
- Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Patras, Agrinio, Greece
| | - Vangelis Doudoumis
- Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Patras, Agrinio, Greece
| | - Georgios A Kyritsis
- Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Nikos T Papadopoulos
- Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Antonios A Augustinos
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops, Hellenic Agricultural Organization - DEMETER, Patras, Greece
| | - Diego F Segura
- Instituto de Genética 'Ewald A. Favret' - GV IABIMO (INTA-CONICET) Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - George Tsiamis
- Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Patras, Agrinio, Greece
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33
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Epis S, Varotto-Boccazzi I, Crotti E, Damiani C, Giovati L, Mandrioli M, Biggiogera M, Gabrieli P, Genchi M, Polonelli L, Daffonchio D, Favia G, Bandi C. Chimeric symbionts expressing a Wolbachia protein stimulate mosquito immunity and inhibit filarial parasite development. Commun Biol 2020; 3:105. [PMID: 32144396 PMCID: PMC7060271 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-0835-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia can reduce the capability of mosquitoes to transmit infectious diseases to humans and is currently exploited in campaigns for the control of arboviruses, like dengue and Zika. Under the assumption that Wolbachia-mediated activation of insect immunity plays a role in the reduction of mosquito vectorial capacity, we focused our attention on the Wolbachia surface protein (WSP), a potential inductor of innate immunity. We hypothesized that the heterologous expression of this protein in gut- and tissue-associated symbionts may reduce parasite transmission. We thus engineered the mosquito bacterial symbiont Asaia to express WSP (AsaiaWSP). AsaiaWSP induced activation of the host immune response in Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, and inhibited the development of the heartworm parasite Dirofilaria immitis in Ae. aegypti. These results consolidate previous evidence on the immune-stimulating property of WSP and make AsaiaWSP worth of further investigations as a potential tool for the control of mosquito-borne diseases. Epis and Varotto-Boccazzi et al. show that Wolbachia surface protein (WSP) activates host innate immunity in mosquitoes, inhibiting the development of the heartworm parasite in its insect host. This study suggests the possibility that the WSP-expressing symbiont may be harnessed to control mosquito-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Epis
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sulla Malaria/Italian Malaria Network, Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria Varotto-Boccazzi
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sulla Malaria/Italian Malaria Network, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Crotti
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Damiani
- Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sulla Malaria/Italian Malaria Network, Milan, Italy.,School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Laura Giovati
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Mauro Mandrioli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Marco Biggiogera
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Paolo Gabrieli
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sulla Malaria/Italian Malaria Network, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Genchi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Luciano Polonelli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Daniele Daffonchio
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Red Sea Research Center, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Guido Favia
- Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sulla Malaria/Italian Malaria Network, Milan, Italy.,School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Claudio Bandi
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, Milan, Italy. .,Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sulla Malaria/Italian Malaria Network, Milan, Italy.
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34
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Ghosh A, Jasperson D, Cohnstaedt LW, Brelsfoard CL. Transfection of Culicoides sonorensis biting midge cell lines with Wolbachia pipientis. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:483. [PMID: 31615544 PMCID: PMC6792224 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3716-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Biting midges of the genus Culicoides vector multiple veterinary pathogens and are difficult to control. Endosymbionts particularly Wolbachia pipientis may offer an alternative to control populations of Culicoides and/or impact disease transmission in the form of population suppression or replacement strategies. Methods Culicoides sonorensis cell lines were transfected with a Wolbachia infection using a modified shell vial technique. Infections were confirmed using PCR and cell localization using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). The stability of Wolbachia infections and density was determined by qPCR. qPCR was also used to examine immune genes in the IMD, Toll and JACK/STAT pathways to determine if Wolbachia were associated with an immune response in infected cells. Results Here we have transfected two Culicoides sonorensis cell lines (W3 and W8) with a Wolbachia infection (walbB) from donor Aedes albopictus Aa23 cells. PCR and FISH showed the presence of Wolbachia infections in both C. sonorensis cell lines. Infection densities were higher in the W8 cell lines when compared to W3. In stably infected cells, genes in the immune Toll, IMD and JAK/STAT pathways were upregulated, along with Attacin and an Attacin-like anti-microbial peptides. Conclusions The successful introduction of Wolbachia infections in C. sonorensis cell lines and the upregulation of immune genes, suggest the utility of using Wolbachia for a population replacement and/or population suppression approach to limit the transmission of C. sonorensis vectored diseases. Results support the further investigation of Wolbachia induced pathogen inhibitory effects in Wolbachia-infected C. sonorensis cell lines and the introduction of Wolbachia into C. sonorensis adults via embryonic microinjection to examine for reproductive phenotypes and host fitness effects of a novel Wolbachia infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnab Ghosh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, 2901 Main St., Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Dane Jasperson
- USDA-ARS Arthropod Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, 1515 College Ave., Manhattan, KS, 66502, USA
| | - Lee W Cohnstaedt
- USDA-ARS Arthropod Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, 1515 College Ave., Manhattan, KS, 66502, USA
| | - Corey L Brelsfoard
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, 2901 Main St., Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA.
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35
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Castelli M, Sabaneyeva E, Lanzoni O, Lebedeva N, Floriano AM, Gaiarsa S, Benken K, Modeo L, Bandi C, Potekhin A, Sassera D, Petroni G. Deianiraea, an extracellular bacterium associated with the ciliate Paramecium, suggests an alternative scenario for the evolution of Rickettsiales. THE ISME JOURNAL 2019; 13:2280-2294. [PMID: 31073215 PMCID: PMC6776064 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-019-0433-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Rickettsiales are a lineage of obligate intracellular Alphaproteobacteria, encompassing important human pathogens, manipulators of host reproduction, and mutualists. Here we report the discovery of a novel Rickettsiales bacterium associated with Paramecium, displaying a unique extracellular lifestyle, including the ability to replicate outside host cells. Genomic analyses show that the bacterium possesses a higher capability to synthesise amino acids, compared to all investigated Rickettsiales. Considering these observations, phylogenetic and phylogenomic reconstructions, and re-evaluating the different means of interaction of Rickettsiales bacteria with eukaryotic cells, we propose an alternative scenario for the evolution of intracellularity in Rickettsiales. According to our reconstruction, the Rickettsiales ancestor would have been an extracellular and metabolically versatile bacterium, while obligate intracellularity would have evolved later, in parallel and independently, in different sub-lineages. The proposed new scenario could impact on the open debate on the lifestyle of the last common ancestor of mitochondria within Alphaproteobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Castelli
- Centro Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi Ricerca Pediatrica, Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Sabaneyeva
- Department of Cytology and Histology, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Olivia Lanzoni
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Natalia Lebedeva
- Centre of Core Facilities "Culture Collections of Microorganisms", Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anna Maria Floriano
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università degli studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefano Gaiarsa
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università degli studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- UOC Microbiologia e Virologia, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Konstantin Benken
- Core Facility Center for Microscopy and Microanalysis, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Letizia Modeo
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudio Bandi
- Centro Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi Ricerca Pediatrica, Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Alexey Potekhin
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Davide Sassera
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università degli studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Giulio Petroni
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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Dominance of Wolbachia sp. in the deep-sea sediment bacterial metataxonomic sequencing analysis in the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean. Genomics 2019; 112:1030-1041. [PMID: 31229556 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2019.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The Bay of Bengal, located in the north-eastern part of the Indian Ocean is world's largest bay occupying an area of ~8,39,000 mile2. The variability in bacterial community structure and function in sediment ecosystems of the Bay of Bengal is examined by Illumina high-throughput metagenomic sequencing. Of five metataxonomics data sets presented, two (SD1 and SD2) were from stations close to the shore and three (SD4, SD5, and SD6) were from the deep-sea (~3000 m depth). Phylum Proteobacteria (90.27 to 92.52%) dominated the deep-sea samples, whereas phylum Firmicutes (65.35 to 90.98%) dominated the coastal samples. Comparative analysis showed that coastal and deep-sea sediments showed distinct microbial communities. Wolbachia species, belonging to class Alphaproteobacteria was the most dominant species in the deep-sea sediments. The gene functions of bacterial communities were predicted for deep-sea and coastal sediment ecosystems. The results indicated that deep-sea sediment bacterial communities were involved in metabolic activities like dehalogenation and sulphide oxidation.
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Abstract
The Wolbachia endosymbionts encompass a large group of intracellular bacteria of biomedical and veterinary relevance, closely related to Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia. This genus of Gram-negative members of the Alphaproteobacteria does not infect vertebrates but is instead restricted to ecdysozoan species, including terrestrial arthropods and a family of parasitic filarial nematodes, the Onchocercidae. The Wolbachia profoundly impact not only the ecology and evolution but also the reproductive biology of their hosts, through a wide range of symbiotic interactions. Because they are essential to the survival and reproduction of their filarial nematode hosts, they represent an attractive target to fight filariasis. Their abilities to spread through insect populations and to affect vector competence through pathogen protection have made Wolbachia a staple for controlling vector-borne diseases. Estimated to be present in up to 66% of insect species, the Wolbachia are probably the most abundant endosymbionts on earth. Their success resides in their unique capacity to infect and manipulate the host germ line to favor their vertical transmission through the maternal lineage. Because the Wolbachia resist genetic manipulation and growth in axenic culture, our understanding of their biology is still in its infancy. Despite these limitations, the "-omics" revolution combined with the use of well-established and emerging experimental host models is accelerating our comprehension of the host phenotypes caused by Wolbachia, and the identification of Wolbachia effectors is ongoing.
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38
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Blow F, Douglas AE. The hemolymph microbiome of insects. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 115:33-39. [PMID: 30953618 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Hemolymph has long been recognized as a key mediator of nutritional and immunological homeostasis in insects, with the tacit understanding that hemolymph is a hostile environment for microorganisms, and microbiologically sterile in healthy insects. Recent research is overturning the conventional wisdom, and there is now overwhelming evidence that various non-pathogenic microorganisms can stably or transiently inhabit hemolymph in a diversity of insects. Most is known about Spiroplasma, especially in Drosophila species, and secondary symbionts of the Enterobacteriaceae, notably Hamiltonella defensa, in aphids. These bacteria require many nutrients, representing a likely drain on host nutritional resources, and they persist in the hemolymph by a combination of evasion and tolerance of insect immune effectors. These traits can be costly to the insect host. For some hemolymph microorganisms, these costs are balanced by other traits beneficial to the insect, notably protection against natural enemies mediated by specific toxins or competition for key nutrients. Three key priorities for future research are: to investigate the prevalence and taxonomic diversity of hemolymph microorganisms in insects; to establish the role of host nutritional and immune factors as determinants of the abundance and proliferation rates of hemolymph microorganisms; and to integrate the developing understanding of these microorganisms and their impacts (both costs and benefits) on insect nutrition and immune function into the wider study of insect physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frances Blow
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Angela E Douglas
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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39
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Uribe‐Alvarez C, Chiquete‐Félix N, Morales‐García L, Bohórquez‐Hernández A, Delgado‐Buenrostro NL, Vaca L, Peña A, Uribe‐Carvajal S. Wolbachia pipientis grows in Saccharomyces cerevisiae evoking early death of the host and deregulation of mitochondrial metabolism. Microbiologyopen 2019; 8:e00675. [PMID: 29897678 PMCID: PMC6460262 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia sp. has colonized over 70% of insect species, successfully manipulating host fertility, protein expression, lifespan, and metabolism. Understanding and engineering the biochemistry and physiology of Wolbachia holds great promise for insect vector-borne disease eradication. Wolbachia is cultured in cell lines, which have long duplication times and are difficult to manipulate and study. The yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae W303 was used successfully as an artificial host for Wolbachia wAlbB. As compared to controls, infected yeast lost viability early, probably as a result of an abnormally high mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation activity observed at late stages of growth. No respiratory chain proteins from Wolbachia were detected, while several Wolbachia F1 F0 -ATPase subunits were revealed. After 5 days outside the cell, Wolbachia remained fully infective against insect cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Uribe‐Alvarez
- Depto. de Genética MolecularInstituto de Fisiología CelularUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de MéxicoMéxico
| | - Natalia Chiquete‐Félix
- Depto. de Genética MolecularInstituto de Fisiología CelularUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de MéxicoMéxico
| | - Lilia Morales‐García
- Depto. de Genética MolecularInstituto de Fisiología CelularUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de MéxicoMéxico
| | - Arlette Bohórquez‐Hernández
- Depto. de Biología Celular y del DesarrolloInstituto de Fisiología CelularUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de MéxicoMéxico
| | - Norma Laura Delgado‐Buenrostro
- Unidad de Biomedicina UBIMEDFacultad de Estudios Superiores IztacalaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoTlanepantlaEdo. de MéxicoMéxico
| | - Luis Vaca
- Depto. de Biología Celular y del DesarrolloInstituto de Fisiología CelularUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de MéxicoMéxico
| | - Antonio Peña
- Depto. de Genética MolecularInstituto de Fisiología CelularUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de MéxicoMéxico
| | - Salvador Uribe‐Carvajal
- Depto. de Genética MolecularInstituto de Fisiología CelularUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de MéxicoMéxico
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40
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Zélé F, Santos I, Olivieri I, Weill M, Duron O, Magalhães S. Endosymbiont diversity and prevalence in herbivorous spider mite populations in South-Western Europe. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2019; 94:4830074. [PMID: 29390142 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial endosymbionts are known as important players of the evolutionary ecology of their hosts. However, their distribution, prevalence and diversity are still largely unexplored. To this aim, we investigated infections by the most common bacterial reproductive manipulators in herbivorous spider mites of South-Western Europe. Across 16 populations belonging to three Tetranychus species, Wolbachia was the most prevalent (ca. 61%), followed by Cardinium (12%-15%), while only few individuals were infected by Rickettsia (0.9%-3%), and none carried Arsenophonus or Spiroplasma. These endosymbionts are here reported for the first time in Tetranychus evansi and Tetranychus ludeni, and showed variable infection frequencies between and within species, with several cases of coinfections. Moreover, Cardinium was more prevalent in Wolbachia-infected individuals, which suggests facilitation between these symbionts. Finally, sequence comparisons revealed no variation of the Wolbachia wsp and Rickettsia gtlA genes, but some diversity of the Cardinium 16S rRNA, both between and within populations of the three mite species. Some of the Cardinium sequences identified belonged to distantly-related clades, and the lack of association between these sequences and spider mite mitotypes suggests repeated host switching of Cardinium. Overall, our results reveal a complex community of symbionts in this system, opening the path for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flore Zélé
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Edificio C2, Piso-3, Campo Grande, 1749016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Inês Santos
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Edificio C2, Piso-3, Campo Grande, 1749016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Isabelle Olivieri
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution (CNRS-Université de Montpellier-IRD-EPHE), 34095 Montpellier, CEDEX 5, France
| | - Mylène Weill
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution (CNRS-Université de Montpellier-IRD-EPHE), 34095 Montpellier, CEDEX 5, France
| | - Olivier Duron
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (CNRS-Université de Montpellier-IRD), Centre de Recherche IRD, 911 Avenue Agropolis, 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Sara Magalhães
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Edificio C2, Piso-3, Campo Grande, 1749016 Lisbon, Portugal
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41
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Tolley SJA, Nonacs P, Sapountzis P. Wolbachia Horizontal Transmission Events in Ants: What Do We Know and What Can We Learn? Front Microbiol 2019; 10:296. [PMID: 30894837 PMCID: PMC6414450 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
While strict vertical transmission insures the durability of intracellular symbioses, phylogenetic incongruences between hosts and endosymbionts suggest horizontal transmission must also occur. These horizontal acquisitions can have important implications for the biology of the host. Wolbachia is one of the most ecologically successful prokaryotes in arthropods, infecting an estimated 50–70% of all insect species. Much of this success is likely due to the fact that, in arthropods, Wolbachia is notorious for manipulating host reproduction to favor transmission through the female germline. However, its natural potential for horizontal transmission remains poorly understood. Here we evaluate the fundamental prerequisites for successful horizontal transfer, including necessary environmental conditions, genetic potential of bacterial strains, and means of mediating transfers. Furthermore, we revisit the relatedness of Wolbachia strains infecting the Panamanian leaf-cutting ant, Acromyrmex echinatior, and its inquiline social parasite, Acromyrmex insinuator, and compare our results to a study published more than 15 years ago by Van Borm et al. (2003). The results of this pilot study prompt us to reevaluate previous notions that obligate social parasitism reliably facilitates horizontal transfer and suggest that not all Wolbachia strains associated with ants have the same genetic potential for horizontal transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J A Tolley
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Peter Nonacs
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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42
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Russell SL. Transmission mode is associated with environment type and taxa across bacteria-eukaryote symbioses: a systematic review and meta-analysis. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2019; 366:5289862. [DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnz013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shelbi L Russell
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060; USA
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43
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DA Rocha NO, Lambert SM, Dias-Lima AG, Julião FS, Souza BMPS. Molecular detection of Wolbachia pipientis in natural populations of sandfly vectors of Leishmania infantum in endemic areas: first detection in Lutzomyia longipalpis. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 32:111-114. [PMID: 28799248 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A polymerase chain reaction-based method was used to screen sandflies for infection with Wolbachia (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae), an intracellular bacterial endosymbiont found in many arthropods and filarial hosts. Positive results were obtained in five of 200 field-collected sandflies and were confirmed by sequencing. All sandflies were Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae) captured in a region endemic for visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil. This is the first study to identify Wolbachia infection in this Lutzomyia species, which is the main vector of leishmaniasis in the study area. The low infection rate found in this study (2.5%), together with the lack of detection of Wolbachia in previous studies and the diversity found in the sequences analysed, suggests horizontal transmission to these sandflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- N O DA Rocha
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - S M Lambert
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - A G Dias-Lima
- Department of Ciências da Vida, Universidade do Estado da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - F S Julião
- Department of Faculty of Zootecnia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Baiano, Santa Ines, Brazil
| | - B M P S Souza
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
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44
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Le Clec'h W, Dittmer J, Raimond M, Bouchon D, Sicard M. Phenotypic shift in Wolbachia virulence towards its native host across serial horizontal passages. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.1076. [PMID: 28724736 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Vertical transmission mode is predicted to decrease the virulence of symbionts. However, Wolbachia, a widespread vertically transmitted endosymbiont, exhibits both negative and beneficial effects on arthropod fitness. This 'Jekyll and Hyde' behaviour, as well as its ability to live transiently outside host cells and to establish new infections via horizontal transmission, may reflect the capacity of Wolbachia to exhibit various phenotypes depending on the prevailing environmental constraints. To study the ability of Wolbachia to readily cope with new constraints, we forced this endosymbiont to spread only via horizontal transmission. To achieve this, we performed serial horizontal transfers of haemolymph from Wolbachia-infected to naive individuals of the isopod Armadillidium vulgare. Across passages, we observed phenotypic changes in the symbiotic relationship: (i) The Wolbachia titre increased in both haemolymph and nerve cord but remained stable in ovaries; (ii) Wolbachia infection was benign at the beginning of the experiment, but highly virulent, killing most hosts after only a few passages. Such a phenotypic shift after recurrent horizontal passages demonstrates that Wolbachia can rapidly change its virulence when facing new environmental constraints. We thoroughly discuss the potential mechanism(s) underlying this phenotypic change, which are likely to be crucial for the ongoing radiation of Wolbachia in arthropods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winka Le Clec'h
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, PO Box 760549, 78245 San Antonio, TX, USA.,CNRS UMR 7267, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, Université de Poitiers, 5 rue Albert Turpain, 86073 Poitiers, France
| | - Jessica Dittmer
- The Rowland Institute at Harvard, 100 Edwin H. Land Boulevard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.,CNRS UMR 7267, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, Université de Poitiers, 5 rue Albert Turpain, 86073 Poitiers, France
| | - Maryline Raimond
- CNRS UMR 7267, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, Université de Poitiers, 5 rue Albert Turpain, 86073 Poitiers, France
| | - Didier Bouchon
- CNRS UMR 7267, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, Université de Poitiers, 5 rue Albert Turpain, 86073 Poitiers, France
| | - Mathieu Sicard
- CNRS UMR 7267, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, Université de Poitiers, 5 rue Albert Turpain, 86073 Poitiers, France .,Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier (UMR CNRS-IRD-UM 5554), Université de Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France
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45
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Chrostek E, Pelz-Stelinski K, Hurst GDD, Hughes GL. Horizontal Transmission of Intracellular Insect Symbionts via Plants. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2237. [PMID: 29234308 PMCID: PMC5712413 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimental evidence is accumulating that endosymbionts of phytophagous insects may transmit horizontally via plants. Intracellular symbionts known for manipulating insect reproduction and altering fitness (Rickettsia, Cardinium, Wolbachia, and bacterial parasite of the leafhopper Euscelidius variegatus) have been found to travel from infected insects into plants. Other insects, either of the same or different species can acquire the symbiont from the plant through feeding, and in some cases transfer it to their progeny. These reports prompt many questions regarding how intracellular insect symbionts are delivered to plants and how they affect them. Are symbionts passively transported along the insect-plant-insect path, or do they actively participate in the process? How widespread are these interactions? How does symbiont presence influence the plant? And what conditions are required for the new infection to establish in an insect? From an ecological, evolutionary, and applied perspective, this mode of horizontal transmission could have profound implications if occurring frequently enough or if new stable symbiont infections are established. Transmission of symbionts through plants likely represents an underappreciated means of infection, both in terms of symbiont epidemiology and the movement of symbionts to new host species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Chrostek
- Department of Vector Biology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Gregory D. D. Hurst
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Grant L. Hughes
- Department of Pathology, Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Disease, Center for Tropical Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
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46
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Dodson BL, Andrews ES, Turell MJ, Rasgon JL. Wolbachia effects on Rift Valley fever virus infection in Culex tarsalis mosquitoes. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0006050. [PMID: 29084217 PMCID: PMC5693443 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Innovative tools are needed to alleviate the burden of mosquito-borne diseases, and strategies that target the pathogen are being considered. A possible tactic is the use of Wolbachia, a maternally inherited, endosymbiotic bacterium that can (but does not always) suppress diverse pathogens when introduced to naive mosquito species. We investigated effects of somatic Wolbachia (strain wAlbB) infection on Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) in Culex tarsalis mosquitoes. When compared to Wolbachia-uninfected mosquitoes, there was no significant effect of Wolbachia infection on RVFV infection, dissemination, or transmission frequencies, nor on viral body or saliva titers. Within Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, there was a modest negative correlation between RVFV body titers and Wolbachia density, suggesting that Wolbachia may slightly suppress RVFV in a density-dependent manner in this mosquito species. These results are contrary to previous work in the same mosquito species, showing Wolbachia-induced enhancement of West Nile virus infection rates. Taken together, these results highlight the importance of exploring the breadth of pathogen modulations induced by Wolbachia. An integrated vector management program utilizes several practices, including pesticide application and source reduction, to reduce mosquito populations. However, mosquitoes are developing resistance to some of these methods and new control approaches are needed. A novel technique involves the bacterium Wolbachia that lives naturally in many insects. Wolbachia can be transferred to uninfected mosquitoes and can block pathogen transmission to humans, although in some circumstances pathogen enhancement has been observed. Additionally, Wolbachia is maternally inherited, allowing it to spread quickly through uninfected field populations of mosquitoes. We studied the impacts of Wolbachia on Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) in the naturally uninfected mosquito, Culex tarsalis. Wolbachia had no effect on the frequencies at which Culex tarsalis became infected with or transmitted RVFV. However, when we analyzed the relationship between Wolbachia densities and RVFV titers, we determined that high densities of Wolbachia were associated with no virus infection or low levels of virus, suggesting that Wolbachia might suppress RVFV at high densities. These results contrast with our previous study that showed Wolbachia enhances West Nile virus infection in Culex tarsalis. Together, these studies highlight the importance of studying Wolbachia effects on a variety of pathogens so that control methods that use Wolbachia are not impeded by unintended or off-target effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany L. Dodson
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth S. Andrews
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Turell
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, United States of America
| | - Jason L. Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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47
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Minard G, Tran Van V, Tran FH, Melaun C, Klimpel S, Koch LK, Ly Huynh Kim K, Huynh Thi Thuy T, Tran Ngoc H, Potier P, Mavingui P, Valiente Moro C. Identification of sympatric cryptic species of Aedes albopictus subgroup in Vietnam: new perspectives in phylosymbiosis of insect vector. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:276. [PMID: 28577575 PMCID: PMC5457575 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2202-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus subgroup includes 11 cryptic species of which Ae. albopictus is the most widely distributed. Its global expansion associated with a documented vector competence for several emerging arboviruses raise obvious concerns in the recently colonized regions. While several studies have provided important insights regarding medical importance of Ae. albopicus, the investigations of the other sibling species are scarce. In Asia, indigenous populations within the Ae. albopictus subgroup can be found in sympatry. In the present study, we aimed to describe and compare molecular, morphological and bacterial symbionts composition among sympatric individuals from the Ae. albopictus subgroup inhabiting a Vietnamese protected area. Results Based on morphological structure of the cibarial armarture, we identified a cryptic species in the forest park at Bù Gia Mập in the south-eastern region of Vietnam. Analysis of nuclear (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and mitochondrial (cox1, nad5) markers confirmed the divergence between the cryptic species and Ae. albopictus. Analysis of midgut bacterial microbiota revealed a strong similarity among the two species with a notable difference; contrary to Ae. albopictus, the cryptic species did not harbour any Wolbachia infection. Conclusions These results could reflect either a recent invasion of Wolbachia in Ae. albopictus or alternatively a loss of this symbiont in the cryptic species. We argue that neglected species of the Ae. albopictus subgroup are of main importance in order to estimate variation of host-symbionts interactions across evolution. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2202-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Minard
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, France. .,Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France. .,CNRS, UMR 5557, Ecologie Microbienne, Villeurbanne, France. .,INRA, UMR1418, Villeurbanne, France. .,Metapopulation Research Center, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Van Tran Van
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, France.,Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France.,CNRS, UMR 5557, Ecologie Microbienne, Villeurbanne, France.,INRA, UMR1418, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Florence Hélène Tran
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, France.,Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France.,CNRS, UMR 5557, Ecologie Microbienne, Villeurbanne, France.,INRA, UMR1418, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Christian Melaun
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sven Klimpel
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Lisa Katharina Koch
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Khanh Ly Huynh Kim
- Department of Medical Entomology and Zoonotics, Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Trang Huynh Thi Thuy
- Department of Medical Entomology and Zoonotics, Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Huu Tran Ngoc
- Department of Medical Entomology and Zoonotics, Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Patrick Potier
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, France.,Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France.,CNRS, UMR 5557, Ecologie Microbienne, Villeurbanne, France.,INRA, UMR1418, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Patrick Mavingui
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, France.,Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France.,CNRS, UMR 5557, Ecologie Microbienne, Villeurbanne, France.,INRA, UMR1418, Villeurbanne, France.,Université de La Réunion, CNRS 9192, INSERM U1187, IRD 249, Unité Mixte Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (PIMIT), Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Claire Valiente Moro
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, France.,Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France.,CNRS, UMR 5557, Ecologie Microbienne, Villeurbanne, France.,INRA, UMR1418, Villeurbanne, France
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48
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Mechanisms of Horizontal Cell-to-Cell Transfer of Wolbachia spp. in Drosophila melanogaster. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:AEM.03425-16. [PMID: 28087534 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03425-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia is an intracellular endosymbiont present in most arthropod and filarial nematode species. Transmission between hosts is primarily vertical, taking place exclusively through the female germ line, although horizontal transmission has also been documented. The results of several studies indicate that Wolbachia spp. can undergo transfer between somatic and germ line cells during nematode development and in adult flies. However, the mechanisms underlying horizontal cell-to-cell transfer remain largely unexplored. Here, we establish a tractable system for probing horizontal transfer of Wolbachia cells between Drosophila melanogaster cells in culture using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). First, we show that horizontal transfer is independent of cell-to-cell contact and can efficiently take place through the culture medium within hours. Further, we demonstrate that efficient transfer utilizes host cell phagocytic and clathrin/dynamin-dependent endocytic machinery. Lastly, we provide evidence that this process is conserved between species, showing that horizontal transfer from mosquito to Drosophila cells takes place in a similar fashion. Altogether, our results indicate that Wolbachia utilizes host internalization machinery during infection, and this mechanism is conserved across insect species.IMPORTANCE Our work has broad implications for the control and treatment of tropical diseases. Wolbachia can confer resistance against a variety of human pathogens in mosquito vectors. Elucidating the mechanisms of horizontal transfer will be useful for efforts to more efficiently infect nonnatural insect hosts with Wolbachia as a biological control agent. Further, as Wolbachia is essential for the survival of filarial nematodes, understanding horizontal transfer might provide new approaches to treating human infections by targeting Wolbachia Finally, this work provides a key first step toward the genetic manipulation of Wolbachia.
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49
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Eukaryotic association module in phage WO genomes from Wolbachia. Nat Commun 2016; 7:13155. [PMID: 27727237 PMCID: PMC5062602 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses are trifurcated into eukaryotic, archaeal and bacterial categories. This domain-specific ecology underscores why eukaryotic viruses typically co-opt eukaryotic genes and bacteriophages commonly harbour bacterial genes. However, the presence of bacteriophages in obligate intracellular bacteria of eukaryotes may promote DNA transfers between eukaryotes and bacteriophages. Here we report a metagenomic analysis of purified bacteriophage WO particles of Wolbachia and uncover a eukaryotic association module in the complete WO genome. It harbours predicted domains, such as the black widow latrotoxin C-terminal domain, that are uninterrupted in bacteriophage genomes, enriched with eukaryotic protease cleavage sites and combined with additional domains to forge one of the largest bacteriophage genes to date (14,256 bp). To the best of our knowledge, these eukaryotic-like domains have never before been reported in packaged bacteriophages and their phylogeny, distribution and sequence diversity imply lateral transfers between bacteriophage/prophage and animal genomes. Finally, the WO genome sequences and identification of attachment sites will potentially advance genetic manipulation of Wolbachia. Viruses commonly exchange genetic material with their hosts, but not with species from other domains of life. Here, the authors find that the bacteriophage WO of Wolbachia contains eukaryotic-like genes, implicating lateral genetic transfer between eukaryotes and viruses infecting bacteria.
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50
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Pietri JE, DeBruhl H, Sullivan W. The rich somatic life of Wolbachia. Microbiologyopen 2016; 5:923-936. [PMID: 27461737 PMCID: PMC5221451 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia is an intracellular endosymbiont infecting most arthropod and some filarial nematode species that is vertically transmitted through the maternal lineage. Due to this primary mechanism of transmission, most studies have focused on Wolbachia interactions with the host germline. However, over the last decade many studies have emerged highlighting the prominence of Wolbachia in somatic tissues, implicating somatic tissue tropism as an important aspect of the life history of this endosymbiont. Here, we review our current understanding of Wolbachia-host interactions at both the cellular and organismal level, with a focus on Wolbachia in somatic tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose E Pietri
- Department of Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Heather DeBruhl
- Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
| | - William Sullivan
- Department of Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
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