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Kiran NS, Yashaswini C, Chatterjee A. Zebrafish: A trending model for gut-brain axis investigation. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 270:106902. [PMID: 38537435 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.106902] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) has ascended as a pivotal model organism in the realm of gut-brain axis research, principally owing to its high-throughput experimental capabilities and evolutionary alignment with mammals. The inherent transparency of zebrafish embryos facilitates unprecedented real-time imaging, affording unparalleled insights into the intricate dynamics of bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain. Noteworthy are the structural and functional parallels shared between the zebrafish and mammalian gut-brain axis components, rendering zebrafish an invaluable model for probing the molecular and cellular intricacies inherent in this critical physiological interaction. Recent investigations in zebrafish have systematically explored the impact of gut microbiota on neurodevelopment, behaviour, and disease susceptibility, underscoring the model's prowess in unravelling the multifaceted influence of microbial communities in shaping gut-brain interactions. Leveraging the genetic manipulability inherent in zebrafish, researchers have embarked on targeted explorations of specific pathways and molecular mechanisms, providing nuanced insights into the fundamental functioning of the gut-brain axis. This comprehensive review synthesizes pivotal findings and methodological advancements derived from zebrafish-based gut-brain axis research, accentuating the model's potential to significantly advance our understanding of this complex interplay. Furthermore, it underscores the translational significance of these insights, offering promising avenues for the identification of therapeutic targets in neuro-gastroenterological disorders and psychiatric conditions intricately linked with gut-brain interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neelakanta Sarvashiva Kiran
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Sciences, REVA University, Kattigenahalli, Yelahanka, Bengaluru, 560064, Karnataka, India
| | - Chandrashekar Yashaswini
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Sciences, REVA University, Kattigenahalli, Yelahanka, Bengaluru, 560064, Karnataka, India
| | - Ankita Chatterjee
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Sciences, REVA University, Kattigenahalli, Yelahanka, Bengaluru, 560064, Karnataka, India.
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Copeland R, Zhang C, Hammer BK, Yunker PJ. Spatial constraints and stochastic seeding subvert microbial arms race. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1011807. [PMID: 38277405 PMCID: PMC10849242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011807] [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: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Surface attached communities of microbes grow in a wide variety of environments. Often, the size of these microbial community is constrained by their physical surroundings. However, little is known about how size constraints of a colony impact the outcome of microbial competitions. Here, we use individual-based models to simulate contact killing between two bacterial strains with different killing rates in a wide range of community sizes. We found that community size has a substantial impact on outcomes; in fact, in some competitions the identity of the most fit strain differs in large and small environments. Specifically, when at a numerical disadvantage, the strain with the slow killing rate is more successful in smaller environments than in large environments. The improved performance in small spaces comes from finite size effects; stochastic fluctuations in the initial relative abundance of each strain in small environments lead to dramatically different outcomes. However, when the slow killing strain has a numerical advantage, it performs better in large spaces than in small spaces, where stochastic fluctuations now aid the fast killing strain in small communities. Finally, we experimentally validate these results by confining contact killing strains of Vibrio cholerae in transmission electron microscopy grids. The outcomes of these experiments are consistent with our simulations. When rare, the slow killing strain does better in small environments; when common, the slow killing strain does better in large environments. Together, this work demonstrates that finite size effects can substantially modify antagonistic competitions, suggesting that colony size may, at least in part, subvert the microbial arms race.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond Copeland
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Interdisciplinary Program in Quantitative Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Christopher Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Program in Quantitative Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Brian K Hammer
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Peter J Yunker
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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Jones LO, Willms RJ, Xu X, Graham RDV, Eklund M, Shin M, Foley E. Single-cell resolution of the adult zebrafish intestine under conventional conditions and in response to an acute Vibrio cholerae infection. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113407. [PMID: 37948182 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Vibrio cholerae is an aquatic bacterium that causes severe and potentially deadly diarrheal disease. Despite the impact on global health, our understanding of host mucosal responses to Vibrio remains limited, highlighting a knowledge gap critical for the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies. Using a natural infection model, we combine physiological and single-cell transcriptomic studies to characterize conventionally reared adult zebrafish guts and guts challenged with Vibrio. We demonstrate that Vibrio causes a mild mucosal immune response characterized by T cell activation and enhanced antigen capture; Vibrio suppresses host interferon signaling; and ectopic activation of interferon alters the course of infection. We show that the adult zebrafish gut shares similarities with mammalian counterparts, including the presence of Best4+ cells, tuft cells, and a population of basal cycling cells. These findings provide important insights into host-pathogen interactions and emphasize the utility of zebrafish as a natural model of Vibrio infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena O Jones
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Reegan J Willms
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Xinyue Xu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Ralph Derrick V Graham
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Mckenna Eklund
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Minjeong Shin
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Edan Foley
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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McCuaig B, Goto Y. Immunostimulating Commensal Bacteria and Their Potential Use as Therapeutics. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15644. [PMID: 37958628 PMCID: PMC10647581 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome is intimately intertwined with the host immune system, having effects on the systemic immune system. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiome has been linked not only to gastrointestinal disorders but also conditions of the skin, lungs, and brain. Commensal bacteria can affect the immune status of the host through a stimulation of the innate immune system, training of the adaptive immune system, and competitive exclusion of pathogens. Commensal bacteria improve immune response through the production of immunomodulating compounds such as microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and secondary bile acids. The microbiome, especially when in dysbiosis, is plastic and can be manipulated through the introduction of beneficial bacteria or the adjustment of nutrients to stimulate the expansion of beneficial taxa. The complex nature of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) ecosystem complicates the use of these methods, as similar treatments have various results in individuals with different residential microbiomes and differential health statuses. A more complete understanding of the interaction between commensal species, host genetics, and the host immune system is needed for effective microbiome interventions to be developed and implemented in a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonita McCuaig
- Project for Host-Microbial Interactions in Symbiosis and Pathogenesis, Division of Molecular Immunology, Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8673, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Goto
- Project for Host-Microbial Interactions in Symbiosis and Pathogenesis, Division of Molecular Immunology, Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8673, Japan
- Division of Pandemic and Post-Disaster Infectious Diseases, Research Institute of Disaster Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8673, Japan
- Division of Infectious Disease Vaccine R&D, Research Institute of Disaster Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8673, Japan
- Chiba University Synergy Institute for Futuristic Mucosal Vaccine Research and Development (cSIMVa), Chiba University, Chiba 260-8673, Japan
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Walton MG, Cubillejo I, Nag D, Withey JH. Advances in cholera research: from molecular biology to public health initiatives. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1178538. [PMID: 37283925 PMCID: PMC10239892 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1178538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The aquatic bacterium Vibrio cholerae is the etiological agent of the diarrheal disease cholera, which has plagued the world for centuries. This pathogen has been the subject of studies in a vast array of fields, from molecular biology to animal models for virulence activity to epidemiological disease transmission modeling. V. cholerae genetics and the activity of virulence genes determine the pathogenic potential of different strains, as well as provide a model for genomic evolution in the natural environment. While animal models for V. cholerae infection have been used for decades, recent advances in this area provide a well-rounded picture of nearly all aspects of V. cholerae interaction with both mammalian and non-mammalian hosts, encompassing colonization dynamics, pathogenesis, immunological responses, and transmission to naïve populations. Microbiome studies have become increasingly common as access and affordability of sequencing has improved, and these studies have revealed key factors in V. cholerae communication and competition with members of the gut microbiota. Despite a wealth of knowledge surrounding V. cholerae, the pathogen remains endemic in numerous countries and causes sporadic outbreaks elsewhere. Public health initiatives aim to prevent cholera outbreaks and provide prompt, effective relief in cases where prevention is not feasible. In this review, we describe recent advancements in cholera research in these areas to provide a more complete illustration of V. cholerae evolution as a microbe and significant global health threat, as well as how researchers are working to improve understanding and minimize impact of this pathogen on vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jeffrey H. Withey
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
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Type VI Secretion Systems: Environmental and Intra-host Competition of Vibrio cholerae. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1404:41-63. [PMID: 36792870 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-22997-8_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
The Vibrio Type VI Secretion System (T6SS) is a harpoon-like nanomachine that serves as a defense system and is encoded by approximately 25% of all gram-negative bacteria. In this chapter, we describe the structure of the T6SS in different Vibrio species and outline how the use of different T6SS effector and immunity proteins control kin selection. We summarize the genetic loci that encode the structural elements that make up the Vibrio T6SSs and how these gene clusters are regulated. Finally, we provide insights into T6SS-based competitive dynamics, the role of T6SS genetic exchange in those competitive dynamics, and roles for the Vibrio T6SS in virulence.
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Santoriello FJ, Kirchberger PC, Boucher Y, Pukatzki S. Pandemic Vibrio cholerae acquired competitive traits from an environmental Vibrio species. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:6/2/e202201437. [PMID: 36446527 PMCID: PMC9711863 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Vibrio cholerae is a human pathogen that thrives in estuarine environments. Within the environment and human host, V. cholerae uses the type VI secretion system (T6SS) to inject toxic effectors into neighboring microbes and to establish its replicative niche. V. cholerae strains encode a wide variety of horizontally shared effectors, but pandemic isolates encode an identical set of distinct effectors. Effector set retention in pandemic strains despite mobility between disparate strains suggests that horizontal acquisition of these effectors was crucial for evolving pandemic V. cholerae We attempted to locate the donor of the pandemic effectors to V. cholerae To this end, we identified potential gene transfer events of the pandemic-associated T6SS clusters between a fish pathogen, Vibrio anguillarum, and V. cholerae We supported the likelihood of interaction between these species by demonstrating that homologous effector-immunity pairs from V. cholerae and V. anguillarum can cross-neutralize one another. Thus, V. anguillarum constitutes an environmental reservoir of pandemic-associated V. cholerae T6SS effectors that may have initially facilitated competition between pre-pandemic V. cholerae and V. anguillarum for an environmental niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis J Santoriello
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.,Department of Biology, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Paul C Kirchberger
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Yann Boucher
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health and National University Hospital System, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Infectious Diseases Translational Research Program, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Hospital System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Stefan Pukatzki
- Department of Biology, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
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Xia H, Chen H, Cheng X, Yin M, Yao X, Ma J, Huang M, Chen G, Liu H. Zebrafish: an efficient vertebrate model for understanding role of gut microbiota. Mol Med 2022; 28:161. [PMID: 36564702 PMCID: PMC9789649 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-022-00579-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Gut microbiota plays a critical role in the maintenance of host health. As a low-cost and genetically tractable vertebrate model, zebrafish have been widely used for biological research. Zebrafish and humans share some similarities in intestinal physiology and function, and this allows zebrafish to be a surrogate model for investigating the crosstalk between the gut microbiota and host. Especially, zebrafish have features such as high fecundity, external fertilization, and early optical transparency. These enable the researchers to employ the fish to address questions not easily addressed in other animal models. In this review, we described the intestine structure of zebrafish. Also, we summarized the methods of generating a gnotobiotic zebrafish model, the factors affecting its intestinal flora, and the study progress of gut microbiota functions in zebrafish. Finally, we discussed the limitations and challenges of the zebrafish model for gut microbiota studies. In summary, this review established that zebrafish is an attractive research tool to understand mechanistic insights into host-microbe interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Xia
- grid.257143.60000 0004 1772 1285College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Hongshan Disctrict, Wuhan, 430065 China
| | - Huimin Chen
- grid.257143.60000 0004 1772 1285College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Hongshan Disctrict, Wuhan, 430065 China
| | - Xue Cheng
- grid.257143.60000 0004 1772 1285College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Hongshan Disctrict, Wuhan, 430065 China
| | - Mingzhu Yin
- grid.257143.60000 0004 1772 1285College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Hongshan Disctrict, Wuhan, 430065 China
| | - Xiaowei Yao
- grid.257143.60000 0004 1772 1285College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Hongshan Disctrict, Wuhan, 430065 China
| | - Jun Ma
- grid.257143.60000 0004 1772 1285College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Hongshan Disctrict, Wuhan, 430065 China
| | - Mengzhen Huang
- grid.257143.60000 0004 1772 1285College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Hongshan Disctrict, Wuhan, 430065 China
| | - Gang Chen
- grid.477392.cHubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430061 China
| | - Hongtao Liu
- grid.257143.60000 0004 1772 1285College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Hongshan Disctrict, Wuhan, 430065 China
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Sit B, Fakoya B, Waldor MK. Animal models for dissecting Vibrio cholerae intestinal pathogenesis and immunity. Curr Opin Microbiol 2022; 65:1-7. [PMID: 34695646 PMCID: PMC8792189 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2021.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The human diarrheal disease cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Efforts to develop animal models that closely mimic cholera to study the pathogenesis of this disease began >125 years ago. Here, we review currently used non-surgical, oral inoculation-based animal models for investigation of V. cholerae intestinal colonization and disease and highlight recent discoveries that have illuminated mechanisms of cholera pathogenesis and immunity, particularly in the area of how V. cholerae interacts with the gut microbiome to influence infection. The emergence of high-throughput tools for studies of pathogen-host interactions, along with continued advances in host genetic engineering and manipulation in animal models of V. cholerae will deepen understanding of cholera pathogenesis, uncovering knowledge important for control of this globally important bacterial pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Sit
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bolutife Fakoya
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Matthew K. Waldor
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Massachusetts, USA,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA,corresponding author: , Phone: 6175254646, Address: MCP-759, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, USA 02115
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