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Detection of DNA from Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in water for reuse. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:2199-2203. [PMID: 35486184 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07528-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The absence of a standardized method for detecting oocysts in water samples makes it difficult to characterize them, including in water for reuse. This study aimed to detect Toxoplasma gondii oocysts using two extraction methods. Using method 1693/2014 USEPA, 30 L of water for reuse from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, was concentrated, totaling 20 samples. The supernatant generated from the immunomagnetic separation (IMS) step was collected for detection of T. gondii oocysts. For DNA extraction, two techniques were used: the commercial kit DNeasy PowerSoil Kit® optimized with the enzyme Zymolyase® and with freeze-thaw steps. DNA quantification was performed with the target sequence of gene B1. From 16 samples submitted to enzymatic extraction, four were positive. In freeze-thaw extraction, no DNA was detected. DNA extraction was the essential step for oocyst detection given the resistant nature of their wall.
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2
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Identification of Oocyst-Driven Toxoplasma gondii Infections in Humans and Animals through Stage-Specific Serology-Current Status and Future Perspectives. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9112346. [PMID: 34835471 PMCID: PMC8618849 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The apicomplexan zoonotic parasite Toxoplasma gondii has three infective stages: sporozoites in sporulated oocysts, which are shed in unsporulated form into the environment by infected felids; tissue cysts containing bradyzoites, and fast replicating tachyzoites that are responsible for acute toxoplasmosis. The contribution of oocysts to infections in both humans and animals is understudied despite being highly relevant. Only a few diagnostic antigens have been described to be capable of discriminating which parasite stage has caused an infection. Here we provide an extensive overview of the antigens and serological assays used to detect oocyst-driven infections in humans and animals according to the literature. In addition, we critically discuss the possibility to exploit the increasing knowledge of the T. gondii genome and the various 'omics datasets available, by applying predictive algorithms, for the identification of new oocyst-specific proteins for diagnostic purposes. Finally, we propose a workflow for how such antigens and assays based on them should be evaluated to ensure reproducible and robust results.
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3
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Dumètre A, Dubey JP, Ferguson DJP. Effect of household bleach on the structure of the sporocyst wall of Toxoplasma gondii. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 28:68. [PMID: 34617883 PMCID: PMC8496345 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2021066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii oocysts are responsible for food- and water-borne infections in humans worldwide. They are resistant to common chemical disinfectants, including chlorinated products, presumably due to the structure and molecular nature of the oocyst wall but also the sporocyst wall. In this study, we used fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy to characterise the structure of both the oocyst and sporocyst walls, exposed to household bleach. Bleach removed the outer layer of the oocyst wall and the outer layer of the wall of sporocysts exposed due to rupture of the oocyst wall. The loss of the outer sporocyst wall layer was associated with a decrease in its autofluorescence, which can be linked to the degradation of dityrosine cross-link proteins, and loss of Maclura pomifera lectin-reactive glycoproteins. This study suggests that the inner layers of the oocyst and sporocyst walls are the main structures responsible for the resistance of the parasite to household bleach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélien Dumètre
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, 13005 Marseille, France - IHU-Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Jitender P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, 20705-2350 MD, United States
| | - David J P Ferguson
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Science, Oxford Brookes University, OX3 0FL Oxford, United Kingdom - Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, OX3 9DU Oxford, United Kingdom
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4
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Ramakrishnan C, Smith NC. Recent achievements and doors opened for coccidian parasite research and development through transcriptomics of enteric sexual stages. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2021; 243:111373. [PMID: 33961917 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2021.111373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The Coccidia is the largest group of parasites within the Apicomplexa, a phylum of unicellular, obligate parasites characterized by the possession of an apical complex of organelles and structures in the asexual stages of their life cycles, as well as by a sexual reproductive phase that occurs enterically in host animals. Coccidian sexual reproduction involves morphologically distinct microgametes and macrogametes that combine to form a diploid zygote and, ultimately, following meiosis and mitosis, haploid, infectious sporozoites, inside sporocysts within an oocyst. Recent transcriptomic analyses have identified genes involved in coccidian sexual stage development and reproduction, including genes encoding for microgamete- and macrogamete-specific proteins with roles in gamete motility, fusion and fertilization, and in the formation of the resilient oocyst wall that allows coccidians to persist for long periods in the environment. Transcriptomics has also provided important clues about the regulation of gene expression in the transformation of parasites from one developmental stage to the next, a complex sequence of events that may involve transcription factors such as the apicomplexan Apetala2 (ApiAP2) family, alternative splicing, regulatory RNAs and MORC (a microrchida homologue and regulator of sexual stage development in Toxoplasma gondii). The molecular dissection of coccidian sexual development and reproduction by transcriptomic analyses may lead to the development of novel transmission-blocking strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandra Ramakrishnan
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicholas C Smith
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
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5
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Expanding the Known Repertoire of C-Type Lectin Receptors Binding to Toxoplasma gondii Oocysts Using a Modified High-Resolution Immunofluorescence Assay. mSphere 2021; 6:6/2/e01341-20. [PMID: 33789945 PMCID: PMC8546727 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.01341-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The environmental stage of the apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii oocyst is vital to its life cycle but largely understudied. Because oocysts are excreted only by infected felids, their availability for research is limited. We report the adaptation of an agarose-based method to immobilize minute amounts of oocysts to perform immunofluorescence assays. Agarose embedding allows high-resolution confocal microscopy imaging of antibodies binding to the oocyst surface as well as unprecedented imaging of intracellular sporocyst structures with Maclura pomifera agglutinin after on-slide permeabilization of the immobilized oocysts. To identify new possible molecules binding to the oocyst surface, we used this method to screen a library of C-type lectin receptor (CLR)-human IgG constant region fusion proteins from the group of related CLRs called the Dectin-1 cluster against oocysts. In addition to CLEC7A that was previously reported to decorate T. gondii oocysts, we present experimental evidence for specific binding of three additional CLRs to the surface of this stage. We discuss how these CLRs, known to be expressed on neutrophils, dendritic cells, or macrophages, could be involved in the early immune response by the host, such as oocyst antigen uptake in the intestine. In conclusion, we present a modified immunofluorescence assay technique that allows material-saving immunofluorescence microscopy with T. gondii oocysts in a higher resolution than previously published, which allowed us to describe three additional CLRs binding specifically to the oocyst surface. IMPORTANCE Knowledge of oocyst biology of Toxoplasma gondii is limited, not the least due to its limited availability. We describe a method that permits us to process minute amounts of oocysts for immunofluorescence microscopy without compromising their structural properties. This method allowed us to visualize internal structures of sporocysts by confocal microscopy in unprecedented quality. Moreover, the method can be used as a low- to medium-throughput method to screen for molecules interacting with oocysts, such as antibodies, or compounds causing structural damage to oocysts (i.e., disinfectants). Using this method, we screened a small library of C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) present on certain immune cells and found three CLRs able to decorate the oocyst wall of T. gondii and which were not known before to bind to oocysts. These tools will allow further study into oocyst wall composition and could also provoke experiments regarding immunological recognition of oocysts.
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6
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Butenko A, Hammond M, Field MC, Ginger ML, Yurchenko V, Lukeš J. Reductionist Pathways for Parasitism in Euglenozoans? Expanded Datasets Provide New Insights. Trends Parasitol 2020; 37:100-116. [PMID: 33127331 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The unicellular trypanosomatids belong to the phylum Euglenozoa and all known species are obligate parasites. Distinct lineages infect plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates, including humans. Genome data for marine diplonemids, together with freshwater euglenids and free-living kinetoplastids, the closest known nonparasitic relatives to trypanosomatids, recently became available. Robust phylogenetic reconstructions across Euglenozoa are now possible and place the results of parasite-focused studies into an evolutionary context. Here we discuss recent advances in identifying the factors shaping the evolution of Euglenozoa, focusing on ancestral features generally considered parasite-specific. Remarkably, most of these predate the transition(s) to parasitism, suggesting that the presence of certain preconditions makes a significant lifestyle change more likely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anzhelika Butenko
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
| | - Michael Hammond
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Mark C Field
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Michael L Ginger
- School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic; Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic.
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7
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Freppel W, Ferguson DJ, Shapiro K, Dubey JP, Puech PH, Dumètre A. Structure, composition, and roles of the Toxoplasma gondii oocyst and sporocyst walls. Cell Surf 2019; 5:100016. [PMID: 32743133 PMCID: PMC7389338 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2018.100016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a coccidian parasite with the cat as its definitive host but any warm-blooded animal, including humans, may act as intermediate hosts. It has a worldwide distribution where it may cause acute and chronic toxoplasmosis. Infection can result from ingestion either of tissue cysts in infected meat of intermediate hosts or oocysts found in cat faeces via contaminated water or food. In this review, we highlight how the oocyst and sporocyst walls sustain the persistence and transmission of infective T. gondii parasites from terrestrial and aquatic environments to the host. We further discuss why targeting the oocyst wall structure and molecules may reduce the burden of foodborne and waterborne T. gondii infections.
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Tandel J, English ED, Sateriale A, Gullicksrud JA, Beiting DP, Sullivan MC, Pinkston B, Striepen B. Life cycle progression and sexual development of the apicomplexan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum. Nat Microbiol 2019; 4:2226-2236. [PMID: 31477896 PMCID: PMC6877471 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-019-0539-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The apicomplexan parasite Cryptosporidium is a leading global cause of severe diarrhoeal disease and an important contributor to early childhood mortality. Currently, there are no fully effective treatments or vaccines available. Parasite transmission occurs through ingestion of oocysts, through either direct contact or consumption of contaminated water or food. Oocysts are meiotic spores and the product of parasite sex. Cryptosporidium has a single-host life cycle in which both asexual and sexual processes occur in the intestine of infected hosts. Here, we genetically engineered strains of Cryptosporidium to make life cycle progression and parasite sex tractable. We derive reporter strains to follow parasite development in culture and in infected mice and define the genes that orchestrate sex and oocyst formation through mRNA sequencing of sorted cells. After 2 d, parasites in cell culture show pronounced sexualization, but productive fertilization does not occur and infection falters. By contrast, in infected mice, male gametes successfully fertilize female parasites, which leads to meiotic division and sporulation. To rigorously test for fertilization, we devised a two-component genetic-crossing assay using a reporter that is activated by Cre recombinase. Our findings suggest obligate developmental progression towards sex in Cryptosporidium, which has important implications for the treatment and prevention of the infection. Infection with Cryptosporidium parvum is a leading cause of severe diarrhoeal disease and childhood mortality worldwide. Using tools they recently developed to genetically engineer Cryptosporidium, the authors define life cycle stage-specific markers and generate reporter parasites, making life cycle progression and parasite sex tractable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayesh Tandel
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elizabeth D English
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Adam Sateriale
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jodi A Gullicksrud
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Daniel P Beiting
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Megan C Sullivan
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brittain Pinkston
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Franklin College of Arts and Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Boris Striepen
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Shapiro K, Bahia-Oliveira L, Dixon B, Dumètre A, de Wit LA, VanWormer E, Villena I. Environmental transmission of Toxoplasma gondii: Oocysts in water, soil and food. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2019; 15:e00049. [PMID: 32095620 PMCID: PMC7033973 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2019.e00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan parasite that can cause morbidity and mortality in humans, domestic animals, and terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. The environmentally robust oocyst stage of T. gondii is fundamentally critical to the parasite's success, both in terms of its worldwide distribution as well as the extensive range of infected intermediate hosts. Despite the limited definitive host species (domestic and wild felids), infections have been reported on every continent, and in terrestrial as well as aquatic environments. The remarkable resistance of the oocyst wall enables dissemination of T. gondii through watersheds and ecosystems, and long-term persistence in diverse foods such as shellfish and fresh produce. Here, we review the key attributes of oocyst biophysical properties that confer their ability to disseminate and survive in the environment, as well as the epidemiological dynamics of oocyst sources including domestic and wild felids. This manuscript further provides a comprehensive review of the pathways by which T. gondii oocysts can infect animals and people through the environment, including in contaminated foods, water or soil. We conclude by identifying critical control points for reducing risk of exposure to oocysts as well as opportunities for future synergies and new directions for research aimed at reducing the burden of oocyst-borne toxoplasmosis in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Shapiro
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, One Shields Ave, 4206 VM3A, University of California, Davis, CA 95616-5270, USA
| | - Lillian Bahia-Oliveira
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Macaé, RJ, Brazil
| | - Brent Dixon
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, A.L. 2204E, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Aurélien Dumètre
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD 257, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Luz A. de Wit
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95050, USA
| | - Elizabeth VanWormer
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, VBS 111, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Isabelle Villena
- EA 7510, UFR Medicine, University Reims Champagne-Ardenne, National Reference Center on Toxoplasmosis, Hospital Maison Blanche, Reims, France
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10
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Magistrado-Coxen P, Aqeel Y, Lopez A, Haserick JR, Urbanowicz BR, Costello CE, Samuelson J. The most abundant cyst wall proteins of Acanthamoeba castellanii are lectins that bind cellulose and localize to distinct structures in developing and mature cyst walls. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007352. [PMID: 31095564 PMCID: PMC6541295 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Acanthamoeba castellanii, which causes keratitis and blindness in under-resourced countries, is an emerging pathogen worldwide, because of its association with contact lens use. The wall makes cysts resistant to sterilizing reagents in lens solutions and to antibiotics applied to the eye. Methodology/Principal findings Transmission electron microscopy and structured illumination microscopy (SIM) showed purified cyst walls of A. castellanii retained an outer ectocyst layer, an inner endocyst layer, and conical ostioles that connect them. Mass spectrometry showed candidate cyst wall proteins were dominated by three families of lectins (named here Jonah, Luke, and Leo), which bound well to cellulose and less well to chitin. An abundant Jonah lectin, which has one choice-of-anchor A (CAA) domain, was made early during encystation and localized to the ectocyst layer of cyst walls. An abundant Luke lectin, which has two carbohydrate-binding modules (CBM49), outlined small, flat ostioles in a single-layered primordial wall and localized to the endocyst layer and ostioles of mature walls. An abundant Leo lectin, which has two unique domains with eight Cys residues each (8-Cys), localized to the endocyst layer and ostioles. The Jonah lectin and glycopolymers, to which it binds, were accessible in the ectocyst layer. In contrast, Luke and Leo lectins and the glycopolymers, to which they bind, were mostly inaccessible in the endocyst layer and ostioles. Conclusions/Significance The most abundant A. castellanii cyst wall proteins are three sets of lectins, which have carbohydrate-binding modules that are conserved (CBM49s of Luke), newly characterized (CAA of Jonah), or unique to Acanthamoebae (8-Cys of Leo). Cyst wall formation is a tightly choreographed event, in which lectins and glycopolymers combine to form a mature wall with a protected endocyst layer. Because of its accessibility in the ectocyst layer, an abundant Jonah lectin is an excellent diagnostic target. A half century ago, investigators identified cellulose in the Acanthamoeba cyst wall, which has two layers and conical ostioles that connect them. Here we showed cyst walls contain three large sets of cellulose-binding lectins, which localize to the ectocyst layer (a Jonah lectin) or to the endocyst layer and ostioles (Luke and Leo lectins). We used the lectins to establish a sequence for cyst wall assembly when trophozoites are starved and encyst. In the first stage, a Jonah lectin and glycopolymers were present in dozens of distinct vesicles. In the second stage, a primordial wall contained small, flat ostioles outlined by a Luke lectin. In the third stage, a Jonah lectin remained in the ectocyst layer, while Luke and Leo lectins moved to the endocyst layer and ostioles. A description of the major events during cyst wall development is a starting point for mechanistic studies of its assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Magistrado-Coxen
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yousuf Aqeel
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Angelo Lopez
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - John R. Haserick
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Breeanna R. Urbanowicz
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Catherine E. Costello
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - John Samuelson
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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11
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Gas-Pascual E, Ichikawa HT, Sheikh MO, Serji MI, Deng B, Mandalasi M, Bandini G, Samuelson J, Wells L, West CM. CRISPR/Cas9 and glycomics tools for Toxoplasma glycobiology. J Biol Chem 2018; 294:1104-1125. [PMID: 30463938 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.006072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is a major health risk owing to birth defects, its chronic nature, ability to reactivate to cause blindness and encephalitis, and high prevalence in human populations. Unlike most eukaryotes, Toxoplasma propagates in intracellular parasitophorous vacuoles, but like nearly all other eukaryotes, Toxoplasma glycosylates many cellular proteins and lipids and assembles polysaccharides. Toxoplasma glycans resemble those of other eukaryotes, but species-specific variations have prohibited deeper investigations into their roles in parasite biology and virulence. The Toxoplasma genome encodes a suite of likely glycogenes expected to assemble N-glycans, O-glycans, a C-glycan, GPI-anchors, and polysaccharides, along with their precursors and membrane transporters. To investigate the roles of specific glycans in Toxoplasma, here we coupled genetic and glycomics approaches to map the connections between 67 glycogenes, their enzyme products, the glycans to which they contribute, and cellular functions. We applied a double-CRISPR/Cas9 strategy, in which two guide RNAs promote replacement of a candidate gene with a resistance gene; adapted MS-based glycomics workflows to test for effects on glycan formation; and infected fibroblast monolayers to assess cellular effects. By editing 17 glycogenes, we discovered novel Glc0-2-Man6-GlcNAc2-type N-glycans, a novel HexNAc-GalNAc-mucin-type O-glycan, and Tn-antigen; identified the glycosyltransferases for assembling novel nuclear O-Fuc-type and cell surface Glc-Fuc-type O-glycans; and showed that they are important for in vitro growth. The guide sequences, editing constructs, and mutant strains are freely available to researchers to investigate the roles of glycans in their favorite biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabet Gas-Pascual
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Athens, Georgia 30602; Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | | | | | | | - Bowen Deng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Athens, Georgia 30602; Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Msano Mandalasi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Athens, Georgia 30602; Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Giulia Bandini
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02118
| | - John Samuelson
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02118
| | - Lance Wells
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Athens, Georgia 30602; Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Christopher M West
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Athens, Georgia 30602; Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, Athens, Georgia 30602; Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602.
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12
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Abstract
Immunosuppression caused by parasitic infections represents the foremost way by which the parasites overcome or escape the host’s immune response. Glucan is a well-established natural immunomodulator with the ability to significantly improve immune system, from innate immunity to both branches of specific immunity. Our review is focused on the possible role of glucan’s action in antiparasite therapies and vaccine strategies. We concluded that the established action of glucan opens a new window in treatment and protection against parasitic infections.
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13
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Giovati L, Santinoli C, Mangia C, Vismarra A, Belletti S, D'Adda T, Fumarola C, Ciociola T, Bacci C, Magliani W, Polonelli L, Conti S, Kramer LH. Novel Activity of a Synthetic Decapeptide Against Toxoplasma gondii Tachyzoites. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:753. [PMID: 29731744 PMCID: PMC5920037 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The killer peptide KP is a synthetic decapeptide derived from the sequence of the variable region of a recombinant yeast killer toxin-like microbicidal single-chain antibody. KP proved to exert significant activities against diverse microbial and viral pathogens through different mechanisms of action, but little is known of its effect on apicomplexan protozoa. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro activity of KP against Toxoplasma gondii, a globally widespread protozoan parasite of great medical interest. The effect of KP treatment and its potential mechanism of action on T. gondii were evaluated by various methods, including light microscopy, quantitative PCR, flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. In the presence of KP, the number of T. gondii tachyzoites able to invade Vero cells and the parasite intracellular proliferation were significantly reduced. Morphological observation and analysis of apoptotic markers suggested that KP is able to trigger an apoptosis-like cell death in T. gondii. Overall, our results indicate that KP could be a promising candidate for the development of new anti-Toxoplasma drugs with a novel mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Giovati
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Claudia Santinoli
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Carlo Mangia
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Alice Vismarra
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Silvana Belletti
- Laboratory of Histology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Tiziana D'Adda
- Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Claudia Fumarola
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Tecla Ciociola
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Cristina Bacci
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Walter Magliani
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Luciano Polonelli
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Stefania Conti
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Laura H Kramer
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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14
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Evaluation of novel oocyst wall protein candidates of Toxoplasma gondii. Parasitol Int 2017; 66:643-651. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2017.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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15
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Harvey DJ. Analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry: An update for 2011-2012. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2017; 36:255-422. [PMID: 26270629 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2014] [Accepted: 01/15/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This review is the seventh update of the original article published in 1999 on the application of MALDI mass spectrometry to the analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates and brings coverage of the literature to the end of 2012. General aspects such as theory of the MALDI process, matrices, derivatization, MALDI imaging, and fragmentation are covered in the first part of the review and applications to various structural types constitute the remainder. The main groups of compound are oligo- and poly-saccharides, glycoproteins, glycolipids, glycosides, and biopharmaceuticals. Much of this material is presented in tabular form. Also discussed are medical and industrial applications of the technique, studies of enzyme reactions, and applications to chemical synthesis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 36:255-422, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Harvey
- Department of Biochemistry, Oxford Glycobiology Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
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16
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Wang ZT, Verma SK, Dubey JP, Sibley LD. The aromatic amino acid hydroxylase genes AAH1 and AAH2 in Toxoplasma gondii contribute to transmission in the cat. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006272. [PMID: 28288194 PMCID: PMC5363998 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Revised: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Toxoplasma gondii genome contains two aromatic amino acid hydroxylase genes, AAH1 and AAH2 encode proteins that produce L-DOPA, which can serve as a precursor of catecholamine neurotransmitters. It has been suggested that this pathway elevates host dopamine levels thus making infected rodents less fearful of their definitive Felidae hosts. However, L-DOPA is also a structural precursor of melanins, secondary quinones, and dityrosine protein crosslinks, which are produced by many species. For example, dityrosine crosslinks are abundant in the oocyst walls of Eimeria and T. gondii, although their structural role has not been demonstrated, Here, we investigated the biology of AAH knockout parasites in the sexual reproductive cycle within cats. We found that ablation of the AAH genes resulted in reduced infection in the cat, lower oocyst yields, and decreased rates of sporulation. Our findings suggest that the AAH genes play a predominant role during infection in the gut of the definitive feline host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi T. Wang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Shiv K. Verma
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jitender P. Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - L. David Sibley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
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Importance of serological cross-reactivity among Toxoplasma gondii, Hammondia spp., Neospora spp., Sarcocystis spp. and Besnoitia besnoiti. Parasitology 2017; 144:851-868. [PMID: 28241894 PMCID: PMC5471829 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182017000063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora spp., Sarcocystis spp., Hammondia spp. and Besnoitia besnoiti are genetically related cyst-forming coccidia. Serology is frequently used for the identification of T. gondii, Neospora spp. and B. besnoiti-exposed individuals. Serologic cross-reactions occur in different tests among animals infected with T. gondii and H. hammondi, as well as among animals infected by T. gondii and N. caninum. Infections caused by N. caninum and N. hughesi are almost indistinguishable by serology. Neospora caninum, B. besnoiti and Sarcocystis spp. infections in cattle show some degree of serologic cross-reactivity. Antibody cross-reactivity between Neospora spp. and H. heydorni-infected animals is suspected, but not proven to occur. We review serologic cross-reactivity among animals and/or humans infected with T. gondii, Neospora spp., Sarcocystis spp., Hammondia spp. and B. besnoiti. Emphasis is laid upon antigens and serological methods for N. caninum diagnosis which were tested for cross-reactivity with related protozoa. Species-specific antigens, as well as stage-specific proteins have been identified in some of these parasites and have promising use for diagnosis and epidemiological surveys.
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18
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Bandini G, Haserick JR, Motari E, Ouologuem DT, Lourido S, Roos DS, Costello CE, Robbins PW, Samuelson J. O-fucosylated glycoproteins form assemblies in close proximity to the nuclear pore complexes of Toxoplasma gondii. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:11567-11572. [PMID: 27663739 PMCID: PMC5068260 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1613653113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite that causes disseminated infections in fetuses and immunocompromised individuals. Although gene regulation is important for parasite differentiation and pathogenesis, little is known about protein organization in the nucleus. Here we show that the fucose-binding Aleuria aurantia lectin (AAL) binds to numerous punctate structures in the nuclei of tachyzoites, bradyzoites, and sporozoites but not oocysts. AAL also binds to Hammondia and Neospora nuclei but not to more distantly related apicomplexans. Analyses of the AAL-enriched fraction indicate that AAL binds O-linked fucose added to Ser/Thr residues present in or adjacent to Ser-rich domains (SRDs). Sixty-nine Ser-rich proteins were reproducibly enriched with AAL, including nucleoporins, mRNA-processing enzymes, and cell-signaling proteins. Two endogenous SRDs-containing proteins and an SRD-YFP fusion localize with AAL to the nuclear membrane. Superresolution microscopy showed that the majority of the AAL signal localizes in proximity to nuclear pore complexes. Host cells modify secreted proteins with O-fucose; here we describe the O-fucosylation pathway in the nucleocytosol of a eukaryote. Furthermore, these results suggest O-fucosylation is a mechanism by which proteins involved in gene expression accumulate near the NPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Bandini
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02118
| | - John R Haserick
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02118; Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118
| | - Edwin Motari
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02118; Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118
| | | | | | - David S Roos
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Catherine E Costello
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118
| | - Phillips W Robbins
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02118;
| | - John Samuelson
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02118;
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Macrophages facilitate the excystation and differentiation of Toxoplasma gondii sporozoites into tachyzoites following oocyst internalisation. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33654. [PMID: 27641141 PMCID: PMC5027544 DOI: 10.1038/srep33654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a common parasite of humans and animals, which is transmitted via oocysts in cat faeces or tissue cysts in contaminated meat. The robust oocyst and sporocyst walls protect the infective sporozoites from deleterious external attacks including disinfectants. Upon oocyst acquisition, these walls lose their integrity to let the sporozoites excyst and invade host cells following a process that remains poorly understood. Given the resistance of the oocyst wall to digestive enzymes and the ability of oocysts to cause parenteral infections, the present study investigated the possible contribution of macrophages in supporting sporozoite excystation following oocyst internalisation. By using single cell micromanipulations, real-time and time-point imaging techniques, we demonstrated that RAW macrophages could interact rapidly with oocysts and engulfed them by remodelling of their actin cytoskeleton. Internalised oocysts were associated to macrophage acidic compartments and showed evidences of wall disruption. Sporozoites were observed in macrophages containing oocyst remnants or in new macrophages, giving rise to dividing tachyzoites. All together, these results highlight an unexpected role of phagocytic cells in processing T. gondii oocysts, in line with non-classical routes of infection, and open new perspectives to identify chemical factors that lead to oocyst wall disruption under physiological conditions.
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Use of fluorescent nanoparticles to investigate nutrient acquisition by developing Eimeria maxima macrogametocytes. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29030. [PMID: 27352801 PMCID: PMC4926162 DOI: 10.1038/srep29030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The enteric disease coccidiosis, caused by the unicellular parasite Eimeria, is a major and reoccurring problem for the poultry industry. While the molecular machinery driving host cell invasion and oocyst wall formation has been well documented in Eimeria, relatively little is known about the host cell modifications which lead to acquisition of nutrients and parasite growth. In order to understand the mechanism(s) by which nutrients are acquired by developing intracellular gametocytes and oocysts, we have performed uptake experiments using polystyrene nanoparticles (NPs) of 40 nm and 100 nm in size, as model NPs typical of organic macromolecules. Cytochalasin D and nocodazole were used to inhibit, respectively, the polymerization of the actin and microtubules. The results indicated that NPs entered the parasite at all stages of macrogametocyte development and early oocyst maturation via an active energy dependent process. Interestingly, the smaller NPs were found throughout the parasite cytoplasm, while the larger NPs were mainly localised to the lumen of large type 1 wall forming body organelles. NP uptake was reduced after microfilament disruption and treatment with nocodazole. These observations suggest that E. maxima parasites utilize at least 2 or more uptake pathways to internalize exogenous material during the sexual stages of development.
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21
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Surface binding properties of aged and fresh (recently excreted) Toxoplasma gondii oocysts. Exp Parasitol 2016; 165:88-94. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2016.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Revised: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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22
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Gondim LFP, Wolf A, Vrhovec MG, Pantchev N, Bauer C, Langenmayer MC, Bohne W, Teifke JP, Dubey JP, Conraths FJ, Schares G. Characterization of an IgG monoclonal antibody targeted to both tissue cyst and sporocyst walls of Toxoplasma gondii. Exp Parasitol 2016; 163:46-56. [PMID: 26836446 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2016.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Revised: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infects animals habiting terrestrial and aquatic environments. Its oocysts and tissue cysts are important for the horizontal transmission of this parasite. The oocyst and tissue cyst walls are crucial for the ability of the parasite to persist in the environment or in animal tissues, respectively. However, the composition of these walls is not well understood. We report the generation of monoclonal antibodies directed against wall components using mice immunized with oocyst antigens of T. gondii. One monoclonal antibody (mAb) G1/19 reacted solely with T. gondii sporozoites. The respective antigen had a relative molecular weight (Mr) of 30 kDa. MAb G1/19 failed to react with sporozoites of any other coccidian parasite species tested (Hammondia hammondi, Hammondia heydorni, Cystoisospora felis, Eimeria bovis, Sarcocystis sp.). Another mAb, designated K8/15-15, recognized antigens in sporocyst walls of the parasite and in the walls of in vivo or in vitro produced tissue cysts, as demonstrated by immunofluorescence and immunoblot assays. Antigens of 80 to a high molecular weight protein of about 350 kDa Mr were recognized by this antibody using antigen extracts from sporocysts, and from in vitro or in vivo generated tissue cysts of the parasite. Tissue cyst and sporocyst walls of H. hammondi and H. heydorni, and tissue cysts of Neospora caninum were also recognized by mAb K8/15-15. Sporocyst walls of C. felis also reacted to this mAb. The cyst walls of Sarcocystis sp. and Besnoitia besnoiti were not recognized by mAb K8/15-15. Reactivity by a single mAb against T. gondii antigens in tissue cysts and sporocysts had not been reported previously. MAb K8/15-15 may be a practical tool for the identification of both cysts and sporocysts of the parasite, and may also be potentially employed in proteomic studies on the identification of new components of the cyst and sporocyst walls of T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís F P Gondim
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Departamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas, Av. Adhemar de Barros 500, 40170-110, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
| | - Alexander Wolf
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | | | | | - Christian Bauer
- Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Martin C Langenmayer
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany; Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Bohne
- Department of Microbiology, University of Gottingen, Kreuzbergring 57, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jens P Teifke
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Department of Experimental Animal Facilities and Biorisk Management, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Jitender P Dubey
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Franz J Conraths
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Gereon Schares
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
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23
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Valzano M, Cecarini V, Cappelli A, Capone A, Bozic J, Cuccioloni M, Epis S, Petrelli D, Angeletti M, Eleuteri AM, Favia G, Ricci I. A yeast strain associated to Anopheles mosquitoes produces a toxin able to kill malaria parasites. Malar J 2016; 15:21. [PMID: 26754943 PMCID: PMC4709964 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-015-1059-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria control strategies are focusing on new approaches, such as the symbiotic control, which consists in the use of microbial symbionts to prevent parasite development in the mosquito gut and to block the transmission of the infection to humans. Several microbes, bacteria and fungi, have been proposed for malaria or other mosquito-borne diseases control strategies. Among these, the yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus has been recently isolated from the gut of Anopheles mosquitoes, where it releases a natural antimicrobial toxin. Interestingly, many environmental strains of W. anomalus exert a wide anti-bacterial/fungal activity and some of these ‘killer’ yeasts are already used in industrial applications as food and feed bio-preservation agents. Since a few studies showed that W. anomalus killer strains have antimicrobial effects also against protozoan parasites, the possible anti-plasmodial activity of the yeast was investigated. Methods A yeast killer toxin (KT), purified through combined chromatographic techniques from a W. anomalus strain isolated from the malaria vector Anopheles stephensi, was tested as an effector molecule to target the sporogonic stages of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei, in vitro. Giemsa staining was used to detect morphological damages in zygotes/ookinetes after treatment with the KT. Furthermore, the possible mechanism of action of the KT was investigated pre-incubating the protein with castanospermine, an inhibitor of β-glucanase activity. Results A strong anti-plasmodial effect was observed when the P. berghei sporogonic stages were treated with KT, obtaining an inhibition percentage up to around 90 %. Microscopy analysis revealed several ookinete alterations at morphological and structural level, suggesting the direct implication of the KT-enzymatic activity. Moreover, evidences of the reduction of KT activity upon treatment with castanospermine propose a β-glucanase-mediated activity. Conclusion The results showed the in vitro killing efficacy of a protein produced by a mosquito strain of W. anomalus against malaria parasites. Further studies are required to test the KT activity against the sporogonic stages in vivo, nevertheless this work opens new perspectives for the possible use of killer strains in innovative strategies to impede the development of the malaria parasite in mosquito vectors by the means of microbial symbionts. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-015-1059-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Valzano
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Valentina Cecarini
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Alessia Cappelli
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Aida Capone
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Jovana Bozic
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Massimiliano Cuccioloni
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Sara Epis
- Department of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Dezemona Petrelli
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Mauro Angeletti
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Anna Maria Eleuteri
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Guido Favia
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Irene Ricci
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032, Camerino, Italy.
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Abstract
SUMMARYTo determine the involvement of the actin cytoskeleton in macrogametocyte growth and oocyst wall formation, freshly purified macrogametocytes and oocysts were stained with Oregon Green 514 conjugated phalloidin to visualize F-actin microfilaments, while Evans blue staining was used to detect type 1 wall forming bodies (WFB1s) and the outer oocyst wall. The double-labelled parasites were then analysed at various stages of sexual development using three-dimensional confocal microscopy. The results showed F-actin filaments were distributed throughout the entire cytoplasm of mature Eimeria maxima macrogametocytes forming a web-like meshwork of actin filaments linking the type 1 WFBs together into structures resembling ‘beads on a string’. At the early stages of oocyst wall formation, F-actin localization changed in alignment with the egg-shaped morphology of the forming oocysts with F-actin microfilaments making direct contact with the WFB1s. In tissue oocysts, the labelled actin cytoskeleton was situated underneath the forming outer layer of the oocyst wall. Treatment of macrogametocytes in vitro with the actin depolymerizing agents, Cytochalasin D and Latrunculin, led to a reduction in the numbers of mature WFB1s in the cytoplasm of the developing macrogametocytes, indicating that the actin plays an important role in WFB1 transport and oocyst wall formation in E. maxima.
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Walker RA, Sharman PA, Miller CM, Lippuner C, Okoniewski M, Eichenberger RM, Ramakrishnan C, Brossier F, Deplazes P, Hehl AB, Smith NC. RNA Seq analysis of the Eimeria tenella gametocyte transcriptome reveals clues about the molecular basis for sexual reproduction and oocyst biogenesis. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:94. [PMID: 25765081 PMCID: PMC4345034 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1298-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The protozoan Eimeria tenella is a common parasite of chickens, causing avian coccidiosis, a disease of on-going concern to agricultural industries. The high prevalence of E. tenella can be attributed to the resilient oocyst stage, which is transmitted between hosts in the environment. As in related Coccidia, development of the eimerian oocyst appears to be dependent on completion of the parasite’s sexual cycle. RNA Seq transcriptome profiling offers insights into the mechanisms governing the biology of E. tenella sexual stages (gametocytes) and the potential to identify targets for blocking parasite transmission. Results Comparisons between the sequenced transcriptomes of E. tenella gametocytes and two asexual developmental stages, merozoites and sporozoites, revealed upregulated gametocyte transcription of 863 genes. Many of these genes code for proteins involved in coccidian sexual biology, such as oocyst wall biosynthesis and fertilisation, and some of these were characterised in more depth. Thus, macrogametocyte-specific expression and localisation was confirmed for two proteins destined for incorporation into the oocyst wall, as well as for a subtilisin protease and an oxidoreductase. Homologues of an oocyst wall protein and oxidoreductase were found in the related coccidian, Toxoplasma gondii, and shown to be macrogametocyte-specific. In addition, a microgametocyte gamete fusion protein, EtHAP2, was discovered. Conclusions The need for novel vaccine candidates capable of controlling coccidiosis is rising and this panel of gametocyte targets represents an invaluable resource for development of future strategies to interrupt parasite transmission, not just in Eimeria but in other Coccidia, including Toxoplasma, where transmission blocking is a relatively unexplored strategy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1298-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Walker
- Queensland Tropical Health Alliance Research Laboratory, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns Campus, McGregor Road, Smithfield, QLD, 4878, Australia. .,Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Philippa A Sharman
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns Campus, McGregor Road, Smithfield, QLD, 4878, Australia.
| | - Catherine M Miller
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns Campus, McGregor Road, Smithfield, QLD, 4878, Australia.
| | - Christoph Lippuner
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland. .,Department of Farm Animal, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Michal Okoniewski
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Ramon M Eichenberger
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Chandra Ramakrishnan
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Fabien Brossier
- Apicomplexes et Immunité Mucosale, INRA, UMR1282, Infectiologie et Santé Publique, F-37380, Nouzilly, France. .,Université François Rabelais de Tours, UMR1282, Infectiologie et Santé Publique, F-37000, Tours, France.
| | - Peter Deplazes
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Adrian B Hehl
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Nicholas C Smith
- Queensland Tropical Health Alliance Research Laboratory, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns Campus, McGregor Road, Smithfield, QLD, 4878, Australia.
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26
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In vivolocalization of antibodies raised againstEimeria maximawall forming bodies during sexual intracellular development. Parasitology 2014; 141:1726-35. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182014001012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYApicomplexan parasites cause devastating diseases in humans and livestock. Previously we demonstrated that antibodies targeting transmissible forms of the apicomplexan parasite,Eimeria, are effective at reducing parasite shedding thus preventing the transmission of the disease. However, the mechanisms responsible have not been fully defined. Moreover, there is no direct evidence that the parasite-specific IgG antibodies can reach the parasite developing in the enterocytes of the infected chicken host. This study summarizes our efforts using host immunity, parasite proteomics and 3D microscopy to provide a step forward in our understanding of how this immune response works.Eimeria maximais an important pathogen of poultry and used as a surrogate for a number of human pathogens includingToxoplasmaandPlasmodium. Our studies demonstrate that immunization with the purified wall forming bodies (WFBs) results in a production of parasite-specific IgG antibodies, which have the ability to reachin situgametocytes in the intestinal lumen and permeate the enterocyte/parasite membranes in order to bind to the cytoplasmic Type 1 and Type 2 WFBs. This raises the intriguing possibility that via this process antibodies block the development ofEimeria maxima in vivo.
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Cappelli A, Ulissi U, Valzano M, Damiani C, Epis S, Gabrielli MG, Conti S, Polonelli L, Bandi C, Favia G, Ricci I. A Wickerhamomyces anomalus killer strain in the malaria vector Anopheles stephensi. PLoS One 2014; 9:e95988. [PMID: 24788884 PMCID: PMC4006841 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2013] [Accepted: 04/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus has been investigated for several years for its wide biotechnological potential, especially for applications in the food industry. Specifically, the antimicrobial activity of this yeast, associated with the production of Killer Toxins (KTs), has attracted a great deal of attention. The strains of W. anomalus able to produce KTs, called “killer” yeasts, have been shown to be highly competitive in the environment. Different W. anomalus strains have been isolated from diverse habitats and recently even from insects. In the malaria mosquito vector Anopheles stephensi these yeasts have been detected in the midgut and gonads. Here we show that the strain of W. anomalus isolated from An. stephensi, namely WaF17.12, is a killer yeast able to produce a KT in a cell-free medium (in vitro) as well as in the mosquito body (in vivo). We showed a constant production of WaF17.12-KT over time, after stimulation of toxin secretion in yeast cultures and reintroduction of the activated cells into the mosquito through the diet. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of WaF17.12-KT has been demonstrated in vitro against sensitive microbes, showing that strain WaF17.12 releases a functional toxin. The mosquito-associated yeast WaF17.12 thus possesses an antimicrobial activity, which makes this yeast worthy of further investigations, in view of its potential as an agent for the symbiotic control of malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Cappelli
- Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Ulisse Ulissi
- Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Matteo Valzano
- Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Claudia Damiani
- Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Sara Epis
- Dipartimento di Patologia Animale, Igiene e Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Stefania Conti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Biotecnologiche e Traslazionali, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Luciano Polonelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Biotecnologiche e Traslazionali, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Claudio Bandi
- Dipartimento di Patologia Animale, Igiene e Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Guido Favia
- Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Irene Ricci
- Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Camerino, Camerino, Italy
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
This article describes some of the milestones in research concerned with protozoan parasites of the genus Eimeria that infect birds and cause the disease coccidiosis. The time period covered is from 1891, when oocysts were first found in the ceca of diseased chickens, to the present. Progress in our understanding has lagged behind that of other protozoan parasites such as Toxoplasma and Plasmodium despite the enormous importance of Eimeria to animal livestock production. Nevertheless, applied research by universities, government agencies, and private industry has resulted in the successful development of methods of control, research that continues today. The topics covered and the references provided are selective and include life cycles and biology, pathology, ultrastructure, biochemistry, immunity, genetics, host cell invasion, species identification, taxonomy, chemotherapy, vaccination, and literature concerned with avian coccidiosis. This review is primarily concerned with the avian species of Eimeria that infect poultry, but some important advances, principally in immunology, have been made using species that infect rodents and rabbits. These are included where appropriate.
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Affiliation(s)
- H D Chapman
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 72701
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Strategies to discover the structural components of cyst and oocyst walls. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2013; 12:1578-87. [PMID: 24096907 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00213-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Cysts of Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica and oocysts of Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium parvum are the infectious and sometimes diagnostic forms of these parasites. To discover the structural components of cyst and oocyst walls, we have developed strategies based upon a few simple assumptions. Briefly, the most abundant wall proteins are identified by monoclonal antibodies or mass spectrometry. Structural components include a sugar polysaccharide (chitin for Entamoeba, β-1,3-linked glucose for Toxoplasma, and β-1,3-linked GalNAc for Giardia) and/or acid-fast lipids (Toxoplasma and Cryptosporidium). Because Entamoeba cysts and Toxoplasma oocysts are difficult to obtain, studies of walls of nonhuman pathogens (E. invadens and Eimeria, respectively) accelerate discovery. Biochemical methods to dissect fungal walls work well for cyst and oocyst walls, although the results are often unexpected. For example, echinocandins, which inhibit glucan synthases and kill fungi, arrest the development of oocyst walls and block their release into the intestinal lumen. Candida walls are coated with mannans, while Entamoeba cysts are coated in a dextran-like glucose polymer. Models for cyst and oocyst walls derive from their structural components and organization within the wall. Cyst walls are composed of chitin fibrils and lectins that bind chitin (Entamoeba) or fibrils of the β-1,3-GalNAc polymer and lectins that bind the polymer (Giardia). Oocyst walls of Toxoplasma have two distinct layers that resemble those of fungi (β-1,3-glucan in the inner layer) or mycobacteria (acid-fast lipids in the outer layer). Oocyst walls of Cryptosporidium have a rigid bilayer of acid-fast lipids and inner layer of oocyst wall proteins.
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Evidence for a structural role for acid-fast lipids in oocyst walls of Cryptosporidium, Toxoplasma, and Eimeria. mBio 2013; 4:e00387-13. [PMID: 24003177 PMCID: PMC3760245 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00387-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Coccidia are protozoan parasites that cause significant human disease and are of major agricultural importance. Cryptosporidium spp. cause diarrhea in humans and animals, while Toxoplasma causes disseminated infections in fetuses and untreated AIDS patients. Eimeria is a major pathogen of commercial chickens. Oocysts, which are the infectious form of Cryptosporidium and Eimeria and one of two infectious forms of Toxoplasma (the other is tissue cysts in undercooked meat), have a multilayered wall. Recently we showed that the inner layer of the oocyst walls of Toxoplasma and Eimeria is a porous scaffold of fibers of β-1,3-glucan, which are also present in fungal walls but are absent from Cryptosporidium oocyst walls. Here we present evidence for a structural role for lipids in the oocyst walls of Cryptosporidium, Toxoplasma, and Eimeria. Briefly, oocyst walls of each organism label with acid-fast stains that bind to lipids in the walls of mycobacteria. Polyketide synthases similar to those that make mycobacterial wall lipids are abundant in oocysts of Toxoplasma and Eimeria and are predicted in Cryptosporidium. The outer layer of oocyst wall of Eimeria and the entire oocyst wall of Cryptosporidium are dissolved by organic solvents. Oocyst wall lipids are complex mixtures of triglycerides, some of which contain polyhydroxy fatty acyl chains like those present in plant cutin or elongated fatty acyl chains like mycolic acids. We propose a two-layered model of the oocyst wall (glucan and acid-fast lipids) that resembles the two-layered walls of mycobacteria (peptidoglycan and acid-fast lipids) and plants (cellulose and cutin). Oocysts, which are essential for the fecal-oral spread of coccidia, have a wall that is thought responsible for their survival in the environment and for their transit through the stomach and small intestine. While oocyst walls of Toxoplasma and Eimeria are strengthened by a porous scaffold of fibrils of β-1,3-glucan and by proteins cross-linked by dityrosines, both are absent from walls of Cryptosporidium. We show here that all oocyst walls are acid fast, have a rigid bilayer, dissolve in organic solvents, and contain a complex set of triglycerides rich in polyhydroxy and long fatty acyl chains that might be synthesized by an abundant polyketide synthase. These results suggest the possibility that coccidia build a waxy coat of acid-fast lipids in the oocyst wall that makes them resistant to environmental stress.
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Abstract
SUMMARYEimeriais a common genus of apicomplexan parasites that infect diverse vertebrates, most notably poultry, causing serious disease and economic loss. Like all apicomplexans, eimerians have a complex life cycle characterized by asexual divisions that amplify the parasite population in preparation for sexual reproduction. This can be divided into three events: gametocytogenesis, producing gametocytes from merozoites; gametogenesis, producing microgametes and macrogametes from gametocytes; and fertilization of macrogametes by microgametes, producing diploid zygotes with ensuing meiosis completing the sexual phase. Sexual development inEimeriadepends on the differential expression of stage-specific genes, rather than presence or absence of sex chromosomes. Thus, it involves the generation of specific structures and, implicitly, storage of proteins and regulation of protein expression in macrogametes, in preparation for fertilization. InEimeria, the formation of a unique, resilient structure, the oocyst wall, is essential for completion of the sexual phase and parasite transmission. In this review, we piece together the molecular events that underpin sexual reproduction inEimeriaand use additional details from analogous events inPlasmodiumto fill current knowledge gaps. The mechanisms governing sexual stage formation and subsequent fertilization may represent targets for counteracting parasite transmission.
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Abstract
The ability of microorganisms to survive under extreme conditions is closely related to the physicochemical properties of their wall. In the ubiquitous protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, the oocyst stage possesses a bilayered wall that protects the dormant but potentially infective parasites from harsh environmental conditions until their ingestion by the host. None of the common disinfectants are effective in killing the parasite because the oocyst wall acts as a primary barrier to physical and chemical attacks. Here, we address the structure and chemistry of the wall of the T. gondii oocyst by combining wall surface treatments, fluorescence imaging, EM, and measurements of its mechanical characteristics by using atomic force microscopy. Elasticity and indentation measurements indicated that the oocyst wall resembles common plastic materials, based on the Young moduli, E, evaluated by atomic force microscopy. Our study demonstrates that the inner layer is as robust as the bilayered wall itself. Besides wall mechanics, our results suggest important differences regarding the nonspecific adhesive properties of each layer. All together, these findings suggest a key biological role for the oocyst wall mechanics in maintaining the integrity of the T. gondii oocysts in the environment or after exposure to disinfectants, and therefore their potential infectivity to humans and animals.
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