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Mazuecos L, González-García A, de la Fuente J. Genetic modification, characterization, and co-infection of Franken Sphingomonas and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in tick cells. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102557. [PMID: 37691149 PMCID: PMC10511929 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Paratransgenesis through genetic manipulation of symbiotic or commensal microorganisms has been proposed as an effective and environmentally sound approach for the control of vector-borne diseases, including tick bite-related pathologies, and reducing pathogen transmission. Here, we present a protocol for Sphingomonas transformation with Anaplasma phagocytophilum major surface protein 4 and heat shock protein 70. We describe a step-by-step protocol for in vitro study of interactions between transformed Franken Sphingomonas and Ixodes scapularis ISE6 tick cells during A. phagocytophilum infection. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Mazuecos et al. (2023).1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Mazuecos
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Almudena González-García
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
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Mazuecos L, Alberdi P, Hernández-Jarguín A, Contreras M, Villar M, Cabezas-Cruz A, Simo L, González-García A, Díaz-Sánchez S, Neelakanta G, Bonnet SI, Fikrig E, de la Fuente J. Frankenbacteriosis targeting interactions between pathogen and symbiont to control infection in the tick vector. iScience 2023; 26:106697. [PMID: 37168564 PMCID: PMC10165458 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick microbiota can be targeted for the control of tick-borne diseases such as human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) caused by model pathogen, Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Frankenbacteriosis is inspired by Frankenstein and defined here as paratransgenesis of tick symbiotic/commensal bacteria to mimic and compete with tick-borne pathogens. Interactions between A. phagocytophilum and symbiotic Sphingomonas identified by metaproteomics analysis in Ixodes scapularis midgut showed competition between both bacteria. Consequently, Sphingomonas was selected for frankenbacteriosis for the control of A. phagocytophilum infection and transmission. The results showed that Franken Sphingomonas producing A. phagocytophilum major surface protein 4 (MSP4) mimic pathogen and reduce infection in ticks by competition and interaction with cell receptor components of infection. Franken Sphingomonas-MSP4 transovarial and trans-stadial transmission suggests that tick larvae with genetically modified Franken Sphingomonas-MSP4 could be produced in the laboratory and released in the field to compete and replace the wildtype populations with associated reduction in pathogen infection/transmission and HGA disease risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Mazuecos
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Pilar Alberdi
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Angélica Hernández-Jarguín
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Marinela Contreras
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Margarita Villar
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Ladislav Simo
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Almudena González-García
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Sandra Díaz-Sánchez
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Girish Neelakanta
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA
| | - Sarah I. Bonnet
- Functional Genetics of Infectious Diseases Unit, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 2000, Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France
- Animal Health Department, INRAE, 37380 Nouzilly, France
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 208022, USA
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
- Corresponding author
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Salata C, Moutailler S, Attoui H, Zweygarth E, Decker L, Bell-Sakyi L. How relevant are in vitro culture models for study of tick-pathogen interactions? Pathog Glob Health 2021; 115:437-455. [PMID: 34190676 PMCID: PMC8635668 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2021.1944539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although tick-borne infectious diseases threaten human and animal health worldwide, with constantly increasing incidence, little knowledge is available regarding vector-pathogen interactions and pathogen transmission. In vivo laboratory study of these subjects using live, intact ticks is expensive, labor-intensive, and challenging from the points of view of biosafety and ethics. Several in vitro models have been developed, including over 70 continuous cell lines derived from multiple tick species and a variety of tick organ culture systems, facilitating many research activities. However, some limitations have to be considered in the translation of the results from the in vitro environment to the in vivo situation of live, intact ticks, and vertebrate hosts. In this review, we describe the available in vitro models and selected results from their application to the study of tick-borne viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, where possible comparing these results to studies in live, intact ticks. Finally, we highlight the strengths and weaknesses of in vitro tick culture models and their essential role in tick-borne pathogen research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiano Salata
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Sara Moutailler
- Laboratoire De Santé Animale, Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Houssam Attoui
- Department of Animal Health, UMR1161 Virologie, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Erich Zweygarth
- The Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Lygia Decker
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Iqbal N, Mukhtar MU, Yang J, Niu Q, Li Z, Zhao S, Zhao Y, Guan G, Liu Z, Yin H. Identification and evaluation of midgut protein RL12 of Dermacentor silvarum interacting with Anaplasma ovis VirD4. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2021; 12:101677. [PMID: 33549977 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101677] [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: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Anaplasma ovis, a tick-borne intra-erythrocytic Gram-negative bacterium, is a causative agent of ovine anaplasmosis. It is known that Dermacentor ticks act as biological vectors for A. ovis. VirD4 is the machine component of Type IV Secretion System of A. ovis. To better understand the pathogen-vector interaction, VirD4 was used as a bait protein for screening midgut proteins of Dermacentor silvarum via yeast two-hybrid mating assay. As a result, a ribosomal protein RL12 was identified from the midgut cDNA library of D. silvarum. For further validation, using in vitro Glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down assay, interaction between the proteins, GST-RL12 and HIS-VirD4, was observed in Western blot analysis. The study is first of its kind reporting a D. silvarum midgut protein interaction with VirD4 from A. ovis. Functional annotations showed some important cellular processes are attributed to the protein, particularly in the stringent response and biogenesis. The results of the study suggest the involvement of the VirD4-RL12 interaction in the regulation of signaling pathways, which is a tool for understanding the pathogen-vector interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naveed Iqbal
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Muhammad Uzair Mukhtar
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Jifei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Qingli Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Zhi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Shuaiyang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Yaru Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Guiquan Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Zhijie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China.
| | - Hong Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, PR China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, PR China.
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Kim D, Jaworski DC, Cheng C, Nair AD, Ganta RR, Herndon N, Brown S, Park Y. The transcriptome of the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, reveals molecular changes in response to infection with the pathogen, Ehrlichia chaffeensis. JOURNAL OF ASIA-PACIFIC ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 21:852-863. [PMID: 34316264 PMCID: PMC8312692 DOI: 10.1016/j.aspen.2018.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, is an obligatory ectoparasite of many vertebrates and the primary vector of Ehrlichia chaffeensis, the causative agent of human monocytic ehrlichiosis. This study aimed to investigate the comparative transcriptomes of A. americanum underlying the processes of pathogen acquisition and of immunity towards the pathogen. Differential expression of the whole body transcripts in six different treatments were compared: females and males that were E. chaffeensis non-exposed, E. chaffeensis-exposed/uninfected, and E. chaffeensis-exposed/infected. The Trinity assembly pipeline produced 140,574 transcripts from trimmed and filtered total raw sequence reads (approximately 117M reads). The gold transcript set of the transcriptome data was established to minimize noise by retaining only transcripts homologous to official peptide sets of Ixodes scapularis and A. americanum ESTs and transcripts covered with high enough frequency from the raw data. Comparison of the gene ontology term enrichment analyses for the six groups tested here revealed an up-regulation of genes for defense responses against the pathogen and for the supply of intracellular Ca++ for pathogen proliferation in the pathogen-exposed ticks. Analyses of differential expression, focused on functional subcategories including immune, sialome, neuropeptides, and G protein-coupled receptor, revealed that E. chaffeensis-exposed ticks exhibited an upregulation of transcripts involved in the immune deficiency (IMD) pathway, antimicrobial peptides, Kunitz, an insulin-like peptide, and bursicon receptor over unexposed ones, while transcripts for metalloprotease were down-regulated in general. This study found that ticks exhibit enhanced expression of genes responsible for defense against E. chaffeensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghun Kim
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Deborah C. Jaworski
- Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Chuanmin Cheng
- Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Arathy D.S. Nair
- Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Roman R. Ganta
- Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Nic Herndon
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Susan Brown
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Yoonseong Park
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
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Integrated metatranscriptomics and metaproteomics for the characterization of bacterial microbiota in unfed Ixodes ricinus. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:1241-1251. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 04/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Anaplasma marginale Outer Membrane Protein A Is an Adhesin That Recognizes Sialylated and Fucosylated Glycans and Functionally Depends on an Essential Binding Domain. Infect Immun 2017; 85:IAI.00968-16. [PMID: 27993973 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00968-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaplasma marginale causes bovine anaplasmosis, a debilitating and potentially fatal tick-borne infection of cattle. Because A. marginale is an obligate intracellular organism, its adhesins that mediate entry into host cells are essential for survival. Here, we demonstrate that A. marginale outer membrane protein A (AmOmpA; AM854) contributes to the invasion of mammalian and tick host cells. AmOmpA exhibits predicted structural homology to OmpA of A. phagocytophilum (ApOmpA), an adhesin that uses key lysine and glycine residues to interact with α2,3-sialylated and α1,3-fucosylated glycan receptors, including 6-sulfo-sialyl Lewis x (6-sulfo-sLex). Antisera against AmOmpA or its predicted binding domain inhibits A. marginale infection of host cells. Residues G55 and K58 are contributory, and K59 is essential for recombinant AmOmpA to bind to host cells. Enzymatic removal of α2,3-sialic acid and α1,3-fucose residues from host cell surfaces makes them less supportive of AmOmpA binding. AmOmpA is both an adhesin and an invasin, as coating inert beads with it confers adhesiveness and invasiveness. Recombinant forms of AmOmpA and ApOmpA competitively antagonize A. marginale infection of host cells, but a monoclonal antibody against 6-sulfo-sLex fails to inhibit AmOmpA adhesion and A. marginale infection. Thus, the two OmpA proteins bind related but structurally distinct receptors. This study provides a detailed understanding of AmOmpA function, identifies its essential residues that can be targeted by blocking antibody to reduce infection, and determines that it binds to one or more α2,3-sialylated and α1,3-fucosylated glycan receptors that are unique from those targeted by ApOmpA.
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Truchan HK, Cockburn CL, Hebert KS, Magunda F, Noh SM, Carlyon JA. The Pathogen-Occupied Vacuoles of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma marginale Interact with the Endoplasmic Reticulum. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2016; 6:22. [PMID: 26973816 PMCID: PMC4771727 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2016.00022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Anaplasma consists of tick-transmitted obligate intracellular bacteria that invade white or red blood cells to cause debilitating and potentially fatal infections. A. phagocytophilum, a human and veterinary pathogen, infects neutrophils to cause granulocytic anaplasmosis. A. marginale invades bovine erythrocytes. Evidence suggests that both species may also infect endothelial cells in vivo. In mammalian and arthropod host cells, A. phagocytophilum and A. marginale reside in host cell derived pathogen-occupied vacuoles (POVs). While it was recently demonstrated that the A. phagocytophilum-occupied vacuole (ApV) intercepts membrane traffic from the trans-Golgi network, it is unclear if it or the A. marginale-occupied vacuole (AmV) interacts with other secretory organelles. Here, we demonstrate that the ApV and AmV extensively interact with the host endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in endothelial, myeloid, and/or tick cells. ER lumen markers, calreticulin, and protein disulfide isomerase, and the ER membrane marker, derlin-1, were pronouncedly recruited to the peripheries of both POVs. ApV association with the ER initiated early and continued throughout the infection cycle. Both the ApV and AmV interacted with the rough ER and smooth ER. However, only derlin-1-positive rough ER derived vesicles were delivered into the ApV lumen where they localized with intravacuolar bacteria. Transmission electron microscopy identified multiple ER-POV membrane contact sites on the cytosolic faces of both species' vacuoles that corresponded to areas on the vacuoles' lumenal faces where intravacuolar Anaplasma organisms closely associated. A. phagocytophilum is known to hijack Rab10, a GTPase that regulates ER dynamics and morphology. Yet, ApV-ER interactions were unhindered in cells in which Rab10 had been knocked down, demonstrating that the GTPase is dispensable for the bacterium to parasitize the ER. These data establish the ApV and AmV as pathogen-host interfaces that directly engage the ER in vertebrate and invertebrate host cells and evidence the conservation of ER parasitism between two Anaplasma species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary K Truchan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Chelsea L Cockburn
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Kathryn S Hebert
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Forgivemore Magunda
- Program in Vector Borne Diseases, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State UniversityPullman, WA, USA; The Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State UniversityPullman, WA, USA
| | - Susan M Noh
- Program in Vector Borne Diseases, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State UniversityPullman, WA, USA; Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of AgriculturePullman, WA, USA
| | - Jason A Carlyon
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine Richmond, VA, USA
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de la Fuente J, Estrada-Peña A, Cabezas-Cruz A, Kocan KM. Anaplasma phagocytophilum Uses Common Strategies for Infection of Ticks and Vertebrate Hosts. Trends Microbiol 2015; 24:173-180. [PMID: 26718986 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The tick-borne rickettsial pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum develops within membrane-bound inclusions in the host cell cytoplasm. This pathogen has evolved with its tick and vertebrate hosts through dynamic processes involving genetic traits of the pathogen and hosts that collectively mediate pathogen infection, development, persistence, and survival. Herein, we challenge the evidence of tick-host-pathogen coevolution by hypothesizing that A. phagocytophilum utilizes common molecular mechanisms for infection in both vertebrate and tick cells, including remodeling of the cytoskeleton, inhibition of cell apoptosis, and manipulation of the immune response. The discovery of these common mechanisms provides evidence that a control strategy could be developed targeted at both vertebrate and tick hosts for more complete control of A. phagocytophilum and its associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- José de la Fuente
- SaBio, IREC, Ronda de Toledo s/n, Ciudad Real, 13005, Spain; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
| | | | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), INSERM U1019 - CNRS UMR 8204, Université Lille Nord de France, Institut Pasteur de Lille, 59019 Lille, France
| | - Katherine M Kocan
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
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Kocan KM, de la Fuente J, Coburn LA. Insights into the development of Ixodes scapularis: a resource for research on a medically important tick species. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:592. [PMID: 26576940 PMCID: PMC4650338 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1185-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks (Acari: Ixodida) are arthropod ectoparasites dependent on a bloodmeal from a vertebrate host at each developmental stage for completion of their life cycle. This tick feeding cycle impacts animal health by causing damage to hides, secondary infections, immune reactions and diseases caused by transmission of pathogens. The genus Ixodes includes several medically important species that vector diseases, including granulocytic anaplasmosis and Lyme disease. I. scapularis, commonly called the black-legged or deer tick, is a medically-important tick species in North America and therefore was the first tick genome to be sequenced, thus serving as an important resource for tick research. This Primer focuses on the normal developmental cycle and laboratory rearing of I. scapularis. Definition of normal morphology, along with a consistent source of laboratory-reared I. scapularis, are fundamental for all aspects of future research, especially the effects of genetic manipulation and the evaluation of tick vaccine efficacy. Recent research important for the advancement of tick research, namely the development of tick cell culture systems for study of ticks and tick-borne pathogens, RNA interference for genetic manipulation of ticks and discovery of candidate antigens for development of tick vaccines, are briefly presented along with areas to target for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Kocan
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
| | - José de la Fuente
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC)-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM)-Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Lisa A Coburn
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
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Oliva Chávez AS, Fairman JW, Felsheim RF, Nelson CM, Herron MJ, Higgins L, Burkhardt NY, Oliver JD, Markowski TW, Kurtti TJ, Edwards TE, Munderloh UG. An O-Methyltransferase Is Required for Infection of Tick Cells by Anaplasma phagocytophilum. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1005248. [PMID: 26544981 PMCID: PMC4636158 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2014] [Accepted: 10/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the causative agent of Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis (HGA), is an obligately intracellular α-proteobacterium that is transmitted by Ixodes spp ticks. However, the pathogen is not transovarially transmitted between tick generations and therefore needs to survive in both a mammalian host and the arthropod vector to complete its life cycle. To adapt to different environments, pathogens rely on differential gene expression as well as the modification of proteins and other molecules. Random transposon mutagenesis of A. phagocytophilum resulted in an insertion within the coding region of an o-methyltransferase (omt) family 3 gene. In wild-type bacteria, expression of omt was up-regulated during binding to tick cells (ISE6) at 2 hr post-inoculation, but nearly absent by 4 hr p.i. Gene disruption reduced bacterial binding to ISE6 cells, and the mutant bacteria that were able to enter the cells were arrested in their replication and development. Analyses of the proteomes of wild-type versus mutant bacteria during binding to ISE6 cells identified Major Surface Protein 4 (Msp4), but also hypothetical protein APH_0406, as the most differentially methylated. Importantly, two glutamic acid residues (the targets of the OMT) were methyl-modified in wild-type Msp4, whereas a single asparagine (not a target of the OMT) was methylated in APH_0406. In vitro methylation assays demonstrated that recombinant OMT specifically methylated Msp4. Towards a greater understanding of the overall structure and catalytic activity of the OMT, we solved the apo (PDB_ID:4OA8), the S-adenosine homocystein-bound (PDB_ID:4OA5), the SAH-Mn2+ bound (PDB_ID:4PCA), and SAM- Mn2+ bound (PDB_ID:4PCL) X-ray crystal structures of the enzyme. Here, we characterized a mutation in A. phagocytophilum that affected the ability of the bacteria to productively infect cells from its natural vector. Nevertheless, due to the lack of complementation, we cannot rule out secondary mutations. Since its discovery in 1994, Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis (HGA) has become the second most commonly diagnosed tick-borne disease in the US, and it is gaining importance in several countries in Europe. HGA is caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum, a bacterium transmitted by black-legged ticks and their relatives. Whereas several of the molecules and processes leading to infection of human cells have been identified, little is known about their counterparts in the tick. We analyzed the effects of a mutation in a gene encoding an o-methyltransferase that is involved in methylation of an outer membrane protein. The mutation of the OMT appears to be important for the ability of A. phagocytophilum to adhere to, invade, and replicate in tick cells. Several tests including binding assays, microscopic analysis of the infection cycle within tick cells, gene expression assays, and biochemical assays using recombinant OMT strongly suggested that the mutation of the o-methyltransferase gene arrested the growth and development of this bacterium within tick cells. Proteomic analyses identified several possible OMT substrates, and in vitro methylation assays using recombinant o-methyltransferase identified an outer membrane protein, Msp4, as a specifically methyl-modified target. Our results indicated that methylation was important for infection of tick cells by A. phagocytophilum, and suggested possible strategies to block transmission of this emerging pathogen. The solved crystal structure of the o-methyltransferase will further stimulate the search for small molecule inhibitors that could break the tick transmission cycle of A. phagocytophilum in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adela S. Oliva Chávez
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - James W. Fairman
- Emerald Bio, Bainbridge Island, Washington, United States of America
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Roderick F. Felsheim
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Curtis M. Nelson
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Herron
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - LeeAnn Higgins
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Nicole Y. Burkhardt
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Jonathan D. Oliver
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Todd W. Markowski
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Timothy J. Kurtti
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Thomas E. Edwards
- Emerald Bio, Bainbridge Island, Washington, United States of America
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Ulrike G. Munderloh
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
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12
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Villar M, Ayllón N, Alberdi P, Moreno A, Moreno M, Tobes R, Mateos-Hernández L, Weisheit S, Bell-Sakyi L, de la Fuente J. Integrated Metabolomics, Transcriptomics and Proteomics Identifies Metabolic Pathways Affected by Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infection in Tick Cells. Mol Cell Proteomics 2015; 14:3154-72. [PMID: 26424601 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m115.051938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis. These intracellular bacteria establish infection by affecting cell function in both the vertebrate host and the tick vector, Ixodes scapularis. Previous studies have characterized the tick transcriptome and proteome in response to A. phagocytophilum infection. However, in the postgenomic era, the integration of omics datasets through a systems biology approach allows network-based analyses to describe the complexity and functionality of biological systems such as host-pathogen interactions and the discovery of new targets for prevention and control of infectious diseases. This study reports the first systems biology integration of metabolomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics data to characterize essential metabolic pathways involved in the tick response to A. phagocytophilum infection. The ISE6 tick cells used in this study constitute a model for hemocytes involved in pathogen infection and immune response. The results showed that infection affected protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum and glucose metabolic pathways in tick cells. These results supported tick-Anaplasma co-evolution by providing new evidence of how tick cells limit pathogen infection, while the pathogen benefits from the tick cell response to establish infection. Additionally, ticks benefit from A. phagocytophilum infection by increasing survival while pathogens guarantee transmission. The results suggested that A. phagocytophilum induces protein misfolding to limit the tick cell response and facilitate infection but requires protein degradation to prevent ER stress and cell apoptosis to survive in infected cells. Additionally, A. phagocytophilum may benefit from the tick cell's ability to limit bacterial infection through PEPCK inhibition leading to decreased glucose metabolism, which also results in the inhibition of cell apoptosis that increases infection of tick cells. These results support the use of this experimental approach to systematically identify cell pathways and molecular mechanisms involved in tick-pathogen interactions. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD002181.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Villar
- From the ‡SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain;
| | - Nieves Ayllón
- From the ‡SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Pilar Alberdi
- From the ‡SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Andrés Moreno
- §Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías Químicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - María Moreno
- §Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías Químicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Raquel Tobes
- ¶Oh No Sequences! Research Group, Era7 Bioinformatics, Plaza Campo Verde n° 3 Ático, 18001 Granada, Spain
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernández
- From the ‡SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Sabine Weisheit
- ‖The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK; **The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, GU24 0NF, UK
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- ‖The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK; **The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, GU24 0NF, UK
| | - José de la Fuente
- From the ‡SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; ‡‡Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078.
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13
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Atif FA. Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma phagocytophilum: Rickettsiales pathogens of veterinary and public health significance. Parasitol Res 2015; 114:3941-57. [PMID: 26346451 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4698-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma phagocytophilum are the most important tick-borne bacteria of veterinary and public health significance in the family Anaplasmataceae. The objective of current review is to provide knowledge on ecology and epidemiology of A. phagocytophilum and compare major similarities and differences of A. marginale and A. phagocytophilum. Bovine anaplasmosis is globally distributed tick-borne disease of livestock with great economic importance in cattle industry. A. phagocytophilum, a cosmopolitan zoonotic tick transmitted pathogen of wide mammalian hosts. The infection in domestic animals is generally referred as tick-borne fever. Concurrent infections exist in ticks, domestic and wild animals in same geographic area. All age groups are susceptible, but the prevalence increases with age. Movement of susceptible domestic animals from tick free non-endemic regions to disease endemic regions is the major risk factor of bovine anaplasmosis and tick-borne fever. Recreational activities or any other high-risk tick exposure habits as well as blood transfusion are important risk factors of human granulocytic anaplasmosis. After infection, individuals remain life-long carriers. Clinical anaplasmosis is usually diagnosed upon examination of stained blood smears. Generally, detection of serum antibodies followed by molecular diagnosis is usually recommended. There are problems of sensitivity and cross-reactivity with both the Anaplasma species during serological tests. Tetracyclines are the drugs of choice for treatment and elimination of anaplasmosis in animals and humans. Universal vaccine is not available for either A. marginale or A. phagocytophilum, effective against geographically diverse strains. Major control measures for bovine anaplasmosis and tick-borne fever include rearing of tick-resistant breeds, endemic stability, breeding Anaplasma-free herds, identification of regional vectors, domestic/wild reservoirs and control, habitat modification, biological control, chemotherapy, and vaccinations (anaplasmosis and/or tick vaccination). Minimizing the tick exposure activities, identification and control of reservoirs are important control measures for human granulocytic anaplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhan Ahmad Atif
- Department of Animal Sciences, University College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, 40100, Pakistan.
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14
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Identification and Characterization of Anaplasma phagocytophilum Proteins Involved in Infection of the Tick Vector, Ixodes scapularis. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0137237. [PMID: 26340562 PMCID: PMC4560377 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an emerging zoonotic pathogen transmitted by Ixodes scapularis that causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis. Here, a high throughput quantitative proteomics approach was used to characterize A. phagocytophilum proteome during rickettsial multiplication and identify proteins involved in infection of the tick vector, I. scapularis. The first step in this research was focused on tick cells infected with A. phagocytophilum and sampled at two time points containing 10–15% and 65–71% infected cells, respectively to identify key bacterial proteins over-represented in high percentage infected cells. The second step was focused on adult female tick guts and salivary glands infected with A. phagocytophilum to compare in vitro results with those occurring during bacterial infection in vivo. The results showed differences in the proteome of A. phagocytophilum in infected ticks with higher impact on protein synthesis and processing than on bacterial replication in tick salivary glands. These results correlated well with the developmental cycle of A. phagocytophilum, in which cells convert from an intracellular reticulated, replicative form to the nondividing infectious dense-core form. The analysis of A. phagocytophilum differentially represented proteins identified stress response (GroEL, HSP70) and surface (MSP4) proteins that were over-represented in high percentage infected tick cells and salivary glands when compared to low percentage infected cells and guts, respectively. The results demonstrated that MSP4, GroEL and HSP70 interact and bind to tick cells, thus playing a role in rickettsia-tick interactions. The most important finding of these studies is the increase in the level of certain bacterial stress response and surface proteins in A. phagocytophilum-infected tick cells and salivary glands with functional implication in tick-pathogen interactions. These results gave a new dimension to the role of these stress response and surface proteins during A. phagocytophilum infection in ticks. Characterization of Anaplasma proteome contributes information on host-pathogen interactions and provides targets for development of novel control strategies for pathogen infection and transmission.
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15
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Reppert E, Galindo RC, Breshears MA, Kocan KM, Blouin EF, de la Fuente J. Demonstration of transplacental transmission of a human isolate of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in an experimentally infected sheep. Transbound Emerg Dis 2014; 60 Suppl 2:93-6. [PMID: 24589107 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Anaplasma phagocytophilum, first identified as a pathogen of sheep in Europe, more recently has been recognized as an emerging tick-borne pathogen of humans in the U.S. and Europe. Transmission of A. phagocytophilum is reported to be by ticks, primarily of the genus Ixodes. While mechanical and transplacental transmission of the type genus organism, A. marginale, occur in addition to tick transmission, these modes of transmission have not been considered for A. phagocytophilum. Recently, we developed a sheep model for studying host-tick-pathogen interactions of the human NY-18 A. phagocytophilum isolate. Sheep were susceptible to infection with this human isolate and served as a source of infection for I. scapularis ticks, but they did not display clinical signs of disease, and the pathogen was not apparent in stained blood smears. In the course of these experiments, one sheep unexpectedly gave birth to a lamb 5 weeks after being experimentally infected by inoculation with the pathogen propagated in HL-60 cells. The lamb was depressed and not feeding and was subsequently euthanized 18 h after birth. Tissues were collected at necropsy for microscopic examination and PCR to confirm A. phagocytophilum infection. At necropsy, the stomach contained colostrum, the spleen was moderately enlarged and thickened with conspicuous lymphoid follicles, and mesenteric lymph nodes were mildly enlarged and contained moderate infiltrates of eosinophils and neutrophils. Blood, spleen, heart, skin and cervical and mesenteric lymph nodes tested positive for A. phagocytophilum by PCR, and sequence analysis confirmed that the lamb was infected with the NY-18 isolate. Transplacental transmission should therefore be considered as a means of A. phagocytophilum transmission and may likely contribute to the epidemiology of tick-borne fever in sheep and other mammals, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Reppert
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
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16
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Pruneau L, Moumène A, Meyer DF, Marcelino I, Lefrançois T, Vachiéry N. Understanding Anaplasmataceae pathogenesis using "Omics" approaches. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2014; 4:86. [PMID: 25072029 PMCID: PMC4078744 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2014.00086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2014] [Accepted: 06/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper examines how "Omics" approaches improve our understanding of Anaplasmataceae pathogenesis, through a global and integrative strategy to identify genes and proteins involved in biochemical pathways key for pathogen-host-vector interactions. The Anaplasmataceae family comprises obligate intracellular bacteria mainly transmitted by arthropods. These bacteria are responsible for major human and animal endemic and emerging infectious diseases with important economic and public health impacts. In order to improve disease control strategies, it is essential to better understand their pathogenesis. Our work focused on four Anaplasmataceae, which cause important animal, human and zoonotic diseases: Anaplasma marginale, A. phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and E. ruminantium. Wolbachia spp. an endosymbiont of arthropods was also included in this review as a model of a non-pathogenic Anaplasmataceae. A gap analysis on "Omics" approaches on Anaplasmataceae was performed, which highlighted a lack of studies on the genes and proteins involved in the infection of hosts and vectors. Furthermore, most of the studies have been done on the pathogen itself, mainly on infectious free-living forms and rarely on intracellular forms. In order to perform a transcriptomic analysis of the intracellular stage of development, researchers developed methods to enrich bacterial transcripts from infected cells. These methods are described in this paper. Bacterial genes encoding outer membrane proteins, post-translational modifications, eukaryotic repeated motif proteins, proteins involved in osmotic and oxidative stress and hypothetical proteins have been identified to play a key role in Anaplasmataceae pathogenesis. Further investigations on the function of these outer membrane proteins and hypothetical proteins will be essential to confirm their role in the pathogenesis. Our work underlines the need for further studies in this domain and on host and vector responses to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovic Pruneau
- CIRAD, BIOS, UMR CMAEE Petit-Bourg, France ; INRA, BIOS, UMR CMAEE Montpellier, France ; Université des Antilles et de la Guyane Pointe-à-Pitre, France
| | - Amal Moumène
- CIRAD, BIOS, UMR CMAEE Petit-Bourg, France ; INRA, BIOS, UMR CMAEE Montpellier, France ; Université des Antilles et de la Guyane Pointe-à-Pitre, France
| | - Damien F Meyer
- CIRAD, BIOS, UMR CMAEE Petit-Bourg, France ; INRA, BIOS, UMR CMAEE Montpellier, France
| | - Isabel Marcelino
- CIRAD, BIOS, UMR CMAEE Petit-Bourg, France ; INRA, BIOS, UMR CMAEE Montpellier, France ; IBET Apartado, Oeiras, Portugal ; ITQB-UNL, Estação Agronómica Nacional Oeiras, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Thierry Lefrançois
- CIRAD, BIOS, UMR CMAEE Petit-Bourg, France ; INRA, BIOS, UMR CMAEE Montpellier, France
| | - Nathalie Vachiéry
- CIRAD, BIOS, UMR CMAEE Petit-Bourg, France ; INRA, BIOS, UMR CMAEE Montpellier, France
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17
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Bifano TD, Ueti MW, Esteves E, Reif KE, Braz GRC, Scoles GA, Bastos RG, White SN, Daffre S. Knockdown of the Rhipicephalus microplus cytochrome c oxidase subunit III gene is associated with a failure of Anaplasma marginale transmission. PLoS One 2014; 9:e98614. [PMID: 24878588 PMCID: PMC4039488 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2013] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Rhipicephalus microplus is an obligate hematophagous ectoparasite of cattle and an important biological vector of Anaplasma marginale in tropical and subtropical regions. The primary determinants for A. marginale transmission are infection of the tick gut, followed by infection of salivary glands. Transmission of A. marginale to cattle occurs via infected saliva delivered during tick feeding. Interference in colonization of either the tick gut or salivary glands can affect transmission of A. marginale to naïve animals. In this study, we used the tick embryonic cell line BME26 to identify genes that are modulated in response to A. marginale infection. Suppression-subtractive hybridization libraries (SSH) were constructed, and five up-regulated genes {glutathione S-transferase (GST), cytochrome c oxidase sub III (COXIII), dynein (DYN), synaptobrevin (SYN) and phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate 3-phosphatase (PHOS)} were selected as targets for functional in vivo genomic analysis. RNA interference (RNAi) was used to determine the effect of tick gene knockdown on A. marginale acquisition and transmission. Although RNAi consistently knocked down all individually examined tick genes in infected tick guts and salivary glands, only the group of ticks injected with dsCOXIII failed to transmit A. marginale to naïve calves. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that RNAi of a tick gene is associated with a failure of A. marginale transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais D. Bifano
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Massaro W. Ueti
- Animal Diseases Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Pullman, Washington United States of America
| | - Eliane Esteves
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Kathryn E. Reif
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Glória R. C. Braz
- Department of Biochemistry, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Glen A. Scoles
- Animal Diseases Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Pullman, Washington United States of America
| | - Reginaldo G. Bastos
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Stephen N. White
- Animal Diseases Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Pullman, Washington United States of America
| | - Sirlei Daffre
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Moniuszko A, Rückert C, Alberdi MP, Barry G, Stevenson B, Fazakerley JK, Kohl A, Bell-Sakyi L. Coinfection of tick cell lines has variable effects on replication of intracellular bacterial and viral pathogens. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2014; 5:415-22. [PMID: 24685441 PMCID: PMC4058533 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2013] [Revised: 01/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Ticks transmit various human and animal microbial pathogens and may harbour more than one pathogen simultaneously. Both viruses and bacteria can trigger, and may subsequently suppress, vertebrate host and arthropod vector anti-microbial responses. Microbial coinfection of ticks could lead to an advantage or disadvantage for one or more of the microorganisms. In this preliminary study, cell lines derived from the ticks Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes ricinus were infected sequentially with 2 arthropod-borne pathogens, Borrelia burgdorferi s.s., Ehrlichia ruminantium, or Semliki Forest virus (SFV), and the effect of coinfection on the replication of these pathogens was measured. Prior infection of tick cell cultures with the spirochaete B. burgdorferi enhanced subsequent replication of the rickettsial pathogen E. ruminantium whereas addition of spirochaetes to cells infected with E. ruminantium had no effect on growth of the latter. Both prior and subsequent presence of B. burgdorferi also had a positive effect on SFV replication. Presence of E. ruminantium or SFV had no measurable effect on B. burgdorferi growth. In tick cells infected first with E. ruminantium and then with SFV, virus replication was significantly higher across all time points measured (24, 48, 72h post infection), while presence of the virus had no detectable effect on bacterial growth. When cells were infected first with SFV and then with E. ruminantium, there was no effect on replication of either pathogen. The results of this preliminary study indicate that interplay does occur between different pathogens during infection of tick cells. Further study is needed to determine if this results from direct pathogen-pathogen interaction or from effects on host cell defences, and to determine if these observations also apply in vivo in ticks. If presence of one pathogen in the tick vector results in increased replication of another, this could have implications for disease transmission and incidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Moniuszko
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK; Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections, Medical University in Białystok, Żurawia 14, 15-540 Białystok, Poland
| | - Claudia Rückert
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK
| | - M Pilar Alberdi
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK
| | - Gerald Barry
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK
| | - Brian Stevenson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, MS421 Chandler Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, USA
| | - John K Fazakerley
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK; The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 0NF, UK
| | - Alain Kohl
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK.
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19
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Villar M, Popara M, Ayllón N, Fernández de Mera IG, Mateos-Hernández L, Galindo RC, Manrique M, Tobes R, de la Fuente J. A systems biology approach to the characterization of stress response in Dermacentor reticulatus tick unfed larvae. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89564. [PMID: 24586875 PMCID: PMC3931811 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2013] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius, 1794) is distributed in Europe and Asia where it infests and transmits disease-causing pathogens to humans, pets and other domestic and wild animals. However, despite its role as a vector of emerging or re-emerging diseases, very little information is available on the genome, transcriptome and proteome of D. reticulatus. Tick larvae are the first developmental stage to infest hosts, acquire infection and transmit pathogens that are transovarially transmitted and are exposed to extremely stressing conditions. In this study, we used a systems biology approach to get an insight into the mechanisms active in D. reticulatus unfed larvae, with special emphasis on stress response. Principal Findings The results support the use of paired end RNA sequencing and proteomics informed by transcriptomics (PIT) for the analysis of transcriptomics and proteomics data, particularly for organisms such as D. reticulatus with little sequence information available. The results showed that metabolic and cellular processes involved in protein synthesis were the most active in D. reticulatus unfed larvae, suggesting that ticks are very active during this life stage. The stress response was activated in D. reticulatus unfed larvae and a Rickettsia sp. similar to R. raoultii was identified in these ticks. Significance The activation of stress responses in D. reticulatus unfed larvae likely counteracts the negative effect of temperature and other stress conditions such as Rickettsia infection and favors tick adaptation to environmental conditions to increase tick survival. These results show mechanisms that have evolved in D. reticulatus ticks to survive under stress conditions and suggest that these mechanisms are conserved across hard tick species. Targeting some of these proteins by vaccination may increase tick susceptibility to natural stress conditions, which in turn reduce tick survival and reproduction, thus reducing tick populations and vector capacity for tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Villar
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Marina Popara
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Nieves Ayllón
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | | | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernández
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Ruth C. Galindo
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Marina Manrique
- Oh no sequences! Research group, Era7 Bioinformatics, Granada, Spain
| | - Raquel Tobes
- Oh no sequences! Research group, Era7 Bioinformatics, Granada, Spain
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Hajdušek O, Síma R, Ayllón N, Jalovecká M, Perner J, de la Fuente J, Kopáček P. Interaction of the tick immune system with transmitted pathogens. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2013; 3:26. [PMID: 23875177 PMCID: PMC3712896 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2013.00026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2013] [Accepted: 06/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks are hematophagous arachnids transmitting a wide variety of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, and protozoans to their vertebrate hosts. The tick vector competence has to be intimately linked to the ability of transmitted pathogens to evade tick defense mechanisms encountered on their route through the tick body comprising midgut, hemolymph, salivary glands or ovaries. Tick innate immunity is, like in other invertebrates, based on an orchestrated action of humoral and cellular immune responses. The direct antimicrobial defense in ticks is accomplished by a variety of small molecules such as defensins, lysozymes or by tick-specific antimicrobial compounds such as microplusin/hebraein or 5.3-kDa family proteins. Phagocytosis of the invading microbes by tick hemocytes is likely mediated by the primordial complement-like system composed of thioester-containing proteins, fibrinogen-related lectins and convertase-like factors. Moreover, an important role in survival of the ingested microbes seems to be played by host proteins and redox balance maintenance in the tick midgut. Here, we summarize recent knowledge about the major components of tick immune system and focus on their interaction with the relevant tick-transmitted pathogens, represented by spirochetes (Borrelia), rickettsiae (Anaplasma), and protozoans (Babesia). Availability of the tick genomic database and feasibility of functional genomics based on RNA interference greatly contribute to the understanding of molecular and cellular interplay at the tick-pathogen interface and may provide new targets for blocking the transmission of tick pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Hajdušek
- Biological Centre ASCR, Institute of Parasitology České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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Anaplasma phagocytophilum inhibits apoptosis and promotes cytoskeleton rearrangement for infection of tick cells. Infect Immun 2013; 81:2415-25. [PMID: 23630955 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00194-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Anaplasma phagocytophilum causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis. Infection with this zoonotic pathogen affects gene expression in both the vertebrate host and the tick vector, Ixodes scapularis. Here, we identified new genes, including spectrin alpha chain or alpha-fodrin (CG8) and voltage-dependent anion-selective channel or mitochondrial porin (T2), that are involved in A. phagocytophilum infection/multiplication and the tick cell response to infection. The pathogen downregulated the expression of CG8 in tick salivary glands and T2 in both the gut and salivary glands to inhibit apoptosis as a mechanism to subvert host cell defenses and increase infection. In the gut, the tick response to infection through CG8 upregulation was used by the pathogen to increase infection due to the cytoskeleton rearrangement that is required for pathogen infection. These results increase our understanding of the role of tick genes during A. phagocytophilum infection and multiplication and demonstrate that the pathogen uses similar strategies to establish infection in both vertebrate and invertebrate hosts.
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Estrada-Peña A, Ayllón N, de la Fuente J. Impact of climate trends on tick-borne pathogen transmission. Front Physiol 2012; 3:64. [PMID: 22470348 PMCID: PMC3313475 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2012.00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2012] [Accepted: 03/05/2012] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in climate research together with a better understanding of tick-pathogen interactions, the distribution of ticks and the diagnosis of tick-borne pathogens raise questions about the impact of environmental factors on tick abundance and spread and the prevalence and transmission of tick-borne pathogens. While undoubtedly climate plays a role in the changes in distribution and seasonal abundance of ticks, it is always difficult to disentangle factors impacting on the abundance of tick hosts from those exerted by human habits. All together, climate, host abundance, and social factors may explain the upsurge of epidemics transmitted by ticks to humans. Herein we focused on tick-borne pathogens that affect humans with epidemic potential. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. (Lyme disease), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (human granulocytic anaplasmosis), and tick-borne encephalitis virus (tick-borne encephalitis) are transmitted by Ixodes spp. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever) is transmitted by Hyalomma spp. In this review, we discussed how vector tick species occupy the habitat as a function of different climatic factors, and how these factors impact on tick survival and seasonality. How molecular events at the tick-pathogen interface impact on pathogen transmission is also discussed. Results from statistically and biologically derived models are compared to show that while statistical models are able to outline basic information about tick distributions, biologically derived models are necessary to evaluate pathogen transmission rates and understand the effect of climatic variables and host abundance patterns on pathogen transmission. The results of these studies could be used to build early alert systems able to identify the main factors driving the subtle changes in tick distribution and seasonality and the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Estrada-Peña
- Department of Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, University of ZaragozaZaragoza, Spain
| | - Nieves Ayllón
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos CinegéticosCSIC–UCLM–JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - José de la Fuente
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos CinegéticosCSIC–UCLM–JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State UniversityStillwater, OK, USA
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Busby AT, Ayllón N, Kocan KM, Blouin EF, de la Fuente G, Galindo RC, Villar M, de la Fuente J. Expression of heat shock proteins and subolesin affects stress responses, Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection and questing behaviour in the tick, Ixodes scapularis. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2012; 26:92-102. [PMID: 21781141 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2011.00973.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We characterized the effects of subolesin and heat shock protein (HSP) expression on Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae) stress responses to heat shock and feeding, questing behaviour and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) infection. Ticks and cultured tick cells were analysed before and after subolesin, hsp20 and hsp70 gene knock-down by RNA interference. The results of these studies confirm that HSPs are involved in the tick cell response to heat stress and that subolesin and HSPs are both involved in the tick response to blood-feeding stress and A. phagocytophilum infection. Subolesin and hsp20 are involved in the tick protective response to A. phagocytophilum infection and hsp70 expression may be manipulated by the pathogen to increase infectivity. Importantly, these results demonstrate that subolesin, hsp20 and hsp70 expression also affect tick questing behaviour. Overall, this research demonstrates a relationship between hsp and subolesin expression and tick stress responses to heat shock and blood feeding, A. phagocytophilum infection and questing behaviour, thereby extending our understanding of the tick-host-pathogen interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- A T Busby
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, U.S.A
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Mercado-Curiel RF, Palmer GH, Guerrero FD, Brayton KA. Temporal characterisation of the organ-specific Rhipicephalus microplus transcriptional response to Anaplasma marginale infection. Int J Parasitol 2011; 41:851-60. [PMID: 21514300 PMCID: PMC3114074 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2011.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2011] [Revised: 03/06/2011] [Accepted: 03/07/2011] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Arthropods transmit important infectious diseases of humans and animals. Importantly, replication and the development of pathogen infectivity are tightly linked to vector feeding on the mammalian host; thus analysis of the transcriptomes of both vector and pathogen during feeding is fundamental to understanding transmission. Using Anaplasma marginale infection of Rhipicephalus microplus as the experimental model, we tested three hypotheses exploring the temporal and organ-specific nature of the tick midgut and salivary gland transcriptomes during feeding and in response to infection. Numerous R. microplus genes were regulated in response to feeding and were differentially regulated between the midgut and salivary gland; additionally, there was a progression in regulated gene expression in the salivary gland over time. In contrast, relatively few tick genes were specifically regulated in response to A. marginale infection and these genes were predominantly annotated as hypothetical or were of unknown function. Notable among the genes with informative annotation was that several ribosomal proteins were down-regulated, suggesting that there may be a corresponding decrease in translation. The hypotheses that R. microplus midgut and salivary gland genes are differentially regulated and that the salivary gland transcriptome is dynamic over time were accepted. This is consistent with, and important for understanding the roles of, the two organs, the midgut serving as an initial site of uptake and replication while the salivary gland serves as the final site of replication and secretion. The nominal effect of A. marginale on the tick transcriptome in terms of numbers of regulated genes and fold of regulation supports the view that the vector-pathogen relationship is well established with minimal deleterious effect on the tick. The small set of predominantly hypothetical genes regulated by infection suggests that A. marginale is affecting a novel set of tick genes and may provide new opportunities for blocking transmission from the tick.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo F. Mercado-Curiel
- Program in Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology and Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-7040, USA
| | - Guy H. Palmer
- Program in Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology and Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-7040, USA
| | - Felix D. Guerrero
- USDA-ARS, Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, 2700 Fredericksburg Rd., Kerrville, TX 78028, USA
| | - Kelly A. Brayton
- Program in Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology and Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-7040, USA
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Expression of Heat Shock and Other Stress Response Proteins in Ticks and Cultured Tick Cells in Response to Anaplasma spp. Infection and Heat Shock. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PROTEOMICS 2010; 2010:657261. [PMID: 22084679 PMCID: PMC3200212 DOI: 10.1155/2010/657261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2010] [Revised: 07/13/2010] [Accepted: 07/29/2010] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are ectoparasites of animals and humans that serve as vectors of Anaplasma and other pathogens that affect humans and animals worldwide. Ticks and the pathogens that they transmit have coevolved molecular interactions involving genetic traits of both the tick and the pathogen that mediate their development and survival. In this paper, the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and other stress response proteins (SRPs) was characterized in ticks and cultured tick cells by proteomics and transcriptomics analyses in response to Anaplasma spp. infection and heat shock. The results of these studies demonstrated that the stress response was activated in ticks and cultured tick cells after Anaplasma spp. infection and heat shock. However, in the natural vector-pathogen relationship, HSPs and other SRPs were not strongly activated, which likely resulted from tick-pathogen coevolution. These results also demonstrated pathogen- and tick-specific differences in the expression of HSPs and other SRPs in ticks and cultured tick cells infected with Anaplasma spp. and suggested the existence of post-transcriptional mechanisms induced by Anaplasma spp. to control tick response to infection. These results illustrated the complexity of the stress response in ticks and suggested a function for the HSPs and other SRPs during Anaplasma spp. infection.
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Villar M, Torina A, Nuñez Y, Zivkovic Z, Marina A, Alongi A, Scimeca S, La Barbera G, Caracappa S, Vázquez J, Fuente JDL. Application of highly sensitive saturation labeling to the analysis of differential protein expression in infected ticks from limited samples. Proteome Sci 2010; 8:43. [PMID: 20704695 PMCID: PMC2929226 DOI: 10.1186/1477-5956-8-43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2010] [Accepted: 08/12/2010] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Ticks are vectors of pathogens that affect human and animal health worldwide. Proteomics and genomics studies of infected ticks are required to understand tick-pathogen interactions and identify potential vaccine antigens to control pathogen transmission. One of the limitations for proteomics research in ticks is the amount of protein that can be obtained from these organisms. In the work reported here, individual naturally-infected and uninfected Rhipicephalus spp. ticks were processed using a method that permits simultaneous extraction of DNA, RNA and proteins. This approach allowed using DNA to determine pathogen infection, protein for proteomics studies and RNA to characterize mRNA levels for some of the differentially expressed proteins. Differential protein expression in response to natural infection with different pathogens was characterized by two-dimensional (2-D) differential in gel electrophoresis (DIGE) saturation labeling in combination with mass spectrometry analysis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the application of DIGE saturation labeling to study tick proteins. Results Questing and feeding Rhipicephalus spp. adult ticks were collected in 27 farms located in different Sicilian regions. From 300 collected ticks, only 16 were found to be infected: R. sanguineus with Rickettsia conorii and Ehrlichia canis; R. bursa with Theileria annulata; and R. turanicus with Anaplasma ovis. The proteomic analysis conducted from a limited amount of proteins allowed the identification of host, pathogen and tick proteins differentially expressed as a consequence of infection. Conclusion These results showed that DIGE saturation labeling is a powerful technology for proteomics studies in small number of ticks and provided new information about the effect of pathogen infection in ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Villar
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain.
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Zivkovic Z, Torina A, Mitra R, Alongi A, Scimeca S, Kocan KM, Galindo RC, Almazán C, Blouin EF, Villar M, Nijhof AM, Mani R, La Barbera G, Caracappa S, Jongejan F, de la Fuente J. Subolesin expression in response to pathogen infection in ticks. BMC Immunol 2010; 11:7. [PMID: 20170494 PMCID: PMC2836984 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2172-11-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2009] [Accepted: 02/19/2010] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are vectors of pathogens worldwide that cause diseases in humans and animals. Ticks and pathogens have co-evolved molecular mechanisms that contribute to their mutual development and survival. Subolesin was discovered as a tick protective antigen and was subsequently shown to be similar in structure and function to akirins, an evolutionarily conserved group of proteins in insects and vertebrates that controls NF-kB-dependent and independent expression of innate immune response genes. The objective of this study was to investigate subolesin expression in several tick species infected with a variety of pathogens and to determine the effect of subolesin gene knockdown on pathogen infection. In the first experiment, subolesin expression was characterized in ticks experimentally infected with the cattle pathogen, Anaplasma marginale. Subolesin expression was then characterized in questing or feeding adult ticks confirmed to be infected with Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, Babesia or Theileria spp. Finally, the effect of subolesin knockdown by RNA interference (RNAi) on tick infection was analyzed in Dermacentor variabilis males exposed to various pathogens by capillary feeding (CF). RESULTS Subolesin expression increased with pathogen infection in the salivary glands but not in the guts of tick vector species infected with A. marginale. When analyzed in whole ticks, subolesin expression varied between tick species and in response to different pathogens. As reported previously, subolesin knockdown in D. variabilis infected with A. marginale and other tick-borne pathogens resulted in lower infection levels, while infection with Francisella tularensis increased in ticks after RNAi. When non-tick-borne pathogens were fed to ticks by CF, subolesin RNAi did not affect or resulted in lower infection levels in ticks. However, subolesin expression was upregulated in D. variabilis exposed to Escherichia coli, suggesting that although this pathogen may induce subolesin expression in ticks, silencing of this molecule reduced bacterial multiplication by a presently unknown mechanism. CONCLUSIONS Subolesin expression in infected ticks suggested that subolesin may be functionally important for tick innate immunity to pathogens, as has been reported for the akirins. However, subolesin expression and consequently subolesin-mediated innate immunity varied with the pathogen and tick tissue. Subolesin may plays a role in tick innate immunity in the salivary glands by limiting pathogen infection levels, but activates innate immunity only for some pathogen in the guts and other tissues. In addition, these results provided additional support for the role of subolesin in other molecular pathways including those required for tissue development and function and for pathogen infection and multiplication in ticks. Consequently, RNAi experiments demonstrated that subolesin knockdown in ticks may affect pathogen infection directly by reducing tick innate immunity that results in higher infection levels and indirectly by affecting tissue structure and function and the expression of genes that interfere with pathogen infection and multiplication. The impact of the direct or indirect effects of subolesin knockdown on pathogen infection may depend on several factors including specific tick-pathogen molecular interactions, pathogen life cycle in the tick and unknown mechanisms affected by subolesin function in the control of global gene expression in ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zorica Zivkovic
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Utrecht Centre for Tick-borne Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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