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The adult horn fly transcriptome and its complement of transcripts encoding cytochrome P450s, glutathione S-transferases, and esterases. Vet Parasitol 2022; 304:109699. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2022.109699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Domingues LN, Bendele KG, Halos L, Moreno Y, Epe C, Figueiredo M, Liebstein M, Guerrero FD. Identification of anti-horn fly vaccine antigen candidates using a reverse vaccinology approach. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:442. [PMID: 34479607 PMCID: PMC8414034 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04938-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The horn fly, Haematobia irritans irritans, causes significant production losses to the cattle industry. Horn fly control relies on insecticides; however, alternative control methods such as vaccines are needed due to the fly's capacity to quickly develop resistance to insecticides, and the pressure for eco-friendly options. Methods We used a reverse vaccinology approach comprising three vaccine prediction and 11 annotation tools to evaluate and rank 79,542 translated open reading frames (ORFs) from the horn fly's transcriptome, and selected 10 transcript ORFs as vaccine candidates for expression in Pichia pastoris. The expression of the 10 selected transcripts and the proteins that they encoded were investigated in adult flies by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and mass spectrometry, respectively. Then, we evaluated the immunogenicity of a vaccine candidate in an immunization trial and the antigen’s effects on horn fly mortality and fecundity in an in vitro feeding assay. Results Six of the ten vaccine candidate antigens were successfully expressed in P. pastoris. RT-PCR confirmed the expression of all six ORFs in adult fly RNA. One of the vaccine candidate antigens, BI-HS009, was expressed in sufficient quantity for immunogenicity and efficacy trials. The IgG titers of animals vaccinated with BI-HS009 plus adjuvant were significantly higher than those of animals vaccinated with buffer plus adjuvant only from days 42 to 112, with a peak on day 56. Progeny of horn flies feeding upon blood from animals vaccinated with BI-HS009 plus adjuvant collected on day 56 had 63% lower pupariation rate and 57% lower adult emergence than the control group (ANOVA: F(1, 6) = 8.221, P = 0.028 and F(1, 6) = 8.299, P = 0.028, respectively). Conclusions The reverse vaccinology approach streamlined the discovery process by prioritizing possible vaccine antigen candidates. Through a thoughtful process of selection and in vivo and in vitro evaluations, we were able to identify a promising antigen for an anti-horn fly vaccine. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-04938-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luísa N Domingues
- USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland U. S. Livestock Insects Research Lab, 2700 Fredericksburg Road, Kerrville, TX, USA. .,Texas A&M University, Department of Entomology, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Kylie G Bendele
- USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland U. S. Livestock Insects Research Lab, 2700 Fredericksburg Road, Kerrville, TX, USA.
| | - Lénaïg Halos
- Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, 29 Avenue Tony Garnier, 69007, Lyon, France.,Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yovany Moreno
- Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, Pharmaceutical Discovery and Research, 3239 Satellite Blvd. Bldg. 600, Duluth, GA, USA
| | - Christian Epe
- Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, Pharmaceutical Discovery and Research, 3239 Satellite Blvd. Bldg. 600, Duluth, GA, USA
| | - Monica Figueiredo
- Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, Pharmaceutical Discovery and Research, 3239 Satellite Blvd. Bldg. 600, Duluth, GA, USA
| | - Martin Liebstein
- Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Missouri Research Center, 6498 Jade Rd, Fulton, MO, USA
| | - Felix D Guerrero
- USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland U. S. Livestock Insects Research Lab, 2700 Fredericksburg Road, Kerrville, TX, USA
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3
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Fernando DD, Fischer K. Proteases and pseudoproteases in parasitic arthropods of clinical importance. FEBS J 2020; 287:4284-4299. [PMID: 32893448 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Parasitic arthropods feed on blood or skin tissue and share comparable repertoires of proteases involved in haematophagy, digestion, egg development and immunity. While proteolytically active proteases of multiple classes dominate, an increasing number of pseudoproteases have been discovered that have no proteolytic function but are pharmacologically active biomolecules, evolved to carry out alternative functions as regulatory, antihaemostatic, anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory compounds. In this review, we provide an overview of proteases and pseudoproteases from clinically important arthropod parasites. Many of these act in central biological pathways of parasite survival and host-parasite interaction and may be potential targets for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepani Darshika Fernando
- Cell and Molecular Biology Department, Infectious Diseases Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Katja Fischer
- Cell and Molecular Biology Department, Infectious Diseases Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
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4
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Kariyanna B, Prabhuraj A, Asokan R, Ramkumar G, Venkatesan T, Gracy RG, Mohan M. Genome mining and functional analysis of cytochrome P450 genes involved in insecticide resistance in Leucinodes orbonalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Biotechnol Appl Biochem 2020; 68:971-982. [PMID: 32744379 DOI: 10.1002/bab.1997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Genome-wide analysis of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP) genes from the advanced genome project of the Leucinodes orbonalis and the expression analysis provided significant information about the metabolism-mediated insecticide resistance. A total of 72 putative CYP genes were identified from the genome and transcriptome of L. orbonalis. The genes were classified under 30 families and 46 subfamilies based on the standard nomenclature. In the present study, a novel CYP gene, CYP324F1, was identified and it has not been reported from any other living system so far. Biochemical assays showed enhanced titers (5.81-18.5-fold) of O-demethylase of CYP in five field-collected populations. We selected 34 homologous CYP gene sequences, seemed to be involved in insecticide resistance for primer design and quantitative real-time PCR studies. Among the many overexpressed genes (>10 fold), the expression levels of CYP324F1 and CYP306A1 were prominent across all the field populations as compared with the susceptible iso-female line. Oral delivery of ds-CYP324F1 and ds-CYP306A1 directed against CYP324F1 and CYP306A1 to the larvae of one of the insecticide resistance populations caused reduced expression of these two transcripts in a dose-dependent manner (53.4%-85.0%). It appears that the increased titer of O-demethylase is the result of increased transcription level of CYP genes in resistant populations. The data provide insight for identifying the novel resistance management strategies against L. orbonalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bheeranna Kariyanna
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India.,ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Ramasamy Asokan
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | | | | | - Ramasamy G Gracy
- ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Muthugounder Mohan
- ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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Wolbachia Endosymbiont of the Horn Fly (Haematobia irritans irritans): a Supergroup A Strain with Multiple Horizontally Acquired Cytoplasmic Incompatibility Genes. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:AEM.02589-19. [PMID: 31900308 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02589-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The horn fly, Haematobia irritans irritans, is a hematophagous parasite of livestock distributed throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Welfare losses on livestock due to horn fly infestation are estimated to cost between $1 billion and $2.5 billion (U.S. dollars) annually in North America and Brazil. The endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia pipientis is a maternally inherited manipulator of reproductive biology in arthropods and naturally infects laboratory colonies of horn flies from Kerrville, TX, and Alberta, Canada, but it has also been identified in wild-caught samples from Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Hungary. Reassembly of PacBio long-read and Illumina genomic DNA libraries from the Kerrville H. i. irritans genome project allowed for a complete and circularized 1.3-Mb Wolbachia genome (wIrr). Annotation of wIrr yielded 1,249 coding genes, 34 tRNAs, 3 rRNAs, and 5 prophage regions. Comparative genomics and whole-genome Bayesian evolutionary analysis of wIrr compared to published Wolbachia genomes suggested that wIrr is most closely related to and diverged from Wolbachia supergroup A strains known to infect Drosophila spp. Whole-genome synteny analyses between wIrr and closely related genomes indicated that wIrr has undergone significant genome rearrangements while maintaining high nucleotide identity. Comparative analysis of the cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) genes of wIrr suggested two phylogenetically distinct CI loci and acquisition of another cifB homolog from phylogenetically distant supergroup A Wolbachia strains, suggesting horizontal acquisition of these loci. The wIrr genome provides a resource for future examination of the impact Wolbachia may have in both biocontrol and potential insecticide resistance of horn flies.IMPORTANCE Horn flies, Haematobia irritans irritans, are obligate hematophagous parasites of cattle having significant effects on production and animal welfare. Control of horn flies mainly relies on the use of insecticides, but issues with resistance have increased interest in development of alternative means of control. Wolbachia pipientis is an endosymbiont bacterium known to have a range of effects on host reproduction, such as induction of cytoplasmic incompatibility, feminization, male killing, and also impacts vector transmission. These characteristics of Wolbachia have been exploited in biological control approaches for a range of insect pests. Here we report the assembly and annotation of the circular genome of the Wolbachia strain of the Kerrville, TX, horn fly (wIrr). Annotation of wIrr suggests its unique features, including the horizontal acquisition of additional transcriptionally active cytoplasmic incompatibility loci. This study provides the foundation for future studies of Wolbachia-induced biological effects for control of horn flies.
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Ribeiro JM, Debat HJ, Boiani M, Ures X, Rocha S, Breijo M. An insight into the sialome, mialome and virome of the horn fly, Haematobia irritans. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:616. [PMID: 31357943 PMCID: PMC6664567 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5984-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The horn fly (Haematobia irritans) is an obligate blood feeder that causes considerable economic losses in livestock industries worldwide. The control of this cattle pest is mainly based on insecticides; unfortunately, in many regions, horn flies have developed resistance. Vaccines or biological control have been proposed as alternative control methods, but the available information about the biology or physiology of this parasite is rather scarce. RESULTS We present a comprehensive description of the salivary and midgut transcriptomes of the horn fly (Haematobia irritans), using deep sequencing achieved by the Illumina protocol, as well as exploring the virome of this fly. Comparison of the two transcriptomes allow for identification of uniquely salivary or uniquely midgut transcripts, as identified by statistically differential transcript expression at a level of 16 x or more. In addition, we provide genomic highlights and phylogenetic insights of Haematobia irritans Nora virus and present evidence of a novel densovirus, both associated to midgut libraries of H. irritans. CONCLUSIONS We provide a catalog of protein sequences associated with the salivary glands and midgut of the horn fly that will be useful for vaccine design. Additionally, we discover two midgut-associated viruses that infect these flies in nature. Future studies should address the prevalence, biological effects and life cycles of these viruses, which could eventually lead to translational work oriented to the control of this economically important cattle pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. M. Ribeiro
- Section of Vector Biology, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 12735 Twinbrook Parkway Room 3E28, Rockville, MD 20852 USA
| | - Humberto Julio Debat
- Instituto de Patología Vegetal, Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (IPAVE-CIAP-INTA), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - M. Boiani
- Unidad de Reactivos y Biomodelos de Experimentación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Gral. Flores, 2125 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - X. Ures
- Unidad de Reactivos y Biomodelos de Experimentación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Gral. Flores, 2125 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - S. Rocha
- Unidad de Reactivos y Biomodelos de Experimentación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Gral. Flores, 2125 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - M. Breijo
- Unidad de Reactivos y Biomodelos de Experimentación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Gral. Flores, 2125 Montevideo, Uruguay
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Inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels mediate salivary gland function and blood feeding in the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007153. [PMID: 30730880 PMCID: PMC6382211 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Tick feeding causes extreme morbidity and mortality to humans through transmission of pathogens and causes severe economic losses to the agricultural industry by reducing livestock yield. Salivary gland secretions are essential for tick feeding and thus, reducing or preventing saliva secretions into the vertebrate host is likely to reduce feeding and hinder pathogen life cycles. Unfortunately, the membrane physiology of tick salivary glands is underexplored and this gap in knowledge limits the development of novel therapeutics for inducing cessation of tick feeding. Methodology We studied the influence of inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channel subtypes to the functional capacity of the isolated tick salivary gland through the use of a modified Ramsay assay. The secreted saliva was subsequently used for quantification of the elemental composition of the secreted saliva after the glands were exposed to K+ channel modulators as a measure of osmoregulatory capacity. Lastly, changes to blood feeding behavior and mortality were measured with the use of a membrane feeding system. Principal findings In this study, we characterized the fundamental role of Kir channel subtypes in tick salivary gland function and provide evidence that pharmacological inhibition of these ion channels reduces the secretory activity of the Amblyomma americanum salivary gland. The reduced secretory capacity of the salivary gland was directly correlated with a dramatic reduction of blood ingestion during feeding. Further, exposure to small-molecule modulators of Kir channel subtypes induced mortality to ticks that is likely resultant from an altered osmoregulatory capacity. Conclusions Our data contribute to understanding of tick salivary gland function and could guide future campaigns aiming to develop chemical or reverse vaccinology technologies to reduce the worldwide burden of tick feeding and tick-vectored pathogens. Tick feeding results in negative health and economic consequences worldwide and there has been continued interest in the development of products with novel mechanisms of action for control of tick populations. Kir channels have been shown to be a significant ion conductance pathway in arthropods and are critical for proper functioning of multiple biological processes. Previous work on insect Kir channels has focused on their physiological roles in renal system of mosquitoes and the data suggest that these channels represent a viable pathway to induce renal failure that leads to mortality. Based on the functional and cellular similarities of arthropod salivary glands and Malpighian tubules, we hypothesized that Kir channels constitute a critical conductance pathway within arthropod salivary glands and inhibition of this pathway will preclude feeding. Data presented in this study show that pharmacological modulators of Kir channels elicited a significant reduction in the fluid and ion secretory activity of tick salivary glands that resulted in reduced feeding, altered osmoregulation, and lead to mortality. These data could guide the future development of novel acaricides, RNAi, or genetically modified ticks to mitigate health and economic damages resulting from their feeding. Further, these data indicate a conserved function of Kir channels within multiple tissues of taxonomically diverse organisms, such as ticks and humans.
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Ren L, Shang Y, Yang L, Shen X, Chen W, Wang Y, Cai J, Guo Y. Comparative analysis of mitochondrial genomes among four species of muscid flies (Diptera: Muscidae) and its phylogenetic implications. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 127:357-364. [PMID: 30658142 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.01.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Muscidae, commonly known as house flies and their close relatives, is one of the dipteran insects of recognized medical, veterinary, and ecological importance. Mitochondrial genomes (Mitogenomes) have been widely used for exploring phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic diagnosis due to the difficulty in distinguishing them morphologically. In this study, our complete mitogenomes of muscid flies were sequenced and aligned, which ranged from 15,117 bp (Synthesiomyia nudiseta) to 16,089 bp (Musca sorbens) in length, and contained a typical circular molecule comprising 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs) and a non-coding control region. The order and orientation of genes were identical with that from the ancestral insects. The phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial genes indicated that the subfamily relationships within Muscidae were reconstructed as (Mydaeinae (Muscinae (Reinwardtiinae + Azeliinae))). Similar tree topologies were recovered from both Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI) analysis. Furthermore, we compared the phylogenetic analyses that were constructed using internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2), elongation factor-1α (EF-1α), 13 PCGs and 13 PCGs + ITS2 + EF-1α, respectively. Combined analysis of nuclear gene partitions improved support and resolution for resulting topologies but the positions of branches were obviously inconsistent due to limited species. More mitogenomes should be sequenced representing various taxonomic levels, especially close related species, which will enhance our understanding of phylogenetic relationships among muscids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lipin Ren
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yanjie Shang
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiao Shen
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jifeng Cai
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yadong Guo
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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Artigas-Jerónimo S, Villar M, Cabezas-Cruz A, Valdés JJ, Estrada-Peña A, Alberdi P, de la Fuente J. Functional Evolution of Subolesin/Akirin. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1612. [PMID: 30542290 PMCID: PMC6277881 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The Subolesin/Akirin constitutes a good model for the study of functional evolution because these proteins have been conserved throughout the metazoan and play a role in the regulation of different biological processes. Here, we investigated the evolutionary history of Subolesin/Akirin with recent results on their structure, protein-protein interactions and function in different species to provide insights into the functional evolution of these regulatory proteins, and their potential as vaccine antigens for the control of ectoparasite infestations and pathogen infection. The results suggest that Subolesin/Akirin evolved conserving not only its sequence and structure, but also its function and role in cell interactome and regulome in response to pathogen infection and other biological processes. This functional conservation provides a platform for further characterization of the function of these regulatory proteins, and how their evolution can meet species-specific demands. Furthermore, the conserved functional evolution of Subolesin/Akirin correlates with the protective capacity shown by these proteins in vaccine formulations for the control of different arthropod and pathogen species. These results encourage further research to characterize the structure and function of these proteins, and to develop new vaccine formulations by combining Subolesin/Akirin with interacting proteins for the control of multiple ectoparasite infestations and pathogen infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Artigas-Jerónimo
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), Junta de Comunidades de Castilla – La Mancha (JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Margarita Villar
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), Junta de Comunidades de Castilla – La Mancha (JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Paris, France
| | - James J. Valdés
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Department of Virology, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czechia
| | | | - Pilar Alberdi
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), Junta de Comunidades de Castilla – La Mancha (JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), Junta de Comunidades de Castilla – La Mancha (JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
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A Whole Genome Assembly of the Horn Fly, Haematobia irritans, and Prediction of Genes with Roles in Metabolism and Sex Determination. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2018; 8:1675-1686. [PMID: 29602812 PMCID: PMC5940159 DOI: 10.1534/g3.118.200154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Haematobia irritans, commonly known as the horn fly, is a globally distributed blood-feeding pest of cattle that is responsible for significant economic losses to cattle producers. Chemical insecticides are the primary means for controlling this pest but problems with insecticide resistance have become common in the horn fly. To provide a foundation for identification of genomic loci for insecticide resistance and for discovery of new control technology, we report the sequencing, assembly, and annotation of the horn fly genome. The assembled genome is 1.14 Gb, comprising 76,616 scaffolds with N50 scaffold length of 23 Kb. Using RNA-Seq data, we have predicted 34,413 gene models of which 19,185 have been assigned functional annotations. Comparative genomics analysis with the Dipteran flies Musca domestica L., Drosophila melanogaster, and Lucilia cuprina, show that the horn fly is most closely related to M. domestica, sharing 8,748 orthologous clusters followed by D. melanogaster and L. cuprina, sharing 7,582 and 7,490 orthologous clusters respectively. We also identified a gene locus for the sodium channel protein in which mutations have been previously reported that confers target site resistance to the most common class of pesticides used in fly control. Additionally, we identified 276 genomic loci encoding members of metabolic enzyme gene families such as cytochrome P450s, esterases and glutathione S-transferases, and several genes orthologous to sex determination pathway genes in other Dipteran species.
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11
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Stutzer C, Richards SA, Ferreira M, Baron S, Maritz-Olivier C. Metazoan Parasite Vaccines: Present Status and Future Prospects. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:67. [PMID: 29594064 PMCID: PMC5859119 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic parasites and pathogens continue to cause some of the most detrimental and difficult to treat diseases (or disease states) in both humans and animals, while also continuously expanding into non-endemic countries. Combined with the ever growing number of reports on drug-resistance and the lack of effective treatment programs for many metazoan diseases, the impact that these organisms will have on quality of life remain a global challenge. Vaccination as an effective prophylactic treatment has been demonstrated for well over 200 years for bacterial and viral diseases. From the earliest variolation procedures to the cutting edge technologies employed today, many protective preparations have been successfully developed for use in both medical and veterinary applications. In spite of the successes of these applications in the discovery of subunit vaccines against prokaryotic pathogens, not many targets have been successfully developed into vaccines directed against metazoan parasites. With the current increase in -omics technologies and metadata for eukaryotic parasites, target discovery for vaccine development can be expedited. However, a good understanding of the host/vector/pathogen interface is needed to understand the underlying biological, biochemical and immunological components that will confer a protective response in the host animal. Therefore, systems biology is rapidly coming of age in the pursuit of effective parasite vaccines. Despite the difficulties, a number of approaches have been developed and applied to parasitic helminths and arthropods. This review will focus on key aspects of vaccine development that require attention in the battle against these metazoan parasites, as well as successes in the field of vaccine development for helminthiases and ectoparasites. Lastly, we propose future direction of applying successes in pursuit of next generation vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Stutzer
- Tick Vaccine Group, Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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12
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Molecular Characterization of the Horn Fly Haematobia irritans Infesting Horses in Central Anatolia Region in Turkey. J Equine Vet Sci 2018; 64:49-54. [PMID: 30973151 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
This study reports intense horn fly infestations of horses raised in an important wetland ecosystem, Sultan Marshes in Central Anatolia, Turkey. In total, seven horses raised together were found to be harbored over 500 flies per site of each animal. Totally, 376 fly specimens were collected from the horses by using the nets and were subjected to the laboratory for species identification. All flies were morphologically identified as the adults of Haematobia irritans. Partial fragments of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mt-COI) gene from totally 50 isolates were amplified for sequence and phylogenetic analyses. The mt-COI sequence analyses revealed no polymorphism among the isolates and explored a unique haplotype for H. irritans. A mean haplotype and nucleotide diversities of 0.8571 and 0.00695 were determined, respectively, within the COI data set of H. irritans, and newly characterized haplotype from Turkey exhibited a mean intraspecific genetic difference of 1.0 to the all published sequences of the isolates from several countries. COI data set also revealed a mean interspecific genetic difference of 1.7 between H. irritans and Haematobia exigua.
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13
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Singh IK, Singh S, Mogilicherla K, Shukla JN, Palli SR. Comparative analysis of double-stranded RNA degradation and processing in insects. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17059. [PMID: 29213068 PMCID: PMC5719073 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17134-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) based methods are being developed for pest management. A few products for control of coleopteran pests are expected to be commercialized soon. However, variability in RNAi efficiency among insects is preventing the widespread use of this technology. In this study, we conducted research to identify reasons for variability in RNAi efficiency among thirty-seven (37) insects belonging to five orders. Studies on double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) degradation by dsRNases and processing of labeled dsRNA to siRNA showed that both dsRNA degradation and processing are variable among insects belonging to different orders as well as among different insect species within the same order. We identified homologs of key RNAi genes in the genomes of some of these insects and studied their domain architecture. These data suggest that dsRNA digestion by dsRNases and its processing to siRNAs in the cells are among the major factors contributing to differential RNAi efficiency reported among insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indrakant K Singh
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Agriculture Science Center North, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Molecular Biology Research Lab., Department of Zoology, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Satnam Singh
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Agriculture Science Center North, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Punjab Agricultural University, Regional Station, Faridkot, Punjab, India
| | - Kanakachari Mogilicherla
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Agriculture Science Center North, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Jayendra Nath Shukla
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Agriculture Science Center North, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
| | - Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Agriculture Science Center North, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
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14
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de la Fuente J, Contreras M. Tick vaccines: current status and future directions. Expert Rev Vaccines 2015; 14:1367-76. [DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2015.1076339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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15
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Wang X, Zhang M, Feng F, He R. Differentially regulated genes in the salivary glands of brown planthopper after feeding in resistant versus susceptible rice varieties. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 89:69-86. [PMID: 25611813 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Brown planthopper (BPH) is a damaging insect pest of rice. We used suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and mirror orientation selection to identify differentially regulated genes in salivary glands of BPH after feeding on resistant and susceptible varieties. The forward SSH library included 768 clones with insertions ranging from 250 to 1000 bp. After differential screening, a total of 112 transcripts were identified, which included 27 upregulated genes and seven downregulated genes. Several of these transcripts showed sequence homology to known proteins such as trehalase, mucin-like protein, vitellogenin, calcium ion binding protein, and eukaryotic initiation factor-like protein. About half of the transcripts, however, did not match to any sequences in the protein databases currently available. Functional annotation of the transcripts showed gene ontology association with metabolism, signal transduction, and regulatory responses. Notably, many known functional genes were predicted to be secreted proteins. Also, gene expression profiles of the salivary glands of BPH feeding on resistant rice (B5) and susceptible rice (TN1) varieties were compared. Our data provide a molecular resource for future functional studies on salivary glands and will be useful for elucidating the molecular mechanisms between BPH feeding and rice varieties with BPH resistance differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolan Wang
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Functional Study on Plant Stress-Resistant Genes, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mei Zhang
- South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fei Feng
- College of life science, Zhongkai Agriculture & Technology University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruifeng He
- Institutes of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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16
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Marr EJ, Sargison ND, Nisbet AJ, Burgess STG. RNA interference for the identification of ectoparasite vaccine candidates. Parasite Immunol 2015; 36:616-26. [PMID: 25065384 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2014] [Accepted: 07/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Ectoparasites present a major challenge for disease management globally. With drug resistance increasingly observed in many disease-causing species, the need for novel control measures is pressing. Ever-expanding genomic resources from 'next generation' sequencing are now available for a number of arthropod ectoparasites, necessitating an effective means of screening these data for novel candidates for vaccine antigens or targets for chemotherapeutics. Such in vitro screening methods must be developed if we are to make discoveries in a timely and cost-effective manner. This review will discuss the potential that RNA interference (RNAi) has demonstrated thus far in the context of arthropod ectoparasites and the potential roles for this technology in the development of novel methods for parasite control.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Marr
- Division of Vaccines and Diagnostics, Pentlands Science Park, Moredun Research Institute, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Edinburgh, UK; Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian, UK
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17
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Kang S, Shields AR, Jupatanakul N, Dimopoulos G. Suppressing dengue-2 infection by chemical inhibition of Aedes aegypti host factors. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e3084. [PMID: 25101828 PMCID: PMC4125141 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Accepted: 06/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus host factors (DENV HFs) that are essential for the completion of the infection cycle in the mosquito vector and vertebrate host represent potent targets for transmission blocking. Here we investigated whether known mammalian DENV HF inhibitors could influence virus infection in the arthropod vector A. aegypti. We evaluated the potency of bafilomycin (BAF; inhibitor of vacuolar H+-ATPase (vATPase)), mycophenolic acid (MPA; inhibitor of inosine-5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH)), castanospermine (CAS; inhibitor of glucosidase), and deoxynojirimycin (DNJ; inhibitor of glucosidase) in blocking DENV infection of the mosquito midgut, using various treatment methods that included direct injection, ingestion by sugar feeding or blood feeding, and silencing of target genes by RNA interference (RNAi). Injection of BAF (5 µM) and MPA (25 µM) prior to feeding on virus-infected blood inhibited DENV titers in the midgut at 7 days post-infection by 56% and 60%, and in the salivary gland at 14 days post-infection by 90% and 83%, respectively, while treatment of mosquitoes with CAS or DNJ did not affect susceptibility to the virus. Ingestion of BAF and MPA through a sugar meal or together with an infectious blood meal also resulted in various degrees of virus inhibition. RNAi-mediated silencing of several vATPase subunit genes and the IMPDH gene resulted in a reduced DENV infection, thereby indicating that BAF- and MPA-mediated virus inhibition in adult mosquitoes most likely occurred through the inhibition of these DENV HFs. The route and timing of BAF and MPA administration was essential, and treatment after exposure to the virus diminished the antiviral effect of these compounds. Here we provide proof-of-principle that chemical inhibition or RNAi-mediated depletion of the DENV HFs vATPase and IMPDH can be used to suppress DENV infection of adult A. aegypti mosquitoes, which may translate to a reduction in DENV transmission. Arboviruses utilize homologous host factors of the mammalian and insect cellular machinery to complete the infection cycle. Studies in both mammalian and insect cell lines have shown that virus infection can be suppressed through inhibition of host factors by chemical compounds that therefore could be developed into transmission blocking agents. However, similar studies have not been conducted in adult mosquitoes. Here we investigated the effect of four chemical compounds (bafilomycin, mycophenolic acid, castanospermine, and deoxynojirimycin), known to inhibit the host factors vacuolar H+-ATPase (vATPase), inosine-5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) and glucosidases, on dengue virus replication in adult mosquitoes. We found that bafilomycin and mycophenolic acid suppressed dengue virus replication in adult mosquito guts when they were injected prior to dengue virus infection; however, castanospermine and deoxynojirimycin did not. Ingestion of bafilomycin and mycophenolic acid also inhibited virus replication. We showed that the predicted target genes of bafilomycin and mycophenolic acid function as virus host factors in adult mosquitoes through RNAi-mediated gene silencing. Inhibition of vATPase also decreases mosquito longevity and fecundity, thereby further compromising vector capacity. Our study demonstrated that chemical compounds or double stranded RNAs (dsRNA) can be used to suppress virus infection through inhibition of host factors in adult mosquitoes, thereby rendering such approaches interesting for the development of novel transmission-blocking strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seokyoung Kang
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Alicia R. Shields
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Natapong Jupatanakul
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - George Dimopoulos
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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18
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Low VL, Tan TK, Lim PE, Domingues LN, Tay ST, Lim YAL, Goh TG, Panchadcharam C, Bathmanaban P, Sofian-Azirun M. Use of COI, CytB and ND5 genes for intra- and inter-specific differentiation of Haematobia irritans and Haematobia exigua. Vet Parasitol 2014; 204:439-42. [PMID: 24912955 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.05.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2014] [Revised: 05/15/2014] [Accepted: 05/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
A multilocus sequence analysis using mitochondria-encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), cytochrome B (CytB), NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5); nuclear encoded 18S ribosomal RNA (18S) and 28S ribosomal RNA (28S) genes was performed to determine the levels of genetic variation between the closely related species Haematobia irritans Linnaeus and Haematobia exigua de Meijere. Among these five genes, ND5 and CytB genes were found to be more variable and informative in resolving the interspecific relationships of both species. In contrast, the COI gene was more valuable in inferring the intraspecific relationships. The ribosomal 18S and 28S sequences of H. irritans and H. exigua were highly conserved with limited intra- and inter-specific variation. Molecular evidence presented in this study demonstrated that both flies are genetically distinct and could be differentiated based on sequence analysis of mitochondrial genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van Lun Low
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Tiong Kai Tan
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Phaik Eem Lim
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Luísa Nogueira Domingues
- Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Department of Entomology, 404 Life Science Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States
| | - Sun Tee Tay
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yvonne Ai Lian Lim
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Thary Gazi Goh
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | | | - Mohd Sofian-Azirun
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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19
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RNAi for Insect Control: Current Perspective and Future Challenges. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2013; 171:847-73. [DOI: 10.1007/s12010-013-0399-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2013] [Accepted: 07/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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20
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Palavesam A, Guerrero FD, Heekin AM, Wang J, Dowd SE, Sun Y, Foil LD, Pérez de León AA. Pyrosequencing-based analysis of the microbiome associated with the horn fly, Haematobia irritans. PLoS One 2012; 7:e44390. [PMID: 23028533 PMCID: PMC3454415 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2012] [Accepted: 08/03/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The horn fly, Haematobia irritans, is one of the most economically important pests of cattle. Insecticides have been a major element of horn fly management programs. Growing concerns with insecticide resistance, insecticide residues on farm products, and non-availability of new generation insecticides, are serious issues for the livestock industry. Alternative horn fly control methods offer the promise to decrease the use of insecticides and reduce the amount of insecticide residues on livestock products and give an impetus to the organic livestock farming segment. The horn fly, an obligatory blood feeder, requires the help of microflora to supply additional nutrients and metabolize the blood meal. Recent advancements in DNA sequencing methodologies enable researchers to examine the microflora diversity independent of culture methods. We used the bacterial 16S tag-encoded FLX-titanium amplicon pyrosequencing (bTEFAP) method to carry out the classification analysis of bacterial flora in adult female and male horn flies and horn fly eggs. The bTEFAP method identified 16S rDNA sequences in our samples which allowed the identification of various prokaryotic taxa associated with the life stage examined. This is the first comprehensive report of bacterial flora associated with the horn fly using a culture-independent method. Several rumen, environmental, symbiotic and pathogenic bacteria associated with the horn fly were identified and quantified. This is the first report of the presence of Wolbachia in horn flies of USA origin and is the first report of the presence of Rikenella in an obligatory blood feeding insect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azhahianambi Palavesam
- USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland US Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, Kerrville, Texas, United States of America.
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21
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Temeyer KB, Brake DK, Schlechte KG. Acetylcholinesterase of Haematobia irritans (Diptera: Muscidae): baculovirus expression, biochemical properties, and organophosphate insensitivity of the G262A mutant. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2012; 49:589-594. [PMID: 22679866 DOI: 10.1603/me11211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
This study reports the baculovirus expression and biochemical characterization of recombinant acetylcholinesterase from Haematobia irritans (L.) (rHiAChE) and the effect of the previously described G262A mutation on enzyme activity and sensitivity to selected organophosphates. The rHiAChE was confirmed to be an insect AChE2-type enzyme with substrate preference for acetylthiocholine (Km 31.3 microM) over butyrylthiocholine (Km 63.4 microM) and inhibition at high substrate concentration. Enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by eserine (2.3 x 10(-10) M), BW284c51 (3.4 x 10(-8) M), malaoxon (3.6 x 10(-9) M), and paraoxon (1.8 x 10(-7) M), and was less sensitive to the butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors ethopropazine (1.1 x 10(-6) M) and iso-OMPA (4.1 x 10(-4) M). rHiAChE containing the G262A substitution exhibited decreased substrate affinity for both acetylthiocholine (Km 40.9 microM) and butyrylthiocholine (Km 96.3 microM), and exhibited eight-fold decreased sensitivity to paraoxon, and approximately 1.5- to 3-fold decreased sensitivity to other inhibitors. The biochemical kinetics are consistent with previously reported bioassay analysis, suggesting that the G262A mutation contributes to, but is not solely responsible for observed phenotypic resistance to diazinon or other organophosphates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin B Temeyer
- Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 2700 Fredericksburg Road, Kerrville, TX 78028, USA.
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Torres L, Almazán C, Ayllón N, Galindo RC, Rosario-Cruz R, Quiroz-Romero H, Gortazar C, de la Fuente J. Identification of microorganisms in partially fed female horn flies, Haematobia irritans. Parasitol Res 2012; 111:1391-5. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-012-2877-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2011] [Accepted: 02/22/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Abstract
Parasitic diseases cause important losses in public and veterinary health worldwide. Novel drugs, more reliable diagnostic techniques and vaccine candidates are urgently needed. Due to the complexity of parasites and the intricate relationship with their hosts, development of successful tools to fight parasites has been very limited to date. The growing information on individual parasite genomes is now allowing the use of a broader range of potential strategies to gain deeper insights into the host-parasite relationship and has increased the possibilities to develop molecular-based tools in the field of parasitology. Nevertheless, functional studies of respective genes are still scarce. The RNA interference phenomenon resulting in the regulation of protein expression through the specific degradation of defined mRNAs, and more specifically the possibility of artificially induce it, has shown to be a powerful tool for the investigation of proteins function in many organisms. Recent advances in the design and delivery of targeting molecules allow efficient and highly specific gene silencing in different types of parasites, pointing out this technology as a powerful tool for the identification of novel vaccine candidates or drug targets at the high-throughput level in the near future, and could enable researchers to functionally annotate parasite genomes. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview on the current advances and pitfalls in gene silencing mechanisms, techniques, applications and prospects in animal parasites.
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