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Čorak N, Anniko S, Daschkin-Steinborn C, Krey V, Koska S, Futo M, Široki T, Woichansky I, Opašić L, Kifer D, Tušar A, Maxeiner HG, Domazet-Lošo M, Nicolaus C, Domazet-Lošo T. Pleomorphic Variants of Borreliella (syn. Borrelia) burgdorferi Express Evolutionary Distinct Transcriptomes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065594. [PMID: 36982667 PMCID: PMC10057712 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Borreliella (syn. Borrelia) burgdorferi is a spirochete bacterium that causes tick-borne Lyme disease. Along its lifecycle B. burgdorferi develops several pleomorphic forms with unclear biological and medical relevance. Surprisingly, these morphotypes have never been compared at the global transcriptome level. To fill this void, we grew B. burgdorferi spirochete, round body, bleb, and biofilm-dominated cultures and recovered their transcriptomes by RNAseq profiling. We found that round bodies share similar expression profiles with spirochetes, despite their morphological differences. This sharply contrasts to blebs and biofilms that showed unique transcriptomes, profoundly distinct from spirochetes and round bodies. To better characterize differentially expressed genes in non-spirochete morphotypes, we performed functional, positional, and evolutionary enrichment analyses. Our results suggest that spirochete to round body transition relies on the delicate regulation of a relatively small number of highly conserved genes, which are located on the main chromosome and involved in translation. In contrast, spirochete to bleb or biofilm transition includes substantial reshaping of transcription profiles towards plasmids-residing and evolutionary young genes, which originated in the ancestor of Borreliaceae. Despite their abundance the function of these Borreliaceae-specific genes is largely unknown. However, many known Lyme disease virulence genes implicated in immune evasion and tissue adhesion originated in this evolutionary period. Taken together, these regularities point to the possibility that bleb and biofilm morphotypes might be important in the dissemination and persistence of B. burgdorferi inside the mammalian host. On the other hand, they prioritize the large pool of unstudied Borreliaceae-specific genes for functional characterization because this subset likely contains undiscovered Lyme disease pathogenesis genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Čorak
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička Cesta 54, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Sirli Anniko
- BCA-Research, BCA-Clinic Betriebs GmbH & Co. KG, D-86159 Augsburg, Germany
- Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK
| | | | - Viktoria Krey
- BCA-Research, BCA-Clinic Betriebs GmbH & Co. KG, D-86159 Augsburg, Germany
- Physics of Synthetic Biological Systems-E14, Physics Department and ZNN, Technische Universität München, D-85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Sara Koska
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička Cesta 54, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Momir Futo
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička Cesta 54, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb, Unska 3, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- School of Medicine, Catholic University of Croatia, Ilica 242, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Tin Široki
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb, Unska 3, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | - Luka Opašić
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička Cesta 54, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Domagoj Kifer
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, A. Kovačića 1, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Anja Tušar
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička Cesta 54, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Horst-Günter Maxeiner
- BCA-Research, BCA-Clinic Betriebs GmbH & Co. KG, D-86159 Augsburg, Germany
- Comlamed, Friedrich-Bergius Ring 15, D-97076 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Mirjana Domazet-Lošo
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb, Unska 3, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Carsten Nicolaus
- BCA-Research, BCA-Clinic Betriebs GmbH & Co. KG, D-86159 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Tomislav Domazet-Lošo
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička Cesta 54, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- School of Medicine, Catholic University of Croatia, Ilica 242, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- Correspondence:
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Schwan TG. Vector Specificity of the Relapsing Fever Spirochete Borrelia hermsii (Spirochaetales: Borreliaceae) for the Tick Ornithodoros hermsi (Acari: Argasidae) Involves Persistent Infection of the Salivary Glands. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:1926-1930. [PMID: 33855354 PMCID: PMC8285016 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The relapsing fever spirochetes Borrelia hermsii and Borrelia turicatae are each maintained and transmitted in nature by their specific tick vectors, Ornithodoros hermsi Wheeler (Acari: Argasidae) and Ornithodoros turicata (Duges), respectively. The basis for this spirochete and vector specificity is not known, but persistent colonization of spirochetes in the tick's salivary glands is presumed to be essential for transmission by these long-lived ticks that feed in only minutes on their warm-blooded hosts. To examine this hypothesis further, cohorts of O. hermsi and O. turicata were infected with B. hermsii and examined 7-260 d later for infection in their midgut, salivary glands, and synganglion. While the midgut from all ticks of both species at all time points examined were infected with spirochetes, the salivary glands of only O. hermsi remained persistently infected. The salivary glands of O. turicata were susceptible to an early transient infection. However, no spirochetes were observed in these tissues beyond the first 32 d after acquisition. Ticks of both species were fed on mice 112 d after they acquired spirochetes and only those mice fed upon by O. hermsi became infected. Thus, the vector competency for B. hermsii displayed by O. hermsi but not O. turicata lies, in part, in the persistent infection of the salivary glands of the former but not the latter species of tick. The genetic and biochemical mechanisms supporting this spirochete and vector specificity remain to be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom G Schwan
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 South 4th Street, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA
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Neumann-Cip AC, Fingerle V, Margos G, Straubinger RK, Overzier E, Ulrich S, Wieser A. A Novel Rapid Sample Preparation Method for MALDI-TOF MS Permits Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Species and Isolate Differentiation. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:690. [PMID: 32373099 PMCID: PMC7186393 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Borrelia comprises vector-borne bacterial pathogens that can severely affect human and animal health. Members of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species complex can cause Lyme borreliosis, one of the most common vector-borne diseases in the Northern hemisphere. Besides, members of the relapsing fever group of spirochetes can cause tick-borne relapsing fever in humans and various febrile illnesses in animals in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions. Borrelia spp. organisms are fastidious to cultivate and to maintain in vitro, and therefore, difficult to work with in the laboratory. Currently, borrelia identification is mainly performed using PCR and DNA sequencing methods, which can be complicated/frustrating on complex DNA templates and may still be relatively expensive. Alternative techniques such as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) are not well established for Borrelia spp., although this technique is currently one of the most used techniques for rapid identification of bacteria in microbiological diagnostic laboratories. This is mainly due to unsatisfactory results obtained by use of simple sample preparation techniques and medium-contamination obscuring the mass spectra. In addition, comprehensive libraries for Borrelia spp. MALDI-TOF MS have yet to be established. In this study, we developed a new filter-based chemical extraction technique that allows measurement of high quality Borrelia spp. spectra from less than 100,000 bacteria per spot in MALDI-TOF MS. We used 49 isolates of 13 different species to produce the largest mass-library for Borrelia spp. so far and to validate the protocol. The library was successfully established and identifies >96% of used isolates correctly to species level. Cluster analysis on the sum spectra was applied to all the different isolates, which resulted in tight cluster generation for most species. Comparative analysis of the generated cluster to a phylogeny based on concatenated multi-locus sequence typing genes provided a surprising homology. Our data demonstrate that the technique described here can be used for fast and reliable species and strain typing within the borrelia complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Cathrine Neumann-Cip
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Volker Fingerle
- National Reference Center for Borrelia, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Gabriele Margos
- National Reference Center for Borrelia, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Reinhard K Straubinger
- Chair of Microbiology and Mycology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Evelyn Overzier
- Chair of Microbiology and Mycology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ulrich
- Chair of Microbiology and Mycology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Andreas Wieser
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany.,Chair of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Max von Pettenkofer Institute, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Djokic V, Akoolo L, Primus S, Schlachter S, Kelly K, Bhanot P, Parveen N. Protozoan Parasite Babesia microti Subverts Adaptive Immunity and Enhances Lyme Disease Severity. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1596. [PMID: 31354683 PMCID: PMC6635642 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease is the most prominent tick-borne disease in the United States. Co-infections with the tick-transmitted pathogens Babesia microti and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto are becoming a serious health problem. B. burgdorferi is an extracellular spirochete that causes Lyme disease while B. microti is a protozoan that infects erythrocytes and causes babesiosis. Testing of donated blood for Babesia species is not currently mandatory due to unavailability of an FDA approved test. Transmission of this protozoan by blood transfusion often results in high morbidity and mortality in recipients. Infection of C3H/HeJ mice with B. burgdorferi and B. microti individually results in inflammatory Lyme disease and display of human babesiosis-like symptoms, respectively. Here we use this mouse model to provide a detailed investigation of the reciprocal influence of the two pathogens on each other during co-infection. We show that B. burgdorferi infection attenuates parasitemia in mice while B. microti subverts the splenic immune response, such that a marked decrease in splenic B and T cells, reduction in antibody levels and diminished functional humoral immunity, as determined by spirochete opsonophagocytosis, are observed in co-infected mice compared to only B. burgdorferi infected mice. Furthermore, immunosuppression by B. microti in co-infected mice showed an association with enhanced Lyme disease manifestations. This study demonstrates the effect of only simultaneous infection by B. burgdorferi and B. microti on each pathogen, immune response and on disease manifestations with respect to infection by the spirochete and the parasite. In our future studies, we will examine the overall effects of sequential infection by these pathogens on host immune responses and disease outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitomir Djokic
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Lavoisier Akoolo
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Shekerah Primus
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Samantha Schlachter
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Kathleen Kelly
- Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Purnima Bhanot
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Nikhat Parveen
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States
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Rudenko N, Golovchenko M, Kybicova K, Vancova M. Metamorphoses of Lyme disease spirochetes: phenomenon of Borrelia persisters. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:237. [PMID: 31097026 PMCID: PMC6521364 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3495-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The survival of spirochetes from the Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) complex in a hostile environment is achieved by the regulation of differential gene expression in response to changes in temperature, salts, nutrient content, acidity fluctuation, multiple host or vector dependent factors, and leads to the formation of dormant subpopulations of cells. From the other side, alterations in the level of gene expression in response to antibiotic pressure leads to the establishment of a persisters subpopulation. Both subpopulations represent the cells in different physiological states. "Dormancy" and "persistence" do share some similarities, e.g. both represent cells with low metabolic activity that can exist for extended periods without replication, both constitute populations with different gene expression profiles and both differ significantly from replicating forms of spirochetes. Persisters are elusive, present in low numbers, morphologically heterogeneous, multi-drug-tolerant cells that can change with the environment. The definition of "persisters" substituted the originally-used term "survivors", referring to the small bacterial population of Staphylococcus that survived killing by penicillin. The phenomenon of persisters is present in almost all bacterial species; however, the reasons why Borrelia persisters form are poorly understood. Persisters can adopt varying sizes and shapes, changing from well-known forms to altered morphologies. They are capable of forming round bodies, L-form bacteria, microcolonies or biofilms-like aggregates, which remarkably change the response of Borrelia to hostile environments. Persisters remain viable despite aggressive antibiotic challenge and are able to reversibly convert into motile forms in a favorable growth environment. Persisters are present in significant numbers in biofilms, which has led to the explanation of biofilm tolerance to antibiotics. Considering that biofilms are associated with numerous chronic diseases through their resilient presence in the human body, it is not surprising that interest in persisting cells has consequently accelerated. Certain diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria (e.g. tuberculosis, syphilis or leprosy) are commonly chronic in nature and often recur despite antibiotic treatment. Three decades of basic and clinical research have not yet provided a definite answer to the question: is there a connection between persisting spirochetes and recurrence of Lyme disease in patients?
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Rudenko
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, Branisovska 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Maryna Golovchenko
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, Branisovska 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Katerina Kybicova
- National Institute of Public Health, Srobarova 48, 100 42 Prague 10, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Vancova
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, Branisovska 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
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6
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Dudek S, Ziółko E, Kimsa-Dudek M, Solarz K, Mazurek U, Wierzgoń A, Kokot T, Muc-Wierzgoń M. Expression Profiles of Toll-Like Receptors in the Differentiation of an Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Spirochetes. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz) 2016; 65:175-182. [PMID: 27604757 DOI: 10.1007/s00005-016-0416-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The similarity of Lyme borreliosis to other diseases and its complex pathogenesis present diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties. The changes that occur at the cellular and molecular levels after a Borrelia sp. infection still remain poorly understood. Therefore, the present study focused on the expression of TLR and TLR-signaling genes in human dermal fibroblasts in the differentiation of an infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato spirochetes. Normal human dermal fibroblasts were cultured with the spirochetes of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii. Total RNA was extracted from the cells using TRIzol reagent. The analysis of the expression profiles of TLRs and TLR-related genes was performed using commercially available oligonucleotide microarrays of HG-U133A. The GeneSpring 12.0 platform and significance analysis of microarrays were used for the statistical analysis of microarray data. The analyses using the oligonucleotide microarray and QRT-PCR techniques permitted to identify the genes encoding TLR4 and TLR6 as specific for infection with B. afzelii and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto. In turn, TLR3 was only characteristic for an infection with B. burgdorferi sensu stricto. There were no changes in the TLR gene expression after infection with B. garinii. Our findings confirm that Borrelia has a major effect on fibroblast gene expression. Further characterization of changes in gene expression may lead to valuable insights into the role of the toll-like receptor in the pathogenesis of Lyme disease and may provide guidelines for the development of diagnostic markers for an infection with a particular Borrelia genospecies. Moreover, this will help to identify better treatment strategies for Lyme disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Slawomir Dudek
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, School of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, Sosnowiec, Poland
| | - Ewa Ziółko
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Public Health, Silesian Medical University in Katowice, Bytom, Poland
| | - Magdalena Kimsa-Dudek
- Department of Food and Nutrition, School of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, Sosnowiec, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Solarz
- Department of Parasitology, School of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, Sosnowiec, Poland
| | - Urszula Mazurek
- Department of Molecular Biology, School of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, Sosnowiec, Poland
| | - Aleksander Wierzgoń
- Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland
| | - Teresa Kokot
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Public Health, Silesian Medical University in Katowice, Bytom, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Muc-Wierzgoń
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Public Health, Silesian Medical University in Katowice, Bytom, Poland.
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Abstract
In North America, Lyme disease (LD) is a tick-borne zoonosis caused by the spirochete bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, which is maintained by wildlife. Tick vectors and bacteria are currently spreading into Canada and causing increasing numbers of cases of LD in humans and raising a pressing need for public health responses. There is no vaccine, and LD prevention depends on knowing who is at risk and informing them how to protect themselves from infection. Recently, it was found in the United States that some strains of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto cause severe disease, whereas others cause mild, self-limiting disease. While many strains occurring in the United States also occur in Canada, strains in some parts of Canada are different from those in the United States. We therefore recognize a need to identify which strains specific to Canada can cause severe disease and to characterize their geographic distribution to determine which Canadians are particularly at risk. In this review, we summarize the history of emergence of LD in North America, our current knowledge of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto diversity, its intriguing origins in the ecology and evolution of the bacterium, and its importance for the epidemiology and clinical and laboratory diagnosis of LD. We propose methods for investigating associations between B. burgdorferi sensu stricto diversity, ecology, and pathogenicity and for developing predictive tools to guide public health interventions. We also highlight the emergence of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto in Canada as a unique opportunity for exploring the evolutionary aspects of tick-borne pathogen emergence.
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