1
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Perrot-Minnot MJ, Parrot S. Contrasting alterations in brain chemistry in a crustacean intermediate host of two acanthocephalan parasites. Exp Parasitol 2024; 265:108821. [PMID: 39128576 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108821] [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: 06/03/2024] [Revised: 07/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
The dynamic properties of neural systems throughout life can be hijacked by so-called manipulative parasites. This study investigated changes in the brain chemistry of the amphipod Gammarus fossarum in response to infection with two trophically-transmitted helminth parasites known to induce distinct behavioral alterations: the bird acanthocephalan Polymorphus minutus and the fish acanthocephalan Pomphorhynchus tereticollis. We quantified brain antioxidant capacity as a common marker of homeostasis and neuroprotection, and brain total protein, on 72 pools of six brains. We analyzed the concentration of serotonin (5HT), dopamine (DA) and tyramine in 52 pools of six brains, by using ultrafast high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (UHPLC-ECD). Brain total protein concentration scaled hypo-allometrically to dry body weight, and was increased in infected gammarids compared to uninfected ones. The brain of gammarids infected with P. minutus had significantly lower total antioxidant capacity relative to total proteins. Infection with P. tereticollis impacted DA level compared to uninfected ones, and in opposite direction between spring and summer. Brain 5HT level was higher in summer compared to spring independently of infection status, and was decreased by infection after correcting for brain total protein concentration estimated from dry whole-body weight. The potential implication of 5HT/DA balance in parasite manipulation, as a major modulator of the reward-punishment axis, is discussed. Taken together, these findings highlight the need to consider both brain homeostatic and/or structural changes (antioxidant and total protein content) together with neurotransmission balance and flexibility, in studies investigating the impact of parasites on brain and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandrine Parrot
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Neurodialytics Facility, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM, U1028, CNRS, UMR 5292, Bron, France
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2
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Smith LA, Fox NJ, Marion G, Booth NJ, Morris AMM, Athanasiadou S, Hutchings MR. Animal Behaviour Packs a Punch: From Parasitism to Production, Pollution and Prevention in Grazing Livestock. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1876. [PMID: 38997988 PMCID: PMC11240309 DOI: 10.3390/ani14131876] [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: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Behaviour is often the fundamental driver of disease transmission, where behaviours of individuals can be seen to scale up to epidemiological patterns seen at the population level. Here we focus on animal behaviour, and its role in parasite transmission to track its knock-on consequences for parasitism, production and pollution. Livestock face a nutrition versus parasitism trade-off in grazing environments where faeces creates both a nutritional benefit, fertilizing the surrounding sward, but also a parasite risk from infective nematode larvae contaminating the sward. The grazing decisions of ruminants depend on the perceived costs and benefits of the trade-off, which depend on the variations in both environmental (e.g., amounts of faeces) and animal factors (e.g., physiological state). Such grazing decisions determine the intake of both nutrients and parasites, affecting livestock growth rates and production efficiency. This impacts on the greenhouse gas costs of ruminant livestock production via two main mechanisms: (1) slower growth results in longer durations on-farm and (2) parasitised animals produce more methane per unit food intake. However, the sensitivity of behaviour to host parasite state offers opportunities for early detection of parasitism and control. Remote monitoring technology such as accelerometers can detect parasite-induced sickness behaviours soon after exposure, before impacts on growth, and thus may be used for targeting individuals for early treatment. We conclude that livestock host x parasite interactions are at the centre of the global challenges of food security and climate change, and that understanding livestock behaviour can contribute to solving both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley A Smith
- Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
| | - Naomi J Fox
- Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
| | - Glenn Marion
- Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS), Kings Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, UK
| | - Naomi J Booth
- Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
| | - Alex M M Morris
- Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
| | - Spiridoula Athanasiadou
- Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
| | - Michael R Hutchings
- Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
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3
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Moore SE, Siwertsson A, Lafferty KD, Kuris AM, Soldánová M, Morton D, Primicerio R, Amundsen PA. Parasites alter food-web topology of a subarctic lake food web and its pelagic and benthic compartments. Oecologia 2024; 204:257-277. [PMID: 38326516 PMCID: PMC10907417 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05503-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
We compared three sets of highly resolved food webs with and without parasites for a subarctic lake system corresponding to its pelagic and benthic compartments and the whole-lake food web. Key topological food-web metrics were calculated for each set of compartments to explore the role parasites play in food-web topology in these highly contrasting webs. After controlling for effects from differences in web size, we observed similar responses to the addition of parasites in both the pelagic and benthic compartments demonstrated by increases in trophic levels, linkage density, connectance, generality, and vulnerability despite the contrasting composition of free-living and parasitic species between the two compartments. Similar effects on food-web topology can be expected with the inclusion of parasites, regardless of the physical characteristics and taxonomic community compositions of contrasting environments. Additionally, similar increases in key topological metrics were found in the whole-lake food web that combines the pelagic and benthic webs, effects that are comparable to parasite food-web analyses from other systems. These changes in topological metrics are a result of the unique properties of parasites as infectious agents and the links they participate in. Trematodes were key contributors to these results, as these parasites have distinct characteristics in aquatic systems that introduce new link types and increase the food web's generality and vulnerability disproportionate to other parasites. Our analysis highlights the importance of incorporating parasites, especially trophically transmitted parasites, into food webs as they significantly alter key topological metrics and are thus essential for understanding an ecosystem's structure and functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon E Moore
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Anna Siwertsson
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Kevin D Lafferty
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, at Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Armand M Kuris
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Miroslava Soldánová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Dana Morton
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Raul Primicerio
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Per-Arne Amundsen
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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4
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Lianguzova A, Arbuzova N, Laskova E, Gafarova E, Repkin E, Matach D, Enshina I, Miroliubov A. Tricks of the puppet masters: morphological adaptations to the interaction with nervous system underlying host manipulation by rhizocephalan barnacle Polyascus polygeneus. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16348. [PMID: 38025701 PMCID: PMC10655712 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Rhizocephalan interaction with their decapod hosts is a superb example of host manipulation. These parasites are able to alter the host's physiology and behavior. Host-parasite interaction is performed, presumably, via special modified rootlets invading the ventral ganglions. Methods In this study, we focus on the morphology and ultrastructure of these special rootlets in Polyascus polygeneus (Lützen & Takahashi, 1997), family Polyascidae, invading the neuropil of the host's nervous tissue. The ventral ganglionic mass of the infected crabs were fixed, and the observed sites of the host-parasite interplay were studied using transmission electron microscopy, immunolabeling and confocal microscopy. Results The goblet-shaped organs present in the basal families of parasitic barnacles were presumably lost in a common ancestor of Polyascidae and crown "Akentrogonida", but the observed invasive rootlets appear to perform similar functions, including the synthesis of various substances which are transferred to the host's nervous tissue. Invasive rootlets significantly differ from trophic ones in cell layer composition and cuticle thickness. Numerous multilamellar bodies are present in the rootlets indicating the intrinsic cell rearrangement. The invasive rootlets of P. polygeneus are enlaced by the thin projections of glial cells. Thus, glial cells can be both the first hosts' respondents to the nervous tissue damage and the mediator of the rhizocephalan interaction with the nervous cells. One of the potential molecules engaged in the relationships of P. polygeneus and its host is serotonin, a neurotransmitter which is found exclusively in the invasive rootlets but not in trophic ones. Serotonin participates in different biological pathways in metazoans including the regulation of aggression in crustaceans, which is reduced in infected crabs. We conclude that rootlets associated with the host's nervous tissue are crucial for the regulation of host-parasite interplay and for evolution of the Rhizocephala.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Lianguzova
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, St. Petersburg State University, St Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Laboratory of Parasitic Worms and Protists, Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Science, St Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Natalia Arbuzova
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, St. Petersburg State University, St Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Laboratory of Parasitic Worms and Protists, Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Science, St Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Ekaterina Laskova
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, St. Petersburg State University, St Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Elizaveta Gafarova
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, St. Petersburg State University, St Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Egor Repkin
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, St. Petersburg State University, St Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Research Park, Center for Molecular and Cell Technologies, St. Petersburg State University, St Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Dzmitry Matach
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, St. Petersburg State University, St Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Irina Enshina
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, St. Petersburg State University, St Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Aleksei Miroliubov
- Laboratory of Parasitic Worms and Protists, Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Science, St Petersburg, Russian Federation
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Gasque SN, Fredensborg BL. Expression of trematode-induced zombie-ant behavior is strongly associated with temperature. Behav Ecol 2023; 34:960-968. [PMID: 37969549 PMCID: PMC10636736 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arad064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasite-induced modification of host behavior increasing transmission to a next host is a common phenomenon. However, field-based studies are rare, and the role of environmental factors in eliciting host behavioral modification is often not considered. We examined the effects of temperature, relative humidity (RH), time of day, date, and an irradiation proxy on behavioral modification of the ant Formica polyctena (Förster, 1850) by the brain-encysting lancet liver fluke Dicrocoelium dendriticum (Rudolphi, 1819). This fluke induces ants to climb and bite to vegetation by the mandibles in a state of temporary tetany. A total of 1264 individual ants expressing the modified behavior were observed over 13 non-consecutive days during one year in the Bidstrup Forests, Denmark. A sub-set of those ants (N = 172) was individually marked to track the attachment and release of infected ants in relation to variation in temperature. Infected ants primarily attached to vegetation early and late in the day, corresponding to low temperature and high RH, presumably coinciding with the grazing activity of potential herbivorous definitive hosts. Temperature was the single most important determinant for the induced phenotypic change. On warm days, infected ants altered between the manipulated and non-manipulated state multiple times, while on cool days, many infected ants remained attached to the vegetation all day. Our results suggest that the temperature sensitivity of the infected ants serves the dual purpose of exposing infected ants to the next host at an opportune time, while protecting them from exposure to high temperatures, which might increase host (and parasite) mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Nordstrand Gasque
- Section for Organismal Biology, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Brian Lund Fredensborg
- Section for Organismal Biology, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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6
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Hartke J, Ceron-Noriega A, Stoldt M, Sistermans T, Kever M, Fuchs J, Butter F, Foitzik S. Long live the host! Proteomic analysis reveals possible strategies for parasitic manipulation of its social host. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:5877-5889. [PMID: 37795937 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Parasites with complex life cycles often manipulate the phenotype of their intermediate hosts to increase the probability of transmission to their definitive hosts. Infection with Anomotaenia brevis, a cestode that uses Temnothorax nylanderi ants as intermediate hosts, leads to a multiple-fold extension of host lifespan and to changes in behaviour, morphology and colouration. The mechanisms behind these changes are unknown, as is whether the increased longevity is achieved through parasite manipulation. Here, we demonstrate that the parasite releases proteins into its host with functions that might explain the observed changes. These parasitic proteins make up a substantial portion of the proteome of the hosts' haemolymph, and thioredoxin peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, two antioxidants, exhibited the highest abundances among them. The largest part of the secreted proteins could not be annotated, indicating they are either novel or severely altered during recent coevolution to function in host manipulation. We also detected shifts in the hosts' proteome with infection, in particular an overabundance of vitellogenin-like A in infected ants, a protein that regulates division of labour in Temnothorax ants, which could explain the observed behavioural changes. Our results thus suggest two different strategies that might be employed by this parasite to manipulate its host: secreting proteins with immediate influence on the host's phenotype and altering the host's translational activity. Our findings highlight the intricate molecular interplay required to influence the phenotype of a host and point to potential signalling pathways and genes involved in parasite-host communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Hartke
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Marah Stoldt
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Tom Sistermans
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Marion Kever
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jenny Fuchs
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Falk Butter
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Foitzik
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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7
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Lamine I, Chahouri A, Moukrim A, Ait Alla A. The impact of climate change and pollution on trematode-bivalve dynamics. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 191:106130. [PMID: 37625953 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Coastal ecosystems and their marine populations are increasingly threatened by global environmental changes. Bivalves have emerged as crucial bioindicators within these ecosystems, offering valuable insights into biodiversity and overall ecosystem health. In particular, bivalves serve as hosts to trematode parasites, making them a focal point of study. Trematodes, with their life cycles intricately linked to external factors, provide excellent indicators of environmental changes and exhibit a unique ability to accumulate pollutants beyond ambient levels. Thus, they act as living sentinels, reflecting the ecological condition of their habitats. This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent research on the use of bivalve species as hosts for trematodes, examining the interactions between these organisms. The study also investigates the combined impact of trematode infections and other pollutants on bivalve molluscs. Trematode infections have multifaceted consequences for bivalve species, influencing various aspects of their physiology and behavior, including population-wide mortality. Furthermore, the coexistence of trematode infections and other sources of pollution compromises host resistance, disrupts parasite transmission, and reduces the abundance of intermediate hosts for complex-living parasites. The accumulation process of these parasites is influenced not only by external factors but also by host physiology. Consequently, the implications of climate change and environmental factors, such as temperature, salinity, and ocean acidification, are critical considerations. In summary, the intricate relationship between bivalves, trematode parasites, and their surrounding environment provides valuable insights into the health and sustainability of coastal ecosystems. A comprehensive understanding of these interactions, along with the influence of climate change and environmental parameters, is essential for effective management and conservation strategies aimed at preserving these delicate ecosystems and the diverse array of species that rely on them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imane Lamine
- Laboratory of Aquatic Systems: Marine and Continental Ecosystems, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, BP 8106, Agadir, Morocco.
| | - Abir Chahouri
- Laboratory of Aquatic Systems: Marine and Continental Ecosystems, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, BP 8106, Agadir, Morocco
| | | | - Aicha Ait Alla
- Laboratory of Aquatic Systems: Marine and Continental Ecosystems, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, BP 8106, Agadir, Morocco
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Biserova NM, Kutyrev IA, Saitov VR, Kolesnikov IA. The neuro-exocrine secretion: A new type of gland in tapeworms? ZOOLOGY 2023; 160:126119. [PMID: 37683517 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2023.126119] [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: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
The phenomenon of exocrine secretion via nervous cells into the host tissue has been discovered in cestodes. In five cestode species of different orders specialized "cup-shaped" free nerve endings located in the tegument have been found. Their ultrastructure is characterized by the presence of a septate junction, a thin support ring and neurosecretory vesicles 90-110 nm in diameter, which are secreted onto the surface of the tegument through a thin pore. The phenomenon is referred to in this article as the neuro-exocrine secretion. We observed a direct relationship between neurosecretory processes in the deep subtegument and free endings in a series of ultrathin sections in two species. The peripheral neurosecretory neurons of species studied are characterized by similar ultrastructural features: size and location; diameter of neurosecretory granules; absence of microtubules and mitochondria in the neurites. The size of neurosecretory granules has been found to decrease from perikaryon towards neurosecretory terminals that lead to the tegument. In two species, we examined the neurosecretion during incubation in the host's blood serum. Depending on the time of incubation we have shown the changes a) in the diameter of the cup-shaped endings, b) in the number of secretory vesicles in the endings; c) changes in number and diameter of neurosecretory vesicles in the processes of neurosecretory neurons in the subtegument. The detected changes differ in D.dendriticus and L.interrupta and, taken together, indirectly confirm the secretory specialization of the cup-shaped endings. Supposed targets for the neurosecretory neurons in the studied cestodes are the following: (a) eccrine frontal gland ducts, especially their terminal regions involved in the release of secretory products; (b) longitudinal and circular muscles in the subtegument region; (c) the basal membrane of the tegument. Besides the discovered secretion vesicles through the cup-shaped terminals, we observed vacuoles derived from the basal membrane of the tegument containing extracellular substances released into the host tissue. Their possible role in the release of neurosecretory substances is discussed. Considering the data acquired via immunocytochemical methods, an assumption about involvement of FMRFamide-like related peptides (FaRPs) in the neuro-exocrine secretion is proposed. Possible functions of the neuro-exocrine secretion are discussed in the context of host-parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia M Biserova
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Biology, Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Moscow 119234, Russia; Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan 420008, Russia.
| | - Ivan A Kutyrev
- Institute of General and Experimental Biology, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ulan-Ude 670047, Russia
| | - Vadim R Saitov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan 420008, Russia
| | - Ivan A Kolesnikov
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Biology, Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Moscow 119234, Russia
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9
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Franco-Bodek T, Barradas-Ortiz C, Negrete-Soto F, Rodríguez-Canul R, Lozano-Álvarez E, Briones-Fourzán P. Effects of Cymatocarpus solearis (Trematoda: Brachycoeliidae) on its second intermediate host, the Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287097. [PMID: 37773971 PMCID: PMC10540948 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Many digenean trematodes require three hosts to complete their life cycle. For Cymatocarpus solearis (Brachycoeliidae), the first intermediate host is unknown; the Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus is a second intermediate host, and the loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta, a lobster predator, is the definitive host. Trophically-transmitted parasites may alter the behavior or general condition of intermediate hosts in ways that increase the hosts' rates of consumption by definitive hosts. Here, we examined the effects of infection by C. solearis on P. argus by comparing several physiological and behavioral variables among uninfected lobsters (0 cysts) and lobsters with light (1-10 cysts), moderate (11-30 cysts), and heavy (>30 cysts) infections. Physiological variables were hepatosomatic index, growth rate, hemocyte count, concentration in hemolymph of cholesterol, protein, albumin, glucose, dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT). Behavioral variables included seven components of the escape response (delay to escape, duration of swimming bout, distance traveled in a swimming bout, swim velocity, acceleration, force exerted, and work performed while swimming). There was no relationship between lobster size or sex and number of cysts. Significant differences among the four lobster groups occurred only in concentration of glucose (lower in heavily infected lobsters) and 5-HT (higher in heavily and moderately infected lobsters) in plasma. As changes in 5-HT concentration can modify the host's activity patterns or choice of microhabitat, our results suggest that infection with C. solearis may alter the behavior of spiny lobsters, potentially increasing the likelihood of trophic transmission of the parasite to the definitive host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomás Franco-Bodek
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Cecilia Barradas-Ortiz
- Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Fernando Negrete-Soto
- Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Rossanna Rodríguez-Canul
- Laboratorio de Inmunología y Biología Molecular, Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional-Unidad Mérida, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Enrique Lozano-Álvarez
- Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Patricia Briones-Fourzán
- Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
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10
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Will I, Attardo GM, de Bekker C. Multiomic interpretation of fungus-infected ant metabolomes during manipulated summit disease. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14363. [PMID: 37658067 PMCID: PMC10474057 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40065-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Camponotus floridanus ants show altered behaviors followed by a fatal summiting phenotype when infected with manipulating Ophiocordyceps camponoti-floridani fungi. Host summiting as a strategy to increase transmission is also observed with parasite taxa beyond fungi, including aquatic and terrestrial helminths and baculoviruses. The drastic phenotypic changes can sometimes reflect significant molecular changes in gene expression and metabolite concentrations measured in manipulated hosts. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms still need to be fully characterized. To investigate the small molecules producing summiting behavior, we infected C. floridanus ants with O. camponoti-floridani and sampled their heads for LC-MS/MS when we observed the characteristic summiting phenotype. We link this metabolomic data with our previous genomic and transcriptomic data to propose mechanisms that underlie manipulated summiting behavior in "zombie ants." This "multiomic" evidence points toward the dysregulation of neurotransmitter levels and neuronal signaling. We propose that these processes are altered during infection and manipulation based on (1) differential expression of neurotransmitter synthesis and receptor genes, (2) altered abundance of metabolites and neurotransmitters (or their precursors) with known behavioral effects in ants and other insects, and (3) possible suppression of a connected immunity pathway. We additionally report signals for metabolic activity during manipulation related to primary metabolism, detoxification, and anti-stress protectants. Taken together, these findings suggest that host manipulation is likely a multi-faceted phenomenon, with key processes changing at multiple levels of molecular organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Will
- Biology Department, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA.
| | - G M Attardo
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of California-Davis, Davis, USA
| | - C de Bekker
- Biology Department, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA.
- Biology Department, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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11
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Cunha TJ, de Medeiros BAS, Lord A, Sørensen MV, Giribet G. Rampant loss of universal metazoan genes revealed by a chromosome-level genome assembly of the parasitic Nematomorpha. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3514-3521.e4. [PMID: 37467752 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Parasites may manipulate host behavior to increase the odds of transmission or to reach the proper environment to complete their life cycle.1,2 Members of the phylum Nematomorpha (known as horsehair worms, hairworms, or Gordian worms) are large endoparasites that affect the behavior of their arthropod hosts. In terrestrial hosts, they cause erratic movements toward bodies of water,3,4,5,6 where the adult worm emerges from the host to find mates for reproduction. We present a chromosome-level genome assembly for the freshwater Acutogordius australiensis and a draft assembly for one of the few known marine species, Nectonema munidae. The assemblies span 201 Mbp and 213 Mbp in length (N50: 38 Mbp and 716 Kbp), respectively, and reveal four chromosomes in Acutogordius, which are largely rearranged compared to the inferred ancestral condition in animals. Both nematomorph genomes have a relatively low number of genes (11,114 and 8,717, respectively) and lack a high proportion (∼30%) of universal single-copy metazoan orthologs (BUSCO genes7). We demonstrate that missing genes are not an artifact of the assembly process, with the majority of missing orthologs being shared by the two independent assemblies. Missing BUSCOs are enriched for Gene Ontology (GO) terms associated with the organization of cilia and cell projections in other animals. We show that most cilium-related genes conserved across eukaryotes have been lost in Nematomorpha, providing a molecular basis for the suspected absence of ciliary structures in these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tauana J Cunha
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA.
| | - Bruno A S de Medeiros
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
| | - Arianna Lord
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Martin V Sørensen
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gonzalo Giribet
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Skalon EK, Starunov VV, Bondarenko NI, Slyusarev GS. Plasmodium structure of Intoshia linei (Orthonectida). J Morphol 2023; 284:e21602. [PMID: 37313769 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Orthonectids are enigmatic parasitic bilaterians whose exact position on the phylogenetic tree is still uncertain. Despite ongoing debate about their phylogenetic position, the parasitic stage of orthonectids known as "plasmodium" remains underexplored. There is still no consensus on the origin of the plasmodium: whether it is an altered host cell or a parasitic organism that develops in the host extracellular environment. To determine the origin of the orthonectid parasitic stage, we studied in detail the fine structure of the Intoshia linei orthonectid plasmodium using a variety of morphological methods. The orthonectid plasmodium is a shapeless multinucleated organism separated from host tissues by a double membrane envelope. Besides numerous nuclei, its cytoplasm contains organelles typical for other bilaterians, reproductive cells, and maturing sexual specimens. Reproductive cells, as well as developing orthonectid males and females, are covered by an additional membrane. The plasmodium forms protrusions directed to the surface of the host body and used by mature individuals for egress from the host. The obtained results indicate that the orthonectid plasmodium is an extracellular parasite. A possible mechanism for its formation might involve spreading parasitic larva cells across the host tissues with subsequent generation of a cell-within-cell complex. The cytoplasm of the plasmodium originates from the outer cell, which undergoes multiple nuclear divisions without cytokinesis, while the inner cell divides, giving rise to reproductive cells and embryos. The term "plasmodium" should be avoided and the term "orthonectid plasmodium" could be temporarily used instead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizaveta K Skalon
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Viktor V Starunov
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Natalya I Bondarenko
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - George S Slyusarev
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg University, St. Petersburg, Russia
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Davis AK, Ladd RRE, Smith F, Shattuck A. Sex-specific effects of a parasite on stress-induced freezing behavior in a natural beetle-nematode system. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281149. [PMID: 36917578 PMCID: PMC10013888 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Some animals react to predation threats or other stressors by adopting a freezing posture in an attempt to avoid detection, and the duration of this behavior usually corresponds with individual personality, such that timid individuals freeze longer. Despite decades of research on this or related behaviors (thanatosis), never has the impact of parasitism been considered. Parasites could prolong the duration, if hosts are less motivated to move (i.e. lethargic), or they could reduce it, if hosts are motivated to forage more to compensate for energy drain. We examined this behavior within a natural beetle-nematode system, where hosts (horned passalus beetles, Odontotaenius disjunctus) are parasitized by a nematode, Chondronema passali. We exposed beetles (n = 238) to four stressors in our lab, including noise, vibration, light and inversion, and recorded how long they adopt a frozen stance. Afterward, we determined nematode burdens, which can range from dozens to hundreds of worms. Beetles tended to freeze for 20 seconds on average, with some variation between stressors. We detected no effect of beetle mass on the duration of freezing, and this behavior did not differ in beetles collected during the breeding or non-breeding season. There was a surprising sex-based difference in the impact of nematodes; unparasitized females remained frozen twice as long as unparasitized males, but for beetles with heavy nematode burdens, the opposite was true. From this we infer that heavily parasitized females are more bold, while males with heavy burdens would be more timid. The explanation for this finding remains elusive, though we can rule out many possibilities based on prior work on this host-parasite system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K. Davis
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Richard R. E. Ladd
- Biological Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Farran Smith
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Anna Shattuck
- Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
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Ryberg MP, Christensen A, Jørgensen C, Neuenfeldt S, Skov PV, Behrens JW. Bioenergetics modelling of growth processes in parasitized Eastern Baltic cod ( Gadus morhua L.). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad007. [PMID: 36911046 PMCID: PMC9999110 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Changes in physiological processes can reveal how individuals respond to environmental stressors. It can be difficult to link physiological responses to changes in vital rates such as growth, reproduction and survival. Here, bioenergetics modelling can aid in understanding non-intuitive outcomes from stressor combinations. Building on an established bioenergetics model, we examine the potential effects of parasite infection on growth rate and body condition. Parasites represent an overlooked biotic factor, despite their known effects on the physiology of the host organism. As a case study, we use the host-parasite system of Eastern Baltic cod (Gadus morhua) infected with the parasitic nematode Contraceacum osculatum. Eastern Baltic cod have during the past decade experienced increasing infection loads with C. osculatum that have been shown to lead to physiological changes. We hypothesized that infection with parasites affects cod growth negatively as previous studies reveal that the infections lead to reduced energy turnover, severe liver disease and reduced nutritional condition. To test this, we implemented new variables into the bioenergetics model representing the physiological changes in infected fish and parameterized these based on previous experimental data. We found that growth rate and body condition decreased with increased infection load. Highly infected cod reach a point of no return where their energy intake cannot maintain a surplus energy balance, which may eventually lead to induced mortality. In conclusion, parasite infections cannot be ignored when assessing drivers of fish stock dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Plambech Ryberg
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Aqua), Kemitorvet, Building 202,
Kgs. Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Asbjørn Christensen
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Aqua), Kemitorvet, Building 202,
Kgs. Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Christian Jørgensen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Thormøhlens Gate 53 A/B, 5006 Bergen, Norway
| | - Stefan Neuenfeldt
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Aqua), Kemitorvet, Building 202,
Kgs. Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Peter V Skov
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Aqua), Willemoesvej 2, Hirtshals 9850, Denmark
| | - Jane W Behrens
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Aqua), Kemitorvet, Building 202,
Kgs. Lyngby 2800, Denmark
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15
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Born-Torrijos A, van Beest GS, Merella P, Garippa G, Raga JA, Montero FE. Mapping a brain parasite: Occurrence and spatial distribution in fish encephalon. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY: PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2023; 21:22-32. [PMID: 37081833 PMCID: PMC10111940 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
Parasites, especially brain-encysting trematodes, can have an impact on host behaviour, facilitating the transmission to next host and completion of the life cycle, but insufficient research has been done on whether specific brain regions are targeted. Using Cardiocephaloides longicollis as a laboratory model, the precise distribution of metacercariae in experimentally-infected, wild and farmed fish was mapped. The brain regions targeted by this parasite were explored, also from a histologic perspective, and potential pathogenic effects were evaluated. Experimental infections allowed to reproduce the natural infection intensity of C. longicollis, with four times higher infection intensity at the higher dose (150 vs 50 cercariae). The observed metacercarial distribution, similar among all fish groups, may reflect a trematode species-specific pattern: metacercariae occur with highest density in the optic lobe area (primarily infecting the periventricular gray zone of optic tectum) and the medulla oblongata, whereas other areas such as the olfactory lobes and cerebellar lobes may be occupied when the more frequently invaded parts of the brain were crowded. Mono- and multicysts (i.e. formed either with a single metacercaria, or with 2-25 metacercariae encapsulated together) may be formed depending on the aggregation and timing of metacercariae arrival, with minor host inflammatory response. Larvae of C. longicollis colonizing specific brain areas may have an effect on the functions associated with these areas, which are generally related to sensory and motor functions, but are also related to other host fitness traits such as school maintenance or recognition of predators. The detailed information on the extent and distribution of C. longicollis in fish encephalon sets the ground to understand the effects of brain parasites on fish, but further investigation to establish if C. longicollis, through purely mechanical damage (e.g., occupation, pressure and displacement), has an actual impact on host behaviour remains to be tested under controlled experimental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Born-Torrijos
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, Texel, Netherlands
- Corresponding author. Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, Texel, Netherlands.
| | - Gabrielle S. van Beest
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Cavanilles Institute for Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Science Park, University of Valencia, PO Box 22 085, 46071, Valencia, Spain
| | - Paolo Merella
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Giovanni Garippa
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Juan Antonio Raga
- Cavanilles Institute for Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Science Park, University of Valencia, PO Box 22 085, 46071, Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco E. Montero
- Cavanilles Institute for Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Science Park, University of Valencia, PO Box 22 085, 46071, Valencia, Spain
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Svinin AO, Chikhlyaev IV, Bashinskiy IW, Osipov VV, Neymark LA, Ivanov AY, Stoyko TG, Chernigova PI, Ibrogimova PK, Litvinchuk SN, Ermakov OA. Diversity of trematodes from the amphibian anomaly P hotspot: Role of planorbid snails. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281740. [PMID: 36989233 PMCID: PMC10057761 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Trematode infection of the second intermediate hosts can lead to changes in their fitness and, as a result, a change in the invasion rate of animal communities. It is especially pronounced during the invasion of parasite species that reduce activity due to the manipulation of hosts through the changes of their morphology and physiology. One of these cases is an anomaly P syndrome hotspot found in some populations of water frogs and toads in Europe caused by the trematode Strigea robusta metacercariae. The occurrence of pathogen and their participation in ecosystems are intrigues questions in the anomaly P phenomenon, as well as the role of planorbid snails that serve as the first intermediate hosts for many trematode species. Herein, we focused on trematodes spectra from planorbid snails and amphibians from the anomaly P hosts with the aim to undetected interactions between the pathways of parasites. Emerging cercariae of 6802 planorbid snails of dominant species (Planorbarius corneus, Planorbis planorbis, and Anisus spp.) were detected by both morphological and molecular methods in seven waterbodies in Privolzhskaya Lesostep Nature Reserve (Russia). A total of 95 sequences of 18 species were received, and 48 sequences were unique and did not present in any genetic databases. The 18 species of trematodes from snails and 14 species of trematodes from amphibian hosts (Pelophylax ridibundus; Ranidae; Anura) were detected. Three species (Echinostoma nasincovae, Tylodelphys circibuteonis and Australapatemon burti) was new for the trematode fauna of the Middle Volga River region and Russia as a whole. Eleven species of parasitic flatworms have amphibians in their life cycles and nine species used amphibians as metacercariae hosts: Echinostoma nasincovae, E. miyagawai, Echinoparyphium recurvatum, Tylodelphys circibuteonis, Neodiplostomum spathula, Paralepoderma cloacicola, Macrodera longicollis, Strigea robusta, and Strigea strigis. The occurrence of trematode species from planorbid mollusks and frogs were compared.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton O Svinin
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen, Russia
| | - Igor V Chikhlyaev
- Institute of Ecology of Volga River Basin, Samara Federal Research Scientific Center RAS, Togliatti, Russia
| | - Ivan W Bashinskiy
- Laboratory of Ecology of Aquatic Communities and Invasions, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vitaly V Osipov
- Privolzhskaya Lesosteppe State Nature Reserve, Penza, Russia
| | - Leonid A Neymark
- Institute of Ecology of Volga River Basin, Samara Federal Research Scientific Center RAS, Togliatti, Russia
| | | | - Tamara G Stoyko
- Department of Zoology and Ecology, Penza State University, Penza, Russia
| | - Polina I Chernigova
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen, Russia
| | - Polina K Ibrogimova
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen, Russia
| | | | - Oleg A Ermakov
- Department of Zoology and Ecology, Penza State University, Penza, Russia
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Kloss TG, de Pádua DG, de Almeida SDS, Penteado-Dias AM, Mendes-Pereira T, Sobczak JF, Lacerda FG, Gonzaga MO. A New Darwin Wasp (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) and New Records of Behavioral Manipulation of the Host Spider Leucauge volupis (Araneae: Tetragnathidae). NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 51:821-829. [PMID: 36097253 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-022-00991-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Some ichneumonid wasps of the Polysphincta group of genera (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) induce behavioral modifications in their host spiders during a specific moment of their development, resulting in the construction of webs that differ in several aspects from those constructed by unparasitized individuals. In this study, we describe the parasitoid wasp Hymenoepimecis pinheirensis sp. n. (Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) and present information on behavioral modifications in the orb-web structure of its host, the spider Leucauge volupis (Keyserling 1893). Previously, reported observation on this host/parasitoid interaction was restricted to one locality, and the wasp species was misidentified as Hymenoepimecis jordanensis Loffredo and Penteado-Dias 2009. Modified webs built by parasitized spiders lack adhesive spirals and have several radii that converge to the web hub. The cocoon built by the wasp larvae is attached to the web hub, suspended by horizontal radial lines, and surrounded by a tridimensional tangle positioned below the hub. This modified web structure is similar to the most frequent architecture of webs constructed by individuals of Leucauge mariana (Taczanowski 1881) parasitized by Hymenoepimecis tedfordi Gauld 1991. However, cocoon webs built by L. volupis parasitized by H. pinheirensis sp. n. differ from the cocoon webs described for the other Leucauge species parasitized by Hymenoepimecis wasps. This evidence suggests that the modified web pattern in Leucauge species is determined by specific responses of each spider species to the behavioral manipulation mechanism displayed by the wasps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Gechel Kloss
- Depto de Biologia Geral, Univ Federal de Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Viçosa, Brazil.
| | - Diego Galvão de Pádua
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | | | | | - Thairine Mendes-Pereira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Univ Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jober Fernando Sobczak
- Instituto de Ciências Exatas e da Natureza, Univ da Integração Internacional da Lusofonia Afro-Brasileira, Redenção, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Fabrícia Gonçalves Lacerda
- Depto de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e da Saúde, Univ Federal do Espírito Santo, Alegre, Espírito Santo, Brazil
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18
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Infection increases activity via Toll dependent and independent mechanisms in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010826. [PMID: 36129961 PMCID: PMC9529128 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Host behavioural changes are among the most apparent effects of infection. ‘Sickness behaviour’ can involve a variety of symptoms, including anorexia, depression, and changed activity levels. Here, using a real-time tracking and behavioural profiling platform, we show that in Drosophila melanogaster, several systemic bacterial infections cause significant increases in physical activity, and that the extent of this activity increase is a predictor of survival time in some lethal infections. Using multiple bacteria and D. melanogaster immune and activity mutants, we show that increased activity is driven by at least two different mechanisms. Increased activity after infection with Micrococcus luteus, a Gram-positive bacterium rapidly cleared by the immune response, strictly requires the Toll ligand spätzle. In contrast, increased activity after infection with Francisella novicida, a Gram-negative bacterium that cannot be cleared by the immune response, is entirely independent of both Toll and the parallel IMD pathway. The existence of multiple signalling mechanisms by which bacterial infections drive increases in physical activity implies that this effect may be an important aspect of the host response. Sickness behaviours are often observed during infection. Animals have been shown to change their feeding, mating, social and resting (sleeping) behaviours in response to infection. We show here that fruit-flies infected with bacteria respond by increasing their physical activity and decreasing the amount of time spent sleeping. This increase in activity is seen in some, but not all, bacterial infections, and appears to be driven by at least two different mechanisms: with some bacteria, activating the immune response is the only requirement to induce increased activity, while other bacteria induce increased activity independently of known immune detection pathways. The biological role of increased activity is unclear; flies in the wild may be driven to flee sites where infection risk or pathogen burden is high. Alternatively, increased activity could serve a less direct anti-microbial function. For example, active animals may be more likely to encounter potential mates or food resource.
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19
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Freire R, Rogers L, Creece D, Shamsi S. Neophobic behavioural responses of parasitised fish to a potential predator and baited hook. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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20
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Morris AM, Innocent GT, Cunningham EJ, Athanasiadou S, Hutchings MR, Smith LA. Early signals of parasitism expressed through behaviour but modulated by social context. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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21
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Svinin AO, Matushkina KA, Dedukh DV, Bashinskiy IV, Ermakov OA, Litvinchuk SN. Strigea robusta (Digenea: Strigeidae) infection effects on the gonadal structure and limb malformation in toad early development. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 337:675-686. [PMID: 35451578 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The anomaly P is a mass morphological anomaly reported in some water frog populations across Europe. It was found that polydactyly is only a mild attenuated form of heavy cases of the anomaly P syndrome, which have strong deformations of the hindlimbs and, partly, forelimbs. It was shown that the anomaly P is caused by the trematode Strigea robusta and this syndrome can be considered as a special case of strigeosis in amphibians. The anomaly P for a long time considered to be specific for water frogs of the genus Pelophylax. Herein, we describe polydactyly and heavy forms of the anomaly P syndrome in toads of the genera Bufo and Bufotes, as a result of exposure to S. robusta cercariae. A total of 150 tadpoles of Bufo bufo, 60 tadpoles of Bufotes viridis, and 60 tadpoles of Bufotes baturae were divided into five experimental and four control groups (30 tadpoles in each group). All anomalies in the toads were similar to those observed in water frogs. The survival of tadpoles in the experimental groups was 76%. The anomaly P was observed in 57.9% of toad tadpoles (51.8% of mild forms and 6.1% of heavy forms). The occurrence of the anomaly P varied among groups from 19% to 78%. Heavy forms of the anomaly P were found in all experimental groups. We described rare asymmetrical cases of the anomaly P. According to severe modification of limb morphology, we supposed changes of gonadal morphology (any modifications of the germ and somatic cells). The gonadal development of infected tadpoles was however the same as in uninfected toad tadpoles, and heterochromatin distribution within gonocytes had no differences as well. It seems like the parasite doesn't have any effect on the gonadal development of the toads. The lack of heavy forms in natural populations of toads, as well as a development of gonads were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton O Svinin
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), University of Tyumen, Tyumen, Russia
| | - Kseniya A Matushkina
- Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Russian State Agrarian University Moscow, Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry V Dedukh
- Laboratory of Fish Genetics, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Liběchov, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan V Bashinskiy
- A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Oleg A Ermakov
- Department of Zoology and Ecology, Penza State University, Penza, Russia
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22
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Cozzarolo CS, Pigeault R, Isaïa J, Wassef J, Baur M, Glaizot O, Christe P. Experiment in semi-natural conditions did not confirm the influence of malaria infection on bird attractiveness to mosquitoes. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:187. [PMID: 35655262 PMCID: PMC9164852 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05292-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Changes in host phenotype following parasite infection are often considered as host manipulation when they seem advantageous for the parasite. However, putative cases of host manipulation by parasites are rarely tested in field-realistic conditions. Infection-induced phenotypic change cannot be conclusively considered as host manipulation if no evidence shows that this trait is adaptive for the parasite in the wild. Plasmodium sp., the parasites causing malaria in vertebrates, are hypothesized to “manipulate” their host by making their odour more attractive to mosquitoes, their vector and final host. While this is fairly well supported by studies on mice and humans, studies focusing on avian malaria give contradictory results. Methods In the present study, genotyped birds at different stages (uninfected, acute and chronic) of Plasmodium relictum infection were exposed, in a large outdoor aviary, to their natural vector, the mosquito Culex pipiens. Results After genotyping the blood meals of more than 650 mosquitoes, we found that mosquitoes did not bite infected birds more than they bit them before infection, nor more than they bit uninfected hosts. Conclusions Our study highlights the importance of testing ecological behaviours under natural conditions and suggests that different processes might be at play in mammals and birds regarding potential manipulation of attractiveness by malaria parasites. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05292-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille-Sophie Cozzarolo
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland. .,Biogéosciences, UMR 6282, CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 6 boulevard Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France.
| | - Romain Pigeault
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland.,Laboratoire EBI, Equipe EES, UMR CNRS 7267, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, 86000, France
| | - Julie Isaïa
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Jérôme Wassef
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Molly Baur
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Glaizot
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland.,Musée Cantonal de Zoologie, Lausanne, 1014, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Christe
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
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23
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Moran MN, Aguero CM, Eyer PA, Vargo EL. Rescue Strategy in a Termite: Workers Exposed to a Fungal Pathogen Are Reintegrated Into the Colony. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.840223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Social insect colonies are characterized by an efficient division of labor, allowing high-value individuals (i.e., reproductives and brood) to be sheltered from tasks associated with increased risk of pathogen exposure, such as foraging or corpse disposal. This social organization helps limit the transmission of disease throughout the colony. Further, individuals can actively respond to imminent disease threats by altering their behaviors as a means of social immunity. In subterranean termites, although workers typically avoid detected pathogens, they can be attracted to pathogen cues when a nestmate is infected. Infected termites are usually groomed, but they may instead be cannibalized if the infection has already become lethal. The mechanisms governing these changes in behavior are unclear. We set out to examine immediate changes in individual behaviors, investigating the role that the infected individual plays in communicating its infection status to nestmates. We also assessed gradual changes in social organization after the re-introduction of an infected termite to the colony. Our results reveal that infected termites likely do not signal their infection status to nestmates through shaking behaviors and reduced movements, suggesting the occurrence of other mechanisms used in communicating infection. We also found that infected termites do not self-isolate and may travel to the densest part of the colony, where they can potentially benefit from grooming by large groups of nestmates. These results provide new insights into how individual changes in immune behaviors contribute to overall colony health, highlighting that, at early stages of infection, termites favor a rescuing strategy rather than isolation and/or cannibalization.
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24
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Changes in Snail Chemical Profiles through Host-Parasite Interactions. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2022; 249:111464. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2022.111464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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25
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Demandt N, Bierbach D, Kurvers RHJM, Krause J, Kurtz J, Scharsack JP. Parasite infection impairs the shoaling behaviour of uninfected shoal members under predator attack. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03080-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
A key benefit of sociality is a reduction in predation risk. Cohesive group behaviour and rapid collective decision making are essential for reducing predation risk in groups. Parasite infection might reduce an individuals’ grouping behaviours and thereby change the behaviour of the group as a whole. To investigate the relationship between parasite infection and grouping behaviours, we studied groups of three-spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus, varying the number of individuals experimentally infected with the cestode Schistocephalus solidus. We studied groups of six sticklebacks containing 0, 2, 3, 4 or 6 infected individuals before and after a simulated bird attack. We predicted that infected individuals would have reduced shoaling and swimming speed and that the presence of infected individuals within a group would reduce group cohesion and speed. Uninfected fish increased shoaling and reduced swimming speed more than infected fish after the bird attack. In groups containing both infected and uninfected fish, the group behaviours were dominated by the more frequent character (uninfected versus infected). Interestingly, groups with equal numbers of uninfected and infected fish showed the least shoaling and had the lowest swimming speeds, suggesting that these groups failed to generate a majority and therefore displayed signs of indecisiveness by reducing their swimming speed the most. Our results provide evidence for a negative effect of infection on a group’s shoaling behaviour, thereby potentially deteriorating collective decision making. The presence of infected individuals might thus have far-reaching consequences in natural populations under predation risk.
Significance statement
Parasite-infected individuals often show deviating group behaviours. This might reduce the anti-predator benefits of group living. However, it is unknown whether such deviations in group behaviour might influence the shoaling behaviour of uninfected group members and thereby the behaviour of the group as a whole. By experimentally infecting sticklebacks and investigating groups varying in infection rates, we show that infected sticklebacks differ in their shoaling behaviours from uninfected sticklebacks. Additionally, the presence of infected sticklebacks within the group affected the behaviour of uninfected shoal members. We show that shoals of infected fish are less cohesive and move slower compared to shoals of uninfected fish. Furthermore, we show that the infection rate of the shoal is crucial for how the group behaves.
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26
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Hunger games: foraging behaviour and shelter use in fish under the context-dependent influence of parasitism. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:3681-3692. [PMID: 34515862 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07296-4] [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: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Diseases, and the parasitic organisms that cause them, can impact aspects of ecosystems ranging from altering food web connectivity to population dynamics. Apart from interspecific interactions, parasites can affect how their hosts behave with conspecifics, such as during competition for resources. Fish are important hosts to a variety of parasite taxa that can, through physical impairment or invasion of sense organs, affect how they interact with conspecifics for food, territory, or mates. In New Zealand, the common bully Gobiomorphus cotidianus plays host to a variety of parasites, encysting throughout the body (Apatemon sp.) or residing within the eyes (Tylodelphys darbyi). We hypothesized that fish with lower levels of infection would secure territories closer to a food patch and be more likely to tolerate sharing that territory. Our experiments show that parasites infecting different areas may have variable impacts on how far the host positions itself from a food patch and the likelihood that it shares its territory. Fish with higher intensities of T. darbyi tended to be closer to the food patch, but Apatemon sp. did not show a similar pattern. Higher infection levels of both parasites were statistically associated with bullies being less likely to share territory. Further, bigger fish were less likely to share their territory at higher intensities infection, and we observed individual variation in a fish's response between trials. Our findings support that parasites matter in ecological interactions but also emphasize the context dependence of their effects.
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27
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Tobias ZJC, Fowler AE, Blakeslee AMH, Darling JA, Torchin ME, Miller AW, Ruiz GM, Tepolt CK. Invasion history shapes host transcriptomic response to a body-snatching parasite. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:4321-4337. [PMID: 34162013 PMCID: PMC10128110 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
By shuffling biogeographical distributions, biological invasions can both disrupt long-standing associations between hosts and parasites and establish new ones. This creates natural experiments with which to study the ecology and evolution of host-parasite interactions. In estuaries of the Gulf of Mexico, the white-fingered mud crab (Rhithropanopeus harrisii) is infected by a native parasitic barnacle, Loxothylacus panopaei (Rhizocephala), which manipulates host physiology and behaviour. In the 1960s, L. panopaei was introduced to the Chesapeake Bay and has since expanded along the southeastern Atlantic coast, while host populations in the northeast have so far been spared. We use this system to test the host's transcriptomic response to parasitic infection and investigate how this response varies with the parasite's invasion history, comparing populations representing (i) long-term sympatry between host and parasite, (ii) new associations where the parasite has invaded during the last 60 years and (iii) naïve hosts without prior exposure. A comparison of parasitized and control crabs revealed a core response, with widespread downregulation of transcripts involved in immunity and moulting. The transcriptional response differed between hosts from the parasite's native range and where it is absent, consistent with previous observations of increased susceptibility in populations lacking exposure to the parasite. Crabs from the parasite's introduced range, where prevalence is highest, displayed the most dissimilar response, possibly reflecting immune priming. These results provide molecular evidence for parasitic manipulation of host phenotype and the role of gene regulation in mediating host-parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary J. C. Tobias
- MIT-WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science and Engineering, Cambridge and Woods Hole, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Amy E. Fowler
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | | | - John A. Darling
- National Exposure Research Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Mark E. Torchin
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama
| | | | - Gregory M. Ruiz
- Smithsonian Environmental Research, Center, Edgewater, MD, USA
| | - Carolyn K. Tepolt
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
- Smithsonian Environmental Research, Center, Edgewater, MD, USA
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28
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Berger CS, Laroche J, Maaroufi H, Martin H, Moon KM, Landry CR, Foster LJ, Aubin-Horth N. The parasite Schistocephalus solidus secretes proteins with putative host manipulation functions. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:436. [PMID: 34454597 PMCID: PMC8400842 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04933-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Manipulative parasites are thought to liberate molecules in their external environment, acting as manipulation factors with biological functions implicated in their host's physiological and behavioural alterations. These manipulation factors are part of a complex mixture called the secretome. While the secretomes of various parasites have been described, there is very little data for a putative manipulative parasite. It is necessary to study the molecular interaction between a manipulative parasite and its host to better understand how such alterations evolve. METHODS Here, we used proteomics to characterize the secretome of a model cestode with a complex life cycle based on trophic transmission. We studied Schistocephalus solidus during the life stage in which behavioural changes take place in its obligatory intermediate fish host, the threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). We produced a novel genome sequence and assembly of S. solidus to improve protein coding gene prediction and annotation for this parasite. We then described the whole worm's proteome and its secretome during fish host infection using LC-MS/MS. RESULTS A total of 2290 proteins were detected in the proteome of S. solidus, and 30 additional proteins were detected specifically in the secretome. We found that the secretome contains proteases, proteins with neural and immune functions, as well as proteins involved in cell communication. We detected receptor-type tyrosine-protein phosphatases, which were reported in other parasitic systems to be manipulation factors. We also detected 12 S. solidus-specific proteins in the secretome that may play important roles in host-parasite interactions. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that S. solidus liberates molecules with putative host manipulation functions in the host and that many of them are species-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Suzanne Berger
- Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Quebec, QC Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative Et Des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Quebec, QC Canada
- Ressources Aquatiques Québec (RAQ), Institut Des Sciences de La Mer de Rimouski, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jérôme Laroche
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative Et Des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Quebec, QC Canada
| | - Halim Maaroufi
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative Et Des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Quebec, QC Canada
| | - Hélène Martin
- Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Quebec, QC Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative Et Des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Quebec, QC Canada
- Département de Biochimie, Microbiologie Et Bioinformatique, Université Laval, Quebec, QC Canada
| | - Kyung-Mee Moon
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4 Canada
| | - Christian R. Landry
- Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Quebec, QC Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative Et Des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Quebec, QC Canada
- Département de Biochimie, Microbiologie Et Bioinformatique, Université Laval, Quebec, QC Canada
- PROTEO, Le Réseau Québécois de Recherche Sur La Fonction, la structure et l’ingénierie des protéines, Université Laval, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Données Massives (CRDM), Université Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Leonard J. Foster
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4 Canada
| | - Nadia Aubin-Horth
- Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Quebec, QC Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative Et Des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Quebec, QC Canada
- Ressources Aquatiques Québec (RAQ), Institut Des Sciences de La Mer de Rimouski, Quebec, Canada
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29
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Li Y, Zhang J, Zhao S, Wu X. BmNPV-induced hormone metabolic disorder in silkworm leads to enhanced locomotory behavior. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 121:104036. [PMID: 33545211 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2021.104036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Many parasites alter the host locomotory behaviors in a way that increases their fitness and progeny transmission. Baculoviruses can manipulate host physiology and alter the locomotory behavior by inducing 'hyperactivity' (increased locomotion) or 'tree-top disease' (climbing high up to the top before dying). However, the detailed molecular mechanism underlying virus-induced this hyperactive behavior remains elusive. In the present study, we showed that BmNPV invaded into silkworm brain tissue, resulting in severe brain damage. Moreover, BmNPV infection disturbed the insect hormone balance. The content of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in hemolymph was much lower during the hyperactive stage, while the dopamine (DA) titer was higher than mock infection. Exogenous hormone treatment assays demonstrated that 20E inhibits virus-induced ELA (enhanced locomotory activity), while dopamine stimulates this behavior. More specificity, injection of dopamine or its agonist promote this hyperactive behavior in BmNPV-infected larvae. Taking together, our findings revealed the important role of hormone metabolism in BmNPV-induced ELA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Stilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianjia Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Shudi Zhao
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xiaofeng Wu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Stilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.
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30
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Towards a more healthy conservation paradigm: integrating disease and molecular ecology to aid biological conservation †. J Genet 2021. [PMID: 33622992 PMCID: PMC7371965 DOI: 10.1007/s12041-020-01225-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Parasites, and the diseases they cause, are important from an ecological and evolutionary perspective because they can negatively affect host fitness and can regulate host populations. Consequently, conservation biology has long recognized the vital role that parasites can play in the process of species endangerment and recovery. However, we are only beginning to understand how deeply parasites are embedded in ecological systems, and there is a growing recognition of the important ways in which parasites affect ecosystem structure and function. Thus, there is an urgent need to revisit how parasites are viewed from a conservation perspective and broaden the role that disease ecology plays in conservation-related research and outcomes. This review broadly focusses on the role that disease ecology can play in biological conservation. Our review specifically emphasizes on how the integration of tools and analytical approaches associated with both disease and molecular ecology can be leveraged to aid conservation biology. Our review first concentrates on disease-mediated extinctions and wildlife epidemics. We then focus on elucidating how host–parasite interactions has improved our understanding of the eco-evolutionary dynamics affecting hosts at the individual, population, community and ecosystem scales. We believe that the role of parasites as drivers and indicators of ecosystem health is especially an exciting area of research that has the potential to fundamentally alter our view of parasites and their role in biological conservation. The review concludes with a broad overview of the current and potential applications of modern genomic tools in disease ecology to aid biological conservation.
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31
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López-Rodríguez R, George-Nascimento M, Górski K. Effects of the cranial parasite Tylodelphys sp. on the behavior and physiology of puye Galaxias maculatus (Jenyns, 1842). PeerJ 2021; 9:e11095. [PMID: 33828918 PMCID: PMC7993012 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Diplostomatid digeneans are well-known manipulators of the behavior of their intermediate hosts. Unencysted metacercariae of Tylodelphys sp. inhabit the cranial cavity of the fish Galaxias maculatus; however, to date they have not been documented to alter their host behavior. The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential effects of Tylodelphys sp. inhabiting the cranial cavity of Galaxias maculatus on host physiology and swimming behavior as well as its reaction to a simulated predation attempt. Blind experiments in the lab were carried out on 56 fish that were filmed individually. The Fulton condition factor (K) was used as an approximation of nutritional status and a respirometry chamber was used to evaluate oxygen consumption rates of fish. Of the 56 fish, 21 were parasitized by Tylodelphys sp. (mean intensity = 30, range from 1 to 101). Parasitized and non-parasitized fish were similar in condition factor and oxygen consumption rates. Furthermore, the oxygen consumption rate of G. maculatus was not correlated with the abundance of Tylodelphys sp. However, parasitized fish more frequently swam close to the water surface, whereas non-parasitized fish more frequently swam at intermediate depths. When faced with a simulated predator attack, unparasitized fish showed more frequent fleeing behavior as well as a more intense post-fleeing activity. Collectively, these results suggest that Tylodelphys sp. inhabiting the cranial cavity of fish may alter their behavior predisposing them to predation by birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruby López-Rodríguez
- Programa de Magister en Ecología Marina, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Región del Biobío, Chile.,Departamento de Ecología/Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Región del Biobío, Chile
| | - Mario George-Nascimento
- Departamento de Ecología/Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Región del Biobío, Chile.,Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ambientes Sustentables (CIBAS), Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Region del Biobío, Chile
| | - Konrad Górski
- Departamento de Ecología/Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Región del Biobío, Chile.,Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ambientes Sustentables (CIBAS), Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Region del Biobío, Chile.,Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas/Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Región de Los Ríos, Chile
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32
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Csata E, Billen J, Barbu-Tudoran L, Markó B. Inside Pandora's box: Development of the lethal myrmecopathogenic fungus Pandora formicae within its ant host. FUNGAL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.funeco.2020.101022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Habig B, Chowdhury S, Monfort SL, Brown JL, Swedell L, Foerster S. Predictors of helminth parasite infection in female chacma baboons ( Papio ursinus). Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2021; 14:308-320. [PMID: 33898232 PMCID: PMC8056146 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.03.012] [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: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Helminth parasite infection can impose major consequences on host fitness. Several factors, including individual characteristics of hosts, environmental conditions, and patterns of coinfection, are thought to drive variation in parasite risk. Here, we report on four key drivers of parasite infection-phase of reproduction, steroid hormone profiles, rainfall, and patterns of coinfection-in a population of wild female chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in South Africa. We collected data on reproductive state and hormone profiles over a 3-year span, and quantified helminth parasite burdens in 2955 fecal samples from 24 female baboons. On a host level, we found that baboons are sensitive to parasite infection during the costliest phases of the reproductive cycle: pregnant females harbored higher intensities of Protospirura eggs than cycling and lactating females; lactating and cycling females had a higher probability of Oesophagostomum infection than pregnant females; and cycling females exhibited lower Trichuris egg counts than pregnant and lactating females. Steroid hormones were associated with both immunoenhancing and immunosuppressive properties: females with high glucocorticoid concentrations exhibited high intensities of Trichuris eggs but were at low risk of Oesophagostomum infection; females with high estrogen and progestagen concentrations exhibited high helminth parasite richness; and females with high progestagen concentrations were at high risk of Oesophagostomum infection but exhibited low Protospirura egg counts. We observed an interaction between host reproductive state and progestagen concentrations in infection intensity of Protospirura: pregnant females exhibited higher intensities and non-pregnant females exhibited lower intensities of Protospirura eggs with increasing progestagen concentrations. At a population level, rainfall patterns were dominant drivers of parasite risk. Lastly, helminth parasites exhibited positive covariance, suggesting that infection probability increases if a host already harbors one or more parasite taxa. Together, our results provide a holistic perspective of factors that shape variation in parasite risk in a wild population of animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bobby Habig
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Blvd. Flushing, NY, 11367, USA
| | - Shahrina Chowdhury
- Department of Anthropology, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11210, USA
- Anthropology Program, Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York NY, 10016, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, Anthropology Program, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Steven L. Monfort
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Janine L. Brown
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Larissa Swedell
- Anthropology Program, Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York NY, 10016, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, Anthropology Program, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Blvd. Flushing, NY, 11367, USA
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Steffen Foerster
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
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34
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Daversa DR, Hechinger RF, Madin E, Fenton A, Dell AI, Ritchie EG, Rohr J, Rudolf VHW, Lafferty KD. Broadening the ecology of fear: non-lethal effects arise from diverse responses to predation and parasitism. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202966. [PMID: 33622122 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Research on the 'ecology of fear' posits that defensive prey responses to avoid predation can cause non-lethal effects across ecological scales. Parasites also elicit defensive responses in hosts with associated non-lethal effects, which raises the longstanding, yet unresolved question of how non-lethal effects of parasites compare with those of predators. We developed a framework for systematically answering this question for all types of predator-prey and host-parasite systems. Our framework reveals likely differences in non-lethal effects not only between predators and parasites, but also between different types of predators and parasites. Trait responses should be strongest towards predators, parasitoids and parasitic castrators, but more numerous and perhaps more frequent for parasites than for predators. In a case study of larval amphibians, whose trait responses to both predators and parasites have been relatively well studied, existing data indicate that individuals generally respond more strongly and proactively to short-term predation risks than to parasitism. Apart from studies using amphibians, there have been few direct comparisons of responses to predation and parasitism, and none have incorporated responses to micropredators, parasitoids or parasitic castrators, or examined their long-term consequences. Addressing these and other data gaps highlighted by our framework can advance the field towards understanding how non-lethal effects impact prey/host population dynamics and shape food webs that contain multiple predator and parasite species.
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Affiliation(s)
- D R Daversa
- La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, Institute for the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.,National Great Rivers Research and Education Centre (NGRREC), East Alton, IL 62024, USA
| | - R F Hechinger
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - E Madin
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Kane'ohe, HI 96744, USA
| | - A Fenton
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - A I Dell
- National Great Rivers Research and Education Centre (NGRREC), East Alton, IL 62024, USA.,Department of Biology, Washington University of St Louis, St Louis, MO 63130, USA.,Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - E G Ritchie
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology (Burwood Campus), Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia
| | - J Rohr
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | | | - K D Lafferty
- Western Ecological Research Center, US Geological Survey, at UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
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The Adaptiveness of Host Behavioural Manipulation Assessed Using Tinbergen's Four Questions. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:597-609. [PMID: 33568325 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Host organisms show altered phenotypic reactions when parasitised, some of which result from adaptive host manipulation, a phenomenon that has long been debated. Here, we provide an overview and discuss the rationale in distinguishing adaptive versus nonadaptive host behavioural manipulation. We discuss Poulin's criteria of adaptive host behavioural manipulation within the context of Tinbergen's four questions of ethology, while highlighting the importance of both the proximate and evolutionary explanations of such traits. We also provide guidelines for future studies exploring the adaptiveness of host behavioural manipulation. Through this article, we seek to encourage researchers to consider both the proximate and ultimate causes of host behavioural manipulation to infer on the adaptiveness of such traits.
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Malmberg JL, White LA, VandeWoude S. Bioaccumulation of Pathogen Exposure in Top Predators. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:411-420. [PMID: 33549372 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Predator-prey interactions present heightened opportunities for pathogen spillover, as predators are at risk of exposure to infectious agents harbored by prey. Epizootics with high morbidity and mortality have been recorded following prey-to-predator spillover events, which have had significant conservation implications for sensitive species. Using felids as a detailed case study, we have documented both virulent and clinically silent infections in apex predators following transfer of microbes from prey. We draw on these examples and others to examine the mechanisms that determine frequency and outcome of predator exposure to prey-based pathogens. We propose that predator-prey dynamics should be more thoroughly considered in empirical research and disease dynamic modeling approaches in order to reveal answers to outstanding questions relating to pathogen bioaccumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Malmberg
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, Laramie, WY82070, USA.
| | - Lauren A White
- National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, University of Maryland, Annapolis, MD 21401, USA.
| | - Sue VandeWoude
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1619, USA.
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37
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Tick parasitism impairs contest behavior in the western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-02980-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Stoldt M, Klein L, Beros S, Butter F, Jongepier E, Feldmeyer B, Foitzik S. Parasite Presence Induces Gene Expression Changes in an Ant Host Related to Immunity and Longevity. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:95. [PMID: 33451085 PMCID: PMC7828512 DOI: 10.3390/genes12010095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Most species are either parasites or exploited by parasites, making parasite-host interactions a driver of evolution. Parasites with complex life cycles often evolve strategies to facilitate transmission to the definitive host by manipulating their intermediate host. Such manipulations could explain phenotypic changes in the ant Temnothorax nylanderi, the intermediate host of the cestode Anomotaenia brevis. In addition to behavioral and morphological alterations, infected workers exhibit prolonged lifespans, comparable to that of queens, which live up to two decades. We used transcriptomic data from cestodes and ants of different castes and infection status to investigate the molecular underpinnings of phenotypic alterations in infected workers and explored whether the extended lifespan of queens and infected workers has a common molecular basis. Infected workers and queens commonly upregulated only six genes, one of them with a known anti-aging function. Both groups overexpressed immune genes, although not the same ones. Our findings suggest that the lifespan extension of infected workers is not achieved via the expression of queen-specific genes. The analysis of the cestodes' transcriptome revealed dominant expression of genes of the mitochondrial respiratory transport chain, which indicates an active metabolism and shedding light on the physiology of the parasite in its cysticercoid stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marah Stoldt
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (L.K.); (S.F.)
| | - Linda Klein
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (L.K.); (S.F.)
| | - Sara Beros
- Max Planck Institute for the Biology of Ageing, 50931 Cologne, Germany;
| | - Falk Butter
- Institute for Molecular Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany;
| | - Evelien Jongepier
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany;
| | - Barbara Feldmeyer
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center (SBiK-F), Molecular Ecology, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany;
| | - Susanne Foitzik
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (L.K.); (S.F.)
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Scharsack JP, Wieczorek B, Schmidt-Drewello A, Büscher J, Franke F, Moore A, Branca A, Witten A, Stoll M, Bornberg-Bauer E, Wicke S, Kurtz J. Climate change facilitates a parasite's host exploitation via temperature-mediated immunometabolic processes. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:94-107. [PMID: 33067869 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Global climate change can influence organismic interactions like those between hosts and parasites. Rising temperatures may exacerbate the exploitation of hosts by parasites, especially in ectothermic systems. The metabolic activity of ectotherms is strongly linked to temperature and generally increases when temperatures rise. We hypothesized that temperature change in combination with parasite infection interferes with the host's immunometabolism. We used a parasite, the avian cestode Schistocephalus solidus, which taps most of its resources from the metabolism of an ectothermic intermediate host, the three-spined stickleback. We experimentally exposed sticklebacks to this parasite, and studied liver transcriptomes 50 days after infection at 13°C and 24°C, to assess their immunometabolic responses. Furthermore, we monitored fitness parameters of the parasite and examined immunity and body condition of the sticklebacks at 13°C, 18°C and 24°C after 36, 50 and 64 days of infection. At low temperatures (13°C), S. solidus growth was constrained, presumably also by the more active stickleback's immune system, thus delaying its infectivity for the final host to 64 days. Warmer temperature (18°C and 24°C) enhanced S. solidus growth, and it became infective to the final host already after 36 days. Overall, S. solidus produced many more viable offspring after development at elevated temperatures. In contrast, stickleback hosts had lower body conditions, and their immune system was less active at warm temperature. The stickleback's liver transcriptome revealed that mainly metabolic processes were differentially regulated between temperatures, whereas immune genes were not strongly affected. Temperature effects on gene expression were strongly enhanced in infected sticklebacks, and even in exposed-but-not-infected hosts. These data suggest that the parasite exposure in concert with rising temperature, as to be expected with global climate change, shifted the host's immunometabolism, thus providing nutrients for the enormous growth of the parasite and, at the same time suppressing immune defence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörn P Scharsack
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Animal Evolutionary Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Bartholomäus Wieczorek
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Animal Evolutionary Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Alexander Schmidt-Drewello
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Animal Evolutionary Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Limnology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Janine Büscher
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Animal Evolutionary Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Frederik Franke
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Animal Evolutionary Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Andrew Moore
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Molecular Evolution & Bioinformatics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Antoine Branca
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Molecular Evolution & Bioinformatics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Anika Witten
- Institute for Human Genetics, Core Facility Genomics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Monika Stoll
- Institute for Human Genetics, Core Facility Genomics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Erich Bornberg-Bauer
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Molecular Evolution & Bioinformatics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Susann Wicke
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Plant Evolutionary Genomics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Joachim Kurtz
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Animal Evolutionary Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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40
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Lianguzova AD, Ilyutkin SA, Korn OM, Miroliubov AA. Specialised rootlets of Sacculina pilosella (Rhizocephala: Sacculinidae) used for interactions with its host's nervous system. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2021; 60:101009. [PMID: 33307518 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2020.101009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Parasitic rhizocephalan barnacles induce morphological, physiological, and behavioural changes in their hosts. The mechanisms of these intimate host-parasite interactions remain unknown. We have shown previously that rootlets of the internae of Peltogasterella gracilis and Peltogaster paguri penetrate the ganglion's envelope of their hermit crab hosts and form specialised structures in the ganglion periphery, the so-called goblet-shaped organs. Here, we examine the gross morphology and ultrastructure of these goblet-shaped organs in the interna of Sacculina pilosella. They consist of three layers of cells; in the intermediate layer of the organs, unusual lamellar bodies and muscle cells were found. Extensive degeneration of the host nervous tissue was observed in the funnel of the goblet-shaped organs. We conclude that the ability to penetrate into the host's nervous tissue could be a common trait in rhizocephalans. The goblet-shaped organs may play a key role in the host-parasite relationships by enabling the parasite to influence the host via hormones and neurotransmitters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia D Lianguzova
- Saint Petersburg State University, Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Universitetskaya Emb, 7/9, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia.
| | - Stanislav A Ilyutkin
- Saint Petersburg State University, Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Universitetskaya Emb, 7/9, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia.
| | - Olga M Korn
- National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, FEB RAS, Palchavskogo str., 17, Vladivostok, 690041, Russia.
| | - Aleksei A Miroliubov
- Zoological Institute RAS, Laboratory of Parasitic Worms and Protists, Universitetskaya emb., 1, Saint-Petersburg, 199034, Russia.
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41
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Demandt N, Praetz M, Kurvers RHJM, Krause J, Kurtz J, Scharsack JP. Parasite infection disrupts escape behaviours in fish shoals. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201158. [PMID: 33143588 PMCID: PMC7735259 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Many prey species have evolved collective responses to avoid predation. They rapidly transfer information about potential predators to trigger and coordinate escape waves. Predation avoidance behaviour is often manipulated by trophically transmitted parasites, to facilitate their transmission to the next host. We hypothesized that the presence of infected, behaviourally altered individuals might disturb the spread of escape waves. We used the tapeworm Schistocephalus solidus, which increases risk-taking behaviour and decreases social responsiveness of its host, the three-spined stickleback, to test this hypothesis. Three subgroups of sticklebacks were placed next to one another in separate compartments with shelter. The middle subgroup contained either uninfected or infected sticklebacks. We confronted an outer subgroup with an artificial bird strike and studied how the escape response spread through the subgroups. With uninfected sticklebacks in the middle, escape waves spread rapidly through the entire shoal and fish remained in shelter thereafter. With infected sticklebacks in the middle, the escape wave was disrupted and uninfected fish rarely used the shelter. Infected individuals can disrupt the transmission of flight responses, thereby not only increasing their own predation risk but also that of their uninfected shoal members. Our study uncovers a potentially far-reaching fitness consequence of grouping with infected individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolle Demandt
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstrasse 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Marit Praetz
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstrasse 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Ralf H J M Kurvers
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jens Krause
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fishery, Müggelseedamm 310, Berlin, Germany.,Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Joachim Kurtz
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstrasse 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Jörn P Scharsack
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstrasse 1, 48149 Münster, Germany.,Thünen Institute for Fisheries Ecology, Herwigstr. 31, 27572 Bremerhaven, Germany
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42
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Shaw JC, Henriksen EH, Knudsen R, Kuhn JA, Kuris AM, Lafferty KD, Siwertsson A, Soldánová M, Amundsen P. High parasite diversity in the amphipod Gammarus lacustris in a subarctic lake. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:12385-12394. [PMID: 33209296 PMCID: PMC7663964 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphipods are often key species in aquatic food webs due to their functional roles in the ecosystem and as intermediate hosts for trophically transmitted parasites. Amphipods can also host many parasite species, yet few studies address the entire parasite community of a gammarid population, precluding a more dynamic understanding of the food web. We set out to identify and quantify the parasite community of Gammarus lacustris to understand the contributions of the amphipod and its parasites to the Takvatn food web. We identified seven parasite taxa: a direct life cycle gregarine, Rotundula sp., and larval stages of two digenean trematode genera, two cestodes, one nematode, and one acanthocephalan. The larval parasites use either birds or fishes as final hosts. Bird parasites predominated, with trematode Plagiorchis sp. having the highest prevalence (69%) and mean abundance (2.7). Fish parasites were also common, including trematodes Crepidostomum spp., nematode Cystidicola farionis, and cestode Cyathocephalus truncatus (prevalences 13, 6, and 3%, respectively). Five parasites depend entirely on G. lacustris to complete their life cycle. At least 11.4% of the overall parasite diversity in the lake was dependent on G. lacustris, and 16% of the helminth diversity required or used the amphipod in their life cycles. These dependencies reveal that in addition to being a key prey item in subarctic lakes, G. lacustris is also an important host for maintaining parasite diversity in such ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny C. Shaw
- Marine Science InstituteUniversity of California Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraCAUSA
| | - Eirik H. Henriksen
- Department of Arctic and Marine BiologyFaculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and EconomicsUiT The Arctic University of NorwayTromsøNorway
| | - Rune Knudsen
- Department of Arctic and Marine BiologyFaculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and EconomicsUiT The Arctic University of NorwayTromsøNorway
| | - Jesper A. Kuhn
- Department of Arctic and Marine BiologyFaculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and EconomicsUiT The Arctic University of NorwayTromsøNorway
| | - Armand M. Kuris
- Marine Science InstituteUniversity of California Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraCAUSA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaSanta BarbaraCAUSA
| | - Kevin D. Lafferty
- Marine Science InstituteUniversity of California Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraCAUSA
- Western Ecological ResearchU.S. Geological SurveySanta BarbaraCAUSA
| | - Anna Siwertsson
- Department of Arctic and Marine BiologyFaculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and EconomicsUiT The Arctic University of NorwayTromsøNorway
- Institute of Marine ResearchEcosystem Processes Research GroupTromsøNorway
| | - Miroslava Soldánová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology CentreCzech Academy of SciencesČeské BudějoviceCzech Republic
| | - Per‐Arne Amundsen
- Department of Arctic and Marine BiologyFaculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and EconomicsUiT The Arctic University of NorwayTromsøNorway
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How Bacteria Impact Host Nervous System and Behaviors: Lessons from Flies and Worms. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:998-1010. [PMID: 33051027 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.09.007] [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: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Behavior is the neuronally controlled, voluntary or involuntary response of an organism to its environment. An increasing body of evidence indicates that microbes, which live closely associated with animals or in their immediate surroundings, significantly influence animals' behavior. The extreme complexity of the nervous system of animals, combined with the extraordinary microbial diversity, are two major obstacles to understand, at the molecular level, how microbes modulate animal behavior. In this review, we discuss recent advances in dissecting the impact that bacteria have on the nervous system of two genetically tractable invertebrate models, Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans.
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44
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Magalhães L, Freitas R, de Montaudouin X. How costly are metacercarial infections in a bivalve host? Effects of two trematode species on biochemical performance of cockles. J Invertebr Pathol 2020; 177:107479. [PMID: 33039398 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2020.107479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Bivalve stocks have been decreasing in the last decades largely due to emergent diseases and consequent mass mortality episodes. Cerastoderma edule (the edible cockle) is one of the most exploited bivalves in Europe and is among the most common hosts for trematodes, the most prevalent macroparasites in coastal waters but yet poorly studied. Therefore, in the present study, this bivalve species was used as host model to determine if trematode infection exerts a negative effect on bivalve energy metabolism and balance and if the tissues targeted by different trematodes influence the metabolic cost, with physiological and biochemical consequences. Cockles were experimentally infected with two trematode species, Himasthla elongata and Renicola roscovitus, that infect the foot and palps, respectively. Trematode infection exerted a negative effect on the metabolism of C. edule, the second intermediate host, by reduction of oxygen consumption. A different host biochemical response was found depending on trematode species, especially in regard to the level of oxygen consumption decrease and the preferential accumulation of lipids and glycogen. This study represents a step towards the understanding of host-trematode relationships that can be used to better predict potential conservation threats to bivalve populations and to maximize the success of stock and disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luísa Magalhães
- CESAM, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitario de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Rosa Freitas
- CESAM, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitario de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Xavier de Montaudouin
- CNRS, UMR EPOC, Université de Bordeaux, Station Marine, 2, rue du Pr Jolyet, F-33120 Arcachon, France
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45
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Post-acquisition effects of viruses on vector behavior are important components of manipulation strategies. Oecologia 2020; 194:429-440. [PMID: 32996004 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04763-0] [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: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
A growing number of studies suggest that plant viruses manipulate host plant phenotypes to increase transmission-conducive behaviors by vectors. Studies on this phenomenon frequently omit examination of interactions that occur after vectors acquire virions, which provides an incomplete understanding of the ecology of plant virus manipulation. Here, by taking a full factorial approach that considered both the infection status of the host (Montia perfoliata) and viruliferous status of the aphid (Myzus persicae), we explored the effects of a circulative, non-propagative virus (Turnip yellows virus [TuYV]) on a suite of behavior and performance metrics that are relevant for virus transmission. Our results demonstrate that viruliferous aphids exhibited an increased velocity of movement and increased activity levels in locomotor and dispersal-retention assays. They also had increased fecundity and showed a capacity to more efficiently exploit resources by taking less time to reach the phloem and ingesting more sap, regardless of plant infection status. In contrast, non-viruliferous aphids only exhibited enhanced fecundity and biomass on TuYV-infected hosts, and had overall reduced dispersal and locomotor activity relative to viruliferous aphids. In this pathosystem, post-acquisition effects were stronger and more conducive to virus transmission than the purely pre-acquisition effects mediated by virus effects on the host plant. Our study provides additional support for the hypothesis that virus manipulation of vector behavior includes both pre- and post-acquisition effects and demonstrates the importance of considering both components when studying putative virus manipulation strategies.
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46
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Ryberg MP, Skov PV, Vendramin N, Buchmann K, Nielsen A, Behrens JW. Physiological condition of Eastern Baltic cod, Gadus morhua, infected with the parasitic nematode Contracaecum osculatum. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa093. [PMID: 32995005 PMCID: PMC7507771 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Establishing relationships between parasite infection and physiological condition of the host can be difficult and therefore are often neglected when describing factors causing population declines. Using the parasite-host system between the parasitic nematode Contracaecum osculatum and the Eastern Baltic cod Gadus morhua, we here shed new light on how parasite load may relate to the physiological condition of a transport host. The Eastern Baltic cod is in distress, with declining nutritional conditions, disappearance of the larger fish, high natural mortality and no signs of recovery of the population. During the latest decade, high infection levels with C. osculatum have been observed in fish in the central and southern parts of the Baltic Sea. We investigated the aerobic performance, nutritional condition, organ masses, and plasma and proximate body composition of wild naturally infected G. morhua in relation to infection density with C. osculatum. Fish with high infection densities of C. osculatum had (i) decreased nutritional condition, (ii) depressed energy turnover as evidenced by reduced standard metabolic rate, (iii) reduction in the digestive organ masses, and alongside (iv) changes in the plasma, body and liver composition, and fish energy source. The significantly reduced albumin to globulin ratio in highly infected G. morhua suggests that the fish suffer from a chronic liver disease. Furthermore, fish with high infection loads had the lowest Fulton's condition factor. Yet, it remains unknown whether our results steam from a direct effect of C. osculatum, or because G. morhua in an already compromised nutritional state are more susceptible towards the parasite. Nevertheless, impairment of the physiological condition can lead to reduced swimming performance, compromising foraging success while augmenting the risk of predation, potentially leading to an increase in the natural mortality of the host. We hence argue that fish-parasite interactions must not be neglected when implementing and refining strategies to rebuild deteriorating populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Plambech Ryberg
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Aqua), Kemitorvet 201, Kgs. Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Peter V Skov
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Aqua), Willemoesvej 2, Hirtshals 9850, Denmark
| | - Niccolò Vendramin
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Aqua), Kemitorvet 201, Kgs. Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Kurt Buchmann
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 7, Frederiksberg 1870, Denmark
| | - Anders Nielsen
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Aqua), Kemitorvet 201, Kgs. Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Jane W Behrens
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Aqua), Kemitorvet 201, Kgs. Lyngby 2800, Denmark
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Dengue infection modulates locomotion and host seeking in Aedes aegypti. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008531. [PMID: 32911504 PMCID: PMC7482838 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogens may manipulate their human and mosquito hosts to enhance disease transmission. Dengue, caused by four viral serotypes, is the fastest-growing transmissible disease globally resulting in 50-100 million infections annually. Transmission of the disease relies on the interaction between humans and the vector Aedes aegypti and is largely dependent on the odor-mediated host seeking of female mosquitoes. In this study, we use activity monitors to demonstrate that dengue virus-1 affects the locomotion and odor-mediated behavior of Ae. aegypti, reflecting the progression of infection within the mosquito. Mosquitoes 4-6 days post-infection increase locomotion, but do not alter their odor-driven host-seeking response. In contrast, females 14-16 days post-infection are less active, yet more sensitive to human odors as assessed by behavioral and electrophysiological assays. Such an increase in physiological and behavioral sensitivity is reflected by the antennal-specific increase in abundance of neural signaling transcripts in 14 days post-infection females, as determined by transcriptome analysis. This suggests that the sensitivity of the mosquito peripheral olfactory system is altered by the dengue virus by enhancing the overall neural responsiveness of the antenna, rather than the selective regulation of chemosensory-related genes. Our study reveals that dengue virus-1 enhances vector-related behaviors in the early stages post-infection that aid in avoiding predation and increasing spatial exploration. On the other hand, at the later stages of infection, the virus enhances the host-seeking capacity of the vector, thereby increasing the risk of virus transmission. A potential mechanism is discussed.
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48
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Horváth G, Jiménez‐Robles O, Martín J, López P, De la Riva I, Herczeg G. Linking behavioral thermoregulation, boldness, and individual state in male Carpetan rock lizards. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:10230-10241. [PMID: 33005378 PMCID: PMC7520217 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms affecting consistent interindividual behavioral variation (i.e., animal personality) are of wide scientific interest. In poikilotherms, ambient temperature is one of the most important environmental factors with a direct link to a variety of fitness-related traits. Recent empirical evidence suggests that individual differences in boldness are linked to behavioral thermoregulation strategy in heliothermic species, as individuals are regularly exposed to predators during basking. Here, we tested for links between behavioral thermoregulation strategy, boldness, and individual state in adult males of the high-mountain Carpetan rock lizard (Iberolacerta cyreni). Principal component analysis revealed the following latent links in our data: (i) a positive relationship of activity with relative limb length and color brightness (PC1, 23% variation explained), (ii) a negative relationship of thermoregulatory precision with parasite load and risk-taking (PC2, 20.98% variation explained), and (iii) a negative relationship between preferred body temperature and relative limb length (PC3, 19.23% variation explained). We conclude that differences in boldness and behavioral thermoregulatory strategy could be explained by both stable and labile state variables. The moderate link between behavioral thermoregulatory strategy and risk-taking personality in our system is plausibly the result of differences in reproductive state of individuals or variation in ecological conditions during the breeding season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Horváth
- Behavioural Ecology GroupDepartment of Systematic Zoology and EcologyEötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestHungary
| | - Octavio Jiménez‐Robles
- Department of Ecology and EvolutionResearch School of BiologyAustralian National UniversityCanberraAustralia
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary BiologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesCSICMadridSpain
| | - José Martín
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesCSICMadridSpain
| | - Pilar López
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesCSICMadridSpain
| | - Ignacio De la Riva
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary BiologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesCSICMadridSpain
| | - Gábor Herczeg
- Behavioural Ecology GroupDepartment of Systematic Zoology and EcologyEötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestHungary
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Jolles JW, Mazué GPF, Davidson J, Behrmann-Godel J, Couzin ID. Schistocephalus parasite infection alters sticklebacks' movement ability and thereby shapes social interactions. Sci Rep 2020; 10:12282. [PMID: 32703965 PMCID: PMC7378215 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69057-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitism is ubiquitous in the animal kingdom. Although many fundamental aspects of host-parasite relationships have been unravelled, few studies have systematically investigated how parasites affect organismal movement. Here we combine behavioural experiments of Schistocephalus solidus infected sticklebacks with individual-based simulations to understand how parasitism affects individual movement ability and thereby shapes social interaction patterns. High-resolution tracking revealed that infected fish swam, accelerated, and turned more slowly than did non-infected fish, and tended to be more predictable in their movements. Importantly, the strength of these effects increased with increasing parasite load (proportion of body weight), with more heavily infected fish showing larger changes and impairments in behaviour. When grouped, pairs of infected fish moved more slowly, were less cohesive, less aligned, and less temporally coordinated than non-infected pairs, and mixed pairs were primarily led by the non-infected fish. These social patterns also emerged in simulations of self-organised groups composed of individuals differing similarly in speed and turning tendency, suggesting infection-induced changes in mobility and manoeuvrability may drive collective outcomes. Together, our results demonstrate how infection with a complex life-cycle parasite affects the movement ability of individuals and how this in turn shapes social interaction patterns, providing important mechanistic insights into the effects of parasites on host movement dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolle W Jolles
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.
- Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Geoffrey P F Mazué
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jacob Davidson
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Iain D Couzin
- Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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50
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Helland-Riise SH, Vindas MA, Johansen IB, Nadler LE, Weinersmith KL, Hechinger RF, Øverli Ø. Brain-encysting trematodes ( Euhaplorchis californiensis) decrease raphe serotonergic activity in California killifish ( Fundulus parvipinnis). Biol Open 2020; 9:bio049551. [PMID: 32439741 PMCID: PMC7358127 DOI: 10.1242/bio.049551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Modulation of brain serotonin (5-HT) signalling is associated with parasite-induced changes in host behaviour, potentially increasing parasite transmission to predatory final hosts. Such alterations could have substantial impact on host physiology and behaviour, as 5-HT serves multiple roles in neuroendocrine regulation. These effects, however, remain insufficiently understood, as parasites have been associated with both increased and decreased serotonergic activity. Here, we investigated effects of trematode Euhaplorchis californiensis metacercariae on post-stress serotonergic activity in the intermediate host California killifish (Fundulus parvipinnis). This parasite is associated with conspicuous behaviour and increased predation of killifish by avian end-hosts, as well as inhibition of post-stress raphe 5-HT activity. Until now, laboratory studies have only been able to achieve parasite densities (parasites/unit host body mass) well below those occurring in nature. Using laboratory infections yielding ecologically relevant parasite loads, we show that serotonergic activity indeed decreased with increasing parasite density, an association likely indicating changes in 5-HT neurotransmission while available transmitter stores remain constant. Contrary to most observations in the literature, 5-HT activity increased with body mass in infected fish, indicating that relationships between parasite load and body mass may in many cases be a real underlying factor for physiological correlates of body size. Our results suggest that parasites are capable of influencing brain serotonergic activity, which could have far-reaching effects beyond the neurophysiological parameters investigated here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siri H Helland-Riise
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway 1407
| | - Marco A Vindas
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway 1407
| | - Ida B Johansen
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway 1407
| | - Lauren E Nadler
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway 1407
- Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92037, USA
| | | | - Ryan F Hechinger
- Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92037, USA
| | - Øyvind Øverli
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway 1407
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