1
|
Chen J, Setia G, Lin LH, Sun Q, Husseneder C. Weight and protozoa number but not bacteria diversity are associated with successful pair formation of dealates in the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293813. [PMID: 37956140 PMCID: PMC10642788 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293813] [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: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
New colonies of Formosan subterranean termites are founded by monogamous pairs. During swarming season, alates (winged reproductives) leave their parental colony. After swarming, they drop to the ground, shed their wings, and male and female dealates find suitable nesting sites where they mate and become kings and queens of new colonies. The first generation of offspring is entirely dependent on the nutritional resources of the founder pair consisting of the fat and protein reserves of the dealates and their microbiota, which include the cellulose-digesting protozoa and diverse bacteria. Since termite kings and queens can live for decades, mate for life and colony success is linked to those initial resources, we hypothesized that gut microbiota of founders affect pair formation. To test this hypothesis, we collected pairs found in nest chambers and single male and female dealates from four swarm populations. The association of three factors (pairing status, sex of the dealates and population) with dealate weights, total protozoa, and protozoa Pseudotrichonympha grassii numbers in dealate hindguts was determined. In addition, Illumina 16S rRNA gene sequencing and the QIIME2 pipeline were used to determine the impact of those three factors on gut bacteria diversity of dealates. Here we report that pairing status was significantly affected by weight and total protozoa numbers, but not by P. grassii numbers and bacteria diversity. Weight and total protozoa numbers were higher in paired compared to single dealates. Males contained significantly higher P. grassii numbers and bacteria richness and marginally higher phylogenetic diversity despite having lower weights than females. In conclusion, this study showed that dealates with high body weight and protozoa numbers are more likely to pair and become colony founders, probably because of competitive advantage. The combined nutritional resources provided by body weight and protozoa symbionts of the parents are important for successful colony foundation and development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junyan Chen
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, United States of America
| | - Garima Setia
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, United States of America
| | - Li-Hsiang Lin
- Department of Experimental Statistics, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, United States of America
| | - Qian Sun
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, United States of America
| | - Claudia Husseneder
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gao ZM, Xu T, Chen HG, Lu R, Tao J, Wang HB, Qiu JW, Wang Y. Early genome erosion and internal phage-symbiont-host interaction in the endosymbionts of a cold-seep tubeworm. iScience 2023; 26:107033. [PMID: 37389180 PMCID: PMC10300362 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Endosymbiosis with chemosynthetic Gammaproteobacteria is widely recognized as an adaptive mechanism of siboglinid tubeworms, yet evolution of these endosymbionts and their driving forces remain elusive. Here, we report a finished endosymbiont genome (HMS1) of the cold-seep tubeworm Sclerolinum annulatum. The HMS1 genome is small in size, with abundant prophages and transposable elements but lacking gene sets coding for denitrification, hydrogen oxidization, oxidative phosphorylation, vitamin biosynthesis, cell pH and/or sodium homeostasis, environmental sensing, and motility, indicative of early genome erosion and adaptive evolution toward obligate endosymbiosis. Unexpectedly, a prophage embedded in the HMS1 genome undergoes lytic cycle. Highly expressed ROS scavenger and LexA repressor genes indicate that the tubeworm host likely activates the lysogenic phage into lytic cycle through the SOS response to regulate endosymbiont population and harvest nutrients. Our findings indicate progressive evolution of Sclerolinum endosymbionts toward obligate endosymbiosis and expand the knowledge about phage-symbiont-host interaction in deep-sea tubeworms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhao-Ming Gao
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
- HKUST-CAS Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Ting Xu
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Hua-Guan Chen
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Rui Lu
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Jun Tao
- MLR Key Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources, Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Hong-Bin Wang
- MLR Key Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources, Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
- HKUST-CAS Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
- Institute for Ocean Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
George EE, Barcytė D, Lax G, Livingston S, Tashyreva D, Husnik F, Lukeš J, Eliáš M, Keeling PJ. A single cryptomonad cell harbors a complex community of organelles, bacteria, a phage, and selfish elements. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1982-1996.e4. [PMID: 37116483 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Symbiosis between prokaryotes and microbial eukaryotes (protists) has broadly impacted both evolution and ecology. Endosymbiosis led to mitochondria and plastids, the latter spreading across the tree of eukaryotes by subsequent rounds of endosymbiosis. Present-day endosymbionts in protists remain both common and diverse, although what function they serve is often unknown. Here, we describe a highly complex community of endosymbionts and a bacteriophage (phage) within a single cryptomonad cell. Cryptomonads are a model for organelle evolution because their secondary plastid retains a relict endosymbiont nucleus, but only one previously unidentified Cryptomonas strain (SAG 25.80) is known to harbor bacterial endosymbionts. We carried out electron microscopy and FISH imaging as well as genomic sequencing on Cryptomonas SAG 25.80, which revealed a stable, complex community even after over 50 years in continuous cultivation. We identified the host strain as Cryptomonas gyropyrenoidosa, and sequenced genomes from its mitochondria, plastid, and nucleomorph (and partially its nucleus), as well as two symbionts, Megaira polyxenophila and Grellia numerosa, and one phage (MAnkyphage) infecting M. polyxenophila. Comparing closely related endosymbionts from other hosts revealed similar metabolic and genomic features, with the exception of abundant transposons and genome plasticity in M. polyxenophila from Cryptomonas. We found an abundance of eukaryote-interacting genes as well as many toxin-antitoxin systems, including in the MAnkyphage genome that also encodes several eukaryotic-like proteins. Overall, the Cryptomonas cell is an endosymbiotic conglomeration with seven distinct evolving genomes that all show evidence of inter-lineage conflict but nevertheless remain stable, even after more than 4,000 generations in culture.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma E George
- University of British Columbia, Department of Botany, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Dovilė Barcytė
- University of Ostrava, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology and Ecology, 701 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Gordon Lax
- University of British Columbia, Department of Botany, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Sam Livingston
- University of British Columbia, Department of Botany, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Daria Tashyreva
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Filip Husnik
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Marek Eliáš
- University of Ostrava, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology and Ecology, 701 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Patrick J Keeling
- University of British Columbia, Department of Botany, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Chen J, Gissendanner CR, Tikhe CV, Li HF, Sun Q, Husseneder C. Genomics and Geographic Diversity of Bacteriophages Associated With Endosymbionts in the Guts of Workers and Alates of Coptotermes Species (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae). Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.881538] [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
Subterranean termites depend nutritionally on their gut microbiota, which includes protozoa as well as taxonomically and functionally diverse bacteria. Our previous metavirome study revealed a high diversity and novel families of bacteriophages in the guts of Coptotermes formosanus workers from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Two assembled bacteriophage genomes (Phages TG-crAlp-04 and 06, family Podoviridae) existed in all colonies and showed similarity to a prophage (ProJPt-Bp1) previously sequenced from a bacterial endosymbiont (Candidatus Azobacteroides pseudotrichonymphae, CAP) of protozoa in the gut of a termite species of the genus Prorhinotermes from Taiwan. In this study the genomes of Phage TG-crAlp-04 and 06 were subjected to detailed functional annotation. Both phage genomes contained conserved genes for DNA packaging, head and tail morphogenesis, and phage replication. Approximately 30% of the amino acid sequences derived from genes in both genomes matched to those of ProJPt-Bp1 phage or other phages from the crAss-like phage group. No integrase was identified; the lack of a lysogeny module is a characteristic of crAss-like phages. Primers were designed to sequence conserved genes of the two phages and their putative host bacterium (CAP) to detect their presence in different termite species from native and introduced distribution ranges. Related strains of the host bacterium were found across different termite genera and geographic regions. Different termite species had separate CAP strains, but intraspecific geographical variation was low. These results together with the fact that CAP is an important intracellular symbiont of obligate cellulose-digesting protozoa, suggest that CAP is a core gut bacterium and co-evolved across several subterranean termite species. Variants of both crAss-like phages were detected in different Coptotermes species from the native and introduced range, but they did not differentiate by species or geographic region. Since similar phages were detected in different termite species, we propose the existence of a core virome associated with core bacterial endosymbionts of protozoa in the guts of subterranean termites. This work provides a strong basis for further study of the quadripartite relationship of termites, protozoa, bacteria, and bacteriophages.
Collapse
|
5
|
Simultaneous Single-Cell Genome and Transcriptome Sequencing of Termite Hindgut Protists Reveals Metabolic and Evolutionary Traits of Their Endosymbionts. mSphere 2022; 7:e0002122. [PMID: 35107338 PMCID: PMC8809381 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00021-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Some of the protist species which colonize the hindguts of wood-feeding Reticulitermes termites are associated with endosymbiotic bacteria belonging to the genus Endomicrobium. In this study, we focused on the endosymbionts of three protist species from Reticulitermes flavipes, as follows: Pyrsonympha vertens, Trichonympha agilis, and Dinenympha species II. Since these protist hosts represented members of different taxa which colonize separate niches within the hindguts of their termite hosts, we investigated if these differences translated to differential gene content and expression in their endosymbionts. Following assembly and comparative genome and transcriptome analyses, we discovered that these endosymbionts differed with respect to some possible niche-specific traits, such as carbon metabolism. Our analyses suggest that species-specific genes related to carbon metabolism were acquired by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and may have come from taxa which are common in the termite hind gut. In addition, our analyses suggested that these endosymbionts contain and express genes related to natural transformation (competence) and recombination. Taken together, the presence of genes acquired by HGT and a putative competence pathway suggest that these endosymbionts are not cut off from gene flow and that competence may be a mechanism by which members of Endomicrobium can acquire new traits. IMPORTANCE The composition and structure of wood, which contains cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, prevent most organisms from using this common food source. Termites are a rare exception among animals, and they rely on a complex microbiota housed in their hindguts to use wood as a source of food. The lower termite, Reticulitermes flavipes, houses a variety of protists and prokaryotes that are the key players in the disassembly of lignocellulose. Here, we describe the genomes and the gene expression profiles of five Endomicrobium endosymbionts living inside three different protist species from R. flavipes. Data from these genomes suggest that these Endomicrobium species have different mechanisms for using carbon. In addition, they harbor genes that may be used to import DNA from their environment. This process of DNA uptake may contribute to the high levels of horizontal gene transfer noted previously in Endomicrobium species.
Collapse
|
6
|
Boyd BM, Chevignon G, Patel V, Oliver KM, Strand MR. Evolutionary genomics of APSE: a tailed phage that lysogenically converts the bacterium Hamiltonella defensa into a heritable protective symbiont of aphids. Virol J 2021; 18:219. [PMID: 34758862 PMCID: PMC8579659 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-021-01685-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Most phages infect free-living bacteria but a few have been identified that infect heritable symbionts of insects or other eukaryotes. Heritable symbionts are usually specialized and isolated from other bacteria with little known about the origins of associated phages. Hamiltonella defensa is a heritable bacterial symbiont of aphids that is usually infected by a tailed, double-stranded DNA phage named APSE. Methods We conducted comparative genomic and phylogenetic studies to determine how APSE is related to other phages and prophages. Results Each APSE genome was organized into four modules and two predicted functional units. Gene content and order were near-fully conserved in modules 1 and 2, which encode predicted DNA metabolism genes, and module 4, which encodes predicted virion assembly genes. Gene content of module 3, which contains predicted toxin, holin and lysozyme genes differed among haplotypes. Comparisons to other sequenced phages suggested APSE genomes are mosaics with modules 1 and 2 sharing similarities with Bordetella-Bcep-Xylostella fastidiosa-like podoviruses, module 4 sharing similarities with P22-like podoviruses, and module 3 sharing no similarities with known phages. Comparisons to other sequenced bacterial genomes identified APSE-like elements in other heritable insect symbionts (Arsenophonus spp.) and enteric bacteria in the family Morganellaceae. Conclusions APSEs are most closely related to phage elements in the genus Arsenophonus and other bacteria in the Morganellaceae. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12985-021-01685-y.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bret M Boyd
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia Athens, Athens, GA, USA. .,Center for Biological Data Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
| | - Germain Chevignon
- Laboratoire de Génétique et Pathologie des Mollusques Marins, IFREMER, La Tremblade, France
| | - Vilas Patel
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia Athens, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Kerry M Oliver
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia Athens, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Michael R Strand
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia Athens, Athens, GA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Jo Y, Rhee C, Choi H, Shin J, Shin SG, Lee C. Long-term effectiveness of bioaugmentation with rumen culture in continuous anaerobic digestion of food and vegetable wastes under feed composition fluctuations. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2021; 338:125500. [PMID: 34265595 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Biogas plants treating food waste (FW) often experience feed load and composition fluctuations. In Korea, vegetable waste from the preparation of kimchi comprises over 20% of the total FW production during the Kimjang season. The large production of Kimjang waste (KW) can cause mechanical and operational problems in FW digesters. This study investigated the long-term effectiveness of bioaugmentation with rumen culture (38 months) in an anaerobic reactor co-digesting FW with varying amounts of KW. The bioaugmented reactor maintained better and stabler performance under recurrent fluctuations in feed characteristics than a non-bioaugmented control reactor, particularly under high ammonia conditions. Bioaugmentation increased microbial diversity, thereby improving the resilience of the microbial community. Some augmented microorganisms, especially Methanosarcina, likely played an important role in it. The results suggest that the proposed bioaugmentation strategy may provide a means to effectively treat and valorize KW-and potentially other seasonal lignocellulosic wastes-by co-digestion with FW.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yeadam Jo
- Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea; Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., Hyundai Bldg. 75 Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03058, Republic of Korea
| | - Chaeyoung Rhee
- Department of Energy Engineering, Future Convergence Technology Research Institute, Gyeongsang National University, 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52828, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungmin Choi
- Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Juhee Shin
- Department of Energy Engineering, Future Convergence Technology Research Institute, Gyeongsang National University, 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52828, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Gu Shin
- Department of Energy Engineering, Future Convergence Technology Research Institute, Gyeongsang National University, 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52828, Republic of Korea
| | - Changsoo Lee
- Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Liu J, Chia SL, Tan GH. Isolation and Characterization of Novel Phages Targeting Xanthomonas oryzae: Culprit of Bacterial Leaf Blight Disease in Rice. PHAGE (NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.) 2021; 2:142-151. [PMID: 36161243 PMCID: PMC9041505 DOI: 10.1089/phage.2021.0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Background: Bacterial leaf blight (BLB) disease caused 80% of disease incidence in paddy in Kedah and Selangor states of Malaysia. The pathogenic bacterium, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), is one of the destructive pathogens infecting lowland irrigated and rainfed paddy in Asia's tropical and temperate environments. Bacteriophages (or phages) have been proposed to control the pathogen due to their efficacy and safety aspects. Material and Methods: In this study, a total of 70 Xoo-phages were isolated from termite which living in rice-growing area. Results: 2 lytic phages NΦ-1 and NΦ-3 were selected due to the high titer of the virus. Electron microscopic analysis showed that those phages belonged to the family Podoviridae, order Caudovirales with short noncontracted tails. Moreover, these phages have a narrow host range specifically target Xoo with a higher burst size. Whole-genome sequencing showed that the Xoo-phage NΦ-1 and NΦ-3 consists of a linear double-stranded DNA molecule of length 41,151 and 38,454 bp, respectively. Conclusion: This study successfully characterized two novel Xanthomonas phages and their potential as antimicrobial agents against BLB disease in rice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Liu
- Microbial Culture Collection Unit, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Suet Lin Chia
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
- UPM-MAKNA Cancer Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Geok Hun Tan
- Microbial Culture Collection Unit, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
- Department of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Kirsch JM, Brzozowski RS, Faith D, Round JL, Secor PR, Duerkop BA. Bacteriophage-Bacteria Interactions in the Gut: From Invertebrates to Mammals. Annu Rev Virol 2021; 8:95-113. [PMID: 34255542 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-virology-091919-101238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria and their viruses (bacteriophages or phages) interact antagonistically and beneficially in polymicrobial communities such as the guts of animals. These interactions are multifaceted and are influenced by environmental conditions. In this review, we discuss phage-bacteria interactions as they relate to the complex environment of the gut. Within the mammalian and invertebrate guts, phages and bacteria engage in diverse interactions including genetic coexistence through lysogeny, and phages directly modulate microbiota composition and the immune system with consequences that are becoming recognized as potential drivers of health and disease. With greater depth of understanding of phage-bacteria interactions in the gut and the outcomes, future phage therapies become possible. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Virology, Volume 8 is September 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Kirsch
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA;
| | - Robert S Brzozowski
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, USA;
| | - Dominick Faith
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, USA;
| | - June L Round
- Department of Pathology, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84113, USA;
| | - Patrick R Secor
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, USA;
| | - Breck A Duerkop
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Scharf ME, Peterson BF. A Century of Synergy in Termite Symbiosis Research: Linking the Past with New Genomic Insights. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 66:23-43. [PMID: 33417825 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-022420-074746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Termites have long been studied for their symbiotic associations with gut microbes. In the late nineteenth century, this relationship was poorly understood and captured the interest of parasitologists such as Joseph Leidy; this research led to that of twentieth-century biologists and entomologists including Cleveland, Hungate, Trager, and Lüscher. Early insights came via microscopy, organismal, and defaunation studies, which led to descriptions of microbes present, descriptions of the roles of symbionts in lignocellulose digestion, and early insights into energy gas utilization by the host termite. Focus then progressed to culture-dependent microbiology and biochemical studies of host-symbiont complementarity, which revealed specific microhabitat requirements for symbionts and noncellulosic mechanisms of symbiosis (e.g., N2 fixation). Today, knowledge on termite symbiosis has accrued exponentially thanks to omic technologies that reveal symbiont identities, functions, and interdependence, as well as intricacies of host-symbiont complementarity. Moving forward, the merging of classical twentieth-century approaches with evolving omic tools should provide even deeper insights into host-symbiont interplay.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Scharf
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA;
| | - Brittany F Peterson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, Illinois 62026, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lay CL, Shi M, Buček A, Bourguignon T, Lo N, Holmes EC. Unmapped RNA Virus Diversity in Termites and their Symbionts. Viruses 2020; 12:v12101145. [PMID: 33050289 PMCID: PMC7650761 DOI: 10.3390/v12101145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite their ecological importance, nothing is known about the diversity and abundance of RNA viruses in termites (Termitoidae). We used a metatranscriptomics approach to determine the RNA virome structure of 50 diverse species of termite that differ in both phylogenetic position and colony composition. From these samples, we identified 67 novel RNA viruses, characterized their genomes, quantified their abundance and inferred their evolutionary history. These viruses were found within or similar to those from the Togaviridae, Iflaviridae, Polycipiviridae, Flaviviridae, Leviviridae, Narnaviridae, Mitoviridae, Lispivirdae, Phasmaviridae, Picobirnaviridae and Partitiviridae. However, all viruses identified were novel and divergent, exhibiting only 20% to 45% amino acid identity to previously identified viruses. Our analysis suggested that 17 of the viruses identified were termite-infecting, with the remainder likely associated with the termite microbiome or diet. Unclassified sobemo-like and bunya-like viruses dominated termite viromes, while most of the phylogenetic diversity was provided by the picobirna- and mitovirus-like viruses. Of note was the identification of a novel flavi-like virus most closely related to those found in marine vertebrates and invertebrates. Notably, the sampling procedure had the strongest association with virome composition, with greater RNA virome diversity in libraries prepared from whole termite bodies than those that only sampled heads.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Callum Le Lay
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia; (C.L.L.); (M.S.)
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia;
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mang Shi
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia; (C.L.L.); (M.S.)
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia;
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Aleš Buček
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan; (A.B.); (T.B.)
| | - Thomas Bourguignon
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan; (A.B.); (T.B.)
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Nathan Lo
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia;
| | - Edward C. Holmes
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia; (C.L.L.); (M.S.)
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia;
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, New South Wales, Australia
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Takeuchi M, Kuwahara H, Murakami T, Takahashi K, Kajitani R, Toyoda A, Itoh T, Ohkuma M, Hongoh Y. Parallel reductive genome evolution in Desulfovibrio ectosymbionts independently acquired by Trichonympha protists in the termite gut. THE ISME JOURNAL 2020; 14:2288-2301. [PMID: 32483307 PMCID: PMC7608387 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-0688-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Several Trichonympha protist species in the termite gut have independently acquired Desulfovibrio ectosymbionts in apparently different stages of symbiosis. Here, we obtained the near-complete genome sequence of Desulfovibrio phylotype ZnDsv-02, which attaches to the surface of Trichonympha collaris cells, and compared it with a previously obtained genome sequence of 'Candidatus Desulfovibrio trichonymphae' phylotype Rs-N31, which is almost completely embedded in the cytoplasm of Trichonympha agilis. Single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis indicated that although Rs-N31 is almost clonal, the ZnDsv-02 population on a single host cell is heterogeneous. Despite these differences, the genome of ZnDsv-02 has been reduced to 1.6 Mb, which is comparable to that of Rs-N31 (1.4 Mb), but unlike other known ectosymbionts of protists with a genome similar in size to their free-living relatives. Except for the presence of a lactate utilization pathway, cell-adhesion components and anti-phage defense systems in ZnDsv-02, the overall gene-loss pattern between the two genomes is very similar, including the loss of genes responsive to environmental changes. Our study suggests that genome reduction can occur in ectosymbionts, even when they can be transmitted horizontally and obtain genes via lateral transfer, and that the symbiont genome size depends heavily on their role in the symbiotic system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariko Takeuchi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Kuwahara
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan.
| | - Takumi Murakami
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
- Department of Informatics, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
- Advanced Genomics Center, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
| | - Kazuki Takahashi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Rei Kajitani
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Atsushi Toyoda
- Advanced Genomics Center, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
- Department of Genomics and Evolutionary Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
| | - Takehiko Itoh
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Moriya Ohkuma
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, 305-0074, Japan
| | - Yuichi Hongoh
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan.
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, 305-0074, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Jahnes BC, Sabree ZL. Nutritional symbiosis and ecology of host-gut microbe systems in the Blattodea. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 39:35-41. [PMID: 32109859 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Revised: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Cockroaches and termites (Order: Blattodea) have been the subject of substantial research attention for over a century due, in part, to a subset of them having a strong propensity to cohabitate with humans and their structures. Recent research has led to numerous insights into their behavior, physiology, and ecology, as well as their ability to harbor taxonomically diverse microbial communities within their digestive systems, which include taxa that contribute to host growth and development. Further, recent investigations into the physiological and behavioral adaptations that enable recalcitrant polysaccharide digestion and the maintenance of microbial symbionts in cockroaches and termites suggests that symbionts contribute significantly to nutrient provisioning and processing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin C Jahnes
- Department of Microbiology, Ohio State University, 105 Biological Sciences Building, 484 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Zakee L Sabree
- Department of Microbiology, Ohio State University, 105 Biological Sciences Building, 484 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA; Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, 300 Aronoff Laboratory, 318 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus OH, 43210, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Rubel MA, Abbas A, Taylor LJ, Connell A, Tanes C, Bittinger K, Ndze VN, Fonsah JY, Ngwang E, Essiane A, Fokunang C, Njamnshi AK, Bushman FD, Tishkoff SA. Lifestyle and the presence of helminths is associated with gut microbiome composition in Cameroonians. Genome Biol 2020; 21:122. [PMID: 32450885 PMCID: PMC7249393 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-020-02020-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND African populations provide a unique opportunity to interrogate host-microbe co-evolution and its impact on adaptive phenotypes due to their genomic, phenotypic, and cultural diversity. We integrate gut microbiome 16S rRNA amplicon and shotgun metagenomic sequence data with quantification of pathogen burden and measures of immune parameters for 575 ethnically diverse Africans from Cameroon. Subjects followed pastoralist, agropastoralist, and hunter-gatherer lifestyles and were compared to an urban US population from Philadelphia. RESULTS We observe significant differences in gut microbiome composition across populations that correlate with subsistence strategy and country. After these, the variable most strongly associated with gut microbiome structure in Cameroonians is the presence of gut parasites. Hunter-gatherers have high frequencies of parasites relative to agropastoralists and pastoralists. Ascaris lumbricoides, Necator americanus, Trichuris trichiura, and Strongyloides stercoralis soil-transmitted helminths ("ANTS" parasites) significantly co-occur, and increased frequency of gut parasites correlates with increased gut microbial diversity. Gut microbiome composition predicts ANTS positivity with 80% accuracy. Colonization with ANTS, in turn, is associated with elevated levels of TH1, TH2, and proinflammatory cytokines, indicating an association with multiple immune mechanisms. The unprecedented size of this dataset allowed interrogation of additional questions-for example, we find that Fulani pastoralists, who consume high levels of milk, possess an enrichment of gut bacteria that catabolize galactose, an end product of lactose metabolism, and of bacteria that metabolize lipids. CONCLUSIONS These data document associations of bacterial microbiota and eukaryotic parasites with each other and with host immune responses; each of these is further correlated with subsistence practices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meagan A. Rubel
- Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- Present Address: Department of Radiology, Center for Translational Imaging and Precision Medicine, UC San Diego, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Arwa Abbas
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- Present Address: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Louis J. Taylor
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Andrew Connell
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Ceylan Tanes
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Kyle Bittinger
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Valantine N. Ndze
- Johns Hopkins Cameroon Program, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Department of Microbiology, Hematology, Parasitology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Julius Y. Fonsah
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Yaoundé Central Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Eric Ngwang
- Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Arts, Letters and Social Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, PO Box 755, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | | | - Charles Fokunang
- Department of Pharmacotoxicology and Pharmacokinetics, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Alfred K. Njamnshi
- Department of Neurology, Central Hospital Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Neuroscience Lab, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Frederic D. Bushman
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Sarah A. Tishkoff
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Morozova V, Fofanov M, Tikunova N, Babkin I, Morozov VV, Tikunov A. First crAss-Like Phage Genome Encoding the Diversity-Generating Retroelement (DGR). Viruses 2020; 12:v12050573. [PMID: 32456083 PMCID: PMC7290462 DOI: 10.3390/v12050573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A new crAss-like genome encoding diversity-generating retroelement (DGR) was found in the fecal virome of a healthy volunteer. The genome of the phage referred to as the crAssphage LMMB, belonged to the candidate genus I of the AlphacrAssvirinae subfamily. The DGR-cassette of the crAssphage LMMB contained all the essential elements: the gene encoding reverse transcriptase (RT), the target gene (TG) encoding the tail-collar fiber protein, and variable and template repeats (VR and TR) with IMH (initiation of mutagenic homing) and IMH* sequences at the 3′-end of the VR and TR, respectively. Architecture of the DGR-cassette was TG-VR(IMH)-TR(IMH*)-RT and an accessory variable determinant (avd) was absent from the cassette. Analysis of 91 genomes and genome fragments from genus I of the AlphacrAssvirinae showed that 15 (16%) of the genomes had DGRs with the same architecture as the crAssphage LMMB, while 66 of the genomes contained incomplete DGR-cassettes or some elements of the DGR.
Collapse
|
16
|
Koonin EV, Yutin N. The crAss-like Phage Group: How Metagenomics Reshaped the Human Virome. Trends Microbiol 2020; 28:349-359. [PMID: 32298613 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Metagenomics is currently the primary means for identifying new viruses. One of the most impactful metagenomic discoveries is that of crAssphage, the most abundant human-associated virus that is found in about 50% of human gut viromes where it can comprise up to 90% of the virus sequences. Although initial genome analysis of crAssphage failed to detect related phages, or functionally annotate most of the genes, subsequent reanalysis with powerful computational methods and larger databases led to the identification of an expansive group of crAss-like phages. The functions of most crAssphage proteins were predicted, including unusual ones such as giant RNA polymerase polyproteins. The host range of the crAss-like phages consists of various members of the bacterial phylum Bacteroidetes as demonstrated by CRISPR spacer analysis and by analysis of genes acquired by phages from the hosts. New metagenomic studies vastly expanded the crAss-like phage group and demonstrated its global spread and ancient association with primates. The first members of the crAss-like group was recently isolated and shown to infect the bacterium Bacteroides intestinales. Characterization of this phage validated the predicted podovirus-like virion structure and the identity of the major capsid protein and other predicted virion proteins, including three RNA polymerase subunits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA.
| | - Natalya Yutin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Nalepa CA. Origin of Mutualism Between Termites and Flagellated Gut Protists: Transition From Horizontal to Vertical Transmission. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
|
18
|
Abstract
The discovery of bacteria in the female urinary bladder has fundamentally changed current dogma regarding the urinary tract and related urinary disorders. Previous research characterized many of the bacterial components of the female urinary tract, but the viral fraction of this community is largely unknown. Viruses within the human microbiota far outnumber bacterial cells, with the most abundant viruses being those that infect bacteria (bacteriophages). Similar to observations within the microbiota of the gut and oral cavity, preliminary surveys of the urinary tract and bladder microbiota indicate a rich diversity of uncharacterized bacteriophage (phage) species. Phages are vital members of the microbiota, having critical roles in shaping bacterial metabolism and community structure. Although phages have been discovered in the urinary tract, such as phages that infect Escherichia coli, sampling them is challenging owing to low biomass, possible contamination when using non-invasive methods and the invasiveness of methods that reduce the potential for contamination. Phages could influence bladder health, but an understanding of the association between phage communities, bacterial populations and bladder health is in its infancy. However, evidence suggests that phages can defend the host against pathogenic bacteria and, therefore, modulation of the microbiome using phages has therapeutic potential for lower urinary tract symptoms. Furthermore, as natural predators of bacteria, phages have garnered renewed interest for their use as antimicrobial agents, for instance, in the treatment of urinary tract infections.
Collapse
|
19
|
Murakami T, Onouchi S, Igai K, Ohkuma M, Hongoh Y. Ectosymbiotic bacterial microbiota densely colonize the surface of thelastomatid nematodes in the gut of the wood-feeding cockroach Panesthia angustipennis. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2019; 95:5250881. [PMID: 30561598 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cockroaches generally harbor thelastomatid nematodes (pinworms) in their gut. In this study, we discovered that the surfaces of two undescribed thelastomatid species in the hindgut of the wood-feeding cockroach Panesthia angustipennis were consistently and densely colonized by bacteria. Epifluorescence microscopy using 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole and transmission electron microscopy revealed that several distinct morphotypes of bacteria covered almost the entire body surface of the nematodes in single or multiple layers. Sequencing analysis of 16S rRNA amplicons of either entire nematodes or sections of nematode body surfaces indicated that the associated bacterial microbiota consisted of several dominant phylotypes belonging to either Dysgonomonadaceae (Bacteroidales termite cluster V), Rikennellaceae or Ruminococcaceae. These phylotypes formed clades with sequences previously obtained from cockroach and/or termite guts. Comparisons of the bacterial community structure of the entire cockroach hindgut microbiota vs the nematode-associated microbiota suggested that these dominant bacterial phylotypes preferentially colonized the nematode surface. The two nematode species shared most of the dominant bacterial phylotypes, but the bacterial community structures differed significantly. Colonization by five predominant phylotypes was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis using phylotype-specific probes. Our study provides fundamental information on this previously unknown ectosymbiosis between gut bacteria and thelastomatid pinworms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Murakami
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-W3-48 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.,Center for Information Biology, National Institute of Genetics, 1111 Yata, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Shu Onouchi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-W3-48 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Katsura Igai
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-W3-48 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Moriya Ohkuma
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, 3-1-1 Koyada, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0074, Japan
| | - Yuichi Hongoh
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-W3-48 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.,Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, 3-1-1 Koyada, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0074, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Toyofuku M, Nomura N. What will membrane vesicles (MVs) bring to bacterial communication? Microbes Environ 2019; 32:185-187. [PMID: 28954979 PMCID: PMC5606687 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me3203rh] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Masanori Toyofuku
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba
| | - Nobuhiko Nomura
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Utami YD, Kuwahara H, Igai K, Murakami T, Sugaya K, Morikawa T, Nagura Y, Yuki M, Deevong P, Inoue T, Kihara K, Lo N, Yamada A, Ohkuma M, Hongoh Y. Genome analyses of uncultured TG2/ZB3 bacteria in 'Margulisbacteria' specifically attached to ectosymbiotic spirochetes of protists in the termite gut. THE ISME JOURNAL 2019; 13:455-467. [PMID: 30287885 PMCID: PMC6331581 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-018-0297-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the phylogenetic diversity, localisation and metabolism of an uncultured bacterial clade, Termite Group 2 (TG2), or ZB3, in the termite gut, which belongs to the candidate phylum 'Margulisbacteria'. We performed 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing analysis and detected TG2/ZB3 sequences in 40 out of 72 termite and cockroach species, which exclusively constituted a monophyletic cluster in the TG2/ZB3 clade. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation analysis in lower termites revealed that these bacteria are specifically attached to ectosymbiotic spirochetes of oxymonad gut protists. Draft genomes of four TG2/ZB3 phylotypes from a small number of bacterial cells were reconstructed, and functional genome analysis suggested that these bacteria hydrolyse and ferment cellulose/cellobiose to H2, CO2, acetate and ethanol. We also assembled a draft genome for a partner Treponema spirochete and found that it encoded genes for reductive acetogenesis from H2 and CO2. We hypothesise that the TG2/ZB3 bacteria we report here are commensal or mutualistic symbionts of the spirochetes, exploiting the spirochetes as H2 sinks. For these bacteria, we propose a novel genus, 'Candidatus Termititenax', which represents a hitherto uncharacterised class-level clade in 'Margulisbacteria'. Our findings add another layer, i.e., cellular association between bacteria, to the multi-layered symbiotic system in the termite gut.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuniar Devi Utami
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Kuwahara
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Katsura Igai
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Takumi Murakami
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Kaito Sugaya
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Takahiro Morikawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Yuichi Nagura
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Masahiro Yuki
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, 305-0074, Japan
| | - Pinsurang Deevong
- Department of Microbiology, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
| | - Tetsushi Inoue
- Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8521, Japan
| | - Kumiko Kihara
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
| | - Nathan Lo
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Akinori Yamada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan
- Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8521, Japan
| | - Moriya Ohkuma
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, 305-0074, Japan
| | - Yuichi Hongoh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan.
- Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, 305-0074, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
|
23
|
Utami YD, Kuwahara H, Murakami T, Morikawa T, Sugaya K, Kihara K, Yuki M, Lo N, Deevong P, Hasin S, Boonriam W, Inoue T, Yamada A, Ohkuma M, Hongoh Y. Phylogenetic Diversity and Single-Cell Genome Analysis of "Melainabacteria", a Non-Photosynthetic Cyanobacterial Group, in the Termite Gut. Microbes Environ 2018; 33:50-57. [PMID: 29415909 PMCID: PMC5877343 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me17137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Termite guts harbor diverse yet-uncultured bacteria, including a non-photosynthetic cyanobacterial group, the class "Melainabacteria". We herein reported the phylogenetic diversity of "Melainabacteria" in the guts of diverse termites and conducted a single-cell genome analysis of a melainabacterium obtained from the gut of the termite Termes propinquus. We performed amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes from the guts of 60 termite and eight cockroach species, and detected melainabacterial sequences in 48 out of the 68 insect species, albeit with low abundances (0.02-1.90%). Most of the melainabacterial sequences obtained were assigned to the order "Gastranaerophilales" and appeared to form clusters unique to termites and cockroaches. A single-cell genome of a melainabacterium, designated phylotype Tpq-Mel-01, was obtained using a fluorescence-activated cell sorter and whole genome amplification. The genome shared basic features with other melainabacterial genomes previously reconstructed from the metagenomes of human and koala feces. The bacterium had a small genome (~1.6 Mb) and possessed fermentative pathways possibly using sugars and chitobiose as carbon and energy sources, while the pathways for photosynthesis and carbon fixation were not found. The genome contained genes for flagellar components and chemotaxis; therefore, the bacterium is likely motile. A fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis showed that the cells of Tpq-Mel-01 and/or its close relatives are short rods with the dimensions of 1.1±0.2 μm by 0.5±0.1 μm; for these bacteria, we propose the novel species, "Candidatus Gastranaerophilus termiticola". Our results provide fundamental information on "Melainabacteria" in the termite gut and expand our knowledge on this underrepresented, non-photosynthetic cyanobacterial group.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Takumi Murakami
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology
| | | | - Kaito Sugaya
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology
| | - Kumiko Kihara
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology
| | - Masahiro Yuki
- Biomass Research Platform Team, RIKEN Biomass Engineering Program Cooperation Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science
| | - Nathan Lo
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney
| | | | - Sasitorn Hasin
- College of Innovative Management, Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University under the Royal Patronage
| | | | - Tetsushi Inoue
- Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University
| | - Akinori Yamada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology.,Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University
| | - Moriya Ohkuma
- Biomass Research Platform Team, RIKEN Biomass Engineering Program Cooperation Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science.,Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Center
| | - Yuichi Hongoh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology.,Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Center
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Noda S, Shimizu D, Yuki M, Kitade O, Ohkuma M. Host-Symbiont Cospeciation of Termite-Gut Cellulolytic Protists of the Genera Teranympha and Eucomonympha and their Treponema Endosymbionts. Microbes Environ 2018; 33:26-33. [PMID: 29367472 PMCID: PMC5877339 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me17096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellulolytic flagellated protists inhabit the hindgut of termites. They are unique and essential to termites and related wood-feeding cockroaches, enabling host feeding on cellulosic matter. Protists of two genera in the family Teranymphidae (phylum Parabasalia), Eucomonympha and Teranympha, are phylogenetically closely related and harbor intracellular endosymbiotic bacteria from the genus Treponema. In order to obtain a clearer understanding of the evolutionary history of this triplex symbiotic relationship, the molecular phylogenies of the three symbiotic partners, the Teranymphidae protists, their Treponema endosymbionts, and their host termites, were inferred and compared. Strong congruence was observed in the tree topologies of all interacting partners, implying their cospeciating relationships. In contrast, the coevolutionary relationship between the Eucomonympha protists and their endosymbionts was more complex, and evidence of incongruence against cospeciating relationships suggested frequent host switches of the endosymbionts, possibly because multiple Eucomonympha species are present in the same gut community. Similarities in the 16S rRNA and gyrB gene sequences of the endosymbionts were higher among Teranympha spp. (>99.25% and >97.2%, respectively), whereas those between Teranympha and Eucomonympha were lower (<97.1% and <91.9%, respectively). In addition, the endosymbionts of Teranympha spp. formed a phylogenetic clade distinct from those of Eucomonympha spp. Therefore, the endosymbiont species of Teranympha spp., designated here as “Candidatus Treponema teratonymphae”, needs to be classified as a species distinct from the endosymbiont species of Eucomonympha spp.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Satoko Noda
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Yamanashi
| | - Daichi Shimizu
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Yamanashi
| | - Masahiro Yuki
- Biomass Research Platform Team, RIKEN Biomass Engineering Program Cooperation Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science
| | | | - Moriya Ohkuma
- Biomass Research Platform Team, RIKEN Biomass Engineering Program Cooperation Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science.,Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Center
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Tikhe CV, Husseneder C. Metavirome Sequencing of the Termite Gut Reveals the Presence of an Unexplored Bacteriophage Community. Front Microbiol 2018; 8:2548. [PMID: 29354098 PMCID: PMC5759034 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The Formosan subterranean termite; Coptotermes formosanus is nutritionally dependent on the complex and diverse community of bacteria and protozoa in their gut. Although, there have been many studies to decipher the taxonomic and functional diversity of bacterial communities in the guts of termites, their bacteriophages remain unstudied. We sequenced the metavirome of the guts of Formosan subterranean termite workers to study the diversity of bacteriophages and other associated viruses. Results showed that the termites harbor a virome in their gut comprised of varied and previously unknown bacteriophages. Between 87-90% of the predicted dsDNA virus genes by Metavir showed similarity to the tailed bacteriophages (Caudovirales). Many predicted genes from the virome matched to bacterial prophage regions. These data are suggestive of a virome dominated by temperate bacteriophages. We predicted the genomes of seven novel Caudovirales bacteriophages from the termite gut. Three of these predicted bacteriophage genomes were found in high proportions in all the three termite colonies tested. Two bacteriophages are predicted to infect endosymbiotic bacteria of the gut protozoa. The presence of these putative bacteriophages infecting endosymbionts of the gut protozoa, suggests a quadripartite relationship between the termites their symbiotic protozoa, endosymbiotic bacteria of the protozoa and their bacteriophages. Other than Caudovirales, ss-DNA virus related genes were also present in the termite gut. We predicted the genomes of 12 novel Microviridae phages from the termite gut and seven of those possibly represent a new proposed subfamily. Circovirus like genomes were also assembled from the termite gut at lower relative abundance. We predicted 10 novel circovirus genomes in this study. Whether these circoviruses infect the termites remains elusive at the moment. The functional and taxonomical annotations suggest that the termites may harbor a core virome comprised of the bacteriophages infecting endosymbionts of the gut protozoa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chinmay V Tikhe
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Claudia Husseneder
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Yutin N, Makarova KS, Gussow AB, Krupovic M, Segall A, Edwards RA, Koonin EV. Discovery of an expansive bacteriophage family that includes the most abundant viruses from the human gut. Nat Microbiol 2017; 3:38-46. [PMID: 29133882 PMCID: PMC5736458 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-017-0053-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Metagenomic sequence analysis is rapidly becoming the primary source of
virus discovery 1–3. A substantial majority of the
currently available virus genomes comes from metagenomics, and some of these
represent extremely abundant viruses even if never grown in the laboratory. A
particularly striking case of a virus discovered via metagenomics is crAssphage,
which is by far the most abundant human-associated virus known, comprising up to
90% of the sequences in the gut virome 4. Over 80% of the predicted
proteins encoded in the approximately 100 kilobase crAssphage genome showed no
significant similarity to available protein sequences, precluding classification
of this virus and hampering further study. Here we combine comprehensive search
of genomic and metagenomic databases with sensitive methods for protein sequence
analysis to identify an expansive, diverse group of bacteriophages related to
crAssphage and predict the functions of the majority of phage proteins, in
particular, those that comprise the structural, replication and expression
modules. Most if not all of the crAss-like phages appear to be associated with
diverse bacteria from the phylum Bacteroidetes, which includes some of the most
abundant bacteria in the human gut microbiome and are also common in various
other habitats. These findings provide for experimental characterization of the
most abundant but poorly understood members of the human-associated virome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalya Yutin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kira S Makarova
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ayal B Gussow
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Biologie Moléculaire du Gène chez les Extrêmophiles, Paris, France
| | - Anca Segall
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Viral Information Institute, Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Robert A Edwards
- Viral Information Institute, Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|