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Kuang N, Ma Q, Zheng X, Meng X, Zhai Z, Li Q, Pan J. GeTeSEPdb: A comprehensive database and online tool for the identification and analysis of gene profiles with temporal-specific expression patterns. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:2488-2496. [PMID: 38939556 PMCID: PMC11208770 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene expression is dynamic and varies at different stages of processes. The identification of gene profiles with temporal-specific expression patterns can provide valuable insights into ongoing biological processes, such as the cell cycle, cell development, circadian rhythms, or responses to external stimuli such as drug treatments or viral infections. However, currently, no database defines, identifies or archives gene profiles with temporal-specific expression patterns. Here, using a high-throughput regression analysis approach, eight linear and nonlinear parametric models were fitted to gene expression profiles from time-series experiments to identify eight types of gene profiles with temporal-specific expression patterns. We curated 2684 time-series transcriptome datasets and identified 2644,370 gene profiles exhibiting temporal-specific expression patterns. The results were stored in the database GeTeSEPdb (gene profiles with temporal-specific expression patterns database, http://www.inbirg.com/GeTeSEPdb/). Moreover, we implemented an online tool to identify gene profiles with temporal-specific expression patterns from user-submitted data. In summary, GeTeSEPdb is a comprehensive web service that can be used to identify and analyse gene profiles with temporal-specific expression patterns. This approach facilitates the exploration of transcriptional changes and temporal patterns of responses. We firmly believe that GeTeSEPdb will become a valuable resource for biologists and bioinformaticians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni Kuang
- Basic Medicine Research and Innovation Center for Novel Target and Therapeutic Intervention, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Qinfeng Ma
- Basic Medicine Research and Innovation Center for Novel Target and Therapeutic Intervention, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Xiao Zheng
- Basic Medicine Research and Innovation Center for Novel Target and Therapeutic Intervention, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Xuehang Meng
- Basic Medicine Research and Innovation Center for Novel Target and Therapeutic Intervention, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Zhaoyu Zhai
- Basic Medicine Research and Innovation Center for Novel Target and Therapeutic Intervention, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Basic Medicine Research and Innovation Center for Novel Target and Therapeutic Intervention, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Jianbo Pan
- Basic Medicine Research and Innovation Center for Novel Target and Therapeutic Intervention, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Precision Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
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Andriolli FS, Cardoso Neto JA, de Morais JW, Baccaro FB. With the dead under the mat: the zombie ant extended phenotype under a new perspective. THE SCIENCE OF NATURE - NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN 2024; 111:33. [PMID: 38904668 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01920-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Some parasitic fungi can increase fitness by modifying the behavior of their hosts. These behaviors are known as extended phenotypes because they favor parasitic gene propagation. Here, we studied three lineages of Ophiocordyceps, a fungus that infects ants, altering their conduct before death. According to fungal strategy, ants may die in leaf litter, with entwined legs in branches, under the moss mat, or biting plant tissue. It is critical for parasites that the corpses stay at these places because Ophiocordyceps exhibit iteroparity, possibly releasing spores in multiple life cycles. Thus, we assumed substrate cadaver permanence as a fungi reproductive proxy and corpse height as a proxy of cadaver removal. We hypothesize that biting vegetation and dying in higher places may increase the permanence of ant corpses while avoiding possible corpse predation on the forest floor. We monitored over a year more than 4000 zombie ants in approximately 15 km2 of undisturbed tropical forest in central Amazonia. Our results show a longer permanence of corpses with increasing ground height, suggesting that the parasites may have better chances of releasing spores and infecting new hosts at these places. We found that the zombie ants that last longer on the substrate die under the moss mat in tree trunks, not necessarily biting vegetation. The biting behavior appears to be the most derived and complex mechanism among Ophiocordyceps syndromes. Our results put these findings under a new perspective, proposing that seemingly less complex behavioral changes are ecologically equivalent and adaptative for other parasite lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Sarti Andriolli
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Coordenação de Biodiversidade - COBIO, Av. André Araújo 2936, PetrópolisManaus, AM, 69083-000, Brazil.
| | - José Aragão Cardoso Neto
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Amazonas - IFAM/CMA, Estradas Dos Moraes, S/N, Senador José Esteves, Maués, AM, 69190-000, Brazil
| | - José Wellington de Morais
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Coordenação de Biodiversidade - COBIO, Av. André Araújo 2936, PetrópolisManaus, AM, 69083-000, Brazil
| | - Fabricio Beggiato Baccaro
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal Do Amazonas (UFAM), Av. General Rodrigo Octávio, Manaus, AM, 620069.080-900, Brazil
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3
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MacAulay S, Cable J. Gyrodactylus in the spotlight: how exposure to light impacts disease and the feeding behavior of the freshwater tropical guppy (Poecilia reticulata). JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38828698 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) negatively impacts organisms in many ways, from their feeding behaviors to their response and ability to deal with disease. Our knowledge of ALAN is focused on hosts, but we must also consider their parasites, which constitute half of all described animal species. Here, we assessed the impact of light exposure on a model host-parasite system (Poecilia reticulata and the ectoparasitic monogenean Gyrodactylus turnbulli). First, parasite-free fish were exposed to 12:12 h light:dark (control) or 24:0 h light:dark (ALAN) for 21 days followed by experimental infection. Second, naturally acquired G. turnbulli infections were monitored for 28 days during exposure of their hosts to a specified light regime (6:18 h, 12:12 h, or 24:0 h light:dark). Experimentally infected fish exposed to constant light had, on average, a greater maximum parasite burden than controls, but no other measured parasite metrics were impacted. Host feeding behavior was also significantly affected: fish under ALAN fed faster and took more bites than controls, whilst fish exposed to reduced light fed slower. Thus, ALAN can impact parasite burdens, even in the short term, and altering light conditions will impact fish feeding behavior. Such responses could initiate disease outbreaks or perturb food-webs with wider ecological impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jo Cable
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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4
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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: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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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Will I, Beckerson WC, de Bekker C. Using machine learning to predict protein-protein interactions between a zombie ant fungus and its carpenter ant host. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13821. [PMID: 37620441 PMCID: PMC10449854 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40764-8] [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: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic fungi produce proteins that modulate virulence, alter host physiology, and trigger host responses. These proteins, classified as a type of "effector," often act via protein-protein interactions (PPIs). The fungal parasite Ophiocordyceps camponoti-floridani (zombie ant fungus) manipulates Camponotus floridanus (carpenter ant) behavior to promote transmission. The most striking aspect of this behavioral change is a summit disease phenotype where infected hosts ascend and attach to an elevated position. Plausibly, interspecific PPIs drive aspects of Ophiocordyceps infection and host manipulation. Machine learning PPI predictions offer high-throughput methods to produce mechanistic hypotheses on how this behavioral manipulation occurs. Using D-SCRIPT to predict host-parasite PPIs, we found ca. 6000 interactions involving 2083 host proteins and 129 parasite proteins, which are encoded by genes upregulated during manipulated behavior. We identified multiple overrepresentations of functional annotations among these proteins. The strongest signals in the host highlighted neuromodulatory G-protein coupled receptors and oxidation-reduction processes. We also detected Camponotus structural and gene-regulatory proteins. In the parasite, we found enrichment of Ophiocordyceps proteases and frequent involvement of novel small secreted proteins with unknown functions. From these results, we provide new hypotheses on potential parasite effectors and host targets underlying zombie ant behavioral manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Will
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, 4110 Libra Drive, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA.
| | - William C Beckerson
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, 4110 Libra Drive, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Charissa de Bekker
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, 4110 Libra Drive, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA.
- Department of Biology, Microbiology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Henríquez-Urrutia M, Spanner R, Olivares-Yánez C, Seguel-Avello A, Pérez-Lara R, Guillén-Alonso H, Winkler R, Herrera-Estrella AH, Canessa P, Larrondo LF. Circadian oscillations in Trichoderma atroviride and the role of core clock components in secondary metabolism, development, and mycoparasitism against the phytopathogen Botrytis cinerea. eLife 2022; 11:71358. [PMID: 35950750 PMCID: PMC9427114 DOI: 10.7554/elife.71358] [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: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Circadian clocks are important for an individual’s fitness, and recent studies have underlined their role in the outcome of biological interactions. However, the relevance of circadian clocks in fungal–fungal interactions remains largely unexplored. We sought to characterize a functional clock in the biocontrol agent Trichoderma atroviride to assess its importance in the mycoparasitic interaction against the phytopathogen Botrytis cinerea. Thus, we confirmed the existence of circadian rhythms in T. atroviride, which are temperature-compensated and modulated by environmental cues such as light and temperature. Nevertheless, the presence of such molecular rhythms appears to be highly dependent on the nutritional composition of the media. Complementation of a clock null (Δfrq) Neurospora crassa strain with the T. atroviride-negative clock component (tafrq) restored core clock function, with the same period observed in the latter fungus, confirming the role of tafrq as a bona fide core clock component. Confrontation assays between wild-type and clock mutant strains of T. atroviride and B. cinerea, in constant light or darkness, revealed an inhibitory effect of light on T. atroviride’s mycoparasitic capabilities. Interestingly, when confrontation assays were performed under light/dark cycles, T. atroviride’s overgrowth capacity was enhanced when inoculations were at dawn compared to dusk. Deleting the core clock-negative element FRQ in B. cinerea, but not in T. atroviride, was vital for the daily differential phenotype, suggesting that the B. cinerea clock has a more significant influence on the result of this interaction. Additionally, we observed that T. atroviride clock components largely modulate development and secondary metabolism in this fungus, including the rhythmic production of distinct volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Thus, this study provides evidence on how clock components impact diverse aspects of T. atroviride lifestyle and how daily changes modulate fungal interactions and dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Henríquez-Urrutia
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology department, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rebecca Spanner
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology department, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Consuelo Olivares-Yánez
- Millennium Science Initiative Program, Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology, Santiago, Chile
| | - Aldo Seguel-Avello
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology department, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Pérez-Lara
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology department, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Hector Guillén-Alonso
- Department of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, Cinvestav Unidad Irapuato, Irapuato, Mexico
| | - Robert Winkler
- Department of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, Cinvestav Unidad Irapuato, Irapuato, Mexico
| | | | - Paulo Canessa
- Centro de Biotecnología Vegetal, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luis F Larrondo
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology department, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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7
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Hunt R, Cable J, Ellison A. Daily patterns in parasite processes: diel variation in fish louse transcriptomes. Int J Parasitol 2022; 52:509-518. [PMID: 35533730 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.04.001] [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: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Parasites, similar to all other organisms, time themselves to environmental cues using a molecular clock to generate and maintain rhythms. Chronotherapeutic (timed treatment) techniques based on such rhythms offer great potential for improving control of chronic, problematic parasites. Fish lice are a key disease threat in aquaculture, with current control insufficient. Assessing the rhythmicity of fish lice transcriptomes offers not only insight into the viability of chronotherapy, but the opportunity to identify new drug targets. Here, for the first known time in any crustacean parasite, diel changes in gene transcription are examined, revealing that approximately half of the Argulus foliaceus annotated transcriptome displays significant daily rhythmicity. We identified rhythmically transcribed putative clock genes including core clock/cycle and period/timeless pairs, alongside rhythms in feeding-associated genes and processes involving immune response, as well as fish louse drug targets. A substantial number of gene pathways showed peak transcription in hours immediately preceding onset of light, potentially in anticipation of peak host anti-parasite responses or in preparation for increased feeding activity. Genes related to immune haemocyte activity and chitin development were more highly transcribed 4 h post light onset, although inflammatory gene transcription was highest during dark periods. Our study provides an important resource for application of chronotherapy in fish lice; timed application could increase efficacy and/or reduce dose requirement, improving the current landscape of drug resistance and fish health while reducing the economic cost of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Hunt
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - J Cable
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - A Ellison
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, United Kingdom.
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de Bekker C, Das B. Hijacking time: How Ophiocordyceps fungi could be using ant host clocks to manipulate behavior. Parasite Immunol 2022; 44:e12909. [PMID: 35103986 PMCID: PMC9287076 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ophiocordyceps fungi manipulate ant behaviour as a transmission strategy. Conspicuous changes in the daily timing of disease phenotypes suggest that Ophiocordyceps and other manipulators could be hijacking the host clock. We discuss the available data that support the notion that Ophiocordyceps fungi could be hijacking ant host clocks and consider how altering daily behavioural rhythms could benefit the fungal infection cycle. By reviewing time‐course transcriptomics data for the parasite and the host, we argue that Ophiocordyceps has a light‐entrainable clock that might drive daily expression of candidate manipulation genes. Moreover, ant rhythms are seemingly highly plastic and involved in behavioural division of labour, which could make them susceptible to parasite hijacking. To provisionally test whether the expression of ant behavioural plasticity and rhythmicity genes could be affected by fungal manipulation, we performed a gene co‐expression network analysis on ant time‐course data and linked it to available behavioural manipulation data. We found that behavioural plasticity genes reside in the same modules as those affected during fungal manipulation. These modules showed significant connectivity with rhythmic gene modules, suggesting that Ophiocordyceps could be indirectly affecting the expression of those genes as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charissa de Bekker
- Department of Biology and Genomics and Bioinformatics Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Biplabendu Das
- Department of Biology and Genomics and Bioinformatics Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
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9
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Trinh T, Ouellette R, de Bekker C. Getting lost: the fungal hijacking of ant foraging behaviour in space and time. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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10
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de Bekker C, Beckerson WC, Elya C. Mechanisms behind the Madness: How Do Zombie-Making Fungal Entomopathogens Affect Host Behavior To Increase Transmission? mBio 2021; 12:e0187221. [PMID: 34607463 PMCID: PMC8546595 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01872-21] [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] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmission is a crucial step in all pathogen life cycles. As such, certain species have evolved complex traits that increase their chances to find and invade new hosts. Fungal species that hijack insect behaviors are evident examples. Many of these "zombie-making" entomopathogens cause their hosts to exhibit heightened activity, seek out elevated positions, and display body postures that promote spore dispersal, all with specific circadian timing. Answering how fungal entomopathogens manipulate their hosts will increase our understanding of molecular aspects underlying fungus-insect interactions, pathogen-host coevolution, and the regulation of animal behavior. It may also lead to the discovery of novel bioactive compounds, given that the fungi involved have traditionally been understudied. This minireview summarizes and discusses recent work on zombie-making fungi of the orders Hypocreales and Entomophthorales that has resulted in hypotheses regarding the mechanisms that drive fungal manipulation of insect behavior. We discuss mechanical processes, host chemical signaling pathways, and fungal secreted effectors proposed to be involved in establishing pathogen-adaptive behaviors. Additionally, we touch on effectors' possible modes of action and how the convergent evolution of host manipulation could have given rise to the many parallels in observed behaviors across fungus-insect systems and beyond. However, the hypothesized mechanisms of behavior manipulation have yet to be proven. We, therefore, also suggest avenues of research that would move the field toward a more quantitative future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charissa de Bekker
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - William C. Beckerson
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Carolyn Elya
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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Insect Behavioral Change and the Potential Contributions of Neuroinflammation-A Call for Future Research. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12040465. [PMID: 33805190 PMCID: PMC8064348 DOI: 10.3390/genes12040465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Many organisms are able to elicit behavioral change in other organisms. Examples include different microbes (e.g., viruses and fungi), parasites (e.g., hairworms and trematodes), and parasitoid wasps. In most cases, the mechanisms underlying host behavioral change remain relatively unclear. There is a growing body of literature linking alterations in immune signaling with neuron health, communication, and function; however, there is a paucity of data detailing the effects of altered neuroimmune signaling on insect neuron function and how glial cells may contribute toward neuron dysregulation. It is important to consider the potential impacts of altered neuroimmune communication on host behavior and reflect on its potential role as an important tool in the "neuro-engineer" toolkit. In this review, we examine what is known about the relationships between the insect immune and nervous systems. We highlight organisms that are able to influence insect behavior and discuss possible mechanisms of behavioral manipulation, including potentially dysregulated neuroimmune communication. We close by identifying opportunities for integrating research in insect innate immunity, glial cell physiology, and neurobiology in the investigation of behavioral manipulation.
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12
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Genetic Underpinnings of Host Manipulation by Ophiocordyceps as Revealed by Comparative Transcriptomics. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2020; 10:2275-2296. [PMID: 32354705 PMCID: PMC7341126 DOI: 10.1534/g3.120.401290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ant-infecting Ophiocordyceps fungi are globally distributed, host manipulating, specialist parasites that drive aberrant behaviors in infected ants, at a lethal cost to the host. An apparent increase in activity and wandering behaviors precedes a final summiting and biting behavior onto vegetation, which positions the manipulated ant in a site beneficial for fungal growth and transmission. We investigated the genetic underpinnings of host manipulation by: (i) producing a high-quality hybrid assembly and annotation of the Ophiocordyceps camponoti-floridani genome, (ii) conducting laboratory infections coupled with RNAseq of O. camponoti-floridani and its host, Camponotus floridanus, and (iii) comparing these data to RNAseq data of Ophiocordyceps kimflemingiae and Camponotus castaneus as a powerful method to identify gene expression patterns that suggest shared behavioral manipulation mechanisms across Ophiocordyceps-ant species interactions. We propose differentially expressed genes tied to ant neurobiology, odor response, circadian rhythms, and foraging behavior may result by activity of putative fungal effectors such as enterotoxins, aflatrem, and mechanisms disrupting feeding behaviors in the ant.
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Going gentle into that pathogen-induced goodnight. J Invertebr Pathol 2020; 174:107398. [PMID: 32473941 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2020.107398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A diverse set of pathogens have evolved extended phenotypes that manipulate the moribund behavior of their various insect hosts. By elevating host positioning at death, a phenomenon called "summit disease", these pathogens have been shown to have higher fitness. Though a few summit disease systems have been intensively characterized, in particular the Ophiocordyceps-ant system, summit diseases lack an overarching theory for the underlying mechanisms of this complex behavioral manipulation. In this article, we combine the gamut of summiting systems into a cohesive framework: we propose two types of summit disease (juvenile and adult), which both exploit natural insect behaviors during periods of quiescence. We place this framework in the context of available literature and propose investigations that follow from this comprehensive understanding of summit disease in insects.
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14
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Larriba Y, Rueda C, Fernández MA, Peddada SD. Order restricted inference in chronobiology. Stat Med 2020; 39:265-278. [PMID: 31769057 DOI: 10.1002/sim.8397] [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: 12/29/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
This paper is motivated by applications in oscillatory systems where researchers are typically interested in discovering components of those systems that display rhythmic temporal patterns. The contributions of this paper are twofold. First, a methodology is developed based on a circular signal plus error model that is defined using order restrictions. This mathematical formulation of rhythmicity is simple, easily interpretable and very flexible, with the latter property derived from the nonparametric formulation of the signal. Second, we address various commonly encountered problems in the analysis of oscillatory systems data. Specifically, we propose a methodology for (a) detecting rhythmic signals in an oscillatory system and (b) estimating the unknown sampling time that occurs when tissues are obtained from subjects whose time of death is unknown. The proposed methodology is computationally efficient, outperforms the existing methods, and is broadly applicable to address a wide range of questions related to oscillatory systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Larriba
- Departamento de Estadística e Investigación Operativa, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Cristina Rueda
- Departamento de Estadística e Investigación Operativa, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Miguel A Fernández
- Departamento de Estadística e Investigación Operativa, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Shyamal D Peddada
- Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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15
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Carvalho Cabral P, Olivier M, Cermakian N. The Complex Interplay of Parasites, Their Hosts, and Circadian Clocks. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:425. [PMID: 31921702 PMCID: PMC6920103 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites have evolved various mechanisms to favor infection of their hosts and enhance the success of the infection. In this respect, time-of-day effects were found during the course of parasitic infections, which can be caused or controlled by circadian rhythms in the physiology of their vertebrate hosts. These include circadian clock-controlled rhythms in metabolism and in immune responses. Conversely, parasites can also modulate their hosts' behavioral and cellular rhythms. Lastly, parasites themselves were in some cases shown to possess their own circadian clock mechanisms, which can influence their capacity to infect their hosts. A better knowledge of the circadian regulation of host-parasite interactions will help in designing new preventive and therapeutic strategies for parasitic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Carvalho Cabral
- Laboratory of Molecular Chronobiology, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Martin Olivier
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nicolas Cermakian
- Laboratory of Molecular Chronobiology, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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16
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Weinersmith KL. What's gotten into you?: a review of recent research on parasitoid manipulation of host behavior. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 33:37-42. [PMID: 31358193 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Some parasitoids modify the behavior of their hosts, benefiting themselves at the host's expense. This phenomenon is called 'manipulation', and current research on parasitoid manipulation of host behavior tends to fall into one of three categories. First, the frequency of manipulation and the magnitude of its benefits to the parasitoid remains unclear. Basic documentation of manipulations is thus a major research focus, with especially valuable recent data coming from spiders manipulated by Polysphincta wasps. Second, for a handful of systems, we now have sufficient phylogenetic and behavioral data to begin asking questions about how manipulation evolved. Finally, the field continues to probe the mechanisms through which parasitoids manipulate host behavior, and now examines the role of parasitoid symbionts in this interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly L Weinersmith
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, MS-140, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
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17
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de Bekker C. Ophiocordyceps-ant interactions as an integrative model to understand the molecular basis of parasitic behavioral manipulation. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 33:19-24. [PMID: 31358190 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Ophiocordyceps-infected ants display a substrate biting behavior that aids parasite transmission. World-wide research into this behavioral manipulation has led to new fungal species descriptions, annotated genomes, and detailed field observations. Experimentally tractable modified ant behaviors and the development of infection techniques have enabled the quest for the molecular basis of this phenomenon. Behavioral studies followed by transcriptomics, metabolomics and three-dimensional electron microscopy have led to novel mechanistic hypotheses. This multidisciplinary work represents a big leap forward. However, definitive answers have yet to be obtained. A comprehensive understanding hinges on continued integrative efforts that reveal the precise natural history, behavioral ecology and evolutionary relationships between Ophiocordyceps-ant systems, and the true functions and involvement of genes and metabolites in behavioral manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charissa de Bekker
- University of Central Florida, College of Sciences, Biology Department, 4110 Libra Drive, 32816 Orlando, FL, United States.
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18
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Andriolli FS, Ishikawa NK, Vargas-Isla R, Cabral TS, de Bekker C, Baccaro FB. Do zombie ant fungi turn their hosts into light seekers? Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Sarti Andriolli
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia / INPA-V8, Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Av. André Araújo, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Noemia Kazue Ishikawa
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia / INPA-V8, Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Av. André Araújo, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Ruby Vargas-Isla
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia / INPA-V8, Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Av. André Araújo, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Tiara Sousa Cabral
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Av. Senador Salgado Filho, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | | | - Fabricio Beggiato Baccaro
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Av. General Rodrigo Octávio, Manaus, AM, Brazil
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19
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Bhattarai UR, Li F, Katuwal Bhattarai M, Masoudi A, Wang D. Phototransduction and circadian entrainment are the key pathways in the signaling mechanism for the baculovirus induced tree-top disease in the lepidopteran larvae. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17528. [PMID: 30510155 PMCID: PMC6277413 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35885-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The tree-top disease is an altered behavioral state, displayed by baculovirus-infected lepidopteran larvae, and characterized by climbing to an elevated position before death. The detailed molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenal behavior change has not been reported yet. Our study focused on the transcriptomic changes in the host larvae due to baculovirus infection from pre-symptomatic to tree-top disease stage. Enrichment map visualization of the gene sets grouped based on the functional annotation similarity revealed 34 enriched pathways in signaling mechanism cluster during LdMNPV induced tree-top disease in third instar Lymantria dispar asiatica larvae. Directed light bioassay demonstrated the positively phototactic larvae during tree-top disease and the gene expression analysis showed altered rhythmicity of the host’s core circadian genes (per and tim) during the course of infection emphasizing the role of Circadian entrainment and Phototransduction pathways in the process, which also showed maximum interactions (>50% shared genes with 24 and 23 pathways respectively) among other signaling pathways in the enrichment map. Our study provided valuable insights into different pathways and genes, their coordinated response and molecular regulation during baculovirus infection and also improved our understanding regarding signaling mechanisms in LdMNPV induced tree-top disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Upendra Raj Bhattarai
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P. R. China
| | - Fengjiao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P. R. China
| | - Mandira Katuwal Bhattarai
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P. R. China
| | - Abolfazl Masoudi
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P. R. China
| | - Dun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P. R. China.
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20
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Larrondo LF, Canessa P. The Clock Keeps on Ticking: Emerging Roles for Circadian Regulation in the Control of Fungal Physiology and Pathogenesis. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2018; 422:121-156. [PMID: 30255278 DOI: 10.1007/82_2018_143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Tic-tac, tic-tac, the sound of time is familiar to us, yet, it also silently shapes daily biological processes conferring 24-hour rhythms in, among others, cellular and systemic signaling, gene expression, and metabolism. Indeed, circadian clocks are molecular machines that permit temporal control of a variety of processes in individuals, with a close to 24-hour period, optimizing cellular dynamics in synchrony with daily environmental cycles. For over three decades, the molecular bases of these clocks have been extensively described in the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa, yet, there have been few molecular studies in fungi other than Neurospora, despite evidence of rhythmic phenomena in many fungal species, including pathogenic ones. This chapter will revise the mechanisms underlying clock regulation in the model fungus N. crassa, as well as recent findings obtained in several fungi. In particular, this chapter will review the effect of circadian regulation of virulence and organismal interactions, focusing on the phytopathogen Botrytis cinerea, as well as several entomopathogenic fungi, including the behavior-manipulating species Ophiocordyceps kimflemingiae and Entomophthora muscae. Finally, this review will comment current efforts in the study of mammalian pathogenic fungi, while highlighting recent circadian lessons from parasites such as Trypanosoma and Plasmodium. The clock keeps on ticking, whether we can hear it or not.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis F Larrondo
- Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago, Chile. .,Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Paulo Canessa
- Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago, Chile.,Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Centro de Biotecnologia Vegetal, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
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