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Hjelt V, Goldman A, Martin V, Ruybal P, Moretta R. Tandem repeats in the genome of Toxoplasma gondii display compositional bias that impacts in protein structure. Gene 2024; 928:148774. [PMID: 39025338 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148774] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Repetitive elements in DNA sequences are a hallmark of Apicomplexan protozoa. A genome-wide screening for Tandem Repeats was conducted in Toxoplasma gondii and related Coccidian parasites with a novel strategy to assess compositional bias. A conserved pattern of GC skew and purine-pyrimidine bias was observed. Compositional bias was also present at the protein level. Glutamic acid was the most abundant amino acid in the purine (GA) rich cluster, while Serine prevailed in pyrimidine (CT) rich cluster. Purine rich repeats, and consequently glutamic acid abundance, correlated with high scores for intrinsically disordered protein regions/domains. Finally, variability was established for repetitive regions within a well-known rhoptry antigen (ROP1) and an uncharacterized hypothetical protein with similar features. The approach we present could be useful to identify potential antigens bearing repetitive elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Hjelt
- Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología. Centro de Estudios en Salud y Medio Ambiente, Av General Paz 5445, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandra Goldman
- Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología. Centro de Estudios en Salud y Medio Ambiente, Av General Paz 5445, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Tecnologías Emergentes y Ciencias Aplicadas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas - Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Argentina
| | - Valentina Martin
- Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología. Centro de Estudios en Salud y Medio Ambiente, Av General Paz 5445, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Tecnologías Emergentes y Ciencias Aplicadas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas - Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Argentina
| | - Paula Ruybal
- Instituto de Medicina Traslacional e Ingeniería Biomédica, CONICET, Instituto Universitario Hospital Italiano, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Potosi 4240, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rosalía Moretta
- Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología. Centro de Estudios en Salud y Medio Ambiente, Av General Paz 5445, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Tecnologías Emergentes y Ciencias Aplicadas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas - Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Argentina.
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Nan H, Lu X, Zhang C, Yang X, Ying Z, Ma L. Identification and function characterization of NcAP2XII-4 in Neospora caninum. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:392. [PMID: 39277758 PMCID: PMC11402202 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06477-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite in the Apicomplexa controlled by complex signaling pathways. Transcriptional control, an important way to regulate gene expression, has been almost absent in the N. caninum life process. However, to date, research on the transcriptional regulation of the AP2 family factors in N. caninum has been extremely limited. A prior study demonstrated that removing rhoptry protein 5 (ROP5), a significant virulence factor, resulted in abnormal expression levels of predicted NcAP2XII-4 in N. caninum, suggesting that the factor may regulate the function of ROP5. This study aimed to identify NcAP2XII-4 and its function in transcriptional regulation. METHODS The NcAP2XII-4 gene was identified by analyzing the N. caninum genome. A polyclonal antibody against the protein was prepared and purified, and its expression and localization in the parasite were detected using western blot (WB) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The ΔNcAP2XII-4 strain was constructed from the Nc1 strain using CRISPR/Cas9 to study its effect on the growth and development of N. caninum, and DAP-Seq and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) were used to verify the transcriptional regulatory functions of the gene. RESULTS Bioinformatic analysis showed that NcAP2XII-4 consists of 11,976 bp and encodes 3991 amino acids, with a predicted molecular mass of 410 kDa. The protein has two AP2 domains, 1207aa-1251aa and 3453aa-3500aa, and is predicted to be located in the nucleus. The results of PCR, WB, and IFA were in accordance with the bioinformatics analysis. ΔNcAP2XII-4 was successfully constructed, but the strain could not be released and ultimately succumbed within parasitophorous vacuoles (PVs). Plaque assays demonstrated that parasites lacking this gene could not form plaques. One motif was successfully identified using DAP-Seq technique. Two prokaryotic expression vectors containing the AP2 domain of NcAP2XII-4 were successfully constructed, and two prokaryotic expression proteins, AP2-D1 and AP2-D2, and ROP5 biotinylated probes were prepared. Using EMSA, NcAP2XII-4 was shown to regulate ROP5 transcription by binding to its promoter. CONCLUSIONS NcAP2XII-4 is an essential gene in N. caninum. This study provides a foundation for further research on transcriptional regulation in N. caninum and identifies a new candidate factor for the development of vaccines against N. caninum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huizhu Nan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Xin Lu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Zhu Ying
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Lei Ma
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China.
- Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
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Rico-San Román L, Hänggeli KPA, Hemphill A, Horcajo P, Collantes-Fernández E, Ortega-Mora LM, Boubaker G. TaqMan-quantitative PCR assays applied in Neospora caninum knock-outs generated through CRISPR-Cas9 allow to determine the copy numbers of integrated dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase drug selectable markers. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1419209. [PMID: 38975328 PMCID: PMC11224286 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1419209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
As for many other organisms, CRISPR-Cas9 mediated genetic modification has gained increasing importance for the identification of vaccine candidates and drug targets in Neospora caninum, an apicomplexan parasite causing abortion in cattle and neuromuscular disease in dogs. A widely used approach for generating knock-out (KO) strains devoid of virulence factors is the integration of a drug selectable marker such as mutated dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (mdhfr-ts) into the target gene, thus preventing the synthesis of respective protein and mediating resistance to pyrimethamine. However, CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis is not free of off-target effects, which can lead to integration of multiple mdhfr-ts copies into other sites of the genome. To determine the number of integrated mdhfr-ts in N. caninum, a duplex quantitative TaqMan PCR was developed. For this purpose, primers were designed that amplifies a 106 bp fragment from wild-type (WT) parasites corresponding to the single copy wtdhfrs-ts gene, as well as the mutated mdhfrs-ts present in KO parasites that confers resistance and were used simultaneously with primers amplifying the diagnostic NC5 gene. Thus, the dhfr-ts to NC5 ratio should be approximately 1 in WT parasites, while in KO parasites with a single integrated mdhrf-ts gene this ratio is doubled, and in case of multiple integration events even higher. This approach was applied to the Neospora KO strains NcΔGRA7 and NcΔROP40. For NcΔGRA7, the number of tachyzoites determined by dhfr-ts quantification was twice the number of tachyzoites determined by NC5 quantification, thus indicating that only one mdhfr-ts copy was integrated. The results obtained with the NcΔROP40 strain, however, showed that the number of dhfr-ts copies per genome was substantially higher, indicating that at least three copies of the selectable mdhfr-ts marker were integrated into the genomic DNA during gene editing by CRISPR-Cas9. This duplex TaqMan-qPCR provides a reliable and easy-to-use tool for assessing CRISPR-Cas9 mediated mutagenesis in WT N. caninum strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rico-San Román
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Andrew Hemphill
- Institute for Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Pilar Horcajo
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Ghalia Boubaker
- Institute for Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Swapna LS, Stevens GC, Sardinha-Silva A, Hu LZ, Brand V, Fusca DD, Wan C, Xiong X, Boyle JP, Grigg ME, Emili A, Parkinson J. ToxoNet: A high confidence map of protein-protein interactions in Toxoplasma gondii. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012208. [PMID: 38900844 PMCID: PMC11219001 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012208] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The apicomplexan intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii is a major food borne pathogen that is highly prevalent in the global population. The majority of the T. gondii proteome remains uncharacterized and the organization of proteins into complexes is unclear. To overcome this knowledge gap, we used a biochemical fractionation strategy to predict interactions by correlation profiling. To overcome the deficit of high-quality training data in non-model organisms, we complemented a supervised machine learning strategy, with an unsupervised approach, based on similarity network fusion. The resulting combined high confidence network, ToxoNet, comprises 2,063 interactions connecting 652 proteins. Clustering identifies 93 protein complexes. We identified clusters enriched in mitochondrial machinery that include previously uncharacterized proteins that likely represent novel adaptations to oxidative phosphorylation. Furthermore, complexes enriched in proteins localized to secretory organelles and the inner membrane complex, predict additional novel components representing novel targets for detailed functional characterization. We present ToxoNet as a publicly available resource with the expectation that it will help drive future hypotheses within the research community.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Grant C. Stevens
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aline Sardinha-Silva
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lucas Zhongming Hu
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Verena Brand
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel D. Fusca
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cuihong Wan
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Xuejian Xiong
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jon P. Boyle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Michael E. Grigg
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Andrew Emili
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - John Parkinson
- Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Lepore T, Macrae AI, Cantón GJ, Cantile C, Martineau HM, Palarea-Albaladejo J, Cahalan S, Underwood C, Katzer F, Chianini F. Evaluation of species-specific polyclonal antibodies to detect and differentiate between Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii. J Vet Diagn Invest 2024; 36:418-427. [PMID: 38420701 PMCID: PMC11110786 DOI: 10.1177/10406387241234322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Neosporosis and toxoplasmosis are major causes of abortion in livestock worldwide, leading to substantial economic losses. Detection tools are fundamental to the diagnosis and management of those diseases. Current immunohistochemistry (IHC) tests, using sera raised against whole parasite lysates, have not been able to distinguish between Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum. We used T. gondii and N. caninum recombinant proteins, expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using insoluble conditions, to produce specific polyclonal rabbit antisera. We aimed to develop species-specific sera that could be used in IHC on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections to improve the diagnosis of ruminant abortions caused by protozoa. Two polyclonal rabbit sera, raised against recombinant proteins, anti-Neospora-rNcSRS2 and anti-Toxoplasma-rTgSRS2, had specificity for the parasite they were raised against. We tested the specificity for each polyclonal serum using FFPE tissue sections known to be infected with T. gondii and N. caninum. The anti-Neospora-rNcSRS2 serum labeled specifically only N. caninum-infected tissue blocks, and the anti-Toxoplasma-rTgSRS2 serum was specific to only T. gondii-infected tissues. Moreover, tissues from 52 cattle and 19 sheep previously diagnosed by lesion profiles were tested using IHC with our polyclonal sera and PCR. The overall agreement between IHC and PCR was 90.1% for both polyclonal anti-rNcSRS2 and anti-rTgSRS2 sera. The polyclonal antisera were specific and allowed visual confirmation of protozoan parasites by IHC, but they were not as sensitive as PCR testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alastair I. Macrae
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, Scotland, UK
| | - Germán J. Cantón
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Balcarce, Argentina
| | | | | | | | - Stephen Cahalan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
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Mishra V, Mitra P, Barbuddhe S, Thorat Y, Chavan K, Shinde S, Chaudhari S, Khan W, Deshmukh AS. Serological and molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in free-ranging rats from Nagpur, India. Parasitol Res 2023; 123:63. [PMID: 38114841 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08095-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are cyst-forming coccidian parasites that infect both wild and domestic non-felids as intermediate hosts, with rodents serving as important reservoir hosts during their life cycles. This study was aimed at investigating T. gondii and N. caninum infections and identifying factors favouring T. gondii infection in free-ranging rats from India. A total of 181 rodents were trap-captured, and blood and brain samples were subsequently collected for serological and molecular examination of T. gondii and N. caninum. Antibodies against T. gondii and N. caninum were detected by MAT/NAT and IFAT in 13.8% (25/181) and 1.65% (3/181) of rodents, respectively. All three N. caninum samples positive by NAT/IFAT were also positive for ELISA, while for T. gondii, 19 of 25 MAT/IFAT positive samples were also positive for ELISA. The antibody titers (MAT/NAT/IFAT) of rodents seropositive for T. gondii ranged from 25 to 400, while those of rats seropositive for N. caninum ranged from 25 to 100. Also, using PCR, DNA from T. gondii (B1 gene) and N. caninum (NC5 gene) was found in 2.76% (5/181) of brain samples and 0.55% (1/181) of brain samples. All PCR positive samples were also seropositive. No mixed infections were observed in the serological and molecular detections. A Chi-square analysis revealed that older rats and rats living in urban areas are significantly associated with T. gondii infection; however, rodent species, gender, location, habitat types, and seasonality were statistically nonsignificant. Overall, this study demonstrated that T. gondii was widely distributed while N. caninum was less prevalent among free-ranging rats in the studied area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veena Mishra
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, DBT-National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, 500032, Telangana, India
| | - Pallabi Mitra
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
| | - Shruti Barbuddhe
- Department of Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology, Nagpur Veterinary College, Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur, India
| | - Yogesh Thorat
- Department of Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology, Nagpur Veterinary College, Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur, India
| | - Kailas Chavan
- Department of Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology, Nagpur Veterinary College, Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur, India
| | - Shilpshri Shinde
- Department of Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology, Nagpur Veterinary College, Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur, India
| | - Sandeep Chaudhari
- Department of Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology, Nagpur Veterinary College, Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur, India
| | - Waqar Khan
- Department of Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology, Nagpur Veterinary College, Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur, India
| | - Abhijit S Deshmukh
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, DBT-National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, 500032, Telangana, India.
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Li X, He K, Qian W, Li C, Hu S, Zhang M, Wang T, Yan W, Qi M. Transcriptome profiling of Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells uncover differences in the susceptibility of cattle to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum. Vet Parasitol 2023; 324:110072. [PMID: 37944350 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110072] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are two major apicomplexan protozoan parasites with heteroxenous life cycles and worldwide distributions. The transplacental transmission of N. caninum causes bovine abortion, which resulting in serious economic losses to the dairy industry. Although T. gondii was also reported to cause abortions in pregnant woman and small ruminants, scarce cases about the symptom to the host cattle and the causality remains unknown. In this study, transcriptome analysis of Madin Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells infected with T. gondii and N. caninum was performed to uncover the differences in susceptibility of cattle to the two parasites. The results showed that 256 and 2225 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in cells infected with N. caninum and T. gondii, respectively. Moreover, significant biological differences were revealed by the functional analysis including GO and KEGG enrichment. One serpin peptidase inhibitor (SEPRINA14), which is associated with immunosuppression during pregnancy, was found to significantly decrease in cells infected with N. caninum and increase in cells infected with T. gondii-infected cells. Pattern recognition receptors TLR3 and NOD2 were also significantly upregulated in N. caninum-infected MDBK cells, but not in T. gondii. They could induce an increased inflammatory response leading to severe tissue damage. In addition, the interleukin 12 receptor subunit beta 2 (IL12β2), which plays an essential role in Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation and inflammatory bowel disease, was also markedly upregulated in the N. caninum infected cells, which led to an imbalance in the Th1 and Th2 cells by promoting the Th1 cellular response. Altogether, our findings recognized a new understanding on the differences between T. gondii and N. caninum infection of MDBK cells, where SEPRINA14, TLR3, NOD2, and IL12β2 may be the key genes that affect the difference in susceptibility of cattle to T. gondii and N. caninum, especially in pregnant animals. This study provides more clues as to why N. caninum is more likely to cause abortions in cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojin Li
- Parasitology Laboratory, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China; National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Kai He
- Parasitology Laboratory, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China; National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Weifeng Qian
- Parasitology Laboratory, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China.
| | - Chen Li
- Parasitology Laboratory, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China
| | - Suhui Hu
- Parasitology Laboratory, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Parasitology Laboratory, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China
| | - Tianqi Wang
- Parasitology Laboratory, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China
| | - Wenchao Yan
- Parasitology Laboratory, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China
| | - Meng Qi
- College of Animal Science, Tarim University, Alar, Xinjiang 843300, China.
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Namasivayam S, Sun C, Bah AB, Oberstaller J, Pierre-Louis E, Etheridge RD, Feschotte C, Pritham EJ, Kissinger JC. Massive invasion of organellar DNA drives nuclear genome evolution in Toxoplasma. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2308569120. [PMID: 37917792 PMCID: PMC10636329 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308569120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protist pathogen that infects up to one third of the human population. This apicomplexan parasite contains three genome sequences: nuclear (65 Mb); plastid organellar, ptDNA (35 kb); and mitochondrial organellar, mtDNA (5.9 kb of non-repetitive sequence). We find that the nuclear genome contains a significant amount of NUMTs (nuclear integrants of mitochondrial DNA) and NUPTs (nuclear integrants of plastid DNA) that are continuously acquired and represent a significant source of intraspecific genetic variation. NUOT (nuclear DNA of organellar origin) accretion has generated 1.6% of the extant T. gondii ME49 nuclear genome-the highest fraction ever reported in any organism. NUOTs are primarily found in organisms that retain the non-homologous end-joining repair pathway. Significant movement of organellar DNA was experimentally captured via amplicon sequencing of a CRISPR-induced double-strand break in non-homologous end-joining repair competent, but not ku80 mutant, Toxoplasma parasites. Comparisons with Neospora caninum, a species that diverged from Toxoplasma ~28 mya, revealed that the movement and fixation of five NUMTs predates the split of the two genera. This unexpected level of NUMT conservation suggests evolutionary constraint for cellular function. Most NUMT insertions reside within (60%) or nearby genes (23% within 1.5 kb), and reporter assays indicate that some NUMTs have the ability to function as cis-regulatory elements modulating gene expression. Together, these findings portray a role for organellar sequence insertion in dynamically shaping the genomic architecture and likely contributing to adaptation and phenotypic changes in this important human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cheng Sun
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX76019
| | - Assiatu B. Bah
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX76019
| | | | - Edwin Pierre-Louis
- Department of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602
| | - Ronald Drew Etheridge
- Department of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602
| | - Cedric Feschotte
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX76019
| | - Ellen J. Pritham
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX76019
| | - Jessica C. Kissinger
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Bioinformatics, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602
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Feng Z, Ling H, Zhu Z, Pei Y, Sun Z, Wang X, Wang L, Liu Q, Liu J. Identification of specific antigens between Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum and application of potential diagnostic antigen TgGRA54. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:2557-2566. [PMID: 37670006 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07955-8] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite that is very common in livestock. Meat products from livestock infected with T. gondii are one of the important transmission routes of toxoplasmosis. Rapid and reliable diagnosis is a prerequisite for the prevention and control of toxoplasmosis. Neospora caninum and T. gondii are similar in morphology and life history, and there are a large number of cross antigens between them, making clinical diagnosis of toxoplasmosis more difficult. In this study, immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS) was used to screen for T. gondii-specific antigens, and the specific antigen was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The specific antigen was then used to establish an indirect ELISA diagnostic method. A total of 241 specific antigens of T. gondii and 662 cross antigens between T. gondii and N. caninum were screened by IP-MS. Through bioinformatics analysis and homology comparison, seven proteins were selected for gene cloning and prokaryotic expression, and the most suitable antigen, TgGRA54, was selected to establish an indirect ELISA for T. gondii. Compared with the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT), the positive coincidence rate of the ELISA based on rTgGRA54 was 100% (72/72) and the negative coincidence rate was 80.95% (17/21). The indirect ELISA method based on TgGRA54 recombinant protein was established to detect T. gondii antibodies in bovine sera, and the recombinant protein reacted well with T. gondii positive sera from sheep, mouse, and swine, indicating that the recombinant protein is a good diagnostic antigen for T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixuan Feng
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Huifang Ling
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Zifu Zhu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanqun Pei
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhepeng Sun
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianmei Wang
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Lifang Wang
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Qun Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China.
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China.
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10
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Gonzalez VJ, Li L, Buarpung S, Prahl M, Robinson JF, Gaw SL. Minimal mRNA uptake and inflammatory response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine exposure in human placental explants. iScience 2023; 26:107549. [PMID: 37664582 PMCID: PMC10470080 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite universal recommendations for COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in pregnancy, uptake has been lower than desired. There have been limited studies of the direct impact of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine exposure in human placental tissue. Using a primary human placental explants model, we investigated the uptake of two common mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2 Pfizer-BioNTech or mRNA-1273 Moderna), and whether exposure altered villous cytokine responses. Explants derived from second or third trimester chorionic villi were incubated with vaccines at supraphysiologic concentrations and analyzed at two time points. We observed minimal uptake of mRNA vaccines in placental explants by in situ hybridization and quantitative RT-PCR. No specific or global cytokine response was elicited by either of the mRNA vaccines in multiplexed immunoassays. Our results suggest that the human placenta does not readily absorb the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines nor generate a significant inflammatory response after exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica J. Gonzalez
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Lin Li
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Sirirak Buarpung
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Mary Prahl
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Global Health, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
| | - Joshua F. Robinson
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Stephanie L. Gaw
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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11
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Liu Q, Guan XA, Li DF, Zheng YX, Wang S, Xuan XN, Zhao JL, He L. Babesia gibsoni Whole-Genome Sequencing, Assembling, Annotation, and Comparative Analysis. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0072123. [PMID: 37432130 PMCID: PMC10434002 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00721-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The intracellular protozoan parasite Babesia gibsoni infects canine erythrocytes and causes babesiosis. The hazards to animal health have increased due to the rise of B. gibsoni infections and medication resistance. However, the lack of high-quality full-genome sequencing sets has expanded the obstacles to the development of pathogeneses, drugs, and vaccines. In this study, the whole genome of B. gibsoni was sequenced, assembled, and annotated. The genomic size of B. gibsoni was 7.94 Mbp in total. Four chromosomes with the size of 0.69 Mb, 2.10 Mb, 2.77 Mb, and 2.38 Mb, respectively, 1 apicoplast (28.4 Kb), and 1 mitochondrion (5.9 Kb) were confirmed. KEGG analysis revealed 2,641 putative proteins enriched on 316 pathways, and GO analysis showed 7,571 annotations of the nuclear genome in total. Synteny analysis showed a high correlation between B. gibsoni and B. bovis. A new divergent point of B. gibsoni occurred around 297.7 million years ago, which was earlier than that of B. bovis, B. ovata, and B. bigemina. Orthology analysis revealed 22 and 32 unique genes compared to several Babesia spp. and apicomplexan species. The metabolic pathways of B.gibsoni were characterized, pointing to a minimal size of the genome. A species-specific secretory protein SA1 and 19 homologous genes were identified. Selected specific proteins, including apetala 2 (AP2) factor, invasion-related proteins BgAMA-1 and BgRON2, and rhoptry function proteins BgWH_04g00700 were predicted, visualized, and modeled. Overall, whole-genome sequencing provided molecular-level support for the diagnosis, prevention, clinical treatment, and further research of B. gibsoni. IMPORTANCE The whole genome of B. gibsoni was first sequenced, annotated, and disclosed. The key part of genome composition, four chromosomes, was comparatively analyzed for the first time. A full-scale phylogeny evolution analysis based on the whole-genome-wide data of B. gibsoni was performed, and a new divergent point on the evolutionary path was revealed. In previous reports, molecular studies were often limited by incomplete genomic data, especially in key areas like life cycle regulation, metabolism, and host-pathogen interaction. With the whole-genome sequencing of B. gibsoni, we provide useful genetic data to encourage the exploration of new terrain and make it feasible to resolve the theoretical and practical problems of babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xing-Ai Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Dong-Fang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ya-Xin Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Sen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xue-Nan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Jun-Long Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lan He
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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12
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Pereira MA, Nóbrega C, Mateus TL, Almeida D, Oliveira A, Coelho C, Cruz R, Oliveira P, Faustino-Rocha A, Pires MJ, Mesquita JR, Vala H. An Antibody-Based Survey of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum Infection in Client-Owned Cats from Portugal. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2327. [PMID: 37508104 PMCID: PMC10376655 DOI: 10.3390/ani13142327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are obligate intracellular protozoan parasites infecting a wide range of hosts worldwide. However, information on the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis and neosporosis in cats from Portugal is limited. Thus, this study aims to evaluate anti-T. gondii and anti-N. caninum seroprevalence in client-owned cats from Portugal and to identify risk factors using a panel of well-characterized sera. A total of 183 domestic cats were sampled and screened for antibodies against T. gondii and N. caninum using commercial ELISA assays, and their owners answered an online questionnaire designed to obtain background information. The overall anti-T. gondii and anti-N. caninum seroprevalences were 13.1% (CI: 8.97-18.77) and 3.8% (CI: 1.87-7.68), respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that living strictly indoors was a significant protection factor (cOR: 0.053; CI: 0.005-0.627), and the presence of a chronic disease a significant risk factor (cOR: 3.106; CI: 1.062-9.082) to T. gondii seroprevalence. When performing multivariate analysis, only chronic disease (aOR: 57.527; CI: 1.7-1976.7) and seropositivity to N. caninum (aOR: 7.929; CI:0.8-82.9) were found to be a significant risk factor to anti-T. gondii antibodies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of N. caninum seropositivity in cats from Portugal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Aires Pereira
- Instituto Politécnico de Viseu, Escola Superior Agrária de Viseu, Campus Politécnico, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), R. da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
- CERNAS-IPV Research Centre, Instituto Politécnico de Viseu, Campus Politécnico, Repeses, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
| | - Carmen Nóbrega
- Instituto Politécnico de Viseu, Escola Superior Agrária de Viseu, Campus Politécnico, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Teresa L Mateus
- CISAS-Center for Research and Development in Agrifood Systems and Sustainability, Escola Superior Agrária, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Rua Escola Industrial e Comercial de Nun'Àlvares, 4900-347 Viana do Castelo, Portugal
- Veterinary and Animal Research Centre (CECAV), Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS) Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- EpiUnit-Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Rua das Taipas, n° 135, 4050-091 Porto, Portugal
| | - Daniela Almeida
- ICBAS-Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Andreia Oliveira
- Escola Superior Agrária de Ponte de Lima, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Rua D. Mendo Afonso, 147 Refóios do Lima, 4990-706 Ponte de Lima, Portugal
- Hospital Veterinário de Gaia, Rua Voltinha 82, 4415-369 Pedroso, Portugal
| | - Catarina Coelho
- Instituto Politécnico de Viseu, Escola Superior Agrária de Viseu, Campus Politécnico, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
- CERNAS-IPV Research Centre, Instituto Politécnico de Viseu, Campus Politécnico, Repeses, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
- Veterinary and Animal Research Centre (CECAV), Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS) Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Rita Cruz
- Instituto Politécnico de Viseu, Escola Superior Agrária de Viseu, Campus Politécnico, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
- EpiUnit-Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Rua das Taipas, n° 135, 4050-091 Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Oliveira
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Ana Faustino-Rocha
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Center, Department of Zootechnics, School of Sciences and Technology, University of Évora, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal
| | - Maria J Pires
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - João R Mesquita
- EpiUnit-Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Rua das Taipas, n° 135, 4050-091 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS-Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Helena Vala
- Instituto Politécnico de Viseu, Escola Superior Agrária de Viseu, Campus Politécnico, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
- CERNAS-IPV Research Centre, Instituto Politécnico de Viseu, Campus Politécnico, Repeses, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
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13
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Alonso AM, Diambra L. Dicodon-based measures for modeling gene expression. Bioinformatics 2023; 39:btad380. [PMID: 37307098 PMCID: PMC10287933 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btad380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Codon usage preference patterns have been associated with modulation of translation efficiency, protein folding, and mRNA decay. However, new studies support that codon pair usage has also a remarkable effect at the gene expression level. Here, we expand the concept of CAI to answer if codon pair usage patterns can be understood in terms of codon usage bias, or if they offer new information regarding coding translation efficiency. RESULTS Through the implementation of a weighting strategy to consider the dicodon contributions, we observe that the dicodon-based measure has greater correlations with gene expression level than CAI. Interestingly, we have noted that dicodons associated with a low value of adaptiveness are related to dicodons which mediate strong translational inhibition in yeast. We have also noticed that some codon-pairs have a smaller dicodon contribution than estimated by the product of the respective codon contributions. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION Scripts, implemented in Python, are freely available for download at https://zenodo.org/record/7738276#.ZBIDBtLMIdU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres M Alonso
- Instituto Tecnológico Chascomús (INTECH), CONICET-UNSAM, Intendente Marino km 8.2, Chascomús, 7130 Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- CCT-La Plata, CONICET, Calle 8 Nº 1467, La Plata, B1904CMC Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luis Diambra
- CCT-La Plata, CONICET, Calle 8 Nº 1467, La Plata, B1904CMC Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, FCE-UNLP, Blvd 120 N∘ 1461, La Plata, 1900 Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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14
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Namasivayam S, Sun C, Bah AB, Oberstaller J, Pierre-Louis E, Etheridge RD, Feschotte C, Pritham EJ, Kissinger JC. Massive invasion of organellar DNA drives nuclear genome evolution in Toxoplasma. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.22.539837. [PMID: 37293002 PMCID: PMC10245829 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.22.539837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protist pathogen that infects up to 1/3 of the human population. This apicomplexan parasite contains three genome sequences: nuclear (63 Mb); plastid organellar, ptDNA (35 kb); and mitochondrial organellar, mtDNA (5.9 kb of non-repetitive sequence). We find that the nuclear genome contains a significant amount of NUMTs (nuclear DNA of mitochondrial origin) and NUPTs (nuclear DNA of plastid origin) that are continuously acquired and represent a significant source of intraspecific genetic variation. NUOT (nuclear DNA of organellar origin) accretion has generated 1.6% of the extant T. gondii ME49 nuclear genome; the highest fraction ever reported in any organism. NUOTs are primarily found in organisms that retain the non-homologous end-joining repair pathway. Significant movement of organellar DNA was experimentally captured via amplicon sequencing of a CRISPR-induced double-strand break in non-homologous end-joining repair competent, but not ku80 mutant, Toxoplasma parasites. Comparisons with Neospora caninum, a species that diverged from Toxoplasma ~28 MY ago, revealed that the movement and fixation of 5 NUMTs predates the split of the two genera. This unexpected level of NUMT conservation suggests evolutionary constraint for cellular function. Most NUMT insertions reside within (60%) or nearby genes (23% within 1.5 kb) and reporter assays indicate that some NUMTs have the ability to function as cis-regulatory elements modulating gene expression. Together these findings portray a role for organellar sequence insertion in dynamically shaping the genomic architecture and likely contributing to adaptation and phenotypic changes in this important human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivaranjani Namasivayam
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Present address: Clinical Microbiome Unit, Laboratory of Host Immunity and Microbiome, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Cheng Sun
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA; Present address: College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Assiatu B Bah
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019
| | - Jenna Oberstaller
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Present address: Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Edwin Pierre-Louis
- Department of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Ronald Drew Etheridge
- Department of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Cedric Feschotte
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019; Present address: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2703, USA
| | - Ellen J. Pritham
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019
| | - Jessica C. Kissinger
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Bioinformatics, and Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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15
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Goodswen SJ, Kennedy PJ, Ellis JT. A state-of-the-art methodology for high-throughput in silico vaccine discovery against protozoan parasites and exemplified with discovered candidates for Toxoplasma gondii. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8243. [PMID: 37217589 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34863-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccine discovery against eukaryotic parasites is not trivial as highlighted by the limited number of known vaccines compared to the number of protozoal diseases that need one. Only three of 17 priority diseases have commercial vaccines. Live and attenuated vaccines have proved to be more effective than subunit vaccines but adversely pose more unacceptable risks. One promising approach for subunit vaccines is in silico vaccine discovery, which predicts protein vaccine candidates given thousands of target organism protein sequences. This approach, nonetheless, is an overarching concept with no standardised guidebook on implementation. No known subunit vaccines against protozoan parasites exist as a result of this approach, and consequently none to emulate. The study goal was to combine current in silico discovery knowledge specific to protozoan parasites and develop a workflow representing a state-of-the-art approach. This approach reflectively integrates a parasite's biology, a host's immune system defences, and importantly, bioinformatics programs needed to predict vaccine candidates. To demonstrate the workflow effectiveness, every Toxoplasma gondii protein was ranked in its capacity to provide long-term protective immunity. Although testing in animal models is required to validate these predictions, most of the top ranked candidates are supported by publications reinforcing our confidence in the approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Goodswen
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Paul J Kennedy
- School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology and the Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - John T Ellis
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
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16
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van der Wel H, Garcia AM, Gas-Pascual E, Willis MM, Kim HW, Bandini G, Gaye MM, Costello CE, Samuelson J, West CM. Spindly is a nucleocytosolic O-fucosyltransferase in Dictyostelium and related proteins are widespread in protists and bacteria. Glycobiology 2023; 33:225-244. [PMID: 36250576 PMCID: PMC10114647 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwac071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
O-GlcNAcylation is a prominent modification of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins in animals and plants and is mediated by a single O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT). Spindly (Spy), a paralog of OGT first discovered in higher plants, has an ortholog in the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, and both enzymes are now recognized as O-fucosyltransferases (OFTs). Here we investigate the evolution of spy-like genes and experimentally confirm OFT activity in the social amoeba Dictyostelium-a protist that is more related to fungi and metazoa. Immunofluorescence probing with the fucose-specific Aleuria aurantia lectin (AAL) and biochemical cell fractionation combined with western blotting suggested the occurrence of nucleocytoplasmic fucosylation. The absence of reactivity in mutants deleted in spy or gmd (unable to synthesize GDP-Fuc) suggested monofucosylation mediated by Spy. Genetic ablation of the modE locus, previously predicted to encode a GDP-fucose transporter, confirmed its necessity for fucosylation in the secretory pathway but not for the nucleocytoplasmic proteins. Affinity capture of these proteins combined with mass spectrometry confirmed monofucosylation of Ser and Thr residues of several known nucleocytoplasmic proteins. As in Toxoplasma, the Spy OFT was required for optimal proliferation of Dictyostelium under laboratory conditions. These findings support a new phylogenetic analysis of OGT and OFT evolution that indicates their occurrence in the last eukaryotic common ancestor but mostly complementary presence in its eukaryotic descendants with the notable exception that both occur in red algae and plants. Their generally exclusive expression, high degree of conservation, and shared monoglycosylation targets suggest overlapping roles in physiological regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanke van der Wel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Ana Maria Garcia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
- Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN), 1951 SW 172nd Ave, Hollywood, FL 33029, USA
| | - Elisabet Gas-Pascual
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Macy M Willis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Hyun W Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Giulia Bandini
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Henry Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Clarivate Analytics (UK) Ltd., 70 St. Mary Axe, London, EC3A 8BE
| | - Maissa Mareme Gaye
- Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Chemistry Technology Center, Waters Corporation, Milford, MA 01757, USA
| | - Catherine E Costello
- Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - John Samuelson
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Henry Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Christopher M West
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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17
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Gonzalez V, Li L, Buarpung S, Prahl M, Robinson JF, Gaw SL. Minimal mRNA uptake and inflammatory response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine exposure in human placental explants. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.02.01.23285349. [PMID: 36778281 PMCID: PMC9915836 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.01.23285349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Despite universal recommendations for COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in pregnancy, uptake has been lower than desired. There have been limited studies of the direct impact of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine exposure in human placental tissue. Using a primary human villous explant model, we investigated the uptake of two common mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2 Pfizer-BioNTech or mRNA-1273 Moderna), and whether exposure altered villous cytokine responses. Explants derived from second or third trimester chorionic villi were incubated with vaccines at supraphysiologic concentrations and analyzed at two time points. We observed minimal uptake of mRNA vaccines in placental explants by in situ hybridization and quantitative RT-PCR. No specific or global cytokine response was elicited by either of the mRNA vaccines in multiplexed immunoassays. Our results suggest that the human placenta does not readily absorb the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines nor generate a significant inflammatory response after exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Gonzalez
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Lin Li
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, USA
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Sirirak Buarpung
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, USA
| | - Mary Prahl
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Global Health, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, California 94110, USA
| | - Joshua F. Robinson
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
| | - Stephanie L. Gaw
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, USA
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
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DOI R, OBA M, FURUYA T, MIZUTANI T, TAKEMAE H. Development of a new quantification method of Sarcocystis cruzi through detection of the acetyl-CoA synthetase gene. J Vet Med Sci 2023; 85:105-110. [PMID: 36450502 PMCID: PMC9887211 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.22-0481] [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] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Sarcocystis cruzi is a member of the genus Sarcocystis, infecting bovine animals such as cattle and bison as intermediate hosts, and canids such as dogs and raccoon dogs as definitive hosts. Acute sarcocystosis of S. cruzi causes occasional symptoms in cattle, including weight loss, reduced milk production, abortions, and death, and similar to other Sarcocystis species can potentially cause food poisoning in humans when raw or undercooked infected cattle meat is consumed. Despite these issues, genetic information on S. cruzi is scarce, and there is no specific quantitative method for the detection and quantification of the parasite in infected cattle. In this study, we aimed to develop a method based on high-throughput sequencing of S. cruzi genome and transcriptome that specifically and quantitatively detects the S. cruzi acetyl-CoA synthetase gene (ScACS). Cardiac muscles were collected from slaughterhouses in Saitama Prefecture to obtain sarcocysts from which DNA and RNA were extracted for the high-throughput sequencing. Using the sequences, we developed a specific quantitative PCR assay which could distinguish S. cruzi ACS from that of Toxoplasma gondii by taking advantage of the differences in their exon/intron organizations and validated the assay with the microscopic counting of the S. cruzi bradyzoites. Thus, this assay will be useful for future studies of S. cruzi pathogenesis in cattle and for the surveillance of infected animals, thereby easing public health concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rie DOI
- United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan,Saitama Institute of Public Health, Saitama, Japan
| | - Mami OBA
- Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsuya FURUYA
- Laboratory of Veterinary Infectious Diseases, Cooperative Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsuya MIZUTANI
- United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan,Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hitoshi TAKEMAE
- Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan,Correspondence to: Takemae H: , Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai-cho, Fuchu-shi, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
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Fereig RM, Omar MA, Alsayeqh AF. Exploiting the Macrophage Production of IL-12 in Improvement of Vaccine Development against Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum Infections. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10122082. [PMID: 36560492 PMCID: PMC9783364 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10122082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis and neosporosis are major protozoan diseases of global distribution. Toxoplasma gondii is the cause of toxoplasmosis, which affects almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans, while Neospora caninum induces neosporosis in many animal species, especially cattle. The current defective situation with control measures is hindering all efforts to overcome the health hazards and economic losses of toxoplasmosis and neosporosis. Adequate understanding of host-parasite interactions and host strategies to combat such infections can be exploited in establishing potent control measures, including vaccine development. Macrophages are the first defense line of innate immunity, which is responsible for the successful elimination of T.gondii or N. caninum. This action is exerted via the immunoregulatory interleukin-12 (IL-12), which orchestrates the production of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) from various immune cells. Cellular immune response and IFN-γ production is the hallmark for successful vaccine candidates against both T. gondii and N. caninum. However, the discovery of potential vaccine candidates is a highly laborious, time-consuming and expensive procedure. In this review, we will try to exploit previous knowledge and our research experience to establish an efficient immunological approach for exploring potential vaccine candidates against T. gondii and N. caninum. Our previous studies on vaccine development against both T. gondii and N. caninum revealed a strong association between the successful and potential vaccine antigens and their ability to promote the macrophage secretion of IL-12 using a murine model. This phenomenon was emphasized using different recombinant antigens, parasites, and experimental approaches. Upon these data and research trials, IL-12 production from murine macrophages can be used as an initial predictor for judgment of vaccine efficacy before further evaluation in time-consuming and laborious in vivo experiments. However, more studies and research are required to conceptualize this immunological approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ragab M. Fereig
- Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt
- Correspondence: (R.M.F.); (A.F.A.)
| | - Mosaab A. Omar
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Buraidah 51452, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah F. Alsayeqh
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Buraidah 51452, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (R.M.F.); (A.F.A.)
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20
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Contreras SM, Zambrano Siri RT, Rivera EM, Cristaldi C, Kamenetzky L, Kim K, Clemente M, Ocampo J, Vanagas L, Angel SO. Architecture, Chromatin and Gene Organization of Toxoplasma gondii Subtelomeres. EPIGENOMES 2022; 6:29. [PMID: 36135316 PMCID: PMC9498087 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes6030029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Subtelomeres (ST) are chromosome regions that separate telomeres from euchromatin and play relevant roles in various biological processes of the cell. While their functions are conserved, ST structure and genetic compositions are unique to each species. This study aims to identify and characterize the subtelomeric regions of the 13 Toxoplasma gondii chromosomes of the Me49 strain. Here, STs were defined at chromosome ends based on poor gene density. The length of STs ranges from 8.1 to 232.4 kbp, with a gene density of 0.049 genes/kbp, lower than the Me49 genome (0.15 kbp). Chromatin organization showed that H3K9me3, H2A.X, and H3.3 are highly enriched near telomeres and the 5' end of silenced genes, decaying in intensity towards euchromatin. H3K4me3 and H2A.Z/H2B.Z are shown to be enriched in the 5' end of the ST genes. Satellite DNA was detected in almost all STs, mainly the sat350 family and a novel satellite named sat240. Beyond the STs, only short dispersed fragments of sat240 and sat350 were found. Within STs, there were 12 functional annotated genes, 59 with unknown functions (Hypothetical proteins), 15 from multigene FamB, and 13 from multigene family FamC. Some genes presented low interstrain synteny associated with the presence of satellite DNA. Orthologues of FamB and FamC were also detected in Neospora caninum and Hammondia hammondi. A re-analysis of previous transcriptomic data indicated that ST gene expression is strongly linked to the adaptation to different situations such as extracellular passage (evolve and resequencing study) and changes in metabolism (lack of acetyl-CoA cofactor). In conclusion, the ST region of the T. gondii chromosomes was defined, the STs genes were determined, and it was possible to associate them with high interstrain plasticity and a role in the adaptability of T. gondii to environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana M. Contreras
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto Tecnológico Chascomús (INTECH), Universidad Nacional de General San Martín (UNSAM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Chascomús 7130, Argentina
| | - Romina T. Zambrano Siri
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular “Dr. Héctor N. Torres” (INGEBI-CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina
| | - Elías M. Rivera
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto Tecnológico Chascomús (INTECH), Universidad Nacional de General San Martín (UNSAM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Chascomús 7130, Argentina
| | - Constanza Cristaldi
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto Tecnológico Chascomús (INTECH), Universidad Nacional de General San Martín (UNSAM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Chascomús 7130, Argentina
| | - Laura Kamenetzky
- Laboratorio de Genómica y Bioinformática de Patógenos, iB3|Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología traslacional, Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Kami Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
| | - Marina Clemente
- Laboratorio de Molecular Farming y Vacunas, Instituto Tecnológico Chascomús (INTECH), Universidad Nacional de General San Martín (UNSAM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Chascomús 7130, Argentina
| | - Josefina Ocampo
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular “Dr. Héctor N. Torres” (INGEBI-CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina
| | - Laura Vanagas
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto Tecnológico Chascomús (INTECH), Universidad Nacional de General San Martín (UNSAM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Chascomús 7130, Argentina
| | - Sergio O. Angel
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto Tecnológico Chascomús (INTECH), Universidad Nacional de General San Martín (UNSAM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Chascomús 7130, Argentina
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21
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Zhao SS, Tao DL, Chen JM, Wu JP, Yang X, Song JK, Zhu XQ, Zhao GH. RNA sequencing reveals dynamic expression of lncRNAs and mRNAs in caprine endometrial epithelial cells induced by Neospora caninum infection. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:297. [PMID: 35999576 PMCID: PMC9398501 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05405-5] [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: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The effective transmission mode of Neospora caninum, with infection leading to reproductive failure in ruminants, is vertical transmission. The uterus is an important reproductive organ that forms the maternal–fetal interface. Neospora caninum can successfully invade and proliferate in the uterus, but the molecular mechanisms underlying epithelial-pathogen interactions remain unclear. Accumulating evidence suggests that host long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in cellular molecular regulatory networks, with reports that these RNA molecules are closely related to the pathogenesis of apicomplexan parasites. However, the expression profiles of host lncRNAs during N. caninum infection has not been reported. Methods RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis was used to investigate the expression profiles of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and lncRNAs in caprine endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) infected with N. caninum for 24 h (TZ_24h) and 48 h (TZ_48 h), and the potential functions of differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs were predicted by using Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis of their mRNA targets. Results RNA-seq analysis identified 1280.15 M clean reads in 12 RNA samples, including six samples infected with N. caninum for 24 h (TZ1_24h-TZ3_24h) and 48 h (TZ1_48h-TZ3_48h), and six corresponding control samples (C1_24h-C3_24h and C1_48h-C3_48h). Within the categories TZ_24h-vs-C_24h, TZ_48h-vs-C_48h and TZ_48h-vs-TZ_24h, there were 934 (665 upregulated and 269 downregulated), 1238 (785 upregulated and 453 downregulated) and 489 (252 upregulated and 237 downregulated) DEmRNAs, respectively. GO enrichment and KEGG analysis revealed that these DEmRNAs were mainly involved in the regulation of host immune response (e.g. TNF signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, transforming growth factor beta signaling pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway), signaling molecules and interaction (e.g. cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, cell adhesion molecules and ECM-receptor interaction). A total of 88 (59 upregulated and 29 downregulated), 129 (80 upregulated and 49 downregulated) and 32 (20 upregulated and 12 downregulated) DElncRNAs were found within the categories TZ_24h-vs-C_24h, TZ_48h-vs-C_48h and TZ_48h-vs-TZ_24h, respectively. Functional prediction indicated that these DElncRNAs would be involved in signal transduction (e.g. MAPK signaling pathway, PPAR signaling pathway, ErbB signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway), neural transmission (e.g. GABAergic synapse, serotonergic synapse, cholinergic synapse), metabolism processes (e.g. glycosphingolipid biosynthesis-lacto and neolacto series, glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis-heparan sulfate/heparin) and signaling molecules and interaction (e.g. cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, cell adhesion molecules and ECM-receptor interaction). Conclusions This is the first investigation of global gene expression profiles of lncRNAs during N. caninum infection. The results provide valuable information for further studies of the roles of lncRNAs during N. caninum infection. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05405-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan-Shan Zhao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - De-Liang Tao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jin-Ming Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jiang-Ping Wu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xin Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jun-Ke Song
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi, China. .,Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Higher Education of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
| | - Guang-Hui Zhao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China.
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22
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Zhang Y, Cheng L, Qiu H, Sun T, Deng R, Gong H, Mi R, Huang Y, Wang C, Chen Z. Hypothetical bromodomain-containing protein 5 is required for the growth of Toxoplasma gondii. Vet Parasitol 2022; 309:109767. [PMID: 35901606 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2022.109767] [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: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Bromodomain (BRD) is a highly conserved structural module domain, found in various proteins, including chromatin-related proteins, nucleus acetyltransferases, and transcription-associated proteins. Toxoplasma gondii, a zoonotic protozoan, encodes at least 12 predicted BRD-containing proteins (BDPs). Here, we investigated the subcellular location and regulatory role of a hypothetical protein BDP that we named TgBDP5. The BRD of TgBDP5 did not contain the conserved Asn and Tyr residues required for acetyl-lysine recognition. TgBDP5 localized in the nucleus of the parasite and remained unchanged during parasite replication. Conditional ablation of TgBDP5 through an auxin-inducible degron-based knockdown strategy caused a growth defect in parasite replication. Depletion of TgBDP5 led to changes in the expression level of 179 genes, suggesting it as an important target for drugs acting against T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, Heilongjiang Province, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China; Branch of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qiqihar 161000, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Long Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Hongyu Qiu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Tiancong Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Ruipeng Deng
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Haiyan Gong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Rongsheng Mi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Chunren Wang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, Heilongjiang Province, China.
| | - Zhaoguo Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China.
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Boisard J, Duvernois-Berthet E, Duval L, Schrével J, Guillou L, Labat A, Le Panse S, Prensier G, Ponger L, Florent I. Marine gregarine genomes reveal the breadth of apicomplexan diversity with a partially conserved glideosome machinery. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:485. [PMID: 35780080 PMCID: PMC9250747 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08700-8] [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: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Our current view of the evolutionary history, coding and adaptive capacities of Apicomplexa, protozoan parasites of a wide range of metazoan, is currently strongly biased toward species infecting humans, as data on early diverging apicomplexan lineages infecting invertebrates is extremely limited. Here, we characterized the genome of the marine eugregarine Porospora gigantea, intestinal parasite of Lobsters, remarkable for the macroscopic size of its vegetative feeding forms (trophozoites) and its gliding speed, the fastest so far recorded for Apicomplexa. Two highly syntenic genomes named A and B were assembled. Similar in size (~ 9 Mb) and coding capacity (~ 5300 genes), A and B genomes are 10.8% divergent at the nucleotide level, corresponding to 16-38 My in divergent time. Orthogroup analysis across 25 (proto)Apicomplexa species, including Gregarina niphandrodes, showed that A and B are highly divergent from all other known apicomplexan species, revealing an unexpected breadth of diversity. Phylogenetically these two species branch sisters to Cephaloidophoroidea, and thus expand the known crustacean gregarine superfamily. The genomes were mined for genes encoding proteins necessary for gliding, a key feature of apicomplexans parasites, currently studied through the molecular model called glideosome. Sequence analysis shows that actin-related proteins and regulatory factors are strongly conserved within apicomplexans. In contrast, the predicted protein sequences of core glideosome proteins and adhesion proteins are highly variable among apicomplexan lineages, especially in gregarines. These results confirm the importance of studying gregarines to widen our biological and evolutionary view of apicomplexan species diversity, and to deepen our understanding of the molecular bases of key functions such as gliding, well known to allow access to the intracellular parasitic lifestyle in Apicomplexa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Boisard
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France. .,Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Structure et instabilité des génomes (STRING UMR 7196 CNRS/INSERM U1154), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, INSERM, CP 26, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France. .,Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Evelyne Duvernois-Berthet
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation (PhyMA UMR 7221 CNRS), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, CP 32, 7 rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Linda Duval
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France
| | - Joseph Schrével
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France
| | - Laure Guillou
- CNRS, UMR7144 Adaptation et Diversité en Milieu Marin, Ecology of Marine Plankton (ECOMAP), Station Biologique de Roscoff SBR, Sorbonne Université, 29680, Roscoff, France
| | - Amandine Labat
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Le Panse
- Plateforme d'Imagerie Merimage, FR2424, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Station Biologique de Roscoff, 29680, Roscoff, France
| | - Gérard Prensier
- Cell biology and Electron Microscopy Laboratory, François Rabelais University, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 3223 Cedex, Tours, BP, France
| | - Loïc Ponger
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Structure et instabilité des génomes (STRING UMR 7196 CNRS/INSERM U1154), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, INSERM, CP 26, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France.
| | - Isabelle Florent
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France.
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He J, Hou Y, Lu F. Blockage of Galectin-Receptor Interactions Attenuates Mouse Hepatic Pathology Induced by Toxoplasma gondii Infection. Front Immunol 2022; 13:896744. [PMID: 35911679 PMCID: PMC9327616 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.896744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), one of the most important Apicomplexan protozoa, causes toxoplasmosis in human throughout the world. Galectin (Gal)-9 triggers a series of immune events via binding to its receptors, including T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-containing molecule 3, CD137, CD44, and protein disulfide isomerase. To examine the regulatory role of galectin-receptor interactions in anti-toxoplasmic activities, C57BL/6 mice were infected with T. gondii RH strain and intraperitoneally injected with alpha (α)-lactose to block the interactions of galectins and their receptors. Heatmaps showed upregulated values for Gal-9 and CD137 in the livers of T. gondii-infected mice and T. gondii-infected mice treated with α-lactose. Compared with T. gondii-infected mice, T. gondii-infected mice treated with α-lactose showed significantly increased survival rate, decreased tissue parasite burden, attenuated liver histopathology, increased mRNA expression levels of CD137, IFNγ, IL-4, and IL-10 in the liver, and increased Gal-9 mRNA expression level in the spleen. Correlation analysis showed that significant positive correlations existed between the mRNA expression levels of Gal-9 and CD137, Gal-9 and IFNγ, as well as between CD137 and IFNγ in the liver and spleen of T. gondii-infected mice; between CD137 and IFNγ in the liver of T. gondii-infected mice treated with α-lactose. In addition, blockage of galectin-receptor interactions showed enhanced M2 macrophage polarization in the liver of T. gondii-infected mice. Our data indicate that Gal-9-CD137 interaction may play an important role in T. gondii proliferation and liver inflammation in mice during acute T. gondii infection, through regulating T cell and macrophage immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian He
- Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongheng Hou
- Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fangli Lu
- Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Fangli Lu,
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Goodswen SJ, Kennedy PJ, Ellis JT. Compilation of parasitic immunogenic proteins from 30 years of published research using machine learning and natural language processing. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10349. [PMID: 35725870 PMCID: PMC9208253 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13790-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organisation reported in 2020 that six of the top 10 sources of death in low-income countries are parasites. Parasites are microorganisms in a relationship with a larger organism, the host. They acquire all benefits at the host’s expense. A disease develops if the parasitic infection disrupts normal functioning of the host. This disruption can range from mild to severe, including death. Humans and livestock continue to be challenged by established and emerging infectious disease threats. Vaccination is the most efficient tool for preventing current and future threats. Immunogenic proteins sourced from the disease-causing parasite are worthwhile vaccine components (subunits) due to reliable safety and manufacturing capacity. Publications with ‘subunit vaccine’ in their title have accumulated to thousands over the last three decades. However, there are possibly thousands more reporting immunogenicity results without mentioning ‘subunit’ and/or ‘vaccine’. The exact number is unclear given the non-standardised keywords in publications. The study aim is to identify parasite proteins that induce a protective response in an animal model as reported in the scientific literature within the last 30 years using machine learning and natural language processing. Source code to fulfil this aim and the vaccine candidate list obtained is made available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Goodswen
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Paul J Kennedy
- School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology and the Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - John T Ellis
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
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Correia A, Alves P, Fróis-Martins R, Teixeira L, Vilanova M. Protective Effect against Neosporosis Induced by Intranasal Immunization with Neospora caninum Membrane Antigens Plus Carbomer-Based Adjuvant. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10060925. [PMID: 35746533 PMCID: PMC9230871 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10060925] [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: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neospora caninum is an obligate intracellular protozoan responsible for abortion and stillbirths in cattle. We previously developed a mucosal vaccination approach using N. caninum membrane proteins and CpG adjuvant that conferred long-term protection against neosporosis in mice. Here, we have extended this approach by alternatively using the carbomer-based adjuvant Carbigen™ in the immunizing preparation. Immunized mice presented higher proportions and numbers of memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Stimulation of spleen, lungs and liver leukocytes with parasite antigens induced a marked production of IFN-γ and IL-17A and, less markedly, IL-4. This balanced response was also evident in that both parasite-specific IgG1 and IgG2c were raised by immunization, together with specific intestinal IgA. Upon intraperitoneal infection with N. caninum, immunized mice presented lower parasitic burdens than sham-immunized controls. In the infected immunized mice, memory CD4+ T cells predominantly expressed T-bet and RORγt, and CD8+ T cells expressing T-bet were found increased. While spleen, lungs and liver leukocytes of both immunized and sham-immunized infected animals produced high amounts of IFN-γ, only the cells from immunized mice responded with high IL-17A production. Since in cattle both IFN-γ and IL-17A have been associated with protective mechanisms against N. caninum infection, the elicited cytokine profile obtained using CarbigenTM as adjuvant indicates that it could be worth exploring for bovine neosporosis vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Correia
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.); (P.A.)
- I3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro Alves
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.); (P.A.)
- I3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Fróis-Martins
- Immunology Section, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland;
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Luzia Teixeira
- UMIB—Unidade Multidisciplinar de Investigação Biomédica, ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal;
- ITR—Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health, 4050-290 Porto, Portugal
| | - Manuel Vilanova
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (A.C.); (P.A.)
- I3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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Neospora caninum SRS2 Protein: Essential Vaccination Targets and Biochemical Features for Next-Generation Vaccine Design. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:7070144. [PMID: 35434127 PMCID: PMC9007667 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7070144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Vaccination is a standout preventive measure to combat neosporosis among cattle herds. The present in silico study was done to evaluate the physicochemical properties and potent immunogenic epitopes of N. caninum SRS2 protein as a possible vaccine candidate. Web-based tools were used to predict physicochemical properties, antigenicity, allergenicity, solubility, posttranslational modification (PTM) sites, transmembrane domains and signal peptide, and secondary and tertiary structures as well as intrinsically disordered regions, followed by identification and screening of potential linear and conformational B-cell epitopes and those peptides having affinity to bind mouse major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL). The protein had 401 residues with a molecular weight of 42 kDa, representing aliphatic index of 69.35 (thermotolerant) and GRAVY score of -0.294 (hydrophilic). There were 53 PTM sites without a signal peptide in the sequence. Secondary structure comprised mostly by extended strand, followed by helices and coils. The Ramachandran plot of the refined model showed 90.2%, 8.8%, 0.5%, and 0.5% residues in the favored, additional allowed, generously allowed, and disallowed regions, correspondingly. Additionally, various potential B-cell (linear and conformational), CTL, and MHC-binding epitopes were predicted for N. caninum SRS2. These epitopes could be further utilized in the multiepitope vaccine constructs directed against neosporosis.
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Organismal and cellular interactions in vertebrate-alga symbioses. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:609-620. [PMID: 35225336 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Photosymbioses, intimate interactions between photosynthetic algal symbionts and heterotrophic hosts, are well known in invertebrate and protist systems. Vertebrate animals are an exception where photosynthetic microorganisms are not often considered part of the normal vertebrate microbiome, with a few exceptions in amphibian eggs. Here, we review the breadth of vertebrate diversity and explore where algae have taken hold in vertebrate fur, on vertebrate surfaces, in vertebrate tissues, and within vertebrate cells. We find that algae have myriad partnerships with vertebrate animals, from fishes to mammals, and that those symbioses range from apparent mutualisms to commensalisms to parasitisms. The exception in vertebrates, compared with other groups of eukaryotes, is that intracellular mutualisms and commensalisms with algae or other microbes are notably rare. We currently have no clear cell-in-cell (endosymbiotic) examples of a trophic mutualism in any vertebrate, while there is a broad diversity of such interactions in invertebrate animals and protists. This functional divergence in vertebrate symbioses may be related to vertebrate physiology or a byproduct of our adaptive immune system. Overall, we see that diverse algae are part of the vertebrate microbiome, broadly, with numerous symbiotic interactions occurring across all vertebrate and many algal clades. These interactions are being studied for their ecological, organismal, and cellular implications. This synthesis of vertebrate-algal associations may prove useful for the development of novel therapeutics: pairing algae with medical devices, tissue cultures, and artificial ecto- and endosymbioses.
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Carey MA, Medlock GL, Stolarczyk M, Petri WA, Guler JL, Papin JA. Comparative analyses of parasites with a comprehensive database of genome-scale metabolic models. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009870. [PMID: 35196325 PMCID: PMC8901074 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Protozoan parasites cause diverse diseases with large global impacts. Research on the pathogenesis and biology of these organisms is limited by economic and experimental constraints. Accordingly, studies of one parasite are frequently extrapolated to infer knowledge about another parasite, across and within genera. Model in vitro or in vivo systems are frequently used to enhance experimental manipulability, but these systems generally use species related to, yet distinct from, the clinically relevant causal pathogen. Characterization of functional differences among parasite species is confined to post hoc or single target studies, limiting the utility of this extrapolation approach. To address this challenge and to accelerate parasitology research broadly, we present a functional comparative analysis of 192 genomes, representing every high-quality, publicly-available protozoan parasite genome including Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba, Trypanosoma, Leishmania, Giardia, and other species. We generated an automated metabolic network reconstruction pipeline optimized for eukaryotic organisms. These metabolic network reconstructions serve as biochemical knowledgebases for each parasite, enabling qualitative and quantitative comparisons of metabolic behavior across parasites. We identified putative differences in gene essentiality and pathway utilization to facilitate the comparison of experimental findings and discovered that phylogeny is not the sole predictor of metabolic similarity. This knowledgebase represents the largest collection of genome-scale metabolic models for both pathogens and eukaryotes; with this resource, we can predict species-specific functions, contextualize experimental results, and optimize selection of experimental systems for fastidious species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen A. Carey
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MAC); (JP)
| | - Gregory L. Medlock
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Michał Stolarczyk
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - William A. Petri
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Jennifer L. Guler
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Jason A. Papin
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MAC); (JP)
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Morelli S, Diakou A, Di Cesare A, Colombo M, Traversa D. Canine and Feline Parasitology: Analogies, Differences, and Relevance for Human Health. Clin Microbiol Rev 2021; 34:e0026620. [PMID: 34378954 PMCID: PMC8404700 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00266-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cats and dogs are treated as family members by most pet owners. Therefore, a high quality of veterinary care and preventive medicine is imperative for animal health and welfare and for the protection of humans from zoonotic pathogens. There is a general perception of cats being treated as "small dogs," especially in the field of clinical parasitology. As a result, several important differences between the two animal species are not taken into proper consideration and are often overlooked. Dogs and cats are profoundly different under evolutionary, biological, ethological, behavioral, and immunological standpoints. These differences impact clinical features, diagnosis, and control of canine and feline parasites and transmission risk for humans. This review outlines the most common parasitoses and vector-borne diseases of dogs and cats, with a focus on major convergences and divergences, and discusses parasites that have (i) evolved based on different preys for dogs and cats, (ii) adapted due to different immunological or behavioral animal profiles, and (iii) developed more similarities than differences in canine and feline infections and associated diseases. Differences, similarities, and peculiarities of canine and feline parasitology are herein reviewed in three macrosections: (i) carnivorism, vegetarianism, anatomy, genetics, and parasites, (ii) evolutionary adaptation of nematodes, including veterinary reconsideration and zoonotic importance, and (iii) behavior and immune system driving ectoparasites and transmitted diseases. Emphasis is given to provide further steps toward a more accurate evaluation of canine and feline parasitology in a changing world in terms of public health relevance and One Health approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Morelli
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Anastasia Diakou
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Angela Di Cesare
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | | | - Donato Traversa
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
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Das M, Hasan M, Akter S, Roy S, Sharma B, Chowdhury MSR, Ahsan MI, Akhand RN, Uddin MB, Ahmed SSU. In Silico Investigation of Conserved miRNAs and Their Targets From the Expressed Sequence Tags in Neospora Caninum Genome. Bioinform Biol Insights 2021; 15:11779322211046729. [PMID: 34898982 PMCID: PMC8655437 DOI: 10.1177/11779322211046729] [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: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite, the etiologic agent of Neosporosis—a common cause of abortion in cattle worldwide. Herd level prevalence of Neosporosis could be as high as 90%. However, there is no approved treatment and vaccines available for Neosporosis. MicroRNA (miRNA) based prophylaxis and therapeutics could be options for Neosporosis in cattle and other animals. The current study aimed to investigate the genome of Neospora caninum to identify and characterize the conserved miRNAs through Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) dependent homology search. A total of 1,041 mature miRNAs of reference organisms were employed against 336 non-redundant ESTs available in the genome of Neospora caninum. The study predicted one putative miRNA “nca-miR-9388-5p” of 19 nucleotides with MFEI value -1.51 kcal/mol and (A + U) content% 72.94% corresponding with its pre-miRNA. A comprehensive search for specific gene targets was performed and discovered 16 potential genes associated with different protozoal physiological functions. Significantly, the gene “Protein phosphatase” was found responsible for the virulence of Neospora caninum. The other genes were accounted for gene expression, vesicular transport, cell signaling, cell proliferation, DNA repair mechanism, and different developmental stages of the protozoon. Therefore, this study finding will provide pivotal information to future aspirants upon Bovine Neosporosis. It will also serve as the baseline information for further studies of the bioinformatics approach to identify other protozoal miRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moumita Das
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Mahmudul Hasan
- Department of Pharmaceuticals and Industrial Biotechnology, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Sharmin Akter
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Sawrab Roy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Binayok Sharma
- Department of Medicine, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | | | - Md Irtija Ahsan
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Rubaiat Nazneen Akhand
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Md Bashir Uddin
- Department of Medicine, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Syed Sayeem Uddin Ahmed
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
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Molecular identification of Neospora caninum and co-infection with Toxoplasma gondii in genital apparatus of naturally infected cows in North Tunisia. Trop Anim Health Prod 2021; 53:528. [PMID: 34725745 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-021-02975-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to estimate the molecular prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and the co-infection by both Apicomplexan parasites in uterus tissues of cows. PCR was used to detect T. gondii and N. caninum DNA in uterus from 140 uteri of slaughtered cows in the regional slaughterhouse of Béja (Northwest Tunisia). Positive PCR products were sequenced and used for the phylogenetic analysis. The overall molecular prevalence of T. gondii and N. caninum in cows' uterus was 5 and 15.57%, respectively. Co-infection prevalence by the two parasites was estimated to be 2.85%. Risk factors including the age categories significantly affected the molecular prevalence of T. gondii and N. caninum in cows' uterus. The highest molecular prevalence of T. gondii (11.5 ± 3.1) and N. caninum (21.1 ± 11.1; p = 0.038) was observed in cows aged of more than 8 years. There were no differences depicted according to cow's breeds and localities. Comparison of the partial sequences of the ITS1 gene revealed 100% similarity among our N. caninum sequence (MW136256) and those deposited in GenBank. The T. gondii sequence described in this study (MW260335) was 99.4-100% homologous to T. gondii sequences published in the GenBank.To the best of our knowledge, this is the first molecular evidence of N. caninum and T. gondii co-infection in naturally infected cows in North Africa. This information is pertinent in designing control programmes that would reduce economic losses in the livestock industry.
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Rojas-Pirela M, Medina L, Rojas MV, Liempi AI, Castillo C, Pérez-Pérez E, Guerrero-Muñoz J, Araneda S, Kemmerling U. Congenital Transmission of Apicomplexan Parasites: A Review. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:751648. [PMID: 34659187 PMCID: PMC8519608 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.751648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexans are a group of pathogenic protists that cause various diseases in humans and animals that cause economic losses worldwide. These unicellular eukaryotes are characterized by having a complex life cycle and the ability to evade the immune system of their host organism. Infections caused by some of these parasites affect millions of pregnant women worldwide, leading to various adverse maternal and fetal/placental effects. Unfortunately, the exact pathogenesis of congenital apicomplexan diseases is far from being understood, including the mechanisms of how they cross the placental barrier. In this review, we highlight important aspects of the diseases caused by species of Plasmodium, Babesia, Toxoplasma, and Neospora, their infection during pregnancy, emphasizing the possible role played by the placenta in the host-pathogen interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maura Rojas-Pirela
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.,Facultad de Farmacia y Bioanálisis, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela
| | - Lisvaneth Medina
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Maria Verónica Rojas
- Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Ana Isabel Liempi
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Christian Castillo
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Núcleo de Investigación Aplicada en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Agronomía, Universidad de Las Américas, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Jesús Guerrero-Muñoz
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastian Araneda
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Facultad de Salud y Odontología, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ulrike Kemmerling
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Cruz-Bustos T, Feix AS, Ruttkowski B, Joachim A. Sexual Development in Non-Human Parasitic Apicomplexa: Just Biology or Targets for Control? Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11102891. [PMID: 34679913 PMCID: PMC8532714 DOI: 10.3390/ani11102891] [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: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cellular reproduction is a key part of the apicomplexan life cycle, and both mitotic (asexual) and meiotic (sexual) cell divisions produce new individual cells. Sexual reproduction in most eukaryotic taxa indicates that it has had considerable success during evolution, and it must confer profound benefits, considering its significant costs. The phylum Apicomplexa consists of almost exclusively parasitic single-celled eukaryotic organisms that can affect a wide host range of animals from invertebrates to mammals. Their development is characterized by complex steps in which asexual and sexual replication alternate and the fertilization of a macrogamete by a microgamete results in the formation of a zygote that undergoes meiosis, thus forming a new generation of asexual stages. In apicomplexans, sex is assumed to be induced by the (stressful) condition of having to leave the host, and either gametes or zygotes (or stages arising from it) are transmitted to a new host. Therefore, sex and meiosis are linked to parasite transmission, and consequently dissemination, which are key to the parasitic lifestyle. We hypothesize that improved knowledge of the sexual biology of the Apicomplexa will be essential to design and implement effective transmission-blocking strategies for the control of the major parasites of this group. Abstract The phylum Apicomplexa is a major group of protozoan parasites including gregarines, coccidia, haemogregarines, haemosporidia and piroplasms, with more than 6000 named species. Three of these subgroups, the coccidia, hemosporidia, and piroplasms, contain parasites that cause important diseases of humans and animals worldwide. All of them have complex life cycles involving a switch between asexual and sexual reproduction, which is key to their development. Fertilization (i.e., fusion of female and male cells) results in the formation of a zygote that undergoes meiosis, forming a new generation of asexual stages. In eukaryotes, sexual reproduction is the predominant mode of recombination and segregation of DNA. Sex is well documented in many protist groups, and together with meiosis, is frequently linked with transmission to new hosts. Apicomplexan sexual stages constitute a bottleneck in the life cycle of these parasites, as they are obligatory for the development of new transmissible stages. Consequently, the sexual stages represent attractive targets for vaccination. Detailed understanding of apicomplexan sexual biology will pave the way for the design and implementation of effective transmission-blocking strategies for parasite control. This article reviews the current knowledge on the sexual development of Apicomplexa and the progress in transmission-blocking vaccines for their control, their advantages and limitations and outstanding questions for the future.
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Host defense against Neospora caninum infection via IL-12p40 production through TLR2/TLR3-AKT-ERK signaling pathway in C57BL/6 mice. Mol Immunol 2021; 139:140-152. [PMID: 34509754 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2021.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Neospora caninum is an intracellular parasite which can cause neosporosis and significant economic losses in both dairy and beef industries worldwide. A better understanding of the immune response by host cells against N. caninum could help to design better strategies for the prevention and treatment of neosporosis. Although previous studies have shown TLR2/TLR3 were involved in controlling N. caninum infection in mice, the precise mechanisms of the AKT and MAPK pathways controlled by TLR2/TLR3 to regulate N. caninum-induced IL-12p40 production and the role of TLR2/TLR3 in anti-N. caninum infection in bovine macrophages remain unclear. In the present study, TLR2-/- mice displayed more parasite burden and lower level of IL-12p40 production compared to TLR3-/- mice. N. caninum could activate AKT and ERK signaling pathways in WT mouse macrophages, which were inhibited in TLR2-/- and TLR3-/- mouse macrophages. In N. caninum-infected WT mouse macrophages, AKT inhibitor or AKT siRNA could decrease the phosphorylation of ERK. AKT or ERK inhibitors reduced the production of IL-12p40 and increased the number of parasites. The productions of ROS, NO, and GBP2 were significantly reduced in TLR2-/- and TLR3-/- mouse macrophages. Supplementation of rIL-12p40 inhibited N. caninum proliferation and rescued the productions of IFN-γ, NO, and GBP2 in WT, TLR2-/-, and TLR3-/- mouse macrophages. In bovine macrophages, the expressions of TLR2, TLR3, and IL-12p40 mRNA were significantly enhanced by N. caninum, and N. caninum proliferation was inhibited by TLR2/TLR3 agonists. Taken together, the proliferation of N. caninum in mouse macrophages was controlled by the TLR2/TLR3-AKT-ERK signal pathway via increased IL-12p40 production, which in turn lead to the productions of NO, GBP2, and IFN-γ during N. caninum infection. And in bovine macrophages, TLR2 and TLR3 contributed to inhibiting N. caninum proliferation via increased IL-12p40 production.
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Attipa C, Yiapanis C, Tasker S, Diakou A. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Cats from Cyprus. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10070882. [PMID: 34358032 PMCID: PMC8308511 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10070882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a cosmopolitan protozoon parasite, and the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, one of the most prevalent zoonotic parasitic diseases. Cats, as definitive hosts, spread the parasite via their faeces, but this occurs only for a very short period in their life. Seropositivity in cats, although not associated with current shedding of the parasite, is indicative of the infection in a cat population and can be used to assess the infection risk for definitive and intermediate hosts in that area. In order to assess the prevalence of infection in cats living in Cyprus, 155 cats, originating from all districts of the country, were examined for the presence of T. gondii antibodies. Additionally, parameters such as age, sex, health status, lifestyle and concomitant infections were statistically assessed as potential risk factors for T. gondii seropositivity. Specific anti-T. gondii antibodies were detected in 50 (32.3%) cats, while the presence of feline immunodeficiency virus antibodies and a history of never having been vaccinated were statistically associated with T. gondii seropositivity on multivariate logistic regression analysis. This is the first report of T. gondii seroprevalence in cats in Cyprus and indicates that raised public awareness should be considered to prevent infection of animals and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charalampos Attipa
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
- Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
- Cyvets Veterinary Center, Paphos 8025, Cyprus;
- Correspondence: or (C.A.); (A.D.)
| | | | - Séverine Tasker
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK;
- Linnaeus Group, Shirley, Solihull B90 4BN, UK
| | - Anastasia Diakou
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece
- Correspondence: or (C.A.); (A.D.)
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37
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Namasivayam S, Baptista RP, Xiao W, Hall EM, Doggett JS, Troell K, Kissinger JC. A novel fragmented mitochondrial genome in the protist pathogen Toxoplasma gondii and related tissue coccidia. Genome Res 2021; 31:852-865. [PMID: 33906963 PMCID: PMC8092004 DOI: 10.1101/gr.266403.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondrial genome content and structure vary widely across the eukaryotic tree of life, with protists displaying extreme examples. Apicomplexan and dinoflagellate protists have evolved highly reduced mitochondrial genome sequences, mtDNA, consisting of only three cytochrome genes and fragmented rRNA genes. Here, we report the independent evolution of fragmented cytochrome genes in Toxoplasma and related tissue coccidia and evolution of a novel genome architecture consisting minimally of 21 sequence blocks (SBs) totaling 5.9 kb that exist as nonrandom concatemers. Single-molecule Nanopore reads consisting entirely of SBs ranging from 0.1 to 23.6 kb reveal both whole and fragmented cytochrome genes. Full-length cytochrome transcripts including a divergent coxIII are detected. The topology of the mitochondrial genome remains an enigma. Analysis of a cob point mutation reveals that homoplasmy of SBs is maintained. Tissue coccidia are important pathogens of man and animals, and the mitochondrion represents an important therapeutic target. The mtDNA sequence has been elucidated, but a definitive genome architecture remains elusive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivaranjani Namasivayam
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.,Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Rodrigo P Baptista
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.,Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Wenyuan Xiao
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.,Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Erica M Hall
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
| | - Joseph S Doggett
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA
| | - Karin Troell
- Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute, SE-751 89 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jessica C Kissinger
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.,Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.,Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
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38
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Xia J, Venkat A, Bainbridge RE, Reese ML, Le Roch KG, Ay F, Boyle JP. Third-generation sequencing revises the molecular karyotype for Toxoplasma gondii and identifies emerging copy number variants in sexual recombinants. Genome Res 2021; 31:834-851. [PMID: 33906962 PMCID: PMC8092015 DOI: 10.1101/gr.262816.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a useful model for intracellular parasitism given its ease of culture in the laboratory and genomic resources. However, as for many other eukaryotes, the T. gondii genome contains hundreds of sequence gaps owing to repetitive and/or unclonable sequences that disrupt the assembly process. Here, we use the Oxford Nanopore Minion platform to generate near-complete de novo genome assemblies for multiple strains of T. gondii and its near relative, N. caninum. We significantly improved T. gondii genome contiguity (average N50 of ∼6.6 Mb) and added ∼2 Mb of newly assembled sequence. For all of the T. gondii strains that we sequenced (RH, ME49, CTG, II×III progeny clones CL13, S27, S21, S26, and D3X1), the largest contig ranged in size between 11.9 and 12.1 Mb in size, which is larger than any previously reported T. gondii chromosome, and found to be due to a consistent fusion of Chromosomes VIIb and VIII. These data were validated by mapping existing T. gondii ME49 Hi-C data to our assembly, providing parallel lines of evidence that the T. gondii karyotype consists of 13, rather than 14, chromosomes. By using this technology, we also resolved hundreds of tandem repeats of varying lengths, including in well-known host-targeting effector loci like rhoptry protein 5 (ROP5) and ROP38. Finally, when we compared T. gondii with N. caninum, we found that although the 13-chromosome karyotype was conserved, extensive, previously unappreciated chromosome-scale rearrangements had occurred in T. gondii and N. caninum since their most recent common ancestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
| | - Aarthi Venkat
- Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.,La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Rachel E Bainbridge
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
| | | | - Karine G Le Roch
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Ferhat Ay
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.,School of Medicine, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Jon P Boyle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA
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39
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Berná L, Marquez P, Cabrera A, Greif G, Francia ME, Robello C. Reevaluation of the Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum genomes reveals misassembly, karyotype differences, and chromosomal rearrangements. Genome Res 2021; 31:823-833. [PMID: 33906964 PMCID: PMC8092007 DOI: 10.1101/gr.262832.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neosporacaninum primarily infects cattle, causing abortions, with an estimated impact of a billion dollars on the worldwide economy annually. However, the study of its biology has been unheeded by the established paradigm that it is virtually identical to its close relative, the widely studied human pathogen Toxoplasma gondii. By revisiting the genome sequence, assembly, and annotation using third-generation sequencing technologies, here we show that the N. caninum genome was originally incorrectly assembled under the presumption of synteny with T. gondii. We show that major chromosomal rearrangements have occurred between these species. Importantly, we show that chromosomes originally named Chr VIIb and VIII are indeed fused, reducing the karyotype of both N. caninum and T. gondii to 13 chromosomes. We reannotate the N. caninum genome, revealing more than 500 new genes. We sequence and annotate the nonphotosynthetic plastid and mitochondrial genomes and show that although apicoplast genomes are virtually identical, high levels of gene fragmentation and reshuffling exist between species and strains. Our results correct assembly artifacts that are currently widely distributed in the genome database of N. caninum and T. gondii and, more importantly, highlight the mitochondria as a previously oversighted source of variability and pave the way for a change in the paradigm of synteny, encouraging rethinking the genome as basis of the comparative unique biology of these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Berná
- Laboratory of Host Pathogen Interactions-Molecular Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Pablo Marquez
- Laboratory of Host Pathogen Interactions-Molecular Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Andrés Cabrera
- Laboratory of Host Pathogen Interactions-Molecular Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Gonzalo Greif
- Laboratory of Host Pathogen Interactions-Molecular Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - María E Francia
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay.,Departamento de Parasitología y Micología, Facultad de Medicina-Universidad de la República, 11600 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Carlos Robello
- Laboratory of Host Pathogen Interactions-Molecular Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina-Universidad de la República, 11300 Montevideo, Uruguay
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40
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Dong J, Zhang N, Zhao P, Li J, Cao L, Wang X, Li X, Yang J, Zhang X, Gong P. Disruption of Dense Granular Protein 2 (GRA2) Decreases the Virulence of Neospora caninum. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:634612. [PMID: 33681332 PMCID: PMC7933011 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.634612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Neospora caninum causes abortions in cattle and nervous system dysfunction in dogs. Dense granular proteins (GRAs) play important roles in virulence; however, studies on NcGRA functions are limited. In the present study, multiple methods, including site-directed mutagenesis; CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing; Western blotting; quantitative polymerase chain reaction; confocal microscopy; plaque, invasion, egress, and replication assays; animal assays of survival rate and parasite burden; and hematoxylin-eosin staining, were used to characterize the NcGRA2 protein, construct an NcGRA2 gene disruption (ΔNcGRA2) strain, and explore its virulence in vivo and vitro. The results showed that NcGRA2 shared 31.31% homology with TgGRA2 and was colocalized with NcGRA6 at the posterior end of tachyzoites and the intravacuolar network of parasitophorous vacuoles (PVs). Cell fractionation analysis showed that NcGRA2 behaved as a transmembrane and membrane-coupled protein. The ΔNcGRA2 strain was constructed by coelectroporation of the NcGRA2-targeting CRISPR plasmid (pNc-SAG1-Cas9:U6-SgGRA2) and DHFR-TS DNA donor and verified at the protein, genome, and transcriptional levels and by immunofluorescence localization analysis. The in vitro virulence results showed that the ΔNcGRA2 strain displayed smaller plaques, similar invasion and egress abilities, and slower intracellular growth. The in vivo virulence results showed a prolonged survival time, lower parasite burden, and mild histopathological changes. Overall, the present study indicates that NcGRA2, as a dense granular protein, forms the intravacuolar network structure of PVs and weakens N. caninum virulence by slowing proliferation. These data highlight the roles of NcGRA2 and provide a foundation for research on other protein functions in N. caninum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingquan Dong
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biological Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Pharmaceutical Compound Screening, Co-Innovation Center of Jiangsu Marine Bio-industry Technology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Panpan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biological Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Pharmaceutical Compound Screening, Co-Innovation Center of Jiangsu Marine Bio-industry Technology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Jianhua Li
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Lili Cao
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Department of Parasite, Jilin Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaocen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xin Li
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ju Yang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xichen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Pengtao Gong
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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41
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Pastor-Fernández I, Collantes-Fernández E, Jiménez-Pelayo L, Ortega-Mora LM, Horcajo P. Modeling the Ruminant Placenta-Pathogen Interactions in Apicomplexan Parasites: Current and Future Perspectives. Front Vet Sci 2021; 7:634458. [PMID: 33553293 PMCID: PMC7859336 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.634458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii are one of the main concerns of the livestock sector as they cause important economic losses in ruminants due to the reproductive failure. It is well-known that the interaction of these parasites with the placenta determines the course of infection, leading to fetal death or parasite transmission to the offspring. However, to advance the development of effective vaccines and treatments, there are still important gaps on knowledge on the placental host-parasite interactions that need to be addressed. Ruminant animal models are still an indispensable tool for providing a global view of the pathogenesis, lesions, and immune responses, but their utilization embraces important economic and ethics restrictions. Alternative in vitro systems based on caruncular and trophoblast cells, the key cellular components of placentomes, have emerged in the last years, but their use can only offer a partial view of the processes triggered after infection as they cannot mimic the complex placental architecture and neglect the activity of resident immune cells. These drawbacks could be solved using placental explants, broadly employed in human medicine, and able to preserve its cellular architecture and function. Despite the availability of such materials is constrained by their short shelf-life, the development of adequate cryopreservation protocols could expand their use for research purposes. Herein, we review and discuss existing (and potential) in vivo, in vitro, and ex vivo ruminant placental models that have proven useful to unravel the pathogenic mechanisms and the host immune responses responsible for fetal death (or protection) caused by neosporosis and toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Pilar Horcajo
- Animal Health and Zoonoses (SALUVET) Group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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42
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Martorelli Di Genova B, Knoll LJ. Comparisons of the Sexual Cycles for the Coccidian Parasites Eimeria and Toxoplasma. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:604897. [PMID: 33381466 PMCID: PMC7768002 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.604897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii and Eimeria spp. are widely prevalent Coccidian parasites that undergo sexual reproduction during their life cycle. T. gondii can infect any warm-blooded animal in its asexual cycle; however, its sexual cycle is restricted to felines. Eimeria spp. are usually restricted to one host species, and their whole life cycle is completed within this same host. The literature reviewed in this article comprises the recent findings regarding the unique biology of the sexual development of T. gondii and Eimeria spp. The molecular basis of sex in these pathogens has been significantly unraveled by new findings in parasite differentiation along with transcriptional analysis of T. gondii and Eimeria spp. pre-sexual and sexual stages. Focusing on the metabolic networks, analysis of these transcriptome datasets shows enrichment for several different metabolic pathways. Transcripts for glycolysis enzymes are consistently more abundant in T. gondii cat infection stages than the asexual tachyzoite stage and Eimeria spp. merozoite and gamete stages compared to sporozoites. Recent breakthroughs in host-pathogen interaction and host restriction have significantly expanded the understating of the unique biology of these pathogens. This review aims to critically explore advances in the sexual cycle of Coccidia parasites with the ultimate goal of comparing and analyzing the sexual cycle of Eimeria spp. and T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura J. Knoll
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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43
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Izadi L, Sarvi S, Hosseini SA, Amouei A, Sharif M, Rahimi MT, Nayeri T, Daryani A. Copro-molecular diagnosis of the Toxoplasmatinae subfamily in dog and cat populations in northern Iran. Epidemiol Health 2020; 42:e2020074. [PMID: 33285057 PMCID: PMC8137368 DOI: 10.4178/epih.e2020074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The oocysts of the Toxoplasmatinae subfamily (Neospora caninum, Hammondia hammondi and H. heydorni, and Besnoitia besnoiti) are morphologically similar to Toxoplasma gondii, and indistinguishable from each other. This study investigated the prevalence of the Toxoplasmatinae subfamily in dog and cat fecal samples using a nested polymerase chain reaction method. METHODS Overall, 200 fecal samples from domestic dogs (n=120) and cats (n=80) were collected from 15 farms in northern Iran. The samples were homogenized in 2.5% potassium dichromate solution and subsequently concentrated with sucrose solution. DNA was extracted from samples using a genomic DNA kit. Specific primers and the 18S rDNA gene were used to screen and detect all Toxoplasmatinae oocysts. RESULTS Overall, 2.5% (3 of 120) and 22.5% (18 of 80) of the fecal samples collected from dogs and cats were infected with Toxoplasmatinae. In dogs, 2 samples were positive for N. caninum and 1 sample was positive for T. gondii. In cats, all 18 positive samples belonged to T. gondii. No contamination with H. heydorni was observed in dog fecal samples or H. hammondi and B. besnoiti in cat fecal samples. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that the T. gondii (cat) and N. caninum (dog) found had similarities with parasites reported from other regions of the world. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to provide data on the epidemiology of Toxoplasmatinae oocysts in Iran. The findings suggest that public-health monitoring for the effective control of feces from cats and dogs and improved pet hygiene habits are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Izadi
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran
| | - Shahabeddin Sarvi
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran
| | - Seyed Abdollah Hosseini
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran
| | - Afsaneh Amouei
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran
| | - Mehdi Sharif
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Sari Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran
| | | | - Tooran Nayeri
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Daryani
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran
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Ma Y, Su XZ, Lu F. The Roles of Type I Interferon in Co-infections With Parasites and Viruses, Bacteria, or Other Parasites. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1805. [PMID: 33193291 PMCID: PMC7649121 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites, bacteria, and viruses pose serious threats to public health. Many parasite infections, including infections of protozoa and helminths, can inhibit inflammatory responses and impact disease outcomes caused by viral, bacterial, or other parasitic infections. Type I interferon (IFN-I) has been recognized as an essential immune effector in the host defense against various pathogens. In addition, IFN-I responses induced by co-infections with different pathogens may vary according to the host genetic background, immune status, and pathogen burden. However, there is only limited information on the roles of IFN-I in co-infections with parasites and viruses, bacteria, or other parasites. This review summarizes some recent findings on the roles of IFN-I in co-infections with parasites, including Leishmania spp., Plasmodium spp., Eimeria maxima, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Brugia malayi, or Schistosoma mansoni, and viruses or bacteria and co-infections with different parasites (such as co-infection with Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii, and co-infection with Plasmodium spp. and H. polygyrus). The potential mechanisms of host responses associated with co-infections, which may provide targets for immune intervention and therapies of the co-infections, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanlin Ma
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin-zhuan Su
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Fangli Lu
- Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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45
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Wang X, Song X, Yang J, Liu Q, Liu J. Characterization of Neospora Caninum Microneme Protein 26 and Its Potential Use as a Diagnostic Marker for Neosporosis in Cattle. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:357. [PMID: 32766287 PMCID: PMC7380076 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The apicomplexan parasite Neospora caninum causes neosporosis, an illness that leads to abortion or stillbirth in cattle, causing massive economic losses to the livestock industry. Rapid and viable diagnosis is the premise of prevention and control for neosporosis. In this study, we screened a new microneme protein 26 (NcMIC26) through western blot and mass spectrometry identification from the excretory secretion antigen (ESA) of N. caninum tachyzoites. NcMIC26 is subcellularly localized to the microneme of parasites. NcMIC26 is a specific antigen of N. caninum and has no cross-reaction with Toxoplasma gondii. Therefore, NcMIC26 has the potential to be a candidate diagnostic antigen for neosporosis. To test this hypothesis, recombinant NcMIC26 (rNcMIC26) was expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli), and an indirect ELISA for detecting anti-N. caninum antibodies in cattle was established. Compared with that of the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT), the positive coincidence rate of the ELISA based on rNcMIC26 was 76.53% (75/98), which was higher than that of an ELISA based on rSRS2 (66.33%), and the negative coincidence rate was 84.62% (33/39). It is noteworthy that 30 positive samples confirmed by IFAT were consistent with the rNcMIC26 ELISA but were negative by the rNcSRS2 ELISA. Our research illustrated that NcMIC26 is a dependable diagnostic marker for the serodiagnosis of N. caninum infection in cattle and could be utilized as a supplementary antigen for missed detection by NcSRS2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianmei Wang
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xingju Song
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Yang
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Qun Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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46
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Calarco L, Ellis J. Species diversity and genome evolution of the pathogenic protozoan parasite, Neospora caninum. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 84:104444. [PMID: 32619639 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Neospora caninum is a cyst-forming coccidian parasite of veterinary and economical significance, affecting dairy and beef cattle industries on a global scale. Comparative studies suggest that N. caninum consists of a globally dispersed, diverse population of lineages, distinguished by their geographical origin, broad host range, and phenotypic features. This viewpoint is however changing. While intraspecies diversity, and more specifically pathogenic variability, has been experimentally demonstrated in a myriad of studies, the underlying contributors and sources responsible for such diversity have remained nebulous. However, recent large-scale sequence and bioinformatics studies have aided in revealing intrinsic genetic differences distinguishing isolates of this species, that await further characterisation as causative links to virulence and pathogenicity. Furthermore, progress on N. caninum research as a non-model organism is hindered by a lack of robust, annotated genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data for the species, especially compared to other thoroughly studied Apicomplexa such as Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium species. This review explores the current body of knowledge on intra-species diversity within N. caninum. This includes the contribution of sequence variants in both coding and non-coding regions, the presence of genome polymorphic hotspots, and the identification of non-synonymous mutations. The implications of such diversity on important parasite phenotypes such as pathogenicity and population structure are also discussed. Lastly, the identification of potential virulence factors from both in-silico and next generation sequencing studies is examined, offering new insights into potential avenues for future research on neosporosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Calarco
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - John Ellis
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
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Chimeric Protein Designed by Genome-Scale Immunoinformatics Enhances Serodiagnosis of Bovine Neosporosis. J Clin Microbiol 2020; 58:JCM.01343-19. [PMID: 32404479 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01343-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Neosporosis has become a concern since it is associated with abortion in cattle. Currently, in situ diagnosis is determined through anamnesis, evaluation of the history, and perception of the clinical signs of the herd. There is no practical and noninvasive test adapted to a large number of samples, which represents a gap for the use of new approaches that provide information about infections and the risks of herds. Here, we performed a search in the Neospora caninum genome by linear B-cell epitopes using immunoinformatic tools aiming to develop a chimeric protein with high potential to bind specifically to antibodies from infected cattle samples. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with the new chimeric antigen was developed and tested with sera from natural field N. caninum-infected bovines. The cross-reactivity of the new antigen was also evaluated using sera from bovines infected by other abortive pathogens, including Trypanosoma vivax, Leptospira sp., Mycobacterium bovis, and Brucella abortus, and enzootic bovine leucosis caused by bovine leukemia virus, as well as with samples of animals infected with Toxoplasma gondii The assay using the chimeric protein showed 96.6% ± 3.4% of sensitivity in comparison to healthy animal sera. Meanwhile, in relation to false-positive results provided by cross-reactivity with others pathogens, the specificity value was 97.0% ± 2.9%. In conclusion, immunoinformatic tools provide an efficient platform to build an accurate protein to diagnose bovine neosporosis based on serum samples.
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Winzer P, Müller J, Imhof D, Ritler D, Uldry AC, Braga-Lagache S, Heller M, Ojo KK, Van Voorhis WC, Ortega-Mora LM, Hemphill A. Neospora caninum: Differential Proteome of Multinucleated Complexes Induced by the Bumped Kinase Inhibitor BKI-1294. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8060801. [PMID: 32466554 PMCID: PMC7355844 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8060801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: the apicomplexan parasite Neospora caninum causes important reproductive problems in farm animals, most notably in cattle. After infection via oocysts or tissue cysts, rapidly dividing tachyzoites infect various tissues and organs, and in immunocompetent hosts, they differentiate into slowly dividing bradyzoites, which form tissue cysts and constitute a resting stage persisting within infected tissues. Bumped kinase inhibitors (BKIs) of calcium dependent protein kinase 1 are promising drug candidates for the treatment of Neospora infections. BKI-1294 exposure of cell cultures infected with N. caninum tachyzoites results in the formation of massive multinucleated complexes (MNCs) containing numerous newly formed zoites, which remain viable for extended periods of time under drug pressure in vitro. MNC and tachyzoites exhibit considerable antigenic and structural differences. Methods: Using shotgun mass spectrometry, we compared the proteomes of tachyzoites to BKI-1294 induced MNCs, and analyzed the mRNA expression levels of selected genes in both stages. Results: More than half of the identified proteins are downregulated in MNCs as compared to tachyzoites. Only 12 proteins are upregulated, the majority of them containing SAG1 related sequence (SRS) domains, and some also known to be expressed in bradyzoites Conclusions: MNCs exhibit a proteome different from tachyzoites, share some bradyzoite-like features, but may constitute a third stage, which remains viable and ensures survival under adverse conditions such as drug pressure. We propose the term “baryzoites” for this stage (from Greek βαρυσ = massive, bulky, heavy, inert).
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Winzer
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (P.W.); (D.I.); (D.R.)
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Joachim Müller
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (P.W.); (D.I.); (D.R.)
- Correspondence: (J.M.); (A.H.); Tel.: +41-31-631-23-84 (A.H.); Fax: +41-31-631-24-76 (A.H.)
| | - Dennis Imhof
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (P.W.); (D.I.); (D.R.)
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Dominic Ritler
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (P.W.); (D.I.); (D.R.)
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Christine Uldry
- Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Berne, Freiburgstrasse 15, CH-3010 Berne, Switzerland; (A.-C.U.); (S.B.-L.); (M.H.)
| | - Sophie Braga-Lagache
- Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Berne, Freiburgstrasse 15, CH-3010 Berne, Switzerland; (A.-C.U.); (S.B.-L.); (M.H.)
| | - Manfred Heller
- Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Berne, Freiburgstrasse 15, CH-3010 Berne, Switzerland; (A.-C.U.); (S.B.-L.); (M.H.)
| | - Kayode K. Ojo
- Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (CERID), Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; (K.K.O.); (W.C.V.V.)
| | - Wesley C. Van Voorhis
- Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (CERID), Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; (K.K.O.); (W.C.V.V.)
| | - Luis-Miguel Ortega-Mora
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Andrew Hemphill
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (P.W.); (D.I.); (D.R.)
- Correspondence: (J.M.); (A.H.); Tel.: +41-31-631-23-84 (A.H.); Fax: +41-31-631-24-76 (A.H.)
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Fereig RM, Nishikawa Y. From Signaling Pathways to Distinct Immune Responses: Key Factors for Establishing or Combating Neospora caninum Infection in Different Susceptible Hosts. Pathogens 2020; 9:E384. [PMID: 32429367 PMCID: PMC7281608 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9050384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
: Neospora caninum is an intracellular protozoan parasite affecting numerous animal species. It induces significant economic losses because of abortion and neonatal abnormalities in cattle. In case of infection, the parasite secretes numerous arsenals to establish a successful infection in the host cell. In the same context but for a different purpose, the host resorts to different strategies to eliminate the invading parasite. During this battle, numerous key factors from both parasite and host sides are produced and interact for the maintaining and vanishing of the infection, respectively. Although several reviews have highlighted the role of different compartments of the immune system against N. caninum infection, each one of them has mostly targeted specific points related to the immune component and animal host. Thus, in the current review, we will focus on effector molecules derived from the host cell or the parasite using a comprehensive survey method from previous reports. According to our knowledge, this is the first review that highlights and discusses immune response at the host cell-parasite molecular interface against N. caninum infection in different susceptible hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ragab M. Fereig
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan;
- Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena City, Qena 83523, Egypt
| | - Yoshifumi Nishikawa
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan;
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Jiménez-Meléndez A, Ramakrishnan C, Hehl AB, Russo G, Álvarez-García G. RNA-Seq Analyses Reveal That Endothelial Activation and Fibrosis Are Induced Early and Progressively by Besnoitia besnoiti Host Cell Invasion and Proliferation. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:218. [PMID: 32500038 PMCID: PMC7242738 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of bovine besnoitiosis and the molecular bases that govern disease progression remain to be elucidated. Thus, we have employed an in vitro model of infection based on primary bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC), target cells during the acute infection. Host-parasite interactions were investigated by RNA-Seq at two post-infection (pi) time points: 12 hpi, when tachyzoites have already invaded host cells, and 32 hpi, when tachyzoites have replicated for at least two generations. Additionally, the gene expression profile of B. besnoiti tachyzoites was studied at both pi time points. Up to 446 differentially expressed B. taurus genes (DEGs) were found in BAEC between both pi time points: 249 DEGs were up-regulated and 197 DEGs were down-regulated at 32 hpi. Upregulation of different genes encoding cytokines, chemokines, leukocyte adhesion molecules predominantly at 12 hpi implies an activation of endothelial cells, whilst upregulation of genes involved in angiogenesis and extracellular matrix organization was detected at both time points. NF-κB and TNF-α signaling pathways appeared to be mainly modulated upon infection, coordinating the expression of several effector proteins with proinflammatory and pro-fibrotic phenotypes. These mediators are thought to be responsible for macrophage recruitment setting the basis for chronic inflammation and fibrosis characteristic of chronic besnoitiosis. Angiogenesis regulation also predominated, and this multistep process was evidenced by the upregulation of markers involved in both early (e.g., growth factors and matrix metalloproteinases) and late steps (e.g., integrins and vasohibin). Besnoitia besnoiti ortholog genes present in other Toxoplasmatinae members and involved in the lytic cycle have shown to be differentially expressed among the two time points studied, with a higher expression at 32 hpi (e.g., ROP40, ROP5B, MIC1, MIC10). This study gives molecular clues on B. besnoiti- BAECs interaction and shows the progression of type II endothelial cell activation upon parasite invasion and proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Jiménez-Meléndez
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Adrian B Hehl
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Gema Álvarez-García
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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