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Price CTD, Hanford HE, Al-Quadan T, Santic M, Shin CJ, Da'as MSJ, Abu Kwaik Y. Amoebae as training grounds for microbial pathogens. mBio 2024:e0082724. [PMID: 38975782 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00827-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Grazing of amoebae on microorganisms represents one of the oldest predator-prey dynamic relationships in nature. It represents a genetic "melting pot" for an ancient and continuous multi-directional inter- and intra-kingdom horizontal gene transfer between amoebae and its preys, intracellular microbial residents, endosymbionts, and giant viruses, which has shaped the evolution, selection, and adaptation of microbes that evade degradation by predatory amoeba. Unicellular phagocytic amoebae are thought to be the ancient ancestors of macrophages with highly conserved eukaryotic processes. Selection and evolution of microbes within amoeba through their evolution to target highly conserved eukaryotic processes have facilitated the expansion of their host range to mammals, causing various infectious diseases. Legionella and environmental Chlamydia harbor an immense number of eukaryotic-like proteins that are involved in ubiquitin-related processes or are tandem repeats-containing proteins involved in protein-protein and protein-chromatin interactions. Some of these eukaryotic-like proteins exhibit novel domain architecture and novel enzymatic functions absent in mammalian cells, such as ubiquitin ligases, likely acquired from amoebae. Mammalian cells and amoebae may respond similarly to microbial factors that target highly conserved eukaryotic processes, but mammalian cells may undergo an accidental response to amoeba-adapted microbial factors. We discuss specific examples of microbes that have evolved to evade amoeba predation, including the bacterial pathogens- Legionella, Chlamydia, Coxiella, Rickettssia, Francisella, Mycobacteria, Salmonella, Bartonella, Rhodococcus, Pseudomonas, Vibrio, Helicobacter, Campylobacter, and Aliarcobacter. We also discuss the fungi Cryptococcus, and Asperigillus, as well as amoebae mimiviruses/giant viruses. We propose that amoeba-microbe interactions will continue to be a major "training ground" for the evolution, selection, adaptation, and emergence of microbial pathogens equipped with unique pathogenic tools to infect mammalian hosts. However, our progress will continue to be highly dependent on additional genomic, biochemical, and cellular data of unicellular eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher T D Price
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Hannah E Hanford
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Tasneem Al-Quadan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | | | - Cheon J Shin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Manal S J Da'as
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Yousef Abu Kwaik
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
- Center for Predictive Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
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Rayamajhee B, Subedi D, Peguda HK, Willcox MD, Henriquez FL, Carnt N. A Systematic Review of Intracellular Microorganisms within Acanthamoeba to Understand Potential Impact for Infection. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10020225. [PMID: 33670718 PMCID: PMC7922382 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10020225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Acanthamoeba, an opportunistic pathogen is known to cause an infection of the cornea, central nervous system, and skin. Acanthamoeba feeds different microorganisms, including potentially pathogenic prokaryotes; some of microbes have developed ways of surviving intracellularly and this may mean that Acanthamoeba acts as incubator of important pathogens. A systematic review of the literature was performed in order to capture a comprehensive picture of the variety of microbial species identified within Acanthamoeba following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Forty-three studies met the inclusion criteria, 26 studies (60.5%) examined environmental samples, eight (18.6%) studies examined clinical specimens, and another nine (20.9%) studies analysed both types of samples. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by gene sequencing was the most common technique used to identify the intracellular microorganisms. Important pathogenic bacteria, such as E. coli, Mycobacterium spp. and P. aeruginosa, were observed in clinical isolates of Acanthamoeba, whereas Legionella, adenovirus, mimivirus, and unidentified bacteria (Candidatus) were often identified in environmental Acanthamoeba. Increasing resistance of Acanthamoeba associated intracellular pathogens to antimicrobials is an increased risk to public health. Molecular-based future studies are needed in order to assess the microbiome residing in Acanthamoeba, as a research on the hypotheses that intracellular microbes can affect the pathogenicity of Acanthamoeba infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binod Rayamajhee
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (H.K.P.); (M.D.W.); (N.C.)
- Department of Infection and Immunology, Kathmandu Research Institute for Biological Sciences (KRIBS), Lalitpur 44700, Nepal
- Correspondence: or
| | - Dinesh Subedi
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia;
| | - Hari Kumar Peguda
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (H.K.P.); (M.D.W.); (N.C.)
| | - Mark Duncan Willcox
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (H.K.P.); (M.D.W.); (N.C.)
| | - Fiona L. Henriquez
- Institute of Biomedical and Environmental Health Research, School of Health and Life Sciences, University of the West of Scotland (UWS), Paisley PA1 2BE, UK;
| | - Nicole Carnt
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (H.K.P.); (M.D.W.); (N.C.)
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Akashi M, Takemura M. Distribution of SNSs in Mimivirus Genomes and the Classification of Mimiviruses Isolated from Japan. Microbes Environ 2019; 34:451-455. [PMID: 31645535 PMCID: PMC6934397 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me19077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mimiviruses have been detected in various habitats. Analyses of single nucleotide substitutions (SNSs) have revealed that SNSs are mainly localized on both ends of the mimivirus genome, and mimivirus lineage A has been split into three genotype groups; therefore, mimiviruses may be classified into lineages and genotype groups based on SNSs. We isolated 9 mimiviruses from Japan and analyzed SNSs. These isolates were classified as lineage A genotype group type 2, suggesting that the local diversity of members of the family Mimiviridae isolated from Acanthamoeba spp. is lower than that of giant viruses from other families isolated in Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motohiro Akashi
- Laboratory of Biology, Department of Liberal Arts, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science
| | - Masaharu Takemura
- Laboratory of Biology, Department of Liberal Arts, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science
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Mihara T, Koyano H, Hingamp P, Grimsley N, Goto S, Ogata H. Taxon Richness of "Megaviridae" Exceeds those of Bacteria and Archaea in the Ocean. Microbes Environ 2018; 33:162-171. [PMID: 29806626 PMCID: PMC6031395 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me17203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery of the giant mimivirus, evolutionarily related viruses have been isolated or identified from various environments. Phylogenetic analyses of this group of viruses, tentatively referred to as the family “Megaviridae”, suggest that it has an ancient origin that may predate the emergence of major eukaryotic lineages. Environmental genomics has since revealed that Megaviridae represents one of the most abundant and diverse groups of viruses in the ocean. In the present study, we compared the taxon richness and phylogenetic diversity of Megaviridae, Bacteria, and Archaea using DNA-dependent RNA polymerase as a common marker gene. By leveraging existing microbial metagenomic data, we found higher richness and phylogenetic diversity in this single viral family than in the two prokaryotic domains. We also obtained results showing that the evolutionary rate alone cannot account for the observed high diversity of Megaviridae lineages. These results suggest that the Megaviridae family has a deep co-evolutionary history with diverse marine protists since the early “Big-Bang” radiation of the eukaryotic tree of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoko Mihara
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University
| | - Hitoshi Koyano
- School of Life Science and Technology, Laboratory of Genome Informatics, Tokyo Institute of Technology
| | | | - Nigel Grimsley
- Integrative Marine Biology Laboratory (BIOM), CNRS UMR7232, Sorbonne Universities
| | - Susumu Goto
- Database Center for Life Science, Joint-Support Center for Data Science Research, Research Organization of Information and Systems
| | - Hiroyuki Ogata
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University
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Wojtkowiak-Giera A, Derda M, Kolasa-Wołosiuk A, Hadaś E, Kosik-Bogacka D, Solarczyk P, Jagodziński PP, Wandurska-Nowak E. Toll-like receptors in the brain of mice following infection with Acanthamoeba spp. Parasitol Res 2016; 115:4335-4344. [PMID: 27511368 PMCID: PMC5056946 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5217-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The Toll-like receptors (TLRs) of the innate immune system play an important role in the recognition of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. In this study, we examined the changes in the level of expression of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA and protein in the brains of mice infected with Acanthamoeba spp. The Acanthamoeba strains were isolated from a patient with Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) (Ac55) and Malta Lake (Ac43). In the brain isolated from mice at 2 days post-infection (dpi) with Acanthamoeba strains Ac55 and Ac43, mRNAs for TLR2 and TLR4 were significantly more strongly expressed in comparison with the uninfected mice. In Acanthamoeba-infected mice, TLR2 and TLR4 expression was detected in neurons, glial cells, and endothelial cells within the neocortex. These receptors showed more intense expression in ependymocytes of the choroid plexus of infected mice at 2 dpi. Increased levels of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA expression in infected mice suggest the involvement of these TLRs in the recognition of Acanthamoeba spp. pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Wojtkowiak-Giera
- Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 10 Fredry Street, 61-701, Poznan, Poland
| | - Monika Derda
- Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 10 Fredry Street, 61-701, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Agnieszka Kolasa-Wołosiuk
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Pomeranian Medical University, 71 Powstancow Wielkopolskich Street, 70-111, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Edward Hadaś
- Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 10 Fredry Street, 61-701, Poznan, Poland
| | - Danuta Kosik-Bogacka
- Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Pomeranian Medical University, 72 Powstancow Wielkopolskich Street, 70-111, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Piotr Solarczyk
- Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 10 Fredry Street, 61-701, Poznan, Poland
| | - Paweł P Jagodziński
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 6 Swiecickiego Street, 60-781, Poznań, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Wandurska-Nowak
- Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 10 Fredry Street, 61-701, Poznan, Poland
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Dornas FP, Khalil JYB, Pagnier I, Raoult D, Abrahão J, La Scola B. Isolation of new Brazilian giant viruses from environmental samples using a panel of protozoa. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:1086. [PMID: 26500630 PMCID: PMC4594340 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 09/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Megavirales are a newly described order capable of infecting different types of eukaryotic hosts. For the most part, the natural host is unknown. Several methods have been used to detect these viruses, with large discrepancies between molecular methods and co-cultures. To isolate giant viruses, we propose the use of different species of amoeba as a cellular support. The aim of this work was to isolate new Brazilian giant viruses by comparing the protozoa Acanthamoeba castellanii, A. polyphaga, A. griffini, and Vermamoeba vermiformis (VV) as a platform for cellular isolation using environmental samples. One hundred samples were collected from 3 different areas in September 2014 in the Pampulha lagoon of Belo Horizonte city, Minas Gerais, Brazil. PCR was used to identify the isolated viruses, along with hemacolor staining, labelling fluorescence and electron microscopy. A total of 69 viruses were isolated. The highest ratio of isolation was found in A. polyphaga (46.38%) and the lowest in VV (0%). Mimiviruses were the most frequently isolated. One Marseillevirus and one Pandoravirus were also isolated. With Brazilian environmental samples, we demonstrated the high rate of lineage A mimiviruses. This work demonstrates how these viruses survive and circulate in nature as well the differences between protozoa as a platform for cellular isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fábio P Dornas
- Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes CNRS 7278 UMR 6236 - IRD 3R198, Faculté de Médecine, Aix-Marseille Universite Marseille, France ; Laboratorio de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Jacques Y B Khalil
- Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes CNRS 7278 UMR 6236 - IRD 3R198, Faculté de Médecine, Aix-Marseille Universite Marseille, France
| | - Isabelle Pagnier
- Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes CNRS 7278 UMR 6236 - IRD 3R198, Faculté de Médecine, Aix-Marseille Universite Marseille, France
| | - Didier Raoult
- Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes CNRS 7278 UMR 6236 - IRD 3R198, Faculté de Médecine, Aix-Marseille Universite Marseille, France
| | - Jônatas Abrahão
- Laboratorio de Vírus, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Bernard La Scola
- Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes CNRS 7278 UMR 6236 - IRD 3R198, Faculté de Médecine, Aix-Marseille Universite Marseille, France
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Functional expression and characterization of an iron-containing superoxide dismutase of Acanthamoeba castellanii. Parasitol Res 2012; 111:1673-82. [PMID: 22752747 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-012-3006-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2012] [Accepted: 06/08/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba spp. are free-living amoebae, but opportunistic infections of some strains of the organisms cause severe diseases such as acanthamoebic keratitis, pneumonitis, and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis in human. In this study, we identified a gene encoding iron superoxide dismutase of Acanthamoeba castellanii (AcFe-SOD) and characterized biochemical and functional properties of the recombinant enzyme. Multiple sequence alignment of the deduced amino acid sequence of AcFe-SOD with those of previously reported iron-containing SODs (Fe-SODs) from other protozoan parasites showed that AcFe-SOD shared common metal-binding residues and motifs that are conserved in Fe-SODs. The genomic length of the AcFe-SOD gene was 926 bp consisting of five exons interrupted by four introns. The recombinant AcFe-SOD showed similar biochemical characteristics with its native enzyme and shared typical biochemical properties with other characterized Fe-SODs, including molecular structure, broad pH optimum, and sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide. Immunolocalization analysis revealed that the enzyme localized in the cytosol of the trophozoites. Activity and expression level of the enzyme were significantly increased under oxidative stressed conditions. These results collectively suggest that AcFe-SOD may play essential roles in the survival of the parasite not only by protecting itself from endogenous oxidative stress but also by detoxifying oxidative killing of the parasite by host immune effector cells.
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