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Guo H, Zhao Q, Wang H, Zhu S, Dong H, Xie X, Wang L, Chen L, Han H. Molecular characterization and functional analysis of Eimeria tenella ankyrin repeat-containing protein. Eur J Protistol 2024; 94:126089. [PMID: 38749182 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2024.126089] [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: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Chicken coccidiosis causes disastrous losses to the poultry industry all over the world. Eimeria tenella is the most prevalent of these disease-causing species. Our former RNA-seq indicated that E. tenella ankyrin repeat-containing protein (EtANK) was expressed differently between drug-sensitive (DS) and drug-resistant strains. In this study, we cloned EtANK and analyzed its translational and transcriptional levels using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and western blotting. The data showed that EtANK was significantly upregulated in diclazuril-resistant (DZR) strain and maduramicin-resistant (MRR) strain compared with the drug-sensitive (DS) strain. In addition, the transcription levels in the DZR strains isolated from the field were higher than in the DS strain. The translation levels of EtANK were higher in unsporulated oocysts (UO) than in sporozoites (SZ), sporulated oocysts (SO), or second-generation merozoites (SM), and the protein levels in SM were significantly higher than in UO, SO, and SZ. The results of the indirect immunofluorescence localization showed that the protein was distributed mainly at the anterior region of SZ and on the surface and in the cytoplasm of SM. The fluorescence intensity increased further with its development in vitro. An anti-rEtANK polyclonal antibody inhibited the invasive ability of E. tenella in DF-1 cells. These results showed that EtANK may be related to host cell invasion, required for the parasite's growth in the host, and may be involved in the development of E. tenella resistance to some drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huilin Guo
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Minhang, Shanghai 200241, PR China
| | - Qiping Zhao
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Minhang, Shanghai 200241, PR China
| | - Haixia Wang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Minhang, Shanghai 200241, PR China
| | - Shunhai Zhu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Minhang, Shanghai 200241, PR China
| | - Hui Dong
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Minhang, Shanghai 200241, PR China
| | - Xinrui Xie
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Minhang, Shanghai 200241, PR China
| | - Lihui Wang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Minhang, Shanghai 200241, PR China
| | - Lang Chen
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Minhang, Shanghai 200241, PR China
| | - Hongyu Han
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Minhang, Shanghai 200241, PR China.
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Guo Q, Yu Y, Suo J, Tang X, Zhang S, Crouch C, Bruton B, Tarpey I, Liu X, Zhao G, Suo X. Oral delivery of Eimeria acervulina transfected sequentially with two copies of the VP2 gene induces immunity against infectious bursal disease virus in chickens. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1367912. [PMID: 38659453 PMCID: PMC11041627 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1367912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Chicken coccidiosis caused by Eimeria spp. can occur on almost all poultry farms, causing huge economic losses to the industry. Genetically manipulated Eimeria parasites as a vaccine vector to deliver viral antigens have been reported. In our preliminary study, transgenic E. acervulina expressing a VP2 gene (Ea-VP2) of the infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) demonstrated partial protection against IBDV infection. To enhance immune responses, we aimed to increase the VP2 gene copy number in transgenic E. acervulina. In this study, we used a novel plasmid vector carrying a VP2 gene fused with three flag tags and a red fluorescent reporter gene (mCherry). The vector was introduced into Ea-VP2 sporozoites through nucleofection, leading to the generation of Ea-2VP2. Subsequent analysis revealed a notable escalation in the fluorescent rate, increasing from 0.11 to 95.1% following four consecutive passages facilitated by fluorescent-activated cell sorting. Verification via PCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence confirmed the successful construction of the Ea-2VP2 population. Despite lower fecundity compared to wild-type E. acervulina, Ea-2VP2 maintained immunogenicity. Our research effectively created a transgenic E. acervulina strain transfected sequentially with two copies of the VP2 gene from IBDV. This modification resulted in an increased humoral immune response after primary immunization in chickens. Additionally, it demonstrated a degree of protection within the bursa against IBDV infection. Future studies will focus on further enhancing immune response levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingbin Guo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Yu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jingxia Suo
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinming Tang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biosafety Risk Prevention and Control (North) of MARA, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Sixin Zhang
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Colin Crouch
- MSD Animal Health, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Beth Bruton
- MSD Animal Health, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Tarpey
- MSD Animal Health, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Xianyong Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Guanghui Zhao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang, China
| | - Xun Suo
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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Qu Z, Gong Z, Olajide JS, Wang J, Cai J. CRISPR-Cas9-based method for isolating microgametes of Eimeria tenella. Vet Parasitol 2024; 327:110131. [PMID: 38301346 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2024.110131] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Eimeria tenella infections are known to cause severe caecal damage and death of the infected chicken. Gamogony is an essential stage in E. tenella life cycle and in the establishment of coccidiosis. Prior research had extensively explored isolation and separation of the parasite gametes - microgamete (male) and macrogamete (female). However, there is little information on the efficient, highly purified and distinctly separated male and female gametes. In this study, we generated a genome editing line expressing mCherry fluorescent protein fused with GCS1 protein in E. tenella by using Toxoplasma gondii CRISPR-Cas9 system, flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. This allowed precise separation of E. tenella male and female gametes in the transgenic parasite population. The separation of male and female gametes would not only build on our understanding of E. tenella transmission, but it would also facilitate development of gametocidal compounds as drug targets for E. tenella infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zigang Qu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province 225009, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhenxing Gong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Province 750021, People's Republic of China
| | - Joshua Seun Olajide
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China; Centre for Distance Learning, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianping Cai
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province 225009, People's Republic of China.
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Liu Q, Liu X, Zhao X, Zhu XQ, Suo X. Live attenuated anticoccidial vaccines for chickens. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:1087-1099. [PMID: 37770352 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Chicken coccidiosis, caused by infection with single or multiple Eimeria species, results in significant economic losses to the global poultry industry. Over the past decades, considerable efforts have been made to generate attenuated Eimeria strains, and the use of live attenuated anticoccidial vaccines for disease prevention has achieved tremendous success. In this review, we evaluate the advantages and limitations of the methods of attenuation as well as attenuated Eimeria strains in a historical perspective. Also, we summarize the recent exciting research advances in transient/stable transfection systems and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based genome editing developed for Eimeria parasites, and discuss trends and challenges of developing live attenuated anticoccidial vaccines based on transgenesis and genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi Province 030801, PR China
| | - Xianyong Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100093, PR China
| | - Xiaomin Zhao
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong Province 271018, PR China
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi Province 030801, PR China.
| | - Xun Suo
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100093, PR China.
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Chen L, Tang X, Sun P, Hu D, Zhang Y, Wang C, Chen J, Liu J, Gao Y, Hao Z, Zhang N, Chen W, Xie F, Suo X, Liu X. Comparative transcriptome profiling of Eimeria tenella in various developmental stages and functional analysis of an ApiAP2 transcription factor exclusively expressed during sporogony. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:241. [PMID: 37468981 PMCID: PMC10354945 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05828-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The apicomplexan parasites Eimeria spp. are the causative agents of coccidiosis, a disease with a significant global impact on the poultry industry. The complex life cycle of Eimeria spp. involves exogenous (sporogony) and endogenous (schizogony and gametogony) stages. Unfortunately, the genetic regulation of these highly dynamic processes, particularly for genes involved in specific developmental phases, is not well understood. METHODS In this study, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis to identify expressed genes and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at seven time points representing different developmental stages of Eimeria tenella. We then performed K-means clustering along with co-expression analysis to identify functionally enriched gene clusters. Additionally, we predicted apicomplexan AP2 transcription factors in E. tenella using bioinformatics methods. Finally, we generated overexpression and knockout strains of ETH2_0411800 to observe its impact on E. tenella development. RESULTS In total, we identified 7329 genes that are expressed during various developmental stages, with 3342 genes exhibiting differential expression during development. Using K-means clustering along with co-expression analysis, we identified clusters functionally enriched for oocyte meiosis, cell cycle, and signaling pathway. Among the 53 predicted ApiAP2 transcription factors, ETH2_0411800 was found to be exclusively expressed during sporogony. The ETH2_0411800 overexpression and knockout strains did not exhibit significant differences in oocyst size or output compared to the parental strain, while the resulting ETH2_0411800 knockout parasite showed a relatively small oocyst output. CONCLUSIONS The findings of our research suggest that ETH2_0411800 is not essential for the growth and development of E. tenella. Our study provides insights into the gene expression dynamics and is a valuable resource for exploring the roles of transcription factor genes in regulating the development of Eimeria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linlin Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Xinming Tang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biosafety Risk Prevention and Control (North) of MARA, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pei Sun
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Dandan Hu
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture & Beijing Key Laboratory of Animal Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Chaoyue Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junmin Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Jie Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Yang Gao
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Zhenkai Hao
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Ning Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Wenxuan Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Fujie Xie
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Xun Suo
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Xianyong Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
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Jiang C, She Q, Wang H. Editorial: Insights in genome editing tools and mechanisms: 2022. Front Genome Ed 2023; 5:1240576. [PMID: 37496635 PMCID: PMC10367544 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2023.1240576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
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Zhang H, Zhang L, Ren G, Si H, Song X, Liu X, Suo X, Hu D. Forward genetic analysis of monensin and diclazuril resistance in Eimeria tenella. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2023; 22:44-51. [PMID: 37247559 PMCID: PMC10238932 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2023.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide distributed coccidiosis is caused by infection of both Eimeria species and Cystoisospora in the host intestine and causes huge economic losses to the livestock industry, especially the poultry industry. The control of such diseases relies mainly on chemoprophylaxis with anticoccidials, which has led to a very common drug resistance in this field. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying resistance to many anticoccidial drugs remain unknown. In this study, strains of E. tenella resistant to 250 mg/kg monensin were generated and characterized. Forward genetic approaches based on pooled genome sequencing, including experimental evolution and linkage group selection, were used to locate candidate targets responsible for resistance to monensin and diclazuril in E. tenella. A total of 16 nonsynonymous mutants in protein-coding genes were identified in monensin-resistant strains, and two genomic regions with strong selection signals were also detected in diclazuril-resistant strains. Our study reveals the genetic characterization of the experimental evolution and linkage group selection in Eimeria species, and also provides important information that contributes to the understanding of the molecular mechanism of drug resistance in coccidia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongtao Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, China
| | - Ganglin Ren
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, China
| | - Hongbin Si
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, China; Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Biologics, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding, Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Xingju Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, China; Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Biologics, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding, Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Xianyong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xun Suo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Dandan Hu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, China; Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Biologics, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding, Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530004, China.
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Wu XJ, Gao J, Mu BJ, Yu LM, Wang ZR, Zheng WB, Gao WW, Zhu XQ, Liu Q. Transcriptomic analysis of LMH cells in response to the overexpression of a protein of Eimeria tenella encoded by the locus ETH_00028350. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:1053701. [DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1053701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A protein of Eimeria tenella (encoded by the locus ETH_00028350) homologous to Toxoplasma gondii dense granule protein 9, designated as EtHGRA9 hereafter, was reported to be expressed in all life cycle stages of E. tenella. However, no data are currently available regarding its functional properties. In the present study, a recombinant vector harboring a 741 bp gene segment encoding the mature form of EtHGRA9 was constructed and transfected into leghorn male hepatoma (LMH) cells. Then, transcriptomic analysis of the transfected LMH cells was carried out by using a high-throughput RNA-seq technology. The LMH cells overexpressing EtHGRA9 was validated by means of Western blotting as well as indirect immunofluorescence staining. The results demonstrated that the expression of 547 genes (275 upregulated genes and 272 downregulated genes) was altered by EtHGRA9. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) validation of the ten genes with differential expression between the two groups was consistent with the transcriptome analysis. According to pathway enrichment analysis for the obtained differentially expressed genes, seven pathways were significantly affected by EtHGRA9, such as cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, MAPK signaling pathway, and protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum. Our data reveal several possible roles of EtHGRA9 in immune or inflammatory responses, which paves the way for a better understanding of the molecular interplay between E. tenella and its host.
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Chapman HD, Blake DP. Genetic selection of Eimeria parasites in the chicken for improvement of poultry health: implications for drug resistance and live vaccine development. Avian Pathol 2022; 51:521-534. [PMID: 36102051 DOI: 10.1080/03079457.2022.2117018] [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: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
AbstractApicomplexan parasites of the genus Eimeria are widespread in poultry flocks and can cause the intestinal disease coccidiosis. Early studies, concerned with intraspecific variation in oocyst morphology, indicated that phenotypic changes may be induced by selection experiments conducted in vivo. Genetic selection driven by targeted selection for specific phenotypes has contributed to our understanding of the phenomenon of drug resistance and the development of live attenuated vaccines. Our present knowledge regarding genetics of Eimeria is largely based upon the utilization of such selected strains as genetic markers. Practical advantages of working with Eimeria spp. in the chicken are discussed. The selection of drug resistant strains by serial propagation has provided useful information regarding the mechanisms of drug resistance and likely longevity of anticoccidial drugs when introduced in the field. Selection experiments to develop precocious strains of Eimeria and growth in chicken embryos have contributed to the development of safe and effective live attenuated vaccines for control of coccidiosis. Establishment of protocols for genetic complementation by transient or stable transfection of Eimeria is now supporting direct manipulation of parasite genotypes, creating opportunities to expand the range and value of live parasite vaccines. Procedures for developing drug resistant and precocious lines of Eimeria and/or genetic markers described here are likely to prove useful for researchers investigating the propensity for resistance development to novel compounds and the development of new attenuated vaccines. Such investigations can be helpful in providing a better understanding of biochemical and molecular aspects of the biology of these parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- H D Chapman
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701 USA
| | - D P Blake
- Royal Veterinary College, University of London, North Mymms, AL9 7TA, UK
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Zaheer T, Abbas RZ, Imran M, Abbas A, Butt A, Aslam S, Ahmad J. Vaccines against chicken coccidiosis with particular reference to previous decade: progress, challenges, and opportunities. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:2749-2763. [PMID: 35925452 PMCID: PMC9362588 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07612-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Chicken coccidiosis is an economically significant disease of commercial chicken industry accounting for losses of more than £10.4 billion (according to 2016 prices). Additionally, the costs incurred in prophylaxis and therapeutics against chicken coccidiosis in developing countries (for instance Pakistan according to 2018 prices) reached US $45,000.00 while production losses for various categories of chicken ranges 104.74 to US $2,750,779.00. The infection has been reported from all types of commercial chickens (broiler, layer, breeder) having a range of reported prevalence of 7-90%. The concern of resistance towards major anticoccidials has provided a way forward to vaccine research and development. For prophylaxis of chicken coccidiosis, live virulent, attenuated, ionophore tolerant strains and recombinant vaccines have been extensively trialed and commercialized. Eimeria antigens and novel vaccine adjuvants have elicited the protective efficacy against coccidial challenge. The cost of production and achieving robust immune responses in birds are major challenges for commercial vaccine production. In the future, research should be focused on the development of multivalent anticoccidial vaccines for commercial poultry. Efforts should also be made on the discovery of novel antigens for incorporation into vaccine designs which might be more effective against multiple Eimeria species. This review presents a recap to the overall progress against chicken Eimeria with particular reference to previous decade. The article presents critical analysis of potential areas for future research in chicken Eimeria vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tean Zaheer
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Rao Zahid Abbas
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
| | - Muhammad Imran
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Asghar Abbas
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture Multan, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Ali Butt
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Sarfraz Aslam
- Institute of Physiology, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Jameel Ahmad
- Institute of Physiology, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
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Mohsin M, Li Y, Zhang X, Wang Y, Huang Z, Yin G, Zhang Z. Development of CRISPR-CAS9 based RNA drugs against Eimeria tenella infection. Genomics 2021; 113:4126-4135. [PMID: 34740777 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2021.10.019] [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: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Parasitic diseases are major trouble in many parts of the world. We consider that if a chemical can break a DNA barcode sequence, it might be used to develop a species-specific anti-parasitic agent. To examine this hypothesis, we constructed sgRNAs that target both the control (5.8S rDNA) and a DNA barcode (ITS) sequence in Eimeria tenella. In vitro experiment showed that Cas9 mRNA combined with sgRNAs could reduce the sporulation percentage of oocysts and the survival rate of sporulated oocysts and sporozoites. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that the DNAs of parasites exposed to Cas9 mRNA and sgRNAs were significantly affected, regardless of whether they were exposed to a combination of two sgRNAs or just a single sgRNA. The DNA sequencing also indicated that the experimental group exposed to two sgRNAs mixed with Cas9-induced deletion of large parts and a single sgRNA mixed with Cas9-induced mutation at sgRNA targeted fragments. In vivo trial, the effect of sgRNA and Cas9 RNA on the pathogenicity of E. tenella in chicken showed less lesion score and oocysts score (P < 0.05) in experimental groups than control groups. The results and concepts presented in this research can lead to discovering novel nucleic acid therapeutic drugs for Eimeriasis and other parasitic infections, which provide insights into the development of species-specific anti-parasitic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Mohsin
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China; College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China; Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Yige Li
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China; College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Fujian Province, Institute of Oceanology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China; College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Fujian Province, Institute of Oceanology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yilei Wang
- College of Fisheries, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Zhijian Huang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Guangwen Yin
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
| | - Ziping Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China; College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Fujian Province, Institute of Oceanology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.
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12
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Cheng P, Zhang Z, Yang F, Cai S, Wang L, Wang C, Wang M, Liu Y, Fei C, Zhang L, Xue F, Gu F. FnCas12a/crRNA-Mediated Genome Editing in Eimeria tenella. Front Genet 2021; 12:738746. [PMID: 34630528 PMCID: PMC8494306 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.738746] [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: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Eimeria species are intracellular parasites residing inside the intestinal epithelial cell, which cause poultry coccidiosis and result in significant financial losses in the poultry industry. Genome editing of Eimeria is of immense importance for the development of vaccines and drugs. CRISPR/Cas9 has been utilized for manipulating the genome of Eimeria tenella (E. tenella). Ectopic expression of Cas9, i.e., via plasmids, would introduce transgene, which substantially limits its application, especially for vaccine development. In this study, we initially optimized the condition of the transfection protocol. We demonstrated that with the optimized condition, the transfection of FnCas12a (also known as "FnCpf1") protein and crRNA targeting EtHistone H4 triggered DNA double-strand breaks in vivo. We then used this strategy to knock-in a coding cassette for an enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) and dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase gene (DHFR) as a selection marker to tag endogenous EtActin. The engineered E. tenella parasite possesses EYFP expression in its entire life cycle. Our results demonstrated that FnCas12a could trigger genome editing in E. tenella, which augments the applicability of the dissection of gene function and the development of anticoccidial drugs and vaccines for Eimeria species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peipei Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhihao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Fayu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuo Cai
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Lina Wang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunmei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Mi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingchun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenzhong Fei
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Lifang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Feiqun Xue
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Feng Gu
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
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13
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Tucker MS, O’Brien CN, Jenkins MC, Rosenthal BM. Dynamically expressed genes provide candidate viability biomarkers in a model coccidian. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258157. [PMID: 34597342 PMCID: PMC8486141 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Eimeria parasites cause enteric disease in livestock and the closely related Cyclosporacayetanensis causes human disease. Oocysts of these coccidian parasites undergo maturation (sporulation) before becoming infectious. Here, we assessed transcription in maturing oocysts of Eimeria acervulina, a widespread chicken parasite, predicted gene functions, and determined which of these genes also occur in C. cayetanensis. RNA-Sequencing yielded ~2 billion paired-end reads, 92% of which mapped to the E. acervulina genome. The ~6,900 annotated genes underwent temporally-coordinated patterns of gene expression. Fifty-three genes each contributed >1,000 transcripts per million (TPM) throughout the study interval, including cation-transporting ATPases, an oocyst wall protein, a palmitoyltransferase, membrane proteins, and hypothetical proteins. These genes were enriched for 285 gene ontology (GO) terms and 13 genes were ascribed to 17 KEGG pathways, defining housekeeping processes and functions important throughout sporulation. Expression differed in mature and immature oocysts for 40% (2,928) of all genes; of these, nearly two-thirds (1,843) increased their expression over time. Eight genes expressed most in immature oocysts, encoding proteins promoting oocyst maturation and development, were assigned to 37 GO terms and 5 KEGG pathways. Fifty-six genes underwent significant upregulation in mature oocysts, each contributing at least 1,000 TPM. Of these, 40 were annotated by 215 GO assignments and 9 were associated with 18 KEGG pathways, encoding products involved in respiration, carbon fixation, energy utilization, invasion, motility, and stress and detoxification responses. Sporulation orchestrates coordinated changes in the expression of many genes, most especially those governing metabolic activity. Establishing the long-term fate of these transcripts in sporulated oocysts and in senescent and deceased oocysts will further elucidate the biology of coccidian development, and may provide tools to assay infectiousness of parasite cohorts. Moreover, because many of these genes have homologues in C. cayetanensis, they may prove useful as biomarkers for risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S. Tucker
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Celia N. O’Brien
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Mark C. Jenkins
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Benjamin M. Rosenthal
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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14
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Establishment of Recombinant Eimeria acervulina Expressing Multi-Copies M2e Derived from Avian Influenza Virus H9N2. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9070791. [PMID: 34358207 PMCID: PMC8310259 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9070791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The potential of Eimeria parasites as live vaccine vectors has been reported with successful genetic manipulation on several species like E. tenella, E. mitis and E. necatrix. Among seven Eimeria species infecting chickens, E. acervulina is a highly prevalent, moderately pathogenic species. Thus, it is valuable for the study of transfection and for use as a potential as vaccine vector. In this study, a plasmid containing expression cassette with enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP), red fluorescent protein (RFP) and 12 copies of extracellular domain of H9N2 avian influenza virus M2 (M2e) protein was used for the transfection. Nucleofected sporozoites were inoculated into birds through wing vein. Recombinant E. acervulina oocysts with 0.1% EYFP+ and RFP+ populations were collected from the feces of the inoculated birds. The fluorescent rate of transgenic parasites reached over 95% after nine successive propagations with a pyrimethamine selection in vivo and fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS) of progeny oocysts. The expression of M2e in the transgenic parasites (EaM2e) was confirmed by Western blot and its cytoplasm localization in sporozoites was displayed by an indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA). Meanwhile, we found that the fecundity of EaM2e was equivalent to that of wild type E. acervulina (EaWT). Taken together, the stable transfection of E. acervulina was successfully established. Future studies will focus on whether transgenic E. acervulina can serve as a live vaccine vector.
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15
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Yu L, Marchisio MA. Saccharomyces cerevisiae Synthetic Transcriptional Networks Harnessing dCas12a and Type V-A anti-CRISPR Proteins. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:870-883. [PMID: 33819020 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Type V-A anti-CRISPR proteins (AcrVAs) represent the response from phages to the CRISPR-Cas12a prokaryotic immune system. CRISPR-Cas12a was repurposed, in high eukaryotes, to carry out gene editing and transcription regulation, the latter via a nuclease-dead Cas12a (dCas12a). Consequently, AcrVAs were adopted to regulate (d)Cas12a activity. However, the usage of both dCas12a-based transcription factors and AcrVAs in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has not been explored. In this work, we show that, in the baker's yeast, two dCas12a proteins (denAsCas12a and dLbCas12a) work both as activators (upon fusion to a strong activation domain) and repressors, whereas dMbCa12a is nonfunctional. The activation efficiency of dCas12a-ADs manifests a dependence on the number of crRNA binding sites, whereas it is not directly correlated to the amount of crRNA in the cells. Moreover, AcrVA1, AcrVA4, and AcrVA5 are able to inhibit dLbCa12a in yeast, and denAsCas12a is only inhibited by AcrVA1. However, AcrVA1 performs well at high concentration only. Coexpression of two or three AcrVAs does not enhance inhibition of dCas12a(-AD), suggesting a competition between different AcrVAs. Further, AcrVA4 significantly limits gene editing by LbCas12a. Overall, our results indicate that dCas12a:crRNA and AcrVA proteins are highly performant components in S. cerevisiae synthetic transcriptional networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifang Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 300072 Tianjin, China
| | - Mario Andrea Marchisio
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 300072 Tianjin, China
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Kangussu-Marcolino MM, Morgado P, Manna D, Yee H, Singh U. Development of a CRISPR/Cas9 system in Entamoeba histolytica: proof of concept. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:193-200. [PMID: 33264648 PMCID: PMC7880892 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica is an important human pathogen and a leading parasitic cause of death on a global scale. The lack of molecular tools for genome editing hinders the study of important biological functions of this parasite. Due to its versatility, the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat)-Cas9 system has been successfully used to induce site-specific genomic alterations, including in protozoan parasites. In this study, we optimised CRISPR-Cas9 for use as a genetic tool in E. histolytica. We chose a single plasmid approach containing both guide RNA (gRNA) and Cas9 nuclease expression cassettes. The amebic U6 promoter was used to drive the expression of the gRNA and its expression was confirmed by Northern blot analysis. Stable transfectant cell lines were obtained using a destabilising domain of dihydrofolate reductase fused to myc-tagged Cas9 (ddCas9). With this system, we were able to induce ddCas9 expression 16 h following treatment with the small molecule ligand trimethoprim (TMP). Stable cell lines expressing ddCas9 and Luc-gRNA or non-specific (NS)-gRNA were transiently transfected with a plasmid containing a mutated luciferase gene (pDeadLuc) targeted by Luc-gRNA and another plasmid with a truncated luciferase gene (pDonorLuc) to restore luciferase expression and consequent activity. We observed that luminescence signal increased for the cell line expressing Luc-gRNA, suggesting that homologous recombination was facilitated by Cas9 activity. This evidence is supported by the presence of chimeric DNA detected by PCR and confirmed by sequencing of the resulting repaired DNA obtained by homologous recombination. We believe this represents the first report of a CRISPR/Cas9 system use in Entamoeba and provides evidence that this genome editing approach can be useful for genetic studies in this early branching eukaryote.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Mendes Kangussu-Marcolino
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Stanford University, Grant Building, S-143, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
| | - Pedro Morgado
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Stanford University, Grant Building, S-143, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
| | - Dipak Manna
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Stanford University, Grant Building, S-143, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
| | - Heather Yee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Stanford University, Grant Building, S-143, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
| | - Upinder Singh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Stanford University, Grant Building, S-143, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, United States; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States.
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17
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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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