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Klimovich A, Bosch TCG. Novel technologies uncover novel 'anti'-microbial peptides in Hydra shaping the species-specific microbiome. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230058. [PMID: 38497265 PMCID: PMC10945409 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The freshwater polyp Hydra uses an elaborate innate immune machinery to maintain its specific microbiome. Major components of this toolkit are conserved Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated immune pathways and species-specific antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Our study harnesses advanced technologies, such as high-throughput sequencing and machine learning, to uncover a high complexity of the Hydra's AMPs repertoire. Functional analysis reveals that these AMPs are specific against diverse members of the Hydra microbiome and expressed in a spatially controlled pattern. Notably, in the outer epithelial layer, AMPs are produced mainly in the neurons. The neuron-derived AMPs are secreted directly into the glycocalyx, the habitat for symbiotic bacteria, and display high selectivity and spatial restriction of expression. In the endodermal layer, in contrast, endodermal epithelial cells produce an abundance of different AMPs including members of the arminin and hydramacin families, while gland cells secrete kazal-type protease inhibitors. Since the endodermal layer lines the gastric cavity devoid of symbiotic bacteria, we assume that endodermally secreted AMPs protect the gastric cavity from intruding pathogens. In conclusion, Hydra employs a complex set of AMPs expressed in distinct tissue layers and cell types to combat pathogens and to maintain a stable spatially organized microbiome. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sculpting the microbiome: how host factors determine and respond to microbial colonization'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Klimovich
- Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, Kiel 24118, Germany
| | - Thomas C. G. Bosch
- Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, Kiel 24118, Germany
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2
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Destoumieux-Garzón D, Montagnani C, Dantan L, Nicolas NDS, Travers MA, Duperret L, Charrière GM, Toulza E, Mitta G, Cosseau C, Escoubas JM. Cross-talk and mutual shaping between the immune system and the microbiota during an oyster's life. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230065. [PMID: 38497271 PMCID: PMC10945412 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas lives in microbe-rich marine coastal systems subjected to rapid environmental changes. It harbours a diversified and fluctuating microbiota that cohabits with immune cells expressing a diversified immune gene repertoire. In the early stages of oyster development, just after fertilization, the microbiota plays a key role in educating the immune system. Exposure to a rich microbial environment at the larval stage leads to an increase in immune competence throughout the life of the oyster, conferring a better protection against pathogenic infections at later juvenile/adult stages. This beneficial effect, which is intergenerational, is associated with epigenetic remodelling. At juvenile stages, the educated immune system participates in the control of the homeostasis. In particular, the microbiota is fine-tuned by oyster antimicrobial peptides acting through specific and synergistic effects. However, this balance is fragile, as illustrated by the Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome, a disease causing mass mortalities in oysters worldwide. In this disease, the weakening of oyster immune defences by OsHV-1 µVar virus induces a dysbiosis leading to fatal sepsis. This review illustrates the continuous interaction between the highly diversified oyster immune system and its dynamic microbiota throughout its life, and the importance of this cross-talk for oyster health. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sculpting the microbiome: how host factors determine and respond to microbial colonization'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Destoumieux-Garzón
- IHPE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Perpignan Via Domitia,34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Caroline Montagnani
- IHPE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Perpignan Via Domitia,34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Luc Dantan
- IHPE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Perpignan Via Domitia,34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Noémie de San Nicolas
- IHPE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Perpignan Via Domitia,34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Marie-Agnès Travers
- IHPE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Perpignan Via Domitia,34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Léo Duperret
- IHPE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Perpignan Via Domitia,34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Guillaume M. Charrière
- IHPE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Perpignan Via Domitia,34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Eve Toulza
- IHPE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Perpignan Via Domitia,34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Guillaume Mitta
- Ifremer, IRD, ILM, Université de Polynésie Française, UMR EIO, Vairao 98179, French Polynesia
| | - Céline Cosseau
- IHPE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Perpignan Via Domitia,34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Michel Escoubas
- IHPE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Perpignan Via Domitia,34090 Montpellier, France
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3
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Gerdol M, Nerelli DE, Martelossi N, Ogawa Y, Fujii Y, Pallavicini A, Ozeki Y. Taxonomic Distribution and Molecular Evolution of Mytilectins. Mar Drugs 2023; 21:614. [PMID: 38132935 PMCID: PMC10744619 DOI: 10.3390/md21120614] [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: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
R-type lectins are a widespread group of sugar-binding proteins found in nearly all domains of life, characterized by the presence of a carbohydrate-binding domain that adopts a β-trefoil fold. Mytilectins represent a recently described subgroup of β-trefoil lectins, which have been functionally characterized in a few mussel species (Mollusca, Bivalvia) and display attractive properties, which may fuel the development of artificial lectins with different biotechnological applications. The detection of different paralogous genes in mussels, together with the description of orthologous sequences in brachiopods, supports the formal description of mytilectins as a gene family. However, to date, an investigation of the taxonomic distribution of these lectins and their molecular diversification and evolution was still lacking. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the evolutionary history of mytilectins, revealing an ancient monophyletic evolutionary origin and a very broad but highly discontinuous taxonomic distribution, ranging from heteroscleromorphan sponges to ophiuroid and crinoid echinoderms. Moreover, the overwhelming majority of mytilectins display a chimera-like architecture, which combines the β-trefoil carbohydrate recognition domain with a C-terminal pore-forming domain, suggesting that the simpler structure of most functionally characterized mytilectins derives from a secondary domain loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Gerdol
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Daniela Eugenia Nerelli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Nicola Martelossi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Yukiko Ogawa
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagasaki International University, 2825-7 Huis Ten Bosch, Sasebo 859-3298, Japan
| | - Yuki Fujii
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagasaki International University, 2825-7 Huis Ten Bosch, Sasebo 859-3298, Japan
| | - Alberto Pallavicini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Yasuhiro Ozeki
- Graduate School of NanoBio Sciences, Yokohama City University, 22-2 Seto, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0027, Japan
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4
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Chen Y, Yuan Z, Sun L. The evolutionary diversification and antimicrobial potential of MPEG1 in Metazoa. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:5818-5828. [PMID: 38213882 PMCID: PMC10781884 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.11.032] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Macrophage-expressed gene 1 (MPEG1) is an ancient immune effector known to exist in Cnidaria, Mollusca, Actinopterygii, and Mammalia. In this study, we examined the evolution and antibacterial potential of MPEG1 across Metazoa. By unbiased data-mining, MPEG1 orthologs were found in 11 of 34 screened phyla. In invertebrates, MPEG1 is present in the major phyla and exhibits intensive duplication. In vertebrates, class-based clades were formed by the major, generic MPEG1 (gMPEG1) in each class. However, there is a minority of unique MPEG1 (uMPEG1) from 71 species of 4 classes that clustered into a separate clade detached from all major class-based clades. gMPEG1 and uMPEG1 exhibit strong genomic collinearity and are surrounded by high-density transposons. gMPEG1 and uMPEG1 transcript expressions were most abundant in immune organs, but differed markedly in tissue specificity. Systematic analysis identified an antimicrobial peptide (AMP)-like segment in the C-terminal (CT) tail of MPEG1. Peptides based on the AMP-like regions of 35 representative MPEG1 were synthesized. Bactericidal activities were displayed by all peptides. Together these results suggest transposon-propelled evolutionary diversification of MPEG1 in Metazoa that has likely led to functional specialisation. This study also reveals a possible antimicrobial mechanism mediated directly and solely by the CT tail of MPEG1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Chen
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zihao Yuan
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Li Sun
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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5
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Saco A, Rey-Campos M, Gallardo-Escárate C, Gerdol M, Novoa B, Figueras A. Gene presence/absence variation in Mytilus galloprovincialis and its implications in gene expression and adaptation. iScience 2023; 26:107827. [PMID: 37744033 PMCID: PMC10514466 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107827] [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: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Presence/absence variation (PAV) is a well-known phenomenon in prokaryotes that was described for the first time in bivalves in 2020 in Mytilus galloprovincialis. The objective of the present study was to further our understanding of the PAV phenomenon in mussel biology. The distribution of PAV was studied in a mussel chromosome-level genome assembly, revealing a widespread distribution but with hotspots of dispensability. Special attention was given to the effect of PAV in gene expression, since dispensable genes were found to be inherently subject to distortions due to their sparse distribution among individuals. Furthermore, the high expression and strong tissue specificity of some dispensable genes, such as myticins, strongly supported their biological relevance. The significant differences in the repertoire of dispensable genes associated with two geographically distinct populations suggest that PAV is involved in local adaptation. Overall, the PAV phenomenon would provide a key selective advantage at the population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaro Saco
- Institute of Marine Research, Spanish National Research Council, Vigo, Spain
| | - Magalí Rey-Campos
- Institute of Marine Research, Spanish National Research Council, Vigo, Spain
| | | | - Marco Gerdol
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Beatriz Novoa
- Institute of Marine Research, Spanish National Research Council, Vigo, Spain
| | - Antonio Figueras
- Institute of Marine Research, Spanish National Research Council, Vigo, Spain
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6
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Guryanova SV, Balandin SV, Belogurova-Ovchinnikova OY, Ovchinnikova TV. Marine Invertebrate Antimicrobial Peptides and Their Potential as Novel Peptide Antibiotics. Mar Drugs 2023; 21:503. [PMID: 37888438 PMCID: PMC10608444 DOI: 10.3390/md21100503] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine invertebrates constantly interact with a wide range of microorganisms in their aquatic environment and possess an effective defense system that has enabled their existence for millions of years. Their lack of acquired immunity sets marine invertebrates apart from other marine animals. Invertebrates could rely on their innate immunity, providing the first line of defense, survival, and thriving. The innate immune system of marine invertebrates includes various biologically active compounds, and specifically, antimicrobial peptides. Nowadays, there is a revive of interest in these peptides due to the urgent need to discover novel drugs against antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, a pressing global concern in modern healthcare. Modern technologies offer extensive possibilities for the development of innovative drugs based on these compounds, which can act against bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. This review focuses on structural peculiarities, biological functions, gene expression, biosynthesis, mechanisms of antimicrobial action, regulatory activities, and prospects for the therapeutic use of antimicrobial peptides derived from marine invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana V. Guryanova
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (S.V.G.); (S.V.B.)
- Medical Institute, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, 117198 Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey V. Balandin
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (S.V.G.); (S.V.B.)
| | | | - Tatiana V. Ovchinnikova
- M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (S.V.G.); (S.V.B.)
- Phystech School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia;
- Department of Biotechnology, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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7
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Irvine A, McKenzie D, McCoy CJ, Graham RLJ, Graham C, Huws SA, Atkinson LE, Mousley A. Novel integrated computational AMP discovery approaches highlight diversity in the helminth AMP repertoire. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011508. [PMID: 37523405 PMCID: PMC10414684 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011508] [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: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) are immune effectors that are key components of the invertebrate innate immune system providing protection against pathogenic microbes. Parasitic helminths (phylum Nematoda and phylum Platyhelminthes) share complex interactions with their hosts and closely associated microbiota that are likely regulated by a diverse portfolio of antimicrobial immune effectors including AMPs. Knowledge of helminth AMPs has largely been derived from nematodes, whereas the flatworm AMP repertoire has not been described. This study highlights limitations in the homology-based approaches, used to identify putative nematode AMPs, for the characterisation of flatworm AMPs, and reveals that innovative algorithmic AMP prediction approaches provide an alternative strategy for novel helminth AMP discovery. The data presented here: (i) reveal that flatworms do not encode traditional lophotrochozoan AMP groups (Big Defensin, CSαβ peptides and Myticalin); (ii) describe a unique integrated computational pipeline for the discovery of novel helminth AMPs; (iii) reveal >16,000 putative AMP-like peptides across 127 helminth species; (iv) highlight that cysteine-rich peptides dominate helminth AMP-like peptide profiles; (v) uncover eight novel helminth AMP-like peptides with diverse antibacterial activities, and (vi) demonstrate the detection of AMP-like peptides from Ascaris suum biofluid. These data represent a significant advance in our understanding of the putative helminth AMP repertoire and underscore a potential untapped source of antimicrobial diversity which may provide opportunities for the discovery of novel antimicrobials. Further, unravelling the role of endogenous worm-derived antimicrobials and their potential to influence host-worm-microbiome interactions may be exploited for the development of unique helminth control approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allister Irvine
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Darrin McKenzie
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Ciaran J. McCoy
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Robert L. J. Graham
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Ciaren Graham
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Sharon A. Huws
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Louise E. Atkinson
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Angela Mousley
- Microbes & Pathogen Biology, The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
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8
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Gualandi N, Fracarossi D, Riommi D, Sollitto M, Greco S, Mardirossian M, Pacor S, Hori T, Pallavicini A, Gerdol M. Unveiling the Impact of Gene Presence/Absence Variation in Driving Inter-Individual Sequence Diversity within the CRP-I Gene Family in Mytilus spp. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14040787. [PMID: 37107545 PMCID: PMC10138031 DOI: 10.3390/genes14040787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Mussels (Mytilus spp.) tolerate infections much better than other species living in the same marine coastal environment thanks to a highly efficient innate immune system, which exploits a remarkable diversification of effector molecules involved in mucosal and humoral responses. Among these, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are subjected to massive gene presence/absence variation (PAV), endowing each individual with a potentially unique repertoire of defense molecules. The unavailability of a chromosome-scale assembly has so far prevented a comprehensive evaluation of the genomic arrangement of AMP-encoding loci, preventing an accurate ascertainment of the orthology/paralogy relationships among sequence variants. Here, we characterized the CRP-I gene cluster in the blue mussel Mytilus edulis, which includes about 50 paralogous genes and pseudogenes, mostly packed in a small genomic region within chromosome 5. We further reported the occurrence of widespread PAV within this family in the Mytilus species complex and provided evidence that CRP-I peptides likely adopt a knottin fold. We functionally characterized the synthetic peptide sCRP-I H1, assessing the presence of biological activities consistent with other knottins, revealing that mussel CRP-I peptides are unlikely to act as antimicrobial agents or protease inhibitors, even though they may be used as defense molecules against infections from eukaryotic parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Gualandi
- Area of Neuroscience, International School for Advanced Studies, 34136 Trieste, Italy;
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy; (D.F.); (D.R.); (M.S.); (S.G.); (M.M.); (S.P.); (A.P.)
| | - Davide Fracarossi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy; (D.F.); (D.R.); (M.S.); (S.G.); (M.M.); (S.P.); (A.P.)
| | - Damiano Riommi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy; (D.F.); (D.R.); (M.S.); (S.G.); (M.M.); (S.P.); (A.P.)
| | - Marco Sollitto
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy; (D.F.); (D.R.); (M.S.); (S.G.); (M.M.); (S.P.); (A.P.)
- Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, 6000 Koper, Slovenia
| | - Samuele Greco
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy; (D.F.); (D.R.); (M.S.); (S.G.); (M.M.); (S.P.); (A.P.)
| | - Mario Mardirossian
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy; (D.F.); (D.R.); (M.S.); (S.G.); (M.M.); (S.P.); (A.P.)
| | - Sabrina Pacor
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy; (D.F.); (D.R.); (M.S.); (S.G.); (M.M.); (S.P.); (A.P.)
| | - Tiago Hori
- Atlantic Aqua Farms Ltd., Vernon Bridge, PE C0A 2E0, Canada;
| | - Alberto Pallavicini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy; (D.F.); (D.R.); (M.S.); (S.G.); (M.M.); (S.P.); (A.P.)
- Anton Dohrn Zoological Station, 80121 Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Gerdol
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy; (D.F.); (D.R.); (M.S.); (S.G.); (M.M.); (S.P.); (A.P.)
- Correspondence:
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9
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Mladineo I, Rončević T, Gerdol M, Tossi A. Helminthic host defense peptides: using the parasite to defend the host. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:345-357. [PMID: 36890022 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.02.004] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Parasitic helminths are destined to share niches with a variety of microbiota that inevitably influence their interaction with the host. To modulate the microbiome for their benefit and defend against pathogenic isolates, helminths have developed host defense peptides (HDPs) and proteins as integral elements of their immunity. These often exert a relatively nonspecific membranolytic activity toward bacteria, sometimes with limited or no toxicity toward host cells. With a few exceptions, such as nematode cecropin-like peptides and antibacterial factors (ABFs), helminthic HDPs are largely underexplored. This review scrutinizes current knowledge on the repertoire of such peptides in helminths and promotes their research as potential leads for an anti-infective solution to the burgeoning problem of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivona Mladineo
- Laboratory of Functional Helminthology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Parasitology BC CAS, Branišovska 31, Česke Budejovice 37005, Czech Republic.
| | - Tomislav Rončević
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Split, Ruđera Boškovića 33, Split 21000, Croatia
| | - Marco Gerdol
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste 34127, Italy
| | - Alessandro Tossi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste 34127, Italy
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10
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Canesi L, Auguste M, Balbi T, Prochazkova P. Soluble mediators of innate immunity in annelids and bivalve mollusks: A mini-review. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1051155. [PMID: 36532070 PMCID: PMC9756803 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1051155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Annelids and mollusks, both in the superphylum of Lophotrochozoa (Bilateria), are important ecological groups, widespread in soil, freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystems. Like all invertebrates, they lack adaptive immunity; however, they are endowed with an effective and complex innate immune system (humoral and cellular defenses) similar to vertebrates. The lack of acquired immunity and the capacity to form antibodies does not mean a lack of specificity: invertebrates have evolved genetic mechanisms capable of producing thousands of different proteins from a small number of genes, providing high variability and diversity of immune effector molecules just like their vertebrate counterparts. This diversity allows annelids and mollusks to recognize and eliminate a wide range of pathogens and respond to environmental stressors. Effector molecules can kill invading microbes, reduce their pathogenicity, or regulate the immune response at cellular and systemic levels. Annelids and mollusks are "typical" lophotrochozoan protostome since both groups include aquatic species with trochophore larvae, which unite both taxa in a common ancestry. Moreover, despite their extensive utilization in immunological research, no model systems are available as there are with other invertebrate groups, such as Caenorhabditis elegans or Drosophila melanogaster, and thus, their immune potential is largely unexplored. In this work, we focus on two classes of key soluble mediators of immunity, i.e., antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and cytokines, in annelids and bivalves, which are the most studied mollusks. The mediators have been of interest from their first identification to recent advances in molecular studies that clarified their role in the immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Canesi
- Department of Earth Environment & Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Manon Auguste
- Department of Earth Environment & Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Teresa Balbi
- Department of Earth Environment & Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Petra Prochazkova
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia,*Correspondence: Petra Prochazkova,
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11
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De San Nicolas N, Asokan A, Rosa RD, Voisin SN, Travers MA, Rocha G, Dantan L, Dorant Y, Mitta G, Petton B, Charrière GM, Escoubas JM, Boulo V, Pouzadoux J, Meudal H, Loth K, Aucagne V, Delmas AF, Bulet P, Montagnani C, Destoumieux-Garzón D. Functional Diversification of Oyster Big Defensins Generates Antimicrobial Specificity and Synergy against Members of the Microbiota. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20120745. [PMID: 36547892 PMCID: PMC9786018 DOI: 10.3390/md20120745] [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: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Big defensins are two-domain antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that have highly diversified in mollusks. Cg-BigDefs are expressed by immune cells in the oyster Crassostrea gigas, and their expression is dampened during the Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS), which evolves toward fatal bacteremia. We evaluated whether Cg-BigDefs contribute to the control of oyster-associated microbial communities. Two Cg-BigDefs that are representative of molecular diversity within the peptide family, namely Cg-BigDef1 and Cg-BigDef5, were characterized by gene cloning and synthesized by solid-phase peptide synthesis and native chemical ligation. Synthetic peptides were tested for antibacterial activity against a collection of culturable bacteria belonging to the oyster microbiota, characterized by 16S sequencing and MALDI Biotyping. We first tested the potential of Cg-BigDefs to control the oyster microbiota by injecting synthetic Cg-BigDef1 into oyster tissues and analyzing microbiota dynamics over 24 h by 16S metabarcoding. Cg-BigDef1 induced a significant shift in oyster microbiota β-diversity after 6 h and 24 h, prompting us to investigate antimicrobial activities in vitro against members of the oyster microbiota. Both Cg-BigDef1 and Cg-BigDef5 were active at a high salt concentration (400 mM NaCl) and showed broad spectra of activity against bacteria associated with C. gigas pathologies. Antimicrobial specificity was observed for both molecules at an intra- and inter-genera level. Remarkably, antimicrobial spectra of Cg-BigDef1 and Cg-BigDef5 were complementary, and peptides acted synergistically. Overall, we found that primary sequence diversification of Cg-BigDefs has generated specificity and synergy and extended the spectrum of activity of this peptide family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noémie De San Nicolas
- IHPE, University Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, University Perpignan Via Domitia, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Aromal Asokan
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire UPR4301 CNRS, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Rafael D. Rosa
- Laboratory of Immunology Applied to Aquaculture, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil
| | | | - Marie-Agnès Travers
- IHPE, University Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, University Perpignan Via Domitia, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Gustavo Rocha
- Laboratory of Immunology Applied to Aquaculture, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil
| | - Luc Dantan
- IHPE, University Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, University Perpignan Via Domitia, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Yann Dorant
- IHPE, University Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, University Perpignan Via Domitia, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Guillaume Mitta
- IHPE, University Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, University Perpignan Via Domitia, 34090 Montpellier, France
- Ifremer, IRD, ILM, Université de Polynésie Française, UMR EIO, Vairao 98179, French Polynesia
| | - Bruno Petton
- Ifremer, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR UMR 6539, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, 29840 Argenton-en-Landunvez, France
| | - Guillaume M. Charrière
- IHPE, University Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, University Perpignan Via Domitia, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Michel Escoubas
- IHPE, University Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, University Perpignan Via Domitia, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Viviane Boulo
- IHPE, University Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, University Perpignan Via Domitia, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Juliette Pouzadoux
- IHPE, University Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, University Perpignan Via Domitia, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Hervé Meudal
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire UPR4301 CNRS, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Karine Loth
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire UPR4301 CNRS, 45071 Orléans, France
- UFR ST, Université d’Orléans, 45067 Orléans, France
| | - Vincent Aucagne
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire UPR4301 CNRS, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Agnès F. Delmas
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire UPR4301 CNRS, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Philippe Bulet
- Plateforme BioPark d’Archamps, Archparc, 74160 Archamps, France
- CR UGA, IAB, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, 74160 La Tronche-Archamps, France
| | - Caroline Montagnani
- IHPE, University Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, University Perpignan Via Domitia, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Delphine Destoumieux-Garzón
- IHPE, University Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, University Perpignan Via Domitia, 34090 Montpellier, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-467144625
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12
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Dong X, Limjunyawong N, Sypek EI, Wang G, Ortines RV, Youn C, Alphonse MP, Dikeman D, Wang Y, Lay M, Kothari R, Vasavda C, Pundir P, Goff L, Miller LS, Lu W, Garza LA, Kim BS, Archer NK, Dong X. Keratinocyte-derived defensins activate neutrophil-specific receptors Mrgpra2a/b to prevent skin dysbiosis and bacterial infection. Immunity 2022; 55:1645-1662.e7. [PMID: 35882236 PMCID: PMC9474599 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2022.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Healthy skin maintains a diverse microbiome and a potent immune system to fight off infections. Here, we discovered that the epithelial-cell-derived antimicrobial peptides defensins activated orphan G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) Mrgpra2a/b on neutrophils. This signaling axis was required for effective neutrophil-mediated skin immunity and microbiome homeostasis. We generated mutant mouse lines lacking the entire Defensin (Def) gene cluster in keratinocytes or Mrgpra2a/b. Def and Mrgpra2 mutant animals both exhibited skin dysbiosis, with reduced microbial diversity and expansion of Staphylococcus species. Defensins and Mrgpra2 were critical for combating S. aureus infections and the formation of neutrophil abscesses, a hallmark of antibacterial immunity. Activation of Mrgpra2 by defensin triggered neutrophil release of IL-1β and CXCL2 which are vital for proper amplification and propagation of the antibacterial immune response. This study demonstrated the importance of epithelial-neutrophil signaling via the defensin-Mrgpra2 axis in maintaining healthy skin ecology and promoting antibacterial host defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xintong Dong
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nathachit Limjunyawong
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth I Sypek
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gaofeng Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Roger V Ortines
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Christine Youn
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Martin P Alphonse
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dustin Dikeman
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mark Lay
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ruchita Kothari
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Chirag Vasavda
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Priyanka Pundir
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Loyal Goff
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lloyd S Miller
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Wuyuan Lu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Luis A Garza
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brian S Kim
- Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nathan K Archer
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Xinzhong Dong
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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13
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Dhar D, Dey D. In silico analysis of the C-terminal domain of big defensin from the Pacific oyster. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022:1-13. [PMID: 35916030 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2105957] [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: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Defensins are antimicrobial peptides consisting of intramolecular disulphide bonds in a complex folded arrangement of two or three antiparallel β-sheets with or without an α-helical structure. They are produced by a vast range of organisms being constitutively expressed or induced in various tissues against different stimuli like infection, injury or other inflammatory factors. Two classes of invertebrate defensin exist, namely CS-αβ and big defensin, the latter being predominantly present in molluscs. Intriguingly, an invertebrate big defensin gene has been hypothesized as the most probable ancestor of vertebrate β-defensins. Here, conserved residues were identified for both big defensin and β-defensin. In silico mutation on conserved amino acid positions of the β-defensin-like domain of big defensin from Crassostrea gigas was carried out to understand the effects of mutation on the structure and function of the protein. R64A and E71A have been identified as deleterious as well as destabilizing for the protein. Changes in amino acid network and aggregation propensity were also observed upon mutating these two charged residues. 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations of wild-type, R64A and E71A structures revealed significant conformational changes in the case of mutants. Furthermore, molecular docking highlighted the significance of R64 in ligand interaction. In conclusion, these results provide the first in-depth understanding of the structural and functional importance imparted by two conserved charged residues in the C-terminal region of big defensin. It also enhances the existing knowledge about this antimicrobial peptide for application in therapeutics and other aspects of protein engineering.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipanjana Dhar
- Graduate School of Science, Department of Natural History Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Debayan Dey
- Graduate School of Life Science, Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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14
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Liu S, Liu Y, Lu J, Mao J, Lin Z, Xue Q. Genome Wide Identification and Expression Profiling Indicate Expansion of Family I84 Protease Inhibitor via Gene Tandem Duplication and Divergence in Razor Clam Sinonovacula constricta. Front Immunol 2022; 13:907274. [PMID: 35720365 PMCID: PMC9198434 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.907274] [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: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Family I84 protease inhibitors represent a novel family in the MEROPS peptidase database and are likely unique for molluscan host defense. Two Family I84 members, scSI-1 and scSI-2, were reported from the razor clam Sinonovacula constricta in a previous research. In the present study, 12 additional genes, named scSI-3 to scSI-14, were identified via genome wide sequence analyses. Among them, 10 genes were predicted to have a signal sequence, but one (scSI-7) was not. Besides, one sequence (scSI-14) was likely to encode a prematurely terminated peptide. The predicted mature peptides shared characteristics including 12 conserved cysteine residues, isoelectric points of 4.98 to 6.11, and molecular weights of 7.1 to 9.3 kDa with previously reported family members. Four motifs were characterized in 13 predicted mature peptides (with exception of scSI-14), which shared two to four conserved cysteine residues, are possibly to form two functional domain comprised 6 cysteine residues, respectively. At genomic level, all the 14 razor clam Family I84 genes were organized into 3 exons and 2 introns; 13 of them clustered in 3 regions of 100 kb on 3 separate chromosomes, suggesting tandem duplications of related genes. The promoter region of all the 14 genes was predicted to share some transcription factor binding sites, in particular those responsive to pathological and physiological stimuli, but no shared motifs were identified. Analyses also revealed differences in expression patterns among the genes. One gene in a tandem duplicated gene pairs usually showed a higher expression level than the other whereas non-tandem duplicated genes exhibited a higher degree of correlation in expression level. In addition, 8 of the 14 genes demonstrated higher level of expression in Vibrio tolerant clams than in non-tolerant clams following challenges with Vibrio parahaemolyticus. These results generated important information about the evolution of Family I84 protease inhibitors in S. constricta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Liu
- Ninghai Institute of Mariculture Breeding and Seed Industry, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China.,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Aquatic Germplasm Resource, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
| | - Youli Liu
- Ninghai Institute of Mariculture Breeding and Seed Industry, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China.,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Aquatic Germplasm Resource, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jiali Lu
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Aquatic Germplasm Resource, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jinxia Mao
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Aquatic Germplasm Resource, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
| | - Zhihua Lin
- Ninghai Institute of Mariculture Breeding and Seed Industry, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China.,Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Aquatic Germplasm Resource, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
| | - Qinggang Xue
- Ninghai Institute of Mariculture Breeding and Seed Industry, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China.,Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, China
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15
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Hanson MA, Lemaitre B. Repeated truncation of a modular antimicrobial peptide gene for neural context. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010259. [PMID: 35714143 PMCID: PMC9246212 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are host-encoded antibiotics that combat invading pathogens. These genes commonly encode multiple products as post-translationally cleaved polypeptides. Recent studies have highlighted roles for AMPs in neurological contexts suggesting functions for these defence molecules beyond infection. During our immune study characterizing the antimicrobial peptide gene Baramicin, we recovered multiple Baramicin paralogs in Drosophila melanogaster and other species, united by their N-terminal IM24 domain. Not all paralogs were immune-induced. Here, through careful dissection of the Baramicin family's evolutionary history, we find that paralogs lacking immune induction result from repeated events of duplication and subsequent truncation of the coding sequence from an immune-inducible ancestor. These truncations leave only the IM24 domain as the prominent gene product. Surprisingly, using mutation and targeted gene silencing we demonstrate that two such genes are adapted for function in neural contexts in D. melanogaster. We also show enrichment in the head for independent Baramicin genes in other species. The Baramicin evolutionary history reveals that the IM24 Baramicin domain is not strictly useful in an immune context. We thus provide a case study for how an AMP-encoding gene might play dual roles in both immune and non-immune processes via its multiple peptide products. As many AMP genes encode polypeptides, a full understanding of how immune effectors interact with the nervous system will require consideration of all their peptide products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Hanson
- Global Health Institute, School of Life Science, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | - Bruno Lemaitre
- Global Health Institute, School of Life Science, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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16
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Rodriguez C, Vega IA, Castro-Vazquez A. A Dissenters’ View on AppleSnail Immunobiology. Front Immunol 2022; 13:879122. [PMID: 35693764 PMCID: PMC9178244 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.879122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We stand as dissenters against the acceptance of scientific knowledge that has not been built on empirical data. With this in mind, this review synthesizes selected aspects of the immunobiology of gastropods and of apple snails (Ampullariidae) in particular, from morphological to molecular and “omics” studies. Our trip went through more than two centuries of history and was guided by an evo-devo hypothesis: that the gastropod immune system originally developed in the mesenchymal connective tissue of the reno-pericardial complex, and that in that tissue some cells differentiated into hematopoietically committed progenitor cells that integrate constitutive hemocyte aggregations in the reno-pericardial territory, whether concentrated in the pericardium or the kidney in a species-specific manner. However, some of them may be freed from those aggregations, circulate in the blood, and form distant contingent aggregations anywhere in the body, but always in response to intruders (i.e., pathogens or any other immune challenge). After that, we reviewed the incipient immunology of the Ampullariidae by critically revising the findings in Pomacea canaliculata and Marisa cornuarietis, the only ampullariid species that have been studied in this respect, and we attempted to identify the effectors and the processes in which they are involved. Particularly for P. canaliculata, which is by far the most studied species, we ask which hemocytes are involved, in which tissues or organs are integrated, and what cellular reactions to intruders this species has in common with other animals. Furthermore, we wondered what humoral factors could also integrate its internal defense system. Among the cellular defenses, we give an outstanding position to the generation of hemocyte nodules, which seems to be an important process for these snails, serving the isolation and elimination of intruders. Finally, we discuss hematopoiesis in apple snails. There have been contrasting views about some of these aspects, but we envision a hematopoietic system centered in the constitutive hemocyte islets in the ampullariid kidney.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Rodriguez
- IHEM, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Israel A. Vega
- IHEM, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Alfredo Castro-Vazquez
- IHEM, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
- *Correspondence: Alfredo Castro-Vazquez,
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17
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Liao X, Liu Y, Han T, Yang M, Liu W, Wang Y, He C, Lu Z. Full-Length Transcriptome Sequencing Reveals Tissue-Specific Gene Expression Profile of Mangrove Clam Geloina erosa. Front Physiol 2022; 13:851957. [PMID: 35514334 PMCID: PMC9065350 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.851957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mollusca is the second largest animal phylum and represents one of the most evolutionarily successful animal groups. Geloina erosa, a species of Corbiculidae, plays an important role in mangrove ecology. It is highly adaptable and can withstand environmental pollution and microbial infections. However, there is no reference genome or full-length transcriptome available for G. erosa. This impedes the study of the biological functions of its different tissues because transcriptome research requires reference genome or full-length transcriptome as a reference to improve accuracy. In this study, we applied a combination of Illumina and PacBio single-molecule real-time sequencing technologies to sequence the full-length transcriptomes of G. erosa tissues. Transcriptomes of nine samples obtained from three tissues (hepatopancreas, gill, and muscle) were sequenced using Illumina. Furthermore, we obtained 87,310 full-length reads non-chimeric sequences. After removing redundancy, 22,749 transcripts were obtained. The average Q score of 30 was 94.48%. In total, 271 alternative splicing events were predicted. There were 14,496 complete regions and 3,870 lncRNAs. Differential expression analysis revealed tissue-specific physiological functions. The gills mainly express functions related to filtration, metabolism, identifying pathogens and activating immunity, and neural activity. The hepatopancreas is the main tissue related to metabolism, it also involved in the immune response. The muscle mainly express functions related to muscle movement and control, it contains more energy metabolites that gill and hepatopancreas. Our research provides an important reference for studying the gene expression of G. erosa under various environmental stresses. Moreover, we present a reliable sequence that will provide an excellent foundation for further research on G. erosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Liao
- Guangxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and Utilization, Guangxi Mangrove Research Center, Beihai, China
| | - Yunqing Liu
- Guangxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and Utilization, Guangxi Mangrove Research Center, Beihai, China
| | - Tingyu Han
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mingliu Yang
- Guangxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and Utilization, Guangxi Mangrove Research Center, Beihai, China
| | - Wenai Liu
- Guangxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and Utilization, Guangxi Mangrove Research Center, Beihai, China
| | - Yadi Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Big Data Analysis and Processing, Institute of Data and Knowledge Engineering, School of Computer and Information Engineering, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Chunpeng He
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zuhong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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18
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Ri S, Zha S, Kim T, Ju K, Zhou W, Shi W, Wu M, Kim C, Bao Y, Sun C, Liu G. Identification, characterization, and antimicrobial activity of a novel big defensin discovered in a commercial bivalve mollusc, Tegillarca granosa. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 124:174-181. [PMID: 35398526 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2022.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Molluscs, the second largest animal phylum on earth, primarily rely on cellular and humoral immune responses to fight against pathogen infection. Although antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) such as big defensin play crucial roles in the humoral immune response, it remains largely unknown in the ecological and economic important blood clam (Tegillarca granosa). In this study, a novel big defensin gene (TgBD) was identified in T. granosa through transcripts and whole genome searching. Bioinformatic analyses were conducted to explore the molecular characteristics of TgBD, and comparisons of TgBD with those reported in other molluscs were performed by multiple alignments and phylogenetic analysis. In addition, the expression patterns of TgBD in various tissues and upon bacterial challenge were investigated while the antimicrobial activity of synthetic N-terminal domain of TgBD was confirmed in vitro by radial diffusion experiment. Results obtained showed TgBD had an open reading frame (ORF) of 369 bp, encoding a prepropeptide containing a signal peptide and a propeptide. Similar to big defensins reported in other species, TgBD consists of a hydrophobic N-terminal domain containing β1-α1-α2-β2 folds and a cysteine-rich cationic C-terminal domain with three disulfide bonds between C1-C5, C2-C4, and C3-C6. Phylogenetic analysis showed that TgBD shared 76.80% similarity to its close relative ark shell (Scapharca broughtoni). In addition, TgBD expression was observed in all tissues investigated under normal conditions and was significantly induced by injection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Furthermore, synthetic N-terminal peptide of TgBD exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria tested. Our results indicated that TgBD is a constitutive and inducible acute phase AMP, which provides a universal and prompt protection for T. granosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanghyok Ri
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, PR China; College of Life Science, Kim Hyong Jik University of Education, Pyongyang, 99903, D.P.R, North Korea
| | - Shanjie Zha
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Aquatic Germplasm Resources, College of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, 315100, PR China; Ninghai Institute of Mariculture Breeding and Seed Industry, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ninghai, 315604, PR China
| | - Tongchol Kim
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, PR China; College of Life Science, Kim Hyong Jik University of Education, Pyongyang, 99903, D.P.R, North Korea
| | - Kwangjin Ju
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, PR China; College of Aquaculture, Wonsan Fisheries University, Wonsan, 999093, D.P.R, North Korea
| | - Weishang Zhou
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, PR China
| | - Wei Shi
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, PR China
| | - Myongsik Wu
- College of Life Science, Kim Hyong Jik University of Education, Pyongyang, 99903, D.P.R, North Korea
| | - Chunmi Kim
- College of Life Science, Kim Hyong Jik University of Education, Pyongyang, 99903, D.P.R, North Korea
| | - Yongbo Bao
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Aquatic Germplasm Resources, College of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, 315100, PR China; Ninghai Institute of Mariculture Breeding and Seed Industry, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ninghai, 315604, PR China
| | - Changsen Sun
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Aquatic Germplasm Resources, College of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, 315100, PR China; Ninghai Institute of Mariculture Breeding and Seed Industry, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ninghai, 315604, PR China
| | - Guangxu Liu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, PR China.
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19
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González R, González D, Stambuk F, Ramírez F, Guzmán F, Mercado L, Rojas R, Henríquez C, Brokordt K, Schmitt P. A g-type lysozyme from the scallop Argopecten purpuratus participates in the immune response and in the stability of the hemolymph microbiota. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 123:324-334. [PMID: 35314329 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2022.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Lysozymes are antimicrobial acid hydrolases widely distributed in nature. They are located inside the cells in lysosomes, or they are secreted to the extracellular space, where they can lyse the cell wall of certain species of bacteria via hydrolysis of the peptidoglycan. Thus, lysozymes are bacteriolytic enzymes and play a major biological role in biodefense, as these enzymes can act as antibacterial and immune-modulating agents. In this study, we characterized a g-type lysozyme from the scallop Argopecten purpuratus named ApGlys. The cDNA sequence comprises an open reading frame (ORF) of 600 nucleotides, codifying for a putative protein of 200 amino acids with a signal peptide of 18 amino acids. The deduced mature protein sequence displays a molecular weight of 20.07 kDa and an isoelectric point (pI) of 6.49. ApGlys deduced protein sequence exhibits conserved residues associated with catalytic activity and substrate fixation in other g-type lysozymes. The phylogenetic analysis revealed a high degree of identity of ApGlys with other mollusk g-type lysozymes, which form a restricted and separated clade from the vertebrate lysozymes. ApGlys transcripts were constitutively and highly expressed in the digestive gland, and it was induced in hemocytes and gills of scallops after an immune challenge. Furthermore, the ApGlys protein was located inside hemocytes of immunostimulated scallops, determined by immunofluorescence analysis. Finally, the transcript silencing of ApGlys by RNA interference led to an increase of total culturable bacteria from the scallop hemolymph. Furthermore, we detected a higher diversity of the bacterial community in ApGlys-silenced scallops and an imbalance of certain bacterial groups present in the hemolymph by 16S rDNA deep amplicon sequencing. Overall, our results showed that ApGlys is a new member of scallop lysozymes that is implicated in the immune response and in the microbial homeostasis of A. purpuratus hemolymph.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxana González
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Genética Marina (FIGEMA), Departamento de Acuicultura, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile; Grupo de Marcadores Inmunológicos, Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Daniel González
- Grupo de Marcadores Inmunológicos, Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Felipe Stambuk
- Grupo de Marcadores Inmunológicos, Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Felipe Ramírez
- Grupo de Marcadores Inmunológicos, Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Fanny Guzmán
- Núcleo Biotecnología Curauma. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Luis Mercado
- Grupo de Marcadores Inmunológicos, Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Rojas
- Laboratorio de Patobiología Acuática, Departamento de Acuicultura, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Carlos Henríquez
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Katherina Brokordt
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Genética Marina (FIGEMA), Departamento de Acuicultura, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile; Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile; Centro de Innovación Acuícola (AquaPacífico), Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile.
| | - Paulina Schmitt
- Grupo de Marcadores Inmunológicos, Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.
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20
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The Role of Anti-Viral Effector Molecules in Mollusc Hemolymph. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12030345. [PMID: 35327536 PMCID: PMC8945852 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Molluscs are major contributors to the international and Australian aquaculture industries, however, their immune systems remain poorly understood due to limited access to draft genomes and evidence of divergences from model organisms. As invertebrates, molluscs lack adaptive immune systems or ‘memory’, and rely solely on innate immunity for antimicrobial defence. Hemolymph, the circulatory fluid of invertebrates, contains hemocytes which secrete effector molecules with immune regulatory functions. Interactions between mollusc effector molecules and bacterial and fungal pathogens have been well documented, however, there is limited knowledge of their roles against viruses, which cause high mortality and significant production losses in these species. Of the major effector molecules, only the direct acting protein dicer-2 and the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) hemocyanin and myticin-C have shown antiviral activity. A better understanding of these effector molecules may allow for the manipulation of mollusc proteomes to enhance antiviral and overall antimicrobial defence to prevent future outbreaks and minimize economic outbreaks. Moreover, effector molecule research may yield the description and production of novel antimicrobial treatments for a broad host range of animal species.
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21
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Stambuk F, Ojeda C, Machado Matos G, Rosa RD, Mercado L, Schmitt P. Big defensin from the scallop Argopecten purpuratus ApBD1 is an antimicrobial peptide which entraps bacteria through nanonets formation. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 119:456-461. [PMID: 34710565 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2021.10.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Big defensins is a large family of antimicrobial peptides found in restricted groups of invertebrates, in particular mollusks where they have highly diversified. Big defensins are composed of a highly hydrophobic N-terminal region and a C-terminal region containing six cysteine residues whose arrangement is identical to that of vertebrate β-defensins. They have been shown to be active against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. Antimicrobial aggregates called nanonets entrapping and killing bacteria have been recently described for the hydrophobic N-terminal region of the Cg-BigDef1 from the oyster Crassostrea gigas. To determine whether nanonets formation is a conserved trait of mollusk big defensins, we assessed the potential entrapping of bacteria through nanonets of the big defensin from the scallop Argopecten purpuratus, ApBD1. Recombinant ApBD1 was produced with a thrombin-cleavable N-terminal His6 tag, followed by the mature peptide carrying a mutation of the last cysteine residue of the C-terminal region by and arginine, named rApBD1(C87R). This mutation did not apparently affect the three-dimensional structure and the biological properties of rApBD1(C87R), as evidenced by in silico modeling and in vitro antimicrobial assays. Strong immune staining of rApBD1(C87R) in numerous areas surrounding bacteria was observed by confocal microscopy, suggesting that rApBD1(C87R) entraps bacteria in peptide aggregates similar to those reported to the oyster big defensin. This study suggests the conservation of bactericidal activity and nanonet formation across big defensins from bivalve mollusks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Stambuk
- Grupo de Marcadores Inmunológicos, Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Claudia Ojeda
- Grupo de Marcadores Inmunológicos, Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Gabriel Machado Matos
- Laboratory of Immunology Applied to Aquaculture, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Rafael Diego Rosa
- Laboratory of Immunology Applied to Aquaculture, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Luis Mercado
- Grupo de Marcadores Inmunológicos, Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Paulina Schmitt
- Grupo de Marcadores Inmunológicos, Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.
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22
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Martell EM, González-Garcia M, Ständker L, Otero-González AJ. Host defense peptides as immunomodulators: The other side of the coin. Peptides 2021; 146:170644. [PMID: 34464592 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2021.170644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Host defense peptides (HDPs) exhibit a broad range of antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities. In this sense, both functions are like different sides of the same coin. The direct antimicrobial side was discovered first, and widely studied for the development of anti-infective therapies. In contrast, the immunomodulatory side was recognized later and in the last 20 years the interest in this field has been continuously growing. Different to their antimicrobial activities, the immunomodulatory activities of host defense peptides are more effective in vivo. They offer a great opportunity for new therapeutic applications in the fields of anti-infective therapy, chronic inflammatory diseases treatment, novel vaccine adjuvants development and anticancer immunotherapy. These immune related functions of HDPs includes chemoattraction of leukocytes, modulation of inflammation, enhancement of antigen presentation and polarization of adaptive immune responses. Our attempt with this review is to make a careful evaluation of different aspects of the less explored, but attractive immunomodulatory side of the HDP functional coin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto M Martell
- Center for Protein Studies, Faculty of Biology, Havana University, Cuba
| | | | - Ludger Ständker
- Core Facility Functional Peptidomics (CFP), Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
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23
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Polinski JM, Zimin AV, Clark KF, Kohn AB, Sadowski N, Timp W, Ptitsyn A, Khanna P, Romanova DY, Williams P, Greenwood SJ, Moroz LL, Walt DR, Bodnar AG. The American lobster genome reveals insights on longevity, neural, and immune adaptations. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/26/eabe8290. [PMID: 34162536 PMCID: PMC8221624 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe8290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The American lobster, Homarus americanus, is integral to marine ecosystems and supports an important commercial fishery. This iconic species also serves as a valuable model for deciphering neural networks controlling rhythmic motor patterns and olfaction. Here, we report a high-quality draft assembly of the H. americanus genome with 25,284 predicted gene models. Analysis of the neural gene complement revealed extraordinary development of the chemosensory machinery, including a profound diversification of ligand-gated ion channels and secretory molecules. The discovery of a novel class of chimeric receptors coupling pattern recognition and neurotransmitter binding suggests a deep integration between the neural and immune systems. A robust repertoire of genes involved in innate immunity, genome stability, cell survival, chemical defense, and cuticle formation represents a diversity of defense mechanisms essential to thrive in the benthic marine environment. Together, these unique evolutionary adaptations contribute to the longevity and ecological success of this long-lived benthic predator.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aleksey V Zimin
- Center for Computational Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - K Fraser Clark
- Department of Animal Science and Aquaculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, Nova Scotia B2N 5E3, Canada
| | - Andrea B Kohn
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville and St. Augustine, FL 32080-8623, USA
| | - Norah Sadowski
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Winston Timp
- Center for Computational Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Andrey Ptitsyn
- Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA
| | - Prarthana Khanna
- Genetics Program, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Daria Y Romanova
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of RAS, Moscow 117485, Russia
| | - Peter Williams
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville and St. Augustine, FL 32080-8623, USA
| | - Spencer J Greenwood
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 4P3, Canada
| | - Leonid L Moroz
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville and St. Augustine, FL 32080-8623, USA
| | - David R Walt
- Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Andrea G Bodnar
- Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA.
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24
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Yu W, Ning N, Xue Y, Huang Y, Guo F, Li T, Yang B, Luo D, Sun Y, Li Z, Wang J, He Z, Cheng S, Zhang X, Wang H. A Chimeric Cationic Peptide Composed of Human β-Defensin 3 and Human β-Defensin 4 Exhibits Improved Antibacterial Activity and Salt Resistance. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:663151. [PMID: 34025617 PMCID: PMC8137984 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.663151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Human beta-defensins (hBDs) play an important role in the host defense against various microbes, showing different levels of antibacterial activity and salt resistance in vitro. It is of interest to investigate whether can chimeric hBD analogs enhanced antibacterial activity and salt resistance. In this study, we designed a chimeric human defensin, named H4, by combining sequences of human beta-defensin-3 (hBD-3) and human beta-defensin-4 (hBD-4), then evaluated its antibacterial activity, salt resistance, and cytotoxic effects. The result showed that the antibacterial activity of H4 against most tested strains, including Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphyloccocus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Acinetobacter baumannii was significantly improved compared to that of hBD-3 and hBD-4. Notably, H4 exhibited significantly better antibacterial activity against multidrug resistant isolate A. baumannii MDR-ZJ06 than commonly used antibiotics. Chimeric H4 still showed more than 80% antibacterial activity at high salt concentration (150 μM), which proves its good salt tolerance. The cytotoxic effect assay showed that the toxicity of H4 to Hela, Vero, A549 cells and erythrocytes at a low dose (<10 μg/ml) was similar to that of hBD-3 and hBD-4. In conclusion, given its broad spectrum of antibacterial activity and high salt resistance, chimeric H4 could serve as a promising template for new therapeutic antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Nianzhi Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China.,College of Life Science, Ludong University, Yantai, China
| | - Yanyu Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Boning Yang
- Department of Orthopedics, Henan University People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Deyan Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yakun Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Jianxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhili He
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Shiwei Cheng
- College of Life Science, Ludong University, Yantai, China
| | - Xingxiao Zhang
- College of Life Science, Ludong University, Yantai, China
| | - Hui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
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25
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Comparative Genomics Reveals 13 Different Isoforms of Mytimycins (A-M) in Mytilus galloprovincialis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22063235. [PMID: 33810127 PMCID: PMC8004829 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Mytimycins are cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides that show antifungal properties. These peptides are part of the immune network that constitutes the defense system of the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis). The immune system of mussels has been increasingly studied in the last decade due to its great efficiency, since these molluscs, particularly resistant to adverse conditions and pathogens, are present all over the world, being considered as an invasive species. The recent sequencing of the mussel genome has greatly simplified the genetic study of some of its immune genes. In the present work, we describe a total of 106 different mytimycin variants in 16 individual mussel genomes. The 13 highly supported mytimycin clusters (A–M) identified with phylogenetic inference were found to be subject to the presence/absence variation, a widespread phenomenon in mussels. We also identified a block of conserved residues evolving under purifying selection, which may indicate the “functional core” of the mature peptide, and a conserved set of 10 invariable plus 6 accessory cysteines which constitute a plastic disulfide array. Finally, we extended the taxonomic range of distribution of mytimycins among Mytilida, identifying novel sequences in M. coruscus, M. californianus, P. viridis, L. fortunei, M. philippinarum, M. modiolus, and P. purpuratus.
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26
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Gerdol M, Moreira R, Cruz F, Gómez-Garrido J, Vlasova A, Rosani U, Venier P, Naranjo-Ortiz MA, Murgarella M, Greco S, Balseiro P, Corvelo A, Frias L, Gut M, Gabaldón T, Pallavicini A, Canchaya C, Novoa B, Alioto TS, Posada D, Figueras A. Massive gene presence-absence variation shapes an open pan-genome in the Mediterranean mussel. Genome Biol 2020; 21:275. [PMID: 33168033 PMCID: PMC7653742 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-020-02180-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis is an ecologically and economically relevant edible marine bivalve, highly invasive and resilient to biotic and abiotic stressors causing recurrent massive mortalities in other bivalves. Although these traits have been recently linked with the maintenance of a high genetic variation within natural populations, the factors underlying the evolutionary success of this species remain unclear. RESULTS Here, after the assembly of a 1.28-Gb reference genome and the resequencing of 14 individuals from two independent populations, we reveal a complex pan-genomic architecture in M. galloprovincialis, with a core set of 45,000 genes plus a strikingly high number of dispensable genes (20,000) subject to presence-absence variation, which may be entirely missing in several individuals. We show that dispensable genes are associated with hemizygous genomic regions affected by structural variants, which overall account for nearly 580 Mb of DNA sequence not included in the reference genome assembly. As such, this is the first study to report the widespread occurrence of gene presence-absence variation at a whole-genome scale in the animal kingdom. CONCLUSIONS Dispensable genes usually belong to young and recently expanded gene families enriched in survival functions, which might be the key to explain the resilience and invasiveness of this species. This unique pan-genome architecture is characterized by dispensable genes in accessory genomic regions that exceed by orders of magnitude those observed in other metazoans, including humans, and closely mirror the open pan-genomes found in prokaryotes and in a few non-metazoan eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Gerdol
- Department of Life Sciences, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Rebeca Moreira
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (IIM - CSIC), Eduardo Cabello, 6, 36208 Vigo, Spain
| | - Fernando Cruz
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jessica Gómez-Garrido
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Vlasova
- CRG - Centre for Genomic Regulation, Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Umberto Rosani
- Department of Biology, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Paola Venier
- Department of Biology, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Miguel A. Naranjo-Ortiz
- CRG - Centre for Genomic Regulation, Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Murgarella
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
| | - Samuele Greco
- Department of Life Sciences, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Pablo Balseiro
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (IIM - CSIC), Eduardo Cabello, 6, 36208 Vigo, Spain
- Norce Norwegian Research Centre AS, Bergen, Norway
| | - André Corvelo
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY 10013 USA
| | - Leonor Frias
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Gut
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- CRG - Centre for Genomic Regulation, Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
- Current address: Barelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC-CNS) and Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Pallavicini
- Department of Life Sciences, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, 34127 Trieste, Italy
- Anton Dohrn Zoological Station, 80121 Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Carlos Canchaya
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
- Biomedical Research Center (CINBIO), University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
- Galicia Sur Health Research Institute, 36310 Vigo, Spain
| | - Beatriz Novoa
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (IIM - CSIC), Eduardo Cabello, 6, 36208 Vigo, Spain
| | - Tyler S. Alioto
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Posada
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
- Biomedical Research Center (CINBIO), University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
- Galicia Sur Health Research Institute, 36310 Vigo, Spain
| | - Antonio Figueras
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (IIM - CSIC), Eduardo Cabello, 6, 36208 Vigo, Spain
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