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Shah S, Ilyas M, Bian S, Yang FL. Discussion: Harnessing microbiome-mediated adaptations in insect pollinators to mitigate climate change impact on crop pollination. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 915:170145. [PMID: 38242478 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Insect pollinators, vital for agriculture and biodiversity, face escalating threats from climate change. We argue and explore the pivotal role of the microbiomes in shaping adaptations of insect pollinator resilience amid climate-induced challenges (climate change and habitat alteration). Examining diverse taxonomic groups, we unravel the interplay between insect physiology, microbiomes, and adaptive mechanisms. Climate-driven alterations in microbiomes impact insect health, behavior, and plant interactions, posing significant effects on agricultural ecosystems. We propose harnessing microbiome-mediated adaptations as a strategic approach to mitigate climate change impacts on crop pollination. Insights into insect-pollinator microbiomes offer transformative avenues for sustainable agriculture, including probiotic interventions (use of EM PROBIOTIC) and microbiome engineering (such as engineering gut bacteria) to induce immune responses and enhanced pollination services. Integrating microbiome insights into conservation practices elucidates strategies for preserving pollinator habitats, optimizing agricultural landscapes, and developing policies to safeguard pollinator health in the face of environmental changes. Finally, we stress interdisciplinary collaboration and the urgency of understanding pollinator microbiome dynamics under climate change in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakhawat Shah
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Muhammad Ilyas
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 666316 Menglun, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Sufen Bian
- Department of Gardening and Horticulture, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Feng-Lian Yang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
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Bisen M, Kharga K, Mehta S, Jabi N, Kumar L. Bacteriophages in nature: recent advances in research tools and diverse environmental and biotechnological applications. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:22199-22242. [PMID: 38411907 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32535-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Bacteriophages infect and replicate within bacteria and play a key role in the environment, particularly in microbial ecosystems and bacterial population dynamics. The increasing recognition of their significance stems from their wide array of environmental and biotechnological uses, which encompass the mounting issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Beyond their therapeutic potential in combating antibiotic-resistant infections, bacteriophages also find vast applications such as water quality monitoring, bioremediation, and nutrient cycling within environmental sciences. Researchers are actively involved in isolating and characterizing bacteriophages from different natural sources to explore their applications. Gaining insights into key aspects such as the life cycle of bacteriophages, their host range, immune interactions, and physical stability is vital to enhance their application potential. The establishment of diverse phage libraries has become indispensable to facilitate their wide-ranging uses. Consequently, numerous protocols, ranging from traditional to cutting-edge techniques, have been developed for the isolation, detection, purification, and characterization of bacteriophages from diverse environmental sources. This review offers an exploration of tools, delves into the methods of isolation, characterization, and the extensive environmental applications of bacteriophages, particularly in areas like water quality assessment, the food sector, therapeutic interventions, and the phage therapy in various infections and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monish Bisen
- School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Kusum Kharga
- School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Sakshi Mehta
- School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Nashra Jabi
- School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Lokender Kumar
- School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India.
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Raj Khosla Centre for Cancer Research, Shoolini University, Himachal Pradesh, Solan, 173229, India.
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Yousefi MH, Wagemans J, Shekarforoush SS, Vallino M, Pozhydaieva N, Höfer K, Lavigne R, Hosseinzadeh S. Isolation and molecular characterization of the Salmonella Typhimurium orphan phage Arash. BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:297. [PMID: 37858092 PMCID: PMC10585845 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-03056-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The current threat of multidrug resistant strains necessitates development of alternatives to antibiotics such as bacteriophages. This study describes the isolation and characterization of a novel Salmonella Typhimurium phage 'Arash' from hospital wastewater in Leuven, Belgium. Arash has a myovirus morphology with a 95 nm capsid and a 140 nm tail. The host range of Arash is restricted to its isolation host. Approximately 86% of the phage particles are adsorbed to a host cell within 10 min. Arash has latent period of 65 min and burst size of 425 PFU/cell. Arash has a dsDNA genome of 180,819 bp with GC content of 53.02% with no similarities to any characterized phages, suggesting Arash as a novel species in the novel 'Arashvirus' genus. Arash carries no apparent lysogeny-, antibiotic resistance- nor virulence-related genes. Proteome analysis revealed 116 proteins as part of the mature phage particles of which 27 could be assigned a function. Therefore, the present findings shed light on the morphological, microbiological and genomic characteristics of Arash and suggest its potential application as therapeutic and/or biocontrol agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Hashem Yousefi
- Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, 71946- 84471, Iran
| | | | - Seyed Shahram Shekarforoush
- Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, 71946- 84471, Iran
| | - Marta Vallino
- Institute of Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy, Turin, 10135, Italy
| | - Nadiia Pozhydaieva
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, SYNMIKRO, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 16, Marburg, 35043, Germany
| | - Katharina Höfer
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, SYNMIKRO, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 16, Marburg, 35043, Germany
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Saeid Hosseinzadeh
- Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, 71946- 84471, Iran.
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da Silva JD, Bens L, Santos AJDC, Lavigne R, Soares J, Melo LDR, Vallino M, Dias RS, Drulis-Kawa Z, de Paula SO, Wagemans J. Isolation and Characterization of the Acadevirus Members BigMira and MidiMira Infecting a Highly Pathogenic Proteus mirabilis Strain. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2141. [PMID: 37763984 PMCID: PMC10537623 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092141] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteus mirabilis is an opportunistic pathogen and is responsible for more than 40% of all cases of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). Healthcare-associated infections have been aggravated by the constant emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Because of this, the use of phages to combat bacterial infections gained renewed interest. In this study, we describe the biological and genomic features of two P. mirabilis phages, named BigMira and MidiMira. These phages belong to the Acadevirus genus (family Autographiviridae). BigMira and MidiMira are highly similar, differing only in four missense mutations in their phage tail fiber. These mutations are sufficient to impact the phages' depolymerase activity. Subsequently, the comparative genomic analysis of ten clinical P. mirabilis strains revealed differences in their antibiotic resistance profiles and lipopolysaccharide locus, with the latter potentially explaining the host range data of the phages. The massive presence of antimicrobial resistance genes, especially in the phages' isolation strain P. mirabilis MCS, highlights the challenges in treating infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. The findings reinforce BigMira and MidiMira phages as candidates for phage therapy purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica Duarte da Silva
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunovirology, Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, Brazil; (J.D.d.S.); (A.J.d.C.S.); (J.S.); (S.O.d.P.)
| | - Lene Bens
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, Division of Animal and Human Health Engineering, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (L.B.); (R.L.)
| | - Adriele J. do Carmo Santos
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunovirology, Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, Brazil; (J.D.d.S.); (A.J.d.C.S.); (J.S.); (S.O.d.P.)
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, Division of Animal and Human Health Engineering, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (L.B.); (R.L.)
| | - José Soares
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunovirology, Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, Brazil; (J.D.d.S.); (A.J.d.C.S.); (J.S.); (S.O.d.P.)
| | - Luís D. R. Melo
- Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal;
- LABBELS—Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Marta Vallino
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy, 10135 Torino, Italy;
| | - Roberto Sousa Dias
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, Brazil;
| | - Zuzanna Drulis-Kawa
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, University of Wroclaw, 50-335 Wroclaw, Poland;
| | - Sérgio Oliveira de Paula
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunovirology, Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, Brazil; (J.D.d.S.); (A.J.d.C.S.); (J.S.); (S.O.d.P.)
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, Brazil;
| | - Jeroen Wagemans
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, Division of Animal and Human Health Engineering, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (L.B.); (R.L.)
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Azari R, Yousefi MH, Taghipour Z, Wagemans J, Lavigne R, Hosseinzadeh S, Mazloomi SM, Vallino M, Khalatbari-Limaki S, Berizi E. Application of the lytic bacteriophage Rostam to control Salmonella enteritidis in eggs. Int J Food Microbiol 2023; 389:110097. [PMID: 36731200 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Foodborne Salmonella enteritidis infections place human health at risk, driven by regular outbreaks and individual cases by different contaminated food materials. This study was conducted to characterize and employ a single bacteriophage as a potential biocontrol agent. Phage Rostam was isolated, characterized and then applied as biocontrol agent against S. enteritidis in liquid whole eggs and eggshell. Rostam is a novel myovirus belonging to the Rosemountvirus genus and active against Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. Rostam is stable in a pH range from 4 to 10, a salt concentration of 1-9 %, whereas UV radiation gradually reduces phage stability, and its 53 kb genome sequence indicates this phage does not contain known toxins or lysogeny-associated genes. Its latent period is short with a burst size of 151 PFU/cell, under standard growth conditions. Killing curves indicate that at higher multiplicities of infection (MOI), the reduction in S. enteritidis count is more pronounced. Phage Rostam (MOI 10,000) reduces S. enteritidis growth to below the detection limit at 4 °C in both liquid whole eggs and on the eggshell within 24 h. Due to its high lytic activity and stability in relevant conditions, Rostam has the potential to be an efficient biopreservative for egg and egg products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahim Azari
- Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hashem Yousefi
- Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Zohreh Taghipour
- Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | - Rob Lavigne
- Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Saeid Hosseinzadeh
- Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Mazloomi
- Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Marta Vallino
- Institute of Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy, 10135 Turin, Italy
| | - Sepideh Khalatbari-Limaki
- Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Enayat Berizi
- Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
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Transcriptomics-Driven Characterization of LUZ100, a T7-like Pseudomonas Phage with Temperate Features. mSystems 2023; 8:e0118922. [PMID: 36794936 PMCID: PMC10134795 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01189-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Autographiviridae is a diverse yet distinct family of bacterial viruses marked by a strictly lytic lifestyle and a generally conserved genome organization. Here, we characterized Pseudomonas aeruginosa phage LUZ100, a distant relative of type phage T7. LUZ100 is a podovirus with a limited host range which likely uses lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as a phage receptor. Interestingly, infection dynamics of LUZ100 indicated moderate adsorption rates and low virulence, hinting at temperate characteristics. This hypothesis was supported by genomic analysis, which showed that LUZ100 shares the conventional T7-like genome organization yet carries key genes associated with a temperate lifestyle. To unravel the peculiar characteristics of LUZ100, ONT-cappable-seq transcriptomics analysis was performed. These data provided a bird's-eye view of the LUZ100 transcriptome and enabled the discovery of key regulatory elements, antisense RNA, and transcriptional unit structures. The transcriptional map of LUZ100 also allowed us to identify new RNA polymerase (RNAP)-promoter pairs that can form the basis for biotechnological parts and tools for new synthetic transcription regulation circuitry. The ONT-cappable-seq data revealed that the LUZ100 integrase and a MarR-like regulator (proposed to be involved in the lytic/lysogeny decision) are actively cotranscribed in an operon. In addition, the presence of a phage-specific promoter transcribing the phage-encoded RNA polymerase raises questions on the regulation of this polymerase and suggests that it is interwoven with the MarR-based regulation. This transcriptomics-driven characterization of LUZ100 supports recent evidence that T7-like phages should not automatically be assumed to have a strictly lytic life cycle. IMPORTANCE Bacteriophage T7, considered the "model phage" of the Autographiviridae family, is marked by a strictly lytic life cycle and conserved genome organization. Recently, novel phages within this clade have emerged which display characteristics associated with a temperate life cycle. Screening for temperate behavior is of utmost importance in fields like phage therapy, where strictly lytic phages are generally required for therapeutic applications. In this study, we applied an omics-driven approach to characterize the T7-like Pseudomonas aeruginosa phage LUZ100. These results led to the identification of actively transcribed lysogeny-associated genes in the phage genome, pointing out that temperate T7-like phages are emerging more frequent than initially thought. In short, the combination of genomics and transcriptomics allowed us to obtain a better understanding of the biology of nonmodel Autographiviridae phages, which can be used to optimize the implementation of phages and their regulatory elements in phage therapy and biotechnological applications, respectively.
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Eberhard FE, Klimpel S, Guarneri AA, Tobias NJ. Exposure to Trypanosoma parasites induces changes in the microbiome of the Chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:45. [PMID: 35272716 PMCID: PMC8908696 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01240-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The causative agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, and its nonpathogenic relative, Trypanosoma rangeli, are transmitted by haematophagous triatomines and undergo a crucial ontogenetic phase in the insect's intestine. In the process, the parasites interfere with the host immune system as well as the microbiome present in the digestive tract potentially establishing an environment advantageous for development. However, the coherent interactions between host, pathogen and microbiota have not yet been elucidated in detail. We applied a metagenome shotgun sequencing approach to study the alterations in the microbiota of Rhodnius prolixus, a major vector of Chagas disease, after exposure to T. cruzi and T. rangeli focusing also on the functional capacities present in the intestinal microbiome of the insect. RESULTS The intestinal microbiota of R. prolixus was dominated by the bacterial orders Enterobacterales, Corynebacteriales, Lactobacillales, Clostridiales and Chlamydiales, whereas the latter conceivably originated from the blood used for pathogen exposure. The anterior and posterior midgut samples of the exposed insects showed a reduced overall number of organisms compared to the control group. However, we also found enriched bacterial groups after exposure to T. cruzi as well as T rangeli. While the relative abundance of Enterobacterales and Corynebacteriales decreased considerably, the Lactobacillales, mainly composed of the genus Enterococcus, developed as the most abundant taxonomic group. This applies in particular to vectors challenged with T. rangeli and at early timepoints after exposure to vectors challenged with T. cruzi. Furthermore, we were able to reconstruct four metagenome-assembled genomes from the intestinal samples and elucidate their unique metabolic functionalities within the triatomine microbiome, including the genome of a recently described insect symbiont, Candidatus Symbiopectobacterium, and the secondary metabolites producing bacteria Kocuria spp. CONCLUSIONS Our results facilitate a deeper understanding of the processes that take place in the intestinal tract of triatomine vectors during colonisation by trypanosomal parasites and highlight the influential aspects of pathogen-microbiota interactions. In particular, the mostly unexplored metabolic capacities of the insect vector's microbiome are clearer, underlining its role in the transmission of Chagas disease. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny E. Eberhard
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Biologicum Campus Riedberg, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60439 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Sven Klimpel
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Biologicum Campus Riedberg, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60439 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Alessandra A. Guarneri
- Vector Behaviour and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou, Avenida Augusto de Lima,1715, Belo Horizonte, MG CEP 30190-009 Brazil
| | - Nicholas J. Tobias
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
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Salazar MM, Pupo MT, Brown AMV. Co-Occurrence of Viruses, Plant Pathogens, and Symbionts in an Underexplored Hemipteran Clade. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:715998. [PMID: 34513731 PMCID: PMC8426549 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.715998] [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: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions between insect symbionts and plant pathogens are dynamic and complex, sometimes involving direct antagonism or synergy and sometimes involving ecological and evolutionary leaps, as insect symbionts transmit through plant tissues or plant pathogens transition to become insect symbionts. Hemipterans such as aphids, whiteflies, psyllids, leafhoppers, and planthoppers are well-studied plant pests that host diverse symbionts and vector plant pathogens. The related hemipteran treehoppers (family Membracidae) are less well-studied but offer a potentially new and diverse array of symbionts and plant pathogenic interactions through their distinct woody plant hosts and ecological interactions with diverse tending hymenopteran taxa. To explore membracid symbiont–pathogen diversity and co-occurrence, this study performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing on 20 samples (16 species) of treehopper, and characterized putative symbionts and pathogens using a combination of rapid blast database searches and phylogenetic analysis of assembled scaffolds and correlation analysis. Among the 8.7 billion base pairs of scaffolds assembled were matches to 9 potential plant pathogens, 12 potential primary and secondary insect endosymbionts, numerous bacteriophages, and other viruses, entomopathogens, and fungi. Notable discoveries include a divergent Brenneria plant pathogen-like organism, several bee-like Bombella and Asaia strains, novel strains of Arsenophonus-like and Sodalis-like symbionts, Ralstonia sp. and Ralstonia-type phages, Serratia sp., and APSE-type phages and bracoviruses. There were several short Phytoplasma and Spiroplasma matches, but there was no indication of plant viruses in these data. Clusters of positively correlated microbes such as yeast-like symbionts and Ralstonia, viruses and Serratia, and APSE phage with parasitoid-type bracoviruses suggest directions for future analyses. Together, results indicate membracids offer a rich palette for future study of symbiont–plant pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- McKinlee M Salazar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Mônica T Pupo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Amanda M V Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
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