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Unuofin JO, Odeniyi OA, Majengbasan OS, Igwaran A, Moloantoa KM, Khetsha ZP, Iwarere SA, Daramola MO. Chitinases: expanding the boundaries of knowledge beyond routinized chitin degradation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:38045-38060. [PMID: 38789707 PMCID: PMC11195638 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33728-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Chitinases, enzymes that degrade chitin, have long been studied for their role in various biological processes. They play crucial roles in the moulting process of invertebrates, the digestion of chitinous food, and defense against chitin-bearing pathogens. Additionally, chitinases are involved in physiological functions in crustaceans, such as chitinous food digestion, moulting, and stress response. Moreover, chitinases are universally distributed in organisms from viruses to mammals and have diverse functions including tissue degradation and remodeling, nutrition uptake, pathogen invasion, and immune response regulation. The discovery of these diverse functions expands our understanding of the biological significance and potential applications of chitinases. However, recent research has shown that chitinases possess several other functions beyond just chitin degradation. Their potential as biopesticides, therapeutic agents, and tools for bioremediation underscores their significance in addressing global challenges. More importantly, we noted that they may be applied as bioweapons if ethical regulations regarding production, engineering and application are overlooked.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Onolame Unuofin
- Sustainable Energy and Environment Research Group (SEERG), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, University of Pretoria, Private bag X20 Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
| | | | | | - Aboi Igwaran
- The Life Science Center Biology, School of Sciences and Technology, Örebro University, 701 82, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Karabelo MacMillan Moloantoa
- Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of Kwazulu Natal, Private Bag X540001, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Zenzile Peter Khetsha
- Department of Agriculture, Central University of Technology, Free State, Private Bag X20539, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa
| | - Samuel Ayodele Iwarere
- Sustainable Energy and Environment Research Group (SEERG), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, University of Pretoria, Private bag X20 Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Michael Olawale Daramola
- Sustainable Energy and Environment Research Group (SEERG), Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, University of Pretoria, Private bag X20 Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
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Banović P, Rodríguez I, Jakimovski D. Current Status and Challenges Associated with Tick-Borne Pathogens and Diseases: Where Do We Stand? Pathogens 2023; 12:1271. [PMID: 37887787 PMCID: PMC10609814 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12101271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Lyme Borreliosis (LB), caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavle Banović
- Clinic for Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
- Department of Microbiology with Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Islay Rodríguez
- National Reference Laboratory of Treponemes and Special Pathogens, Tropical Medicine Institute “Pedro Kourí”, Havana 10400, Cuba;
| | - Dejan Jakimovski
- Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia
- University Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Febrile Conditions, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia
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Abstract
It has been widely appreciated that numerous bacterial species express chitinases for the purpose of degrading environmental chitin. However, chitinases and chitin-binding proteins are also expressed by pathogenic bacterial species during infection even though mammals do not produce chitin. Alternative molecular targets are therefore likely present within the host. Here, we will describe our current understanding of chitinase/chitin-binding proteins as virulence factors that promote bacterial colonization and infection. The targets of these chitinases in the host have been shown to include immune system components, mucins, and surface glycans. Bacterial chitinases have also been shown to interact with other microorganisms, targeting the peptidoglycan or chitin in the bacterial and fungal cell wall, respectively. This review highlights that even though the name "chitinase" implies activity toward chitin, chitinases can have a wide diversity of targets, including ones relevant to host infection. Chitinases may therefore be useful as a target of future anti-infective therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason R. Devlin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Judith Behnsen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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González J, Fonseca DM, Toledo A. Seasonal Dynamics of Tick Species in the Ecotone of Parks and Recreational Areas in Middlesex County (New Jersey, USA). INSECTS 2023; 14:258. [PMID: 36975943 PMCID: PMC10057079 DOI: 10.3390/insects14030258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
People often use parks and other forested areas for outdoor activities such as hiking and walking their dogs. Areas of primary use are paths or grassy meadows on the edges of the forests that constitute transitional areas between different plant communities (aka ecotones). In this study, we monitored the seasonal dynamics of questing ticks in forest/meadow and forest/path ecotones in five areas in Middlesex County, New Jersey (NJ). We found anthropophilic species such as Ixodes scapularis, Amblyomma americanum, and Dermacentor variabilis coexisting with Haemaphysalis longicornis, an invasive tick species first detected in NJ in 2017. Surveillance was conducted weekly from March to November 2020, and collected ticks were identified. The most abundant tick species was H. longicornis (83%), followed by A. americanum (9%), I. scapularis (7%), and D. variabilis (<1%). The seasonal dynamics of A. americanum and I. scapularis in the ecotone were similar to previous surveys in forest habitats. The presence of anthropophilic ticks, particularly I. scapularis, suggests the need for specific control approaches to target these habitats. In addition, the extraordinarily high numbers of H. longicornis collected in ecotones (1.70 ticks/m2) and frequent reports of this species on dogs highlight the importance of monitoring its expansion due to its potential as a vector of animal and human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dina M. Fonseca
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, 180 Jones Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Alvaro Toledo
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, 180 Jones Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
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Cao R, Ren Q, Luo J, Tian Z, Liu W, Zhao B, Li J, Diao P, Tan Y, Qiu X, Zhang G, Wang Q, Guan G, Luo J, Yin H, Liu G. Analysis of Microorganism Diversity in Haemaphysalis longicornis From Shaanxi, China, Based on Metagenomic Sequencing. Front Genet 2021; 12:723773. [PMID: 34567077 PMCID: PMC8458759 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.723773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks are dangerous ectoparasites of humans and animals, as they are important disease vectors and serve as hosts for various microorganisms (including a variety of pathogenic microorganisms). Diverse microbial populations coexist within the tick body. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has been suggested to be useful for rapidly and accurately obtaining microorganism abundance and diversity data. In this study, we performed mNGS to analyze the microbial diversity of Haemaphysalis longicornis from Baoji, Shaanxi, China, with the Illumina HiSeq platform. We identified 189 microbial genera (and 284 species) from ticks in the region; the identified taxa included Anaplasma spp., Rickettsia spp., Ehrlichia spp., and other important tick-borne pathogens at the genus level as well as symbiotic microorganisms such as Wolbachia spp., and Candidatus Entotheonella. The results of this study provide insights into possible tick-borne diseases and reveal new tick-borne pathogens in this region. Additionally, valuable information for the biological control of ticks is provided. In conclusion, this study provides reference data for guiding the development of prevention and control strategies targeting ticks and tick-borne diseases in the region, which can improve the effectiveness of tick and tick-borne disease control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runlai Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qiaoyun Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jin Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhancheng Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wenge Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Bo Zhao
- Gansu Agriculture Technology College, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jing Li
- Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center of Qinghai Province, Xining, China
| | - Peiwen Diao
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yangchun Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaofei Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Gaofeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qilin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Guiquan Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jianxun Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hong Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonose, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Guangyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
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Tick extracellular vesicles enable arthropod feeding and promote distinct outcomes of bacterial infection. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3696. [PMID: 34140472 PMCID: PMC8211691 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23900-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles are thought to facilitate pathogen transmission from arthropods to humans and other animals. Here, we reveal that pathogen spreading from arthropods to the mammalian host is multifaceted. Extracellular vesicles from Ixodes scapularis enable tick feeding and promote infection of the mildly virulent rickettsial agent Anaplasma phagocytophilum through the SNARE proteins Vamp33 and Synaptobrevin 2 and dendritic epidermal T cells. However, extracellular vesicles from the tick Dermacentor andersoni mitigate microbial spreading caused by the lethal pathogen Francisella tularensis. Collectively, we establish that tick extracellular vesicles foster distinct outcomes of bacterial infection and assist in vector feeding by acting on skin immunity. Thus, the biology of arthropods should be taken into consideration when developing strategies to control vector-borne diseases.
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