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Dubik M, Pilecki B, Moeller JB. Commensal Intestinal Protozoa-Underestimated Members of the Gut Microbial Community. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1742. [PMID: 36552252 PMCID: PMC9774987 DOI: 10.3390/biology11121742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The human gastrointestinal microbiota contains a diverse consortium of microbes, including bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and fungi. Through millennia of co-evolution, the host-microbiota interactions have shaped the immune system to both tolerate and maintain the symbiotic relationship with commensal microbiota, while exerting protective responses against invading pathogens. Microbiome research is dominated by studies describing the impact of prokaryotic bacteria on gut immunity with a limited understanding of their relationship with other integral microbiota constituents. However, converging evidence shows that eukaryotic organisms, such as commensal protozoa, can play an important role in modulating intestinal immune responses as well as influencing the overall health of the host. The presence of several protozoa species has recently been shown to be a common occurrence in healthy populations worldwide, suggesting that many of these are commensals rather than invading pathogens. This review aims to discuss the most recent, conflicting findings regarding the role of intestinal protozoa in gut homeostasis, interactions between intestinal protozoa and the bacterial microbiota, as well as potential immunological consequences of protozoa colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Dubik
- Department of Cancer and Inflammation Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Bartosz Pilecki
- Department of Cancer and Inflammation Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Jesper Bonnet Moeller
- Department of Cancer and Inflammation Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
- Danish Institute for Advanced Study, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
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2
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Patino LH, Muskus C, Muñoz M, Ramírez JD. Genomic analyses reveal moderate levels of ploidy, high heterozygosity and structural variations in a Colombian isolate of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. Acta Trop 2020; 203:105296. [PMID: 31836281 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania amazonensis is one of the causative agents of the different forms of cutaneous leishmaniasis present in Latin America. This species has been isolated from humans and animals (canine/feline) in some endemic regions of Colombia. Therefore, L. amazonensis is of great relevance at the clinical and epidemiological levels in medicine and veterinary science. Until now, very few genomes from this species are available. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a laboratory-adapted L. amazonensis strain isolated from a human patient with clinical manifestation of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Colombia. The genome sequence not only allowed inter and intra-species comparative analyses to be performed with the sequenced genomes of L. amazonensis strains from different geographical regions, but also increased our knowledge about the genomic behavior of this L. amazonensis Colombian strain. This isolate was also characterized in terms of single nucleotide polymorphisms, chromosome and gene copy number variations (CNVs). The results revealed moderate aneuploidy, CNVs in genes involved in the virulence, growth, and survival of the parasite, and in the distributions of the multicopy genes on some chromosomes, as well as a high level of heterozygosity. The data confirmed previous reports that identified unique variations in L. amazonensis, suggesting aneuploidy may not have a high fitness cost and may allow the rapid generation of diversity in Leishmania parasites growing normally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luz H Patino
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carlos Muskus
- Programa de Control y Estudio de Enfermedades Tropicales (PECET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Marina Muñoz
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia..
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3
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Tschoeke DA, Nunes GL, Jardim R, Lima J, Dumaresq AS, Gomes MR, de Mattos Pereira L, Loureiro DR, Stoco PH, de Matos Guedes HL, de Miranda AB, Ruiz J, Pitaluga A, Silva FP, Probst CM, Dickens NJ, Mottram JC, Grisard EC, Dávila AM. The Comparative Genomics and Phylogenomics of Leishmania amazonensis Parasite. Evol Bioinform Online 2014; 10:131-53. [PMID: 25336895 PMCID: PMC4182287 DOI: 10.4137/ebo.s13759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2013] [Revised: 02/21/2014] [Accepted: 02/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease caused by Leishmania species. Leishmania amazonensis is a New World Leishmania species belonging to the Mexicana complex, which is able to cause all types of leishmaniasis infections. The L. amazonensis reference strain MHOM/BR/1973/M2269 was sequenced identifying 8,802 codifying sequences (CDS), most of them of hypothetical function. Comparative analysis using six Leishmania species showed a core set of 7,016 orthologs. L. amazonensis and Leishmania mexicana share the largest number of distinct orthologs, while Leishmania braziliensis presented the largest number of inparalogs. Additionally, phylogenomic analysis confirmed the taxonomic position for L. amazonensis within the “Mexicana complex”, reinforcing understanding of the split of New and Old World Leishmania. Potential non-homologous isofunctional enzymes (NISE) were identified between L. amazonensis and Homo sapiens that could provide new drug targets for development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo A Tschoeke
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gisele L Nunes
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Jardim
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Joana Lima
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Aline Sr Dumaresq
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Monete R Gomes
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Leandro de Mattos Pereira
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Daniel R Loureiro
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Patricia H Stoco
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Herbert Leonel de Matos Guedes
- Laboratório de Inflamação Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Immunity, Infection and Inflammation, College of MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Antonio Basilio de Miranda
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jeronimo Ruiz
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Instituto René Rachou (Fiocruz/IRR), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - André Pitaluga
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Floriano P Silva
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Laboratório de Bioquímica de Proteínas e Peptídeos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Christian M Probst
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Instituto Carlos Chagas (Fiocruz/ICC), Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Nicholas J Dickens
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Immunity, Infection and Inflammation, College of MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jeremy C Mottram
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Immunity, Infection and Inflammation, College of MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Edmundo C Grisard
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Alberto Mr Dávila
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Cuadrat RRC, da Serra Cruz SM, Tschoeke DA, Silva E, Tosta F, Jucá H, Jardim R, Campos MLM, Mattoso M, Dávila AMR. An orthology-based analysis of pathogenic protozoa impacting global health: an improved comparative genomics approach with prokaryotes and model eukaryote orthologs. OMICS-A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2014; 18:524-38. [PMID: 24960463 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2013.0172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
A key focus in 21(st) century integrative biology and drug discovery for neglected tropical and other diseases has been the use of BLAST-based computational methods for identification of orthologous groups in pathogenic organisms to discern orthologs, with a view to evaluate similarities and differences among species, and thus allow the transfer of annotation from known/curated proteins to new/non-annotated ones. We used here a profile-based sensitive methodology to identify distant homologs, coupled to the NCBI's COG (Unicellular orthologs) and KOG (Eukaryote orthologs), permitting us to perform comparative genomics analyses on five protozoan genomes. OrthoSearch was used in five protozoan proteomes showing that 3901 and 7473 orthologs can be identified by comparison with COG and KOG proteomes, respectively. The core protozoa proteome inferred was 418 Protozoa-COG orthologous groups and 704 Protozoa-KOG orthologous groups: (i) 31.58% (132/418) belongs to the category J (translation, ribosomal structure, and biogenesis), and 9.81% (41/418) to the category O (post-translational modification, protein turnover, chaperones) using COG; (ii) 21.45% (151/704) belongs to the categories J, and 13.92% (98/704) to the O using KOG. The phylogenomic analysis showed four well-supported clades for Eukarya, discriminating Multicellular [(i) human, fly, plant and worm] and Unicellular [(ii) yeast, (iii) fungi, and (iv) protozoa] species. These encouraging results attest to the usefulness of the profile-based methodology for comparative genomics to accelerate semi-automatic re-annotation, especially of the protozoan proteomes. This approach may also lend itself for applications in global health, for example, in the case of novel drug target discovery against pathogenic organisms previously considered difficult to research with traditional drug discovery tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael R C Cuadrat
- 1 Computational and Systems Biology Laboratory, Computational and Systems Biology Pole, Oswaldo Cruz Institute , Fiocruz, Brazil
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Lang JM, Darling AE, Eisen JA. Phylogeny of bacterial and archaeal genomes using conserved genes: supertrees and supermatrices. PLoS One 2013; 8:e62510. [PMID: 23638103 PMCID: PMC3636077 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2012] [Accepted: 03/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Over 3000 microbial (bacterial and archaeal) genomes have been made publically available to date, providing an unprecedented opportunity to examine evolutionary genomic trends and offering valuable reference data for a variety of other studies such as metagenomics. The utility of these genome sequences is greatly enhanced when we have an understanding of how they are phylogenetically related to each other. Therefore, we here describe our efforts to reconstruct the phylogeny of all available bacterial and archaeal genomes. We identified 24, single-copy, ubiquitous genes suitable for this phylogenetic analysis. We used two approaches to combine the data for the 24 genes. First, we concatenated alignments of all genes into a single alignment from which a Maximum Likelihood (ML) tree was inferred using RAxML. Second, we used a relatively new approach to combining gene data, Bayesian Concordance Analysis (BCA), as implemented in the BUCKy software, in which the results of 24 single-gene phylogenetic analyses are used to generate a "primary concordance" tree. A comparison of the concatenated ML tree and the primary concordance (BUCKy) tree reveals that the two approaches give similar results, relative to a phylogenetic tree inferred from the 16S rRNA gene. After comparing the results and the methods used, we conclude that the current best approach for generating a single phylogenetic tree, suitable for use as a reference phylogeny for comparative analyses, is to perform a maximum likelihood analysis of a concatenated alignment of conserved, single-copy genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Morgan Lang
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, California, United States of America
| | - Aaron E. Darling
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Jonathan A. Eisen
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, California, United States of America
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