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Juliano CE. Metabolites play an underappreciated role in development. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2410810121. [PMID: 38976745 PMCID: PMC11260119 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2410810121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Celina E. Juliano
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA95616
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2
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de Miguel Bonet MDM, Hartenstein V. Ultrastructural analysis and 3D reconstruction of the frontal sensory-glandular complex and its neural projections in the platyhelminth Macrostomum lignano. Cell Tissue Res 2024:10.1007/s00441-024-03901-x. [PMID: 38898317 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-024-03901-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
The marine microturbellarian Macrostomum lignano (Platyhelminthes, Rhabditophora) is an emerging laboratory model used by a growing community of researchers because it is easy to cultivate, has a fully sequenced genome, and offers multiple molecular tools for its study. M. lignano has a compartmentalized brain that receives sensory information from receptors integrated in the epidermis. Receptors of the head, as well as accompanying glands and specialized epidermal cells, form a compound sensory structure called the frontal glandular complex. In this study, we used semi-serial transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to document the types, ultrastructure, and three-dimensional architecture of the cells of the frontal glandular complex. We distinguish a ventral compartment formed by clusters of type 1 (multiciliated) sensory receptors from a central domain where type 2 (collar) sensory receptors predominate. Six different types of glands (rhammite glands, mucoid glands, glands with aster-like and perimaculate granula, vacuolated glands, and buckle glands) are closely associated with type 1 sensory receptors. Endings of a seventh type of gland (rhabdite gland) define a dorsal domain of the frontal glandular complex. A pair of ciliary photoreceptors is closely associated with the base of the frontal glandular complex. Bundles of dendrites, connecting the receptor endings with their cell bodies which are located in the brain, form the (frontal) peripheral nerves. Nerve fibers show a varicose structure, with thick segments alternating with thin segments, and are devoid of a glial layer. This distinguishes platyhelminths from larger and/or more complex invertebrates whose nerves are embedded in prominent glial sheaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Del Mar de Miguel Bonet
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Alcalá (UAH), Madrid, Spain
- BioWorld Science, Clarivate Analytics, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Volker Hartenstein
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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3
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Gąsiorowski L, Chai C, Rozanski A, Purandare G, Ficze F, Mizi A, Wang B, Rink JC. Regeneration in the absence of canonical neoblasts in an early branching flatworm. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.24.595708. [PMID: 38853907 PMCID: PMC11160568 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.24.595708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The remarkable regenerative abilities of flatworms are closely linked to neoblasts - adult pluripotent stem cells that are the only division-competent cell type outside of the reproductive system. Although the presence of neoblast-like cells and whole-body regeneration in other animals has led to the idea that these features may represent the ancestral metazoan state, the evolutionary origin of both remains unclear. Here we show that the catenulid Stenostomum brevipharyngium, a member of the earliest-branching flatworm lineage, lacks conventional neoblasts despite being capable of whole-body regeneration and asexual reproduction. Using a combination of single-nuclei transcriptomics, in situ gene expression analysis, and functional experiments, we find that cell divisions are not restricted to a single cell type and are associated with multiple fully differentiated somatic tissues. Furthermore, the cohort of germline multipotency genes, which are considered canonical neoblast markers, are not expressed in dividing cells, but in the germline instead, and we experimentally show that they are neither necessary for proliferation nor regeneration. Overall, our results challenge the notion that canonical neoblasts are necessary for flatworm regeneration and open up the possibility that neoblast-like cells may have evolved convergently in different animals, independent of their regenerative capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludwik Gąsiorowski
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Chew Chai
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
| | - Andrei Rozanski
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gargi Purandare
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Fruzsina Ficze
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Athanasia Mizi
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
| | - Jochen C Rink
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
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4
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Wendt G, Collins JJ. Horizontal gene transfer of a functional cki homolog in the human pathogen Schistosoma mansoni. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.27.596073. [PMID: 38853947 PMCID: PMC11160599 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.27.596073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Schistosomes are parasitic flatworms responsible for the neglected tropical disease schistosomiasis, causing devastating morbidity and mortality in the developing world. The parasites are protected by a skin-like tegument, and maintenance of this tegument is controlled by a schistosome ortholog of the tumor suppressor TP53. To understand mechanistically how p53-1 controls tegument production, we identified a cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor homolog (cki) that was co-expressed with p53-1. RNA interference of cki resulted in a hyperproliferation phenotype, that, in combination with p53-1 RNA interference yielded abundant tumor-like growths, indicating that cki and p53-1 are bona fide tumor suppressors in Schistosoma mansoni. Interestingly, cki homologs are widely present throughout parasitic flatworms but evidently absent from their free-living ancestors, suggesting this cki homolog came from an ancient horizontal gene transfer event. This in turn implies that the evolution of parasitism in flatworms may have been aided by a highly unusual means of metazoan genetic inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Wendt
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
| | - James J Collins
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
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5
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Woodcock MR, Powers K, Snead K, Pellettieri J. Flatworm Transcriptomes Reveal Widespread Parasitism by Histophagous Ciliates. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae007. [PMID: 38242711 PMCID: PMC10837001 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae007] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Unicellular ciliates like Tetrahymena are best known as free-living bacteriovores, but many species are facultative or obligate parasites. These "histophages" feed on the tissues of hosts ranging from planarian flatworms to commercially important fish and the larvae of imperiled freshwater mussels. Here, we developed a novel bioinformatics pipeline incorporating the nonstandard ciliate genetic code and used it to search for Ciliophora sequences in 34 publicly available Platyhelminthes EST libraries. From 2,615,036 screened ESTs, we identified nearly 6,000 high-confidence ciliate transcripts, supporting parasitism of seven additional flatworm species. We also cultured and identified Tetrahymena from nine terrestrial and freshwater planarians, including invasive earthworm predators from the genus Bipalium and the widely studied regeneration models Dugesia japonica and Schmidtea mediterranea. A co-phylogenetic reconstruction provides strong evidence for the coevolution of histophagous Ciliophora with their Platyhelminthes hosts. We further report the antiprotozoal aminoglycoside paromomycin expels Tetrahymena from S. mediterranea, providing new opportunities to investigate the effects of this relationship on planarian biology. Together, our findings raise the possibility that invasive flatworms constitute a novel dispersal mechanism for Tetrahymena parasites and position the Platyhelminthes as an ideal model phylum for studying the ecology and evolution of histophagous ciliates.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ryan Woodcock
- Department of Biology, Keene State College, Keene, NH, USA
- Department of Science, Mathematics and Technology, Medaille University, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Natural Science, Trocaire College, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kaleigh Powers
- Department of Biology, Keene State College, Keene, NH, USA
| | - Kirsten Snead
- Department of Science, Mathematics and Technology, Medaille University, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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6
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Vila-Farré M, Rozanski A, Ivanković M, Cleland J, Brand JN, Thalen F, Grohme MA, von Kannen S, Grosbusch AL, Vu HTK, Prieto CE, Carbayo F, Egger B, Bleidorn C, Rasko JEJ, Rink JC. Evolutionary dynamics of whole-body regeneration across planarian flatworms. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:2108-2124. [PMID: 37857891 PMCID: PMC10697840 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02221-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Regenerative abilities vary dramatically across animals. Even amongst planarian flatworms, well-known for complete regeneration from tiny body fragments, some species have restricted regeneration abilities while others are almost entirely regeneration incompetent. Here, we assemble a diverse live collection of 40 planarian species to probe the evolution of head regeneration in the group. Combining quantification of species-specific head-regeneration abilities with a comprehensive transcriptome-based phylogeny reconstruction, we show multiple independent transitions between robust whole-body regeneration and restricted regeneration in freshwater species. RNA-mediated genetic interference inhibition of canonical Wnt signalling in RNA-mediated genetic interference-sensitive species bypassed all head-regeneration defects, suggesting that the Wnt pathway is linked to the emergence of planarian regeneration defects. Our finding that Wnt signalling has multiple roles in the reproductive system of the model species Schmidtea mediterranea raises the possibility that a trade-off between egg-laying, asexual reproduction by fission/regeneration and Wnt signalling drives regenerative trait evolution. Although quantitative comparisons of Wnt signalling levels, yolk content and reproductive strategy across our species collection remained inconclusive, they revealed divergent Wnt signalling roles in the reproductive system of planarians. Altogether, our study establishes planarians as a model taxon for comparative regeneration research and presents a framework for the mechanistic evolution of regenerative abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miquel Vila-Farré
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Andrei Rozanski
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Mario Ivanković
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - James Cleland
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jeremias N Brand
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Felix Thalen
- Animal Evolution and Biodiversity, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Cardio-CARE, Medizincampus Davos, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Markus A Grohme
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | | | | | - Hanh T-K Vu
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carlos E Prieto
- Department of Zoology & Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Fernando Carbayo
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução. Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bernhard Egger
- Department of Zoology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christoph Bleidorn
- Animal Evolution and Biodiversity, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - John E J Rasko
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Cell & Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jochen C Rink
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
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7
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Van Steenkiste NWL, Wakeman KC, Söderström B, Leander BS. Patterns of host-parasite associations between marine meiofaunal flatworms (Platyhelminthes) and rhytidocystids (Apicomplexa). Sci Rep 2023; 13:21050. [PMID: 38030717 PMCID: PMC10687266 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48233-y] [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: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Microturbellarians are abundant and ubiquitous members of marine meiofaunal communities around the world. Because of their small body size, these microscopic animals are rarely considered as hosts for parasitic organisms. Indeed, many protists, both free-living and parasitic ones, equal or surpass meiofaunal animals in size. Despite several anecdotal records of "gregarines", "sporozoans", and "apicomplexans" parasitizing microturbellarians in the literature-some of them dating back to the nineteenth century-these single-celled parasites have never been identified and characterized. More recently, the sequencing of eukaryotic microbiomes in microscopic invertebrates have revealed a hidden diversity of protist parasites infecting microturbellarians and other meiofaunal animals. Here we show that apicomplexans isolated from twelve taxonomically diverse rhabdocoel taxa and one species of proseriate collected in four geographically distinct areas around the Pacific Ocean (Okinawa, Hokkaido, and British Columbia) and the Caribbean Sea (Curaçao) all belong to the apicomplexan genus Rhytidocystis. Based on comprehensive molecular phylogenies of Rhabdocoela and Proseriata inferred from both 18S and 28S rDNA sequences, as well as a molecular phylogeny of Marosporida inferred from 18S rDNA sequences, we determine the phylogenetic positions of the microturbellarian hosts and their parasites. Multiple lines of evidence, including morphological and molecular data, show that at least nine new species of Rhytidocystis infect the microturbellarian hosts collected in this study, more than doubling the number of previously recognized species of Rhytidocystis, all of which infect polychaete hosts. A cophylogenetic analysis examining patterns of phylosymbiosis between hosts and parasites suggests a complex picture of overall incongruence between host and parasite phylogenies, and varying degrees of geographic signals and taxon specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels W L Van Steenkiste
- Departments of Botany and Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Hakai Institute, Heriot Bay, Quadra Island, BC, Canada.
| | - Kevin C Wakeman
- Institute for the Advancement of High Education, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
| | - Bill Söderström
- Australian Institute for Microbiology and Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
| | - Brian S Leander
- Departments of Botany and Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Gąsiorowski L, Dittmann IL, Brand JN, Ruhwedel T, Möbius W, Egger B, Rink JC. Convergent evolution of the sensory pits in and within flatworms. BMC Biol 2023; 21:266. [PMID: 37993917 PMCID: PMC10664644 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01768-y] [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: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Unlike most free-living platyhelminths, catenulids, the sister group to all remaining flatworms, do not have eyes. Instead, the most prominent sensory structures in their heads are statocysts or sensory pits. The latter, found in the family Stenostomidae, are concave depressions located laterally on the head that represent one of the taxonomically important traits of the family. In the past, the sensory pits of flatworms have been homologized with the cephalic organs of nemerteans, a clade that occupies a sister position to platyhelminths in some recent phylogenies. To test for this homology, we studied morphology and gene expression in the sensory pits of the catenulid Stenostomum brevipharyngium. RESULTS We used confocal and electron microscopy to investigate the detailed morphology of the sensory pits, as well as their formation during regeneration and asexual reproduction. The most prevalent cell type within the organ is epidermally-derived neuron-like cells that have cell bodies embedded deeply in the brain lobes and long neurite-like processes extending to the bottom of the pit. Those elongated processes are adorned with extensive microvillar projections that fill up the cavity of the pit, but cilia are not associated with the sensory pit. We also studied the expression patterns of some of the transcription factors expressed in the nemertean cephalic organs during the development of the pits. Only a single gene, pax4/6, is expressed in both the cerebral organs of nemerteans and sensory pits of S. brevipharyngium, challenging the idea of their deep homology. CONCLUSIONS Since there is no morphological or molecular correspondence between the sensory pits of Stenostomum and the cerebral organs of nemerteans, we reject their homology. Interestingly, the major cell type contributing to the sensory pits of stenostomids shows ultrastructural similarities to the rhabdomeric photoreceptors of other flatworms and expresses ortholog of the gene pax4/6, the pan-bilaterian master regulator of eye development. We suggest that the sensory pits of stenostomids might have evolved from the ancestral rhabdomeric photoreceptors that lost their photosensitivity and evolved secondary function. The mapping of head sensory structures on plathelminth phylogeny indicates that sensory pit-like organs evolved many times independently in flatworms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludwik Gąsiorowski
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Isabel Lucia Dittmann
- Institut Für Zoologie, Universität Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Jeremias N Brand
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Torben Ruhwedel
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Department of Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, City Campus, Hermann-Rein-Str. 3, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Wiebke Möbius
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Department of Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, City Campus, Hermann-Rein-Str. 3, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Bernhard Egger
- Institut Für Zoologie, Universität Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Jochen C Rink
- Department of Tissue Dynamics and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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Brabec J, Salomaki ED, Kolísko M, Scholz T, Kuchta R. The evolution of endoparasitism and complex life cycles in parasitic platyhelminths. Curr Biol 2023; 33:4269-4275.e3. [PMID: 37729914 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Within flatworms, the vast majority of parasitism is innate to Neodermata, the most derived and diversified group of the phylum Platyhelminthes.1,2 The four major lineages of Neodermata maintain various combinations of life strategies.3 They include both externally (ecto-) and internally feeding (endo-) parasites. Some lineages complete their life cycles directly by infecting a single host, whereas others succeed only through serial infections of multiple hosts of various vertebrate and invertebrate groups. Food sources and modes of digestion add further combinatorial layers to the often incompletely understood mosaic of neodermatan life histories. Their evolutionary trajectories have remained molecularly unresolved because of conflicting evolutionary inferences and a lack of genomic data.4 Here, we generated transcriptomes for nine early branching neodermatan representatives and performed detailed phylogenomic analyses to address these critical gaps. Polyopisthocotylea, mostly hematophagous ectoparasites, form a group with the mostly hematophagous but endoparasitic trematodes (Trematoda), rather than sharing a common ancestor with Monopisthocotylea, ectoparasitic epithelial feeders. Phylogenetic placement of the highly specialized endoparasitic Cestoda alters depending on the model. Regardless of this uncertainty, this study brings an unconventional perspective on the evolution of platyhelminth parasitism, rejecting a common origin for the endoparasitic lifestyle intrinsic to cestodes and trematodes. Instead, our data indicate that complex life cycles and invasion of vertebrates' gut lumen, the hallmark features of these parasites, evolved independently within Neodermata. We propose the demise of the traditionally recognized class Monogenea and the promotion of its two subclasses to the class level as Monopisthocotyla new class and Polyopisthocotyla new class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Brabec
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice 37005, Czech Republic.
| | - Eric D Salomaki
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice 37005, Czech Republic; Center for Computational Biology of Human Disease and Center for Computation and Visualization, Brown University, 180 George St, Providence, RI 02906, USA
| | - Martin Kolísko
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Scholz
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Kuchta
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice 37005, Czech Republic
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10
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Woodcock MR, Powers K, Snead K, Pellettieri J. FLATWORM TRANSCRIPTOMES REVEAL WIDESPREAD PARASITISM BY HISTOPHAGOUS CILIATES. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.17.558123. [PMID: 37745455 PMCID: PMC10516030 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.17.558123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Unicellular ciliates like Tetrahymena are best known as free-living bacteriovores, but many species are facultative or obligate parasites. These 'histophages' feed on the tissues of hosts ranging from planarian flatworms to commercially important fish and the larvae of imperiled freshwater mussels. Here, we developed a novel bioinformatics pipeline incorporating the nonstandard ciliate genetic code and used it to search for Ciliophora sequences in 34 publicly available Platyhelminthes EST libraries. From 2,615,036 screened ESTs, we identified nearly 6,000 high-confidence ciliate transcripts, supporting parasitism of seven additional flatworm species. We also cultured and identified Tetrahymena from nine terrestrial and freshwater planarians, including invasive earthworm predators from the genus Bipalium and the widely studied regeneration models Dugesia japonica and Schmidtea mediterranea. A cophylogenetic reconstruction provides strong evidence for coevolution of histophagous Ciliophora with their Platyhelminthes hosts. We further report the antiprotozoal aminoglycoside paromomycin expels Tetrahymena from S. mediterranea, providing new opportunities to investigate the effects of this relationship on planarian biology. Together, our findings raise the possibility that invasive flatworms constitute a novel dispersal mechanism for Tetrahymena parasites and position the Platyhelminthes as an ideal model phylum for studying the ecology and evolution of histophagous ciliates.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Ryan Woodcock
- Department of Biology, Keene State College, Keene, NH, USA
- Department of Science, Mathematics & Technology, Medaille University, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Natural Science, Trocaire College, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kaleigh Powers
- Department of Biology, Keene State College, Keene, NH, USA
| | - Kirsten Snead
- Department of Science, Mathematics & Technology, Medaille University, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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11
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Vorel J, Kmentová N, Hahn C, Bureš P, Kašný M. An insight into the functional genomics and species classification of Eudiplozoon nipponicum (Monogenea, Diplozoidae), a haematophagous parasite of the common carp Cyprinus carpio. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:363. [PMID: 37380941 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09461-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Monogenea (Platyhelminthes, Neodermata) are the most species-rich class within the Neodermata superclass of primarily fish parasites. Despite their economic and ecological importance, monogenean research tends to focus on their morphological, phylogenetic, and population characteristics, while comprehensive omics analyses aimed at describing functionally important molecules are few and far between. We present a molecular characterisation of monogenean representative Eudiplozoon nipponicum, an obligate haematophagous parasite infecting the gills of the common carp. We report its nuclear and mitochondrial genomes, present a functional annotation of protein molecules relevant to the molecular and biochemical aspect of physiological processes involved in interactions with the fish hosts, and re-examinate the taxonomic position of Eudiplozoon species within the Diplozoidae family. RESULTS We have generated 50.81 Gbp of raw sequencing data (Illumina and Oxford Nanopore reads), bioinformatically processed, and de novo assembled them into a genome draft 0.94 Gbp long, consisting of 21,044 contigs (N50 = 87 kbp). The final assembly represents 57% of the estimated total genome size (~ 1.64 Gbp), whereby repetitive and low-complexity regions account for ~ 64% of the assembled length. In total, 36,626 predicted genes encode 33,031 proteins and homology-based annotation of protein-coding genes (PCGs) and proteins characterises 14,785 (44.76%) molecules. We have detected significant representation of functional proteins and known molecular functions. The numbers of peptidases and inhibitors (579 proteins), characterised GO terms (16,016 unique assigned GO terms), and identified KEGG Orthology (4,315 proteins) acting in 378 KEGG pathways demonstrate the variety of mechanisms by which the parasite interacts with hosts on a macromolecular level (immunomodulation, feeding, and development). Comparison between the newly assembled E. nipponicum mitochondrial genome (length of 17,038 bp) and other diplozoid monogeneans confirms the existence of two distinct Eudiplozoon species infecting different fish hosts: Cyprinus carpio and Carassius spp. CONCLUSIONS Although the amount of sequencing data and characterised molecules of monogenean parasites has recently increased, a better insight into their molecular biology is needed. The E. nipponicum nuclear genome presented here, currently the largest described genome of any monogenean parasite, represents a milestone in the study of monogeneans and their molecules but further omics research is needed to understand these parasites' biological nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiří Vorel
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic.
| | - Nikol Kmentová
- Research Group Zoology: Biodiversity and Toxicology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Gebouw D, Diepenbeek, B-3590, Belgium
| | - Christoph Hahn
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, Graz, A-8010, Austria
| | - Petr Bureš
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Kašný
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic
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12
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Hao CL, Wei NW, Liu YJ, Shi CX, Arken K, Yue C. Mitochondrial phylogenomics provides conclusive evidence that the family Ancyrocephalidae is deeply paraphyletic. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:83. [PMID: 36859280 PMCID: PMC9979435 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05692-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Unresolved taxonomic classification and paraphyly pervade the flatworm class Monogenea: the class itself may be paraphyletic and split into Polyopisthocotylea and Monopisthocotylea; there are some indications that the monopisthocotylean order Dactylogyridea may also be paraphyletic; single-gene markers and some morphological traits indicate that the family Ancyrocephalidae is paraphyletic and intertwined with the family Dactylogyridae. METHODS To attempt to study the relationships of Ancyrocephalidae and Monopisthocotylea using a phylogenetic marker with high resolution, we sequenced mitochondrial genomes of two fish ectoparasites from the family Dactylogyridae: Dactylogyrus simplex and Dactylogyrus tuba. We conducted phylogenetic analyses using three datasets and three methods. Datasets were ITS1 (nuclear) and nucleotide and amino acid sequences of almost complete mitogenomes of almost all available Monopisthocotylea mitogenomes. Methods were maximum likelihood (IQ-TREE), Bayesian inference (MrBayes) and CAT-GTR (PhyloBayes). RESULTS Both mitogenomes exhibited the ancestral gene order for Neodermata, and both were compact, with few and small intergenic regions and many and large overlaps. Gene sequences were remarkably divergent for nominally congeneric species, with only trnI exhibiting an identity value > 80%. Both mitogenomes had exceptionally low A + T base content and AT skews. We found evidence of pervasive compositional heterogeneity in the dataset and indications that base composition biases cause phylogenetic artefacts. All six mitogenomic analyses produced unique topologies, but all nine analyses produced topologies that rendered Ancyrocephalidae deeply paraphyletic. Mitogenomic data consistently resolved the order Capsalidea as nested within the Dactylogyridea. CONCLUSIONS The analyses indicate that taxonomic revisions are needed for multiple Polyopisthocotylea lineages, from genera to orders. In combination with previous findings, these results offer conclusive evidence that Ancyrocephalidae is a paraphyletic taxon. The most parsimonious solution to resolve this is to create a catch-all Dactylogyridae sensu lato clade comprising the current Ancyrocephalidae, Ancylodiscoididae, Pseudodactylogyridae and Dactylogyridae families, but the revision needs to be confirmed by another marker with a sufficient resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui-Lan Hao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, Xinjiang, China
| | - Nian-Wen Wei
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yan-Jun Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, Xinjiang, China
| | - Cai-Xia Shi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, Xinjiang, China
| | - Kadirden Arken
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, Xinjiang, China
| | - Cheng Yue
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, Xinjiang, China.
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13
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Goodheart JA, Collins AG, Cummings MP, Egger B, Rawlinson KA. A phylogenomic approach to resolving interrelationships of polyclad flatworms, with implications for life-history evolution. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:220939. [PMID: 36998763 PMCID: PMC10049750 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220939] [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: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Platyhelminthes (flatworms) are a diverse invertebrate phylum useful for exploring life-history evolution. Within Platyhelminthes, only two clades develop through a larval stage: free-living polyclads and parasitic neodermatans. Neodermatan larvae are considered evolutionarily derived, whereas polyclad larvae are hypothesized to be ancestral due to ciliary band similarities among polyclad and other spiralian larvae. However, larval evolution has been challenging to investigate within polyclads due to low support for deeper phylogenetic relationships. To investigate polyclad life-history evolution, we generated transcriptomic data for 21 species of polyclads to build a well-supported phylogeny for the group. The resulting tree provides strong support for deeper nodes, and we recover a new monophyletic clade of early branching cotyleans. We then used ancestral state reconstructions to investigate ancestral modes of development within Polycladida and more broadly within flatworms. In polyclads, we were unable to reconstruct the ancestral state of deeper nodes with significant support because early branching clades show diverse modes of development. This suggests a complex history of larval evolution in polyclads that likely includes multiple losses and/or multiple gains. However, our ancestral state reconstruction across a previously published platyhelminth phylogeny supports a direct developing prorhynchid/polyclad ancestor, which suggests that a larval stage in the life cycle evolved along the polyclad stem lineage or within polyclads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A. Goodheart
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Allen G. Collins
- NMFS, National Systematics Laboratory, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, MRC-153, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013, USA
| | - Michael P. Cummings
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Bernhard Egger
- Universität Innsbruck, Department of Zoology, Technikerstr. 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Kate A. Rawlinson
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SA, UK
- Josephine Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, 02543
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14
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Planarians to schistosomes: an overview of flatworm cell-types and regulators. J Helminthol 2023; 97:e7. [PMID: 36644809 DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x22000621] [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: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis remains a major neglected tropical disease that afflicts over 200 million people globally. Schistosomes, the aetiological agent of schistosomiasis, are parasitic flatworms that propagate between molluscan and mammalian hosts. Inside the mammalian host, schistosomes rapidly grow over 100-fold in size and develop into a sexually mature male or female that thrives in the bloodstream for several decades. Recent work has identified schistosome stem cells as the source that drives parasite transmission, reproduction and longevity. Moreover, studies have begun to uncover molecular programmes deployed by stem cells that are essential for tissue development and maintenance, parasite survival and immune evasion. Such programmes are reminiscent of neoblast-driven development and regeneration of planarians, the free-living flatworm relative of schistosomes. Over the last few decades, research in planarians has employed modern functional genomic tools that significantly enhanced our understanding of stem cell-driven animal development and regeneration. In this review, we take a broad stroke overview of major flatworm organ systems at the cellular and molecular levels. We summarize recent advances on genetic regulators that play critical roles in differentiation and maintenance of flatworm cell types. Finally, we provide perspectives on how investigation of basic parasite biology is critical to discovering new approaches to battle schistosomiasis.
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15
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Caña-Bozada V, Robinson MW, Hernández-Mena DI, Morales-Serna FN. Exploring Evolutionary Relationships within Neodermata Using Putative Orthologous Groups of Proteins, with Emphasis on Peptidases. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:tropicalmed8010059. [PMID: 36668966 PMCID: PMC9860727 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8010059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The phylogenetic relationships within Neodermata were examined based on putative orthologous groups of proteins (OGPs) from 11 species of Monogenea, Trematoda, and Cestoda. The dataset included OGPs from BUSCO and OMA. Additionally, peptidases were identified and evaluated as phylogenetic markers. Phylogenies were inferred using the maximum likelihood method. A network analysis and a hierarchical grouping analysis of the principal components (HCPC) of orthologous groups of peptidases were performed. The phylogenetic analyses showed the monopisthocotylean monogeneans as the sister-group of cestodes, and the polyopisthocotylean monogeneans as the sister-group of trematodes. However, the sister-group relationship between Monopisthocotylea and Cestoda was not statistically well supported. The network analysis and HCPC also showed a cluster formed by polyopisthocotyleans and trematodes. The present study supports the non-monophyly of Monogenea. An analysis of mutation rates indicated that secreted peptidases and inhibitors, and those with multiple copies, are under positive selection pressure, which could explain the expansion of some families such as C01, C19, I02, and S01. Whilst not definitive, our study presents another point of view in the discussion of the evolution of Neodermata, and we hope that our data drive further discussion and debate on this intriguing topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Caña-Bozada
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Mazatlán 82112, Mexico
| | - Mark W. Robinson
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | - David I. Hernández-Mena
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Mérida, Mérida 97310, Mexico
| | - Francisco N. Morales-Serna
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mazatlán 82040, Mexico
- Correspondence:
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16
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Tsuyuki A, Oya Y, Kajihara H. Reversible shifts between interstitial and epibenthic habitats in evolutionary history: Molecular phylogeny of the marine flatworm family Boniniidae (Platyhelminthes: Polycladida: Cotylea) with descriptions of two new species. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0276847. [PMID: 36417389 PMCID: PMC9683627 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tiny animals in various metazoan phyla inhabit the interstices between sand and/or gravel grains, and adaptive traits in their body plan, such as simplification and size reduction, have attracted research attention. Several possible explanations of how such animals colonized interstitial habitats have been proposed, but their adaptation to this environment has generally been regarded as irreversible. However, the actual evolutionary transitions are not well understood in almost all taxa. In the present study, we show reversible evolutionary shifts from interstitial to epibenthic habitats in the lineage of the polyclad flatworm genus Boninia. In addition, we establish two new species of this genus found from different microhabitats on a single beach in Okinawa Island, Japan: (i) the interstitial species Boninia uru sp. nov. from gravelly sediments and (ii) the epibenthic species Boninia yambarensis sp. nov. from rock undersurfaces. Our observations suggest that rigid microhabitat segregation exists between these two species. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the partial 18S and 28S rDNA sequences of the new Boninia species and four other congeners, for which molecular sequences were available in public databases [Boninia antillara (epibenthic), Boninia divae (epibenthic), Boninia neotethydis (interstitial), and an unidentified Boninia sp. (habitat indeterminate)], revealed that the two interstitial species (B. neotethydis and B. uru sp. nov.) were not monophyletic among the three epibenthic species. According to ancestral state reconstruction analysis, the last common ancestor of the analyzed Boninia species inhabited interstitial realms, and a shift to the epibenthic environment occurred at least once. Such an "interstitial to noninterstitial" evolutionary route seems to be rare among Animalia; to date, it has been reported only in acochlidian slugs in the clade Hedylopsacea. Our phylogenetic tree also showed that the sympatric B. uru sp. nov. and B. yambarensis sp. nov. were not in a sister relationship, indicating that they colonized the same beach independently rather than descended in situ from a common ancestor that migrated and settled at the beach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoi Tsuyuki
- Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Yuki Oya
- College of Arts and Sciences, J. F. Oberlin University, Machida, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kajihara
- Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
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17
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Caña-Bozada V, Morales-Serna FN, Fajer-Ávila EJ, Llera-Herrera R. De novo transcriptome assembly and identification of G-Protein-Coupled-Receptors (GPCRs) in two species of monogenean parasites of fish. Parasite 2022; 29:51. [PMID: 36350193 PMCID: PMC9645230 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2022052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic resources for Platyhelminthes of the class Monogenea are scarce, despite the diversity of these parasites, some species of which are highly pathogenic to their fish hosts. This work aimed to generate de novo-assembled transcriptomes of two monogenean species, Scutogyrus longicornis (Dactylogyridae) and Rhabdosynochus viridisi (Diplectanidae), providing a protocol for cDNA library preparation with low input samples used in single cell transcriptomics. This allowed us to work with sub-microgram amounts of total RNA with success. These transcriptomes consist of 25,696 and 47,187 putative proteins, respectively, which were further annotated according to the Swiss-Prot, Pfam, GO, KEGG, and COG databases. The completeness values of these transcriptomes evaluated with BUSCO against Metazoa databases were 54.1% and 73%, respectively, which is in the range of other monogenean species. Among the annotations, a large number of terms related to G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) were found. We identified 109 GPCR-like sequences in R. viridisi, and 102 in S. longicornis, including family members specific for Platyhelminthes. Rhodopsin was the largest family according to GRAFS classification. Two putative melatonin receptors found in S. longicornis represent the first record of this group of proteins in parasitic Platyhelminthes. Forty GPCRs of R. viridisi and 32 of S. longicornis that were absent in Vertebrata might be potential drug targets. The present study provides the first publicly available transcriptomes for monogeneans of the subclass Monopisthocotylea, which can serve as useful genomic datasets for functional genomic research of this important group of parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Caña-Bozada
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. Unidad Mazatlán en Acuicultura y Manejo Ambiental Mazatlán Sinaloa 82112 Mexico
| | - F. Neptalí Morales-Serna
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Mazatlán Sinaloa 82040 Mexico
| | - Emma J. Fajer-Ávila
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. Unidad Mazatlán en Acuicultura y Manejo Ambiental Mazatlán Sinaloa 82112 Mexico
| | - Raúl Llera-Herrera
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Mazatlán Sinaloa 82040 Mexico
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18
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Grosbusch AL, Bertemes P, Kauffmann B, Gotsis C, Egger B. Do Not Lose Your Head Over the Unequal Regeneration Capacity in Prolecithophoran Flatworms. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1588. [PMID: 36358289 PMCID: PMC9687166 DOI: 10.3390/biology11111588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
One of the central questions in studying the evolution of regeneration in flatworms remains whether the ancestral flatworm was able to regenerate all body parts, including the head. If so, this ability was subsequently lost in most existent flatworms. The alternative hypothesis is that head regeneration has evolved within flatworms, possibly several times independently. In the well-studied flatworm taxon Tricladida (planarians), most species are able to regenerate a head. Little is known about the regeneration capacity of the closest relatives of Tricladida: Fecampiida and Prolecithophora. Here, we analysed the regeneration capacity of three prolecithophoran families: Pseudostomidae, Plagiostomidae, and Protomonotresidae. The regeneration capacity of prolecithophorans varies considerably between families, which is likely related to the remaining body size of the regenerates. While all studied prolecithophoran species were able to regenerate a tail-shaped posterior end, only some Pseudostomidae could regenerate a part of the pharynx and pharynx pouch. Some Plagiostomidae could regenerate a head including the brain and eyes, provided the roots of the brain were present. The broad spectrum of regeneration capacity in Prolecithophora suggests that head regeneration capacity is not an apomorphy of Adiaphanida.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Bernhard Egger
- Institute of Zoology, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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19
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Gordeev I, Biserova N, Zhukova K, Ekimova I. The first report of a parasitic 'turbellarian' from a cephalopod mollusc, with description of Octopoxenus antarcticus gen. nov., sp. nov. (Platyhelminthes: Fecampiida: Notenteridae). J Helminthol 2022; 96:e73. [PMID: 36250341 DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x22000657] [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] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Parasitic 'turbellarians' are known from various animals such as echinoderms, crustaceans, annelids, bivalve and gastropod molluscs. So far, however, no 'turbellarians' have been reported from cephalopods. In this paper we report a parasitic 'turbellarian' from the giant Antarctic octopus, Megaleledone setebos. We dissected two specimens of M. setebos caught in the Ross Sea (Antarctica) and found numerous worms in their intestine and liver. The worms were spherical or oblong and had two morphologically different poles. The frontal pole bears a small conical protrusion containing large elongated pear-shaped frontal glands and large polygonal cells. The ducts of the frontal glands open terminally to form the frontal organ. The caudal pole has an opening shaped as a folded tube connected by the genital pore with a common genital atrium, which continues into a canal with a muscular sheath. The worms were identified as 'turbellarians' from the family Notenteridae (Fecampiida). This family contains only one species, Notentera ivanovi, reported from the gut of a polychaete at the White Sea. The worms that we found in the gastrointestinal tract of the octopuses were morphologically similar to N. ivanovi but differed from it in several important respects. Phylogenetic analysis based on 28S rDNA gene showed that the newly found worm clustered together with other fecampiids in a highly supported clade and was closely related to N. ivanovi. On the basis of these morphological and molecular data, we described a new species, Octopoxenus antarcticus gen. nov., sp. nov. (Fecampiida: Notenteridae), establishing a new genus to accommodate it and provided an updated diagnosis of the family Notenteridae. This is the first report of a parasitic 'turbellarian' from a cephalopod mollusc.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Gordeev
- Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, Moscow, Russia
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - N Biserova
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - K Zhukova
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - I Ekimova
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
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20
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Wendt GR, Shiroor DA, Adler CE, Collins JJ. Convergent evolution of a genotoxic stress response in a parasite-specific p53 homolog. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2205201119. [PMID: 36067283 PMCID: PMC9478680 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2205201119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
P53 is a widely studied tumor suppressor that plays important roles in cell-cycle regulation, cell death, and DNA damage repair. P53 is found throughout metazoans, even in invertebrates that do not develop malignancies. The prevailing theory for why these invertebrates possess a tumor suppressor is that P53 originally evolved to protect the germline of early metazoans from genotoxic stress such as ultraviolet radiation. This theory is largely based upon functional data from only three invertebrates, omitting important groups of animals including flatworms. Previous studies in the freshwater planarian flatworm Schmidtea mediterranea suggested that flatworm P53 plays an important role in stem cell maintenance and skin production, but these studies did not directly test for any tumor suppressor functions. To better understand the function of P53 homologs across diverse flatworms, we examined the function of two different P53 homologs in the parasitic flatworm Schistosoma mansoni. The first P53 homolog (p53-1) is orthologous to S. mediterranea P53(Smed-p53) and human TP53 and regulates flatworm stem cell maintenance and skin production. The second P53 homolog (p53-2) is a parasite-specific paralog that is conserved across parasitic flatworms and is required for the normal response to genotoxic stress in S. mansoni. We then found that Smed-p53 does not seem to play any role in the planarian response to genotoxic stress. The existence of this parasite-specific paralog that bears a tumor suppressor-like function in parasitic flatworms implies that the ability to respond to genotoxic stress in parasitic flatworms may have arisen from convergent evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- George R. Wendt
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235
| | - Divya A. Shiroor
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Carolyn E. Adler
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - James J. Collins
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235
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21
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Charlesworth D. Evolution: A can of (flat)worms. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R918-R921. [PMID: 36099896 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.07.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
A recent paper suggests that the flatworm Schmidtea mediterranea has an autosome that is 'primed' to evolve into a sex chromosome. However, this chromosome could be a balanced-lethal system and may illuminate these puzzling systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Charlesworth
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK.
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22
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A Krüppel-like factor is required for development and regeneration of germline and yolk cells from somatic stem cells in planarians. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001472. [PMID: 35839223 PMCID: PMC9286257 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexually reproducing animals segregate their germline from their soma. In addition to gamete-producing gonads, planarian and parasitic flatworm reproduction relies on yolk cell–generating accessory reproductive organs (vitellaria) supporting development of yolkless oocytes. Despite the importance of vitellaria for flatworm reproduction (and parasite transmission), little is known about this unique evolutionary innovation. Here, we examine reproductive system development in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea, in which pluripotent stem cells generate both somatic and germ cell lineages. We show that a homolog of the pluripotency factor Klf4 is expressed in primordial germ cells (PGCs), presumptive germline stem cells (GSCs), and yolk cell progenitors. Knockdown of this klf4-like (klf4l) gene results in animals that fail to specify or maintain germ cells; surprisingly, they also fail to maintain yolk cells. We find that yolk cells display germ cell–like attributes and that vitellaria are structurally analogous to gonads. In addition to identifying a new proliferative cell population in planarians (yolk cell progenitors) and defining its niche, our work provides evidence supporting the hypothesis that flatworm germ cells and yolk cells share a common evolutionary origin.
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Sticking Together an Updated Model for Temporary Adhesion. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20060359. [PMID: 35736161 PMCID: PMC9229212 DOI: 10.3390/md20060359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-parasitic flatworms are known to temporarily attach to the substrate by secreting a multicomponent bioadhesive to counteract water movements. However, to date, only species of two higher-level flatworm taxa (Macrostomorpha and Proseriata) have been investigated for their adhesive proteins. Remarkably, the surface-binding protein is not conserved between flatworm taxa. In this study, we sequenced and assembled a draft genome, as well as a transcriptome, and generated a tail-specific positional RNA sequencing dataset of the polyclad Theama mediterranea. This led to the identification of 15 candidate genes potentially involved in temporary adhesion. Using in situ hybridisation and RNA interference, we determined their expression and function. Of these 15 genes, 4 are homologues of adhesion-related genes found in other flatworms. With this work, we provide two novel key components on the flatworm temporary adhesion system. First, we identified a Kringle-domain-containing protein (Tmed-krg1), which was expressed exclusively in the anchor cell. This in silico predicted membrane-bound Tmed-krg1 could potentially bind to the cohesive protein, and a knockdown led to a non-adhesive phenotype. Secondly, a secreted tyrosinase (Tmed-tyr1) was identified, which might crosslink the adhesive proteins. Overall, our findings will contribute to the future development of reversible synthetic glues with desirable properties for medical and industrial applications.
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Okamura B, Gruhl A, De Baets K. Evolutionary transitions of parasites between freshwater and marine environments. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:345-356. [PMID: 35604852 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary transitions of organisms between environments have long fascinated biologists but attention has focused almost exclusively on free-living organisms and challenges to achieve such transitions. This bias requires addressing because parasites are a major component of biodiversity. We address this imbalance by focusing on transitions of parasitic animals between marine and freshwater environments. We highlight parasite traits and processes that may influence transition likelihood (e.g. transmission mode, life cycle, host use), and consider mechanisms and directions of transitions. Evidence for transitions in deep time and at present are described, and transitions in our changing world are considered. We propose that environmental transitions may be facilitated for endoparasites because hosts reduce exposure to physiologically challenging environments and argue that adoption of an endoparasitic lifestyle entails an equivalent transitioning process as organisms switch from living in one environment (e.g. freshwater, seawater, or air) to living symbiotically within hosts. Environmental transitions of parasites have repeatedly resulted in novel forms and diversification, contributing to the tree of life. Recognising the potential processes underlying present-day and future environmental transitions is crucial in view of our changing world and the current biodiversity crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth Okamura
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
| | | | - Kenneth De Baets
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warsaw 02-089, Poland
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Hao CL, Arken K, Kadir M, Zhang WR, Rong MJ, Wei NW, Liu YJ, Yue C. The complete mitochondrial genomes of Paradiplozoon yarkandense and Paradiplozoon homoion confirm that Diplozoidae evolve at an elevated rate. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:149. [PMID: 35477556 PMCID: PMC9044634 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05275-x] [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: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diplozoidae are monogenean (Monogenea: Polyopisthocotylea) fish parasites characterised by a unique life history: two larvae permanently fuse into an X-shaped "Siamese" organism. Taxonomy and phylogeny of Diplozoidae and Polyopisthocotylea remain unresolved due to the unavailability of molecular markers with sufficiently high resolution. Mitogenomes may be a suitable candidate, but there are currently only 12 available for the Polyopisthocotylea (three for Diplozoidae). The only available study of diplozoid mitogenomes found unique base composition patterns and elevated evolution rates in comparison with other Monogenean mitogenomes. METHODS To further explore their evolution and generate molecular data for evolutionary studies, we sequenced the complete mitogenomes of two Diplozoidae species, Paradiplozoon homoion and Paradiplozoon yarkandense, and conducted a number of comparative mitogenomic analyses with other polyopisthocotyleans. RESULTS We found further evidence that mitogenomes of Diplozoidae evolve at a unique, elevated rate, which was reflected in their exceptionally long branches, large sizes, unique base composition, skews, and very low gene sequence similarity levels between the two newly sequenced species. They also exhibited remarkably large overlaps between some genes. Phylogenetic analysis of Polyopisthocotylea resolved all major taxa as monophyletic, and Mazocraeidea was split into two major clades: (Diplozoidae) + (all four remaining families: Diclidophoridae, Chauhaneidae, Mazocraeidae and Microcotylidae). It also provided further confirmation that the genus Paradiplozoon is paraphyletic and requires a taxonomic revision, so the two species may have to be renamed Indodiplozoon homoion and Diplozoon yarkandense comb. nov. CONCLUSIONS Although our findings indicate that mitogenomes may be a promising tool for resolving the phylogeny of Polyopisthocotylea, elevated evolutionary rates of Diplozoidae may cause phylogenetic artefacts, so future studies should pay caution to this problem. Furthermore, as the reason for their elevated evolution remains unknown, Diplozoidae are a remarkably interesting lineage for other types of evolutionary mitogenomic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui-Lan Hao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, Xinjiang, China
| | - Kadirden Arken
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, Xinjiang, China
| | - Munira Kadir
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, Xinjiang, China
| | - Wen-Run Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, Xinjiang, China
| | - Meng-Jie Rong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, Xinjiang, China
| | - Nian-Wen Wei
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yan-Jun Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, Xinjiang, China
| | - Cheng Yue
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, Xinjiang, China.
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In silico identification of tetraspanins in monopisthocotylean (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea) parasites of fish. J Helminthol 2022; 96:e23. [PMID: 35321773 DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x22000098] [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: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Tetraspanins are a superfamily of transmembrane proteins that in flatworms have structural roles in the development, maturation or stability of the tegument. Several tetraspanins are considered as potential candidates for vaccines or drugs against helminths. Monopisthocotylean monogeneans are ectoparasites of fish that are health hazards for farmed fish. The aim of this study was to identify in silico putative tetraspanins in the genomic datasets of four monopisthocotylean species. The analysis predicted and classified 40 tetraspanins in Rhabdosynochus viridisi, 39 in Scutogyrus longicornis, 22 in Gyrodactylus salaris and 13 in Neobenedenia melleni, belonging to 13 orthologous groups. The high divergence of tetraspanins made it difficult to annotate their function. However, a conserved group was identified in different metazoan taxa. According to this study, metazoan tetraspanins can be divided into 17 monophyletic groups. Of the 114 monogenean tetraspanins, only seven were phylogenetically close to tetraspanins from non-platyhelminth metazoans, which suggests that this group of proteins shows rapid sequence divergence. The similarity of the monopisthocotylean tetraspanins was highest with trematodes, followed by cestodes and then free-living platyhelminths. In total, 27 monopisthocotylean-specific and 34 flatworm-specific tetraspanins were identified. Four monogenean tetraspanins were orthologous to TSP-1, which is a candidate for the development of vaccines and a potential pharmacological target in trematodes and cestodes. Although studies of tetraspanins in parasitic flatworms are scarce, this is an interesting group of proteins for the development of new methods to control monogeneans.
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The molecular phylogenetic position of Mariplanella piscadera sp. nov. reveals a new major group of rhabdocoel flatworms: Mariplanellida status novus (Platyhelminthes: Rhabdocoela). ORG DIVERS EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13127-022-00542-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Baker CM, Buckman-Young RS, Costa CS, Giribet G. Phylogenomic Analysis of Velvet Worms (Onychophora) Uncovers an Evolutionary Radiation in the Neotropics. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:5391-5404. [PMID: 34427671 PMCID: PMC8662635 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Onychophora ("velvet worms") are charismatic soil invertebrates known for their status as a "living fossil," their phylogenetic affiliation to arthropods, and their distinctive biogeographic patterns. However, several aspects of their internal phylogenetic relationships remain unresolved, limiting our understanding of the group's evolutionary history, particularly with regard to changes in reproductive mode and dispersal ability. To address these gaps, we used RNA sequencing and phylogenomic analysis of transcriptomes to reconstruct the evolutionary relationships and infer divergence times within the phylum. We recovered a fully resolved and well-supported phylogeny for the circum-Antarctic family Peripatopsidae, which retains signals of Gondwanan vicariance and showcases the evolutionary lability of reproductive mode in the family. Within the Neotropical clade of Peripatidae, though, we found that amino acid-translated sequence data masked nearly all phylogenetic signal, resulting in highly unstable and poorly supported relationships. Analyses using nucleotide sequence data were able to resolve many more relationships, though we still saw discordant phylogenetic signal between genes, probably indicative of a rapid, mid-Cretaceous radiation in the group. Finally, we hypothesize that the unique reproductive mode of placentotrophic viviparity found in all Neotropical peripatids may have facilitated the multiple inferred instances of over-water dispersal and establishment on oceanic islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin M Baker
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rebecca S Buckman-Young
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Cristiano S Costa
- Laboratório de Sistemática e Taxonomia de Artrópodes Terrestres, Departamento de Biologia e Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil
| | - Gonzalo Giribet
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Stocchino GA, Dols-Serrate D, Sluys R, Riutort M, Onnis C, Manconi R. Amphibioplanidae: a new branch and family on the phylogenetic tree of the triclad flatworms (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida), represented by a species from Sardinian caves with a remarkable lifestyle. Zool J Linn Soc 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In this study we document the phylogenetic position and the anatomical and ecological characteristics of a new taxon of cave-dwelling triclad flatworms. This species from the Mediterranean island of Sardinia (Italy) forms a separate branch on the phylogenetic tree of the planarians for which we proposed a new genus and placed it in a new family. Molecular analysis reveals a sister-group relationship between this new family, Amphibioplanidae, and the family Dimarcusidae of the suborder Cavernicola, together constituting the sister-group of the suborder Maricola. The new species Amphibioplana onnisi Stocchino & Sluys, sp. nov. is slender and furnished with an epidermis that is abundantly and uniformly provided with cilia and rhabdites. The pharynx presents an oesophageal projection pointing into the pharynx lumen. Ovaries are located far behind the brain. A relatively long common oviduct opens into the diverticulum of the bursal canal. The probursal copulatory bursa is lined with a highly vacuolated, syncytial epithelium. The habitat of this species is formed by groundwater in microcrevices of the epikarst and temporary cave pools, but the animals can survive in a basically terrestrial environment, thus exhibiting an amphibious lifestyle. Some tentative scenarios are discussed for the evolution of the new taxon and for the presence of the new species in three separate caves in Sardinia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacinta Angela Stocchino
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Laboratorio di Zoologia, Via Vienna, Università di Sassari, Italy
| | - Daniel Dols-Serrate
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ronald Sluys
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marta Riutort
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | - Renata Manconi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Laboratorio di Zoologia, Via Vienna, Università di Sassari, Italy
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Orús-Alcalde A, Lu TM, Børve A, Hejnol A. The evolution of the metazoan Toll receptor family and its expression during protostome development. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:208. [PMID: 34809567 PMCID: PMC8609888 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01927-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a crucial role in immunity and development. They contain leucine-rich repeat domains, one transmembrane domain, and one Toll/IL-1 receptor domain. TLRs have been classified into V-type/scc and P-type/mcc TLRs, based on differences in the leucine-rich repeat domain region. Although TLRs are widespread in animals, detailed phylogenetic studies of this gene family are lacking. Here we aim to uncover TLR evolution by conducting a survey and a phylogenetic analysis in species across Bilateria. To discriminate between their role in development and immunity we furthermore analyzed stage-specific transcriptomes of the ecdysozoans Priapulus caudatus and Hypsibius exemplaris, and the spiralians Crassostrea gigas and Terebratalia transversa. RESULTS We detected a low number of TLRs in ecdysozoan species, and multiple independent radiations within the Spiralia. V-type/scc and P-type/mcc type-receptors are present in cnidarians, protostomes and deuterostomes, and therefore they emerged early in TLR evolution, followed by a loss in xenacoelomorphs. Our phylogenetic analysis shows that TLRs cluster into three major clades: clade α is present in cnidarians, ecdysozoans, and spiralians; clade β in deuterostomes, ecdysozoans, and spiralians; and clade γ is only found in spiralians. Our stage-specific transcriptome and in situ hybridization analyses show that TLRs are expressed during development in all species analyzed, which indicates a broad role of TLRs during animal development. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that a clade α TLR gene (TLR-Ca) and a clade β/γ TLR gene (TLR-Cβ/γ) were already present in the cnidarian-bilaterian common ancestor. However, although TLR-Ca was conserved in cnidarians, TLR-Cβ/γ was lost during the early evolution of these taxa. Moreover, TLR-Cβ/γ duplicated to generate TLR-Cβ and TLR-Cγ in the lineage to the last common protostome-deuterostome ancestor. TLR-Ca, TLR-Cβ and TLR-Cγ further expanded generating the three major TLR clades. While all three clades radiated in several spiralian lineages, specific TLRs clades have been presumably lost in other lineages. Furthermore, the expression of the majority of these genes during protostome ontogeny suggests a likely role in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Orús-Alcalde
- Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Tsai-Ming Lu
- Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Aina Børve
- Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Andreas Hejnol
- Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006, Bergen, Norway.
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
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Gąsiorowski L, Børve A, Cherneva IA, Orús-Alcalde A, Hejnol A. Molecular and morphological analysis of the developing nemertean brain indicates convergent evolution of complex brains in Spiralia. BMC Biol 2021; 19:175. [PMID: 34452633 PMCID: PMC8400761 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01113-1] [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: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The brain anatomy in the clade Spiralia can vary from simple, commissural brains (e.g., gastrotrichs, rotifers) to rather complex, partitioned structures (e.g., in cephalopods and annelids). How often and in which lineages complex brains evolved still remains unclear. Nemerteans are a clade of worm-like spiralians, which possess a complex central nervous system (CNS) with a prominent brain, and elaborated chemosensory and neuroglandular cerebral organs, which have been previously suggested as homologs to the annelid mushroom bodies. To understand the developmental and evolutionary origins of the complex brain in nemerteans and spiralians in general, we investigated details of the neuroanatomy and gene expression in the brain and cerebral organs of the juveniles of nemertean Lineus ruber. RESULTS In the juveniles, the CNS is already composed of all major elements present in the adults, including the brain, paired longitudinal lateral nerve cords, and an unpaired dorsal nerve cord, which suggests that further neural development is mostly related with increase in the size but not in complexity. The ultrastructure of the juvenile cerebral organ revealed that it is composed of several distinct cell types present also in the adults. The 12 transcription factors commonly used as brain cell type markers in bilaterians show region-specific expression in the nemertean brain and divide the entire organ into several molecularly distinct areas, partially overlapping with the morphological compartments. Additionally, several of the mushroom body-specific genes are expressed in the developing cerebral organs. CONCLUSIONS The dissimilar expression of molecular brain markers between L. ruber and the annelid Platynereis dumerilii indicates that the complex brains present in those two species evolved convergently by independent expansions of non-homologous regions of a simpler brain present in their last common ancestor. Although the same genes are expressed in mushroom bodies and cerebral organs, their spatial expression within organs shows apparent differences between annelids and nemerteans, indicating convergent recruitment of the same genes into patterning of non-homologous organs or hint toward a more complicated evolutionary process, in which conserved and novel cell types contribute to the non-homologous structures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aina Børve
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Irina A Cherneva
- Biological Faculty, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Andreas Hejnol
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
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Large-scale phylogenomics of the genus Macrostomum (Platyhelminthes) reveals cryptic diversity and novel sexual traits. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2021; 166:107296. [PMID: 34438051 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Free-living flatworms of the genus Macrostomum are small and transparent animals, representing attractive study organisms for a broad range of topics in evolutionary, developmental, and molecular biology. The genus includes the model organism M. lignano for which extensive molecular resources are available, and recently there is a growing interest in extending work to additional species in the genus. These endeavours are currently hindered because, even though >200 Macrostomum species have been taxonomically described, molecular phylogenetic information and geographic sampling remain limited. We report on a global sampling campaign aimed at increasing taxon sampling and geographic representation of the genus. Specifically, we use extensive transcriptome and single-locus data to generate phylogenomic hypotheses including 145 species. Across different phylogenetic methods and alignments used, we identify several consistent clades, while their exact grouping is less clear, possibly due to a radiation early in Macrostomum evolution. Moreover, we uncover a large undescribed diversity, with 94 of the studied species likely being new to science, and we identify multiple novel morphological traits. Furthermore, we identify cryptic speciation in a taxonomically challenging assemblage of species, suggesting that the use of molecular markers is a prerequisite for future work, and we describe the distribution of putative synapomorphies and suggest taxonomic revisions based on our finding. Our large-scale phylogenomic dataset now provides a robust foundation for comparative analyses of morphological, behavioural and molecular evolution in this genus.
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Kawase O, Iwaya H, Asano Y, Inoue H, Kudo S, Sasahira M, Azuma N, Kondoh D, Ichikawa-Seki M, Xuan X, Sakamoto K, Okamoto H, Nakadate H, Inoue W, Saito I, Narita M, Sekii K, Kobayashi K. Identification of novel yolk ferritins unique to planarians: planarians supply aluminum rather than iron to vitellaria in egg capsules. Cell Tissue Res 2021; 386:391-413. [PMID: 34319433 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-021-03506-8] [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: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
All animals, other than Platyhelminthes, produce eggs containing yolk, referred to as "entolecithal" eggs. However, only Neoophora, in the phylum Platyhelminthes, produce "ectolecithal" eggs (egg capsules), in which yolk is stored in the vitelline cells surrounding oocytes. Vitelline cells are derived from vitellaria (yolk glands). Vitellaria are important reproductive organs that may be studied to elucidate unique mechanisms that have been evolutionarily conserved within Platyhelminthes. Currently, only limited molecular level information is available on vitellaria. The current study identified major vitellaria-specific proteins in a freshwater planarian, Dugesia ryukyuensis, using peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) and expression analyses. Amino acid sequence analysis and orthology analysis via OrthoFinder ver.2.3.8 indicated that the identified major vitellaria-specific novel yolk ferritins were conserved in planarians (Tricladida). Because ferritins play an important role in Fe (iron) storage, we examined the metal elements contained in vitellaria and ectolecithal eggs, using non-heme iron histochemistry, elemental analysis based on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy- energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis. Interestingly, vitellaria and egg capsules contained large amounts of aluminum (Al), but not Fe. The knockdown of the yolk ferritin genes caused a decrease in the volume of egg capsules, abnormality in juveniles, and increase in Al content in vitellaria. Yolk ferritins of D. ryukyuensis may regulate Al concentration in vitellaria via their pooling function of Al and protect the egg capsule production and normal embryogenesis from Al toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osamu Kawase
- Department of Biology, Premedical Sciences, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu-machi, Shimotsuga-gun, Tochigi, 321-0293, Japan
| | - Hisashi Iwaya
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8561, Japan
| | - Yoshiya Asano
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Cell Biology and Histology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8562, Japan
| | - Hiromoto Inoue
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8561, Japan
| | - Seiya Kudo
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8561, Japan
| | - Motoki Sasahira
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8561, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Azuma
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8561, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kondoh
- Department of Basic Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inaba-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Madoka Ichikawa-Seki
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, 3-18-8 Ueda, Morioka, 020-8550, Japan
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inaba-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Kimitoshi Sakamoto
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8561, Japan
| | - Hikaru Okamoto
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8561, Japan
| | - Hinaki Nakadate
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8561, Japan
| | - Wataru Inoue
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8561, Japan
| | - Ikuma Saito
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8561, Japan
| | - Miyu Narita
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8561, Japan
| | - Kiyono Sekii
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8561, Japan
| | - Kazuya Kobayashi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8561, Japan.
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Fontenla S, Rinaldi G, Tort JF. Lost and Found: Piwi and Argonaute Pathways in Flatworms. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:653695. [PMID: 34123869 PMCID: PMC8191739 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.653695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Platyhelminthes comprise one of the major phyla of invertebrate animals, inhabiting a wide range of ecosystems, and one of the most successful in adapting to parasitic life. Small non-coding RNAs have been implicated in regulating complex developmental transitions in model parasitic species. Notably, parasitic flatworms have lost Piwi RNA pathways but gained a novel Argonaute gene. Herein, we analyzed, contrasted and compared the conservation of small RNA pathways among several free-living species (a paraphyletic group traditionally known as ‘turbellarians’) and parasitic species (organized in the monophyletic clade Neodermata) to disentangle possible adaptations during the transition to parasitism. Our findings showed that complete miRNA and RNAi pathways are present in all analyzed free-living flatworms. Remarkably, whilst all ‘turbellarians’ have Piwi proteins, these were lost in parasitic Neodermantans. Moreover, two clusters of Piwi class Argonaute genes are present in all ‘turbellarians’. Interestingly, we identified a divergent Piwi class Argonaute in free living flatworms exclusively, which we named ‘Fliwi’. In addition, other key proteins of the Piwi pathways were conserved in ‘turbellarians’, while none of them were detected in Neodermatans. Besides Piwi and the canonical Argonaute proteins, a flatworm-specific class of Argonautes (FL-Ago) was identified in the analyzed species confirming its ancestrallity to all Platyhelminthes. Remarkably, this clade was expanded in parasitic Neodermatans, but not in free-living species. These phyla-specific Argonautes showed lower sequence conservation compared to other Argonaute proteins, suggesting that they might have been subjected to high evolutionary rates. However, key residues involved in the interaction with the small RNA and mRNA cleavage in the canonical Argonautes were more conserved in the FL-Agos than in the Piwi Argonautes. Whether this is related to specialized functions and adaptations to parasitism in Neodermatans remains unclear. In conclusion, differences detected in gene conservation, sequence and structure of the Argonaute family suggest tentative biological and evolutionary diversifications that are unique to Platyhelminthes. The remarkable divergencies in the small RNA pathways between free-living and parasitic flatworms indicate that they may have been involved in the adaptation to parasitism of Neodermatans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Fontenla
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República (UDELAR), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Jose F Tort
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República (UDELAR), Montevideo, Uruguay
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35
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Tarashansky AJ, Musser JM, Khariton M, Li P, Arendt D, Quake SR, Wang B. Mapping single-cell atlases throughout Metazoa unravels cell type evolution. eLife 2021; 10:e66747. [PMID: 33944782 PMCID: PMC8139856 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Comparing single-cell transcriptomic atlases from diverse organisms can elucidate the origins of cellular diversity and assist the annotation of new cell atlases. Yet, comparison between distant relatives is hindered by complex gene histories and diversifications in expression programs. Previously, we introduced the self-assembling manifold (SAM) algorithm to robustly reconstruct manifolds from single-cell data (Tarashansky et al., 2019). Here, we build on SAM to map cell atlas manifolds across species. This new method, SAMap, identifies homologous cell types with shared expression programs across distant species within phyla, even in complex examples where homologous tissues emerge from distinct germ layers. SAMap also finds many genes with more similar expression to their paralogs than their orthologs, suggesting paralog substitution may be more common in evolution than previously appreciated. Lastly, comparing species across animal phyla, spanning sponge to mouse, reveals ancient contractile and stem cell families, which may have arisen early in animal evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacob M Musser
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Developmental Biology UnitHeidelbergGermany
| | | | - Pengyang Li
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Detlev Arendt
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Developmental Biology UnitHeidelbergGermany
- Centre for Organismal Studies, University of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Stephen R Quake
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Chan Zuckerberg BiohubSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
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36
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Nanes Sarfati D, Li P, Tarashansky AJ, Wang B. Single-cell deconstruction of stem-cell-driven schistosome development. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:790-802. [PMID: 33893056 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomes cause one of the most devastating neglected tropical diseases, schistosomiasis. Their transmission is accomplished through a complex life cycle with two obligate hosts and requires multiple radically different body plans specialized for infecting and reproducing in each host. Recent single-cell transcriptomic studies on several schistosome body plans provide a comprehensive map of their cell types, which include stem cells and their differentiated progeny along an intricate developmental hierarchy. This progress not only extends our understanding of the basic biology of the schistosome life cycle but can also inform new therapeutic and preventive strategies against the disease, as blocking the development of specific cell types through genetic manipulations has shown promise in inhibiting parasite survival, growth, and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pengyang Li
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Bo Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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37
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Grosbusch AL, Bertemes P, Egger B. The serotonergic nervous system of prolecithophorans shows a closer similarity to fecampiids than to triclads (Platyhelminthes). J Morphol 2021; 282:574-587. [PMID: 33569841 PMCID: PMC7986211 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Prolecithophora is a poorly studied flatworm order belonging to the adiaphanidan clade, together with Tricladida and Fecampiida. The phylogenetic position of the three orders within this clade is not yet resolved. Additionally, no obvious synapomorphy other than an opaque epidermis could be found so far. In this study, the serotonergic nervous system of six different prolecithophoran species has been studied for the first time with a fluorescent immunocytochemical technique. We found that all six species show a similar pattern of the serotonergic nervous system. The typical prolecithophoran serotonergic nervous system consists of a cephalic ganglion in the anterior body part from which a pair of dorsal, ventral, and lateral longitudinal nerve cords originate. Furthermore, the three longitudinal nerve cords of one body side are connected to each other at the posterior body part by a conspicuous commissure. The ventral cords, which we consider the main cords, are most prominent and show double brain roots. A comparison of the nervous system within Adiaphanida shows clearly that prolecithophorans and fecampiids are much more similar in this regard than prolecithophorans and triclads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L. Grosbusch
- Research Unit, Evolutionary Developmental BiologyInstitute of Zoology, University of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | - Philip Bertemes
- Research Unit, Evolutionary Developmental BiologyInstitute of Zoology, University of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | - Bernhard Egger
- Research Unit, Evolutionary Developmental BiologyInstitute of Zoology, University of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
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38
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Caña-Bozada V, Llera-Herrera R, Fajer-Ávila EJ, Morales-Serna FN. Mitochondrial genome of Scutogyrus longicornis (Monogenea: Dactylogyridea), a parasite of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. Parasitol Int 2021; 81:102281. [PMID: 33401015 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2020.102281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Caña-Bozada
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Unidad Mazatlán en Acuicultura y Manejo Ambiental, Mazatlán 82112, Sinaloa, Mexico.
| | - Raúl Llera-Herrera
- Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mazatlán 82040, Sinaloa, Mexico.
| | - Emma J Fajer-Ávila
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Unidad Mazatlán en Acuicultura y Manejo Ambiental, Mazatlán 82112, Sinaloa, Mexico.
| | - F Neptalí Morales-Serna
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Unidad Mazatlán en Acuicultura y Manejo Ambiental, Mazatlán 82112, Sinaloa, Mexico; Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT), Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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39
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Knutson VL, Brenzinger B, Schrödl M, Wilson NG, Giribet G. Most Cephalaspidea have a shell, but transcriptomes can provide them with a backbone (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2020; 153:106943. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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40
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Poddubnaya LG, Kuchta R, Scholz T. Ultrastructural patterns of the excretory ducts of basal neodermatan groups (Platyhelminthes) and new protonephridial characters of basal cestodes. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:442. [PMID: 32887664 PMCID: PMC7472586 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04307-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The flatworms (Lophotrochozoa: Platyhelminthes) are one of the major phyla of invertebrates but their interrelationships are still not well understood including unravelling the most closely related taxon of the Neodermata, which includes exclusively obligate parasites of all main groups of vertebrates with some 60,000 estimated species. Recent phylogenomic studies indicate that the freshwater 'microturbellarian' Bothrioplana semperi may be the closest ancestor to the Neodermata, but this hypothesis receives little morphological support. Therefore, additional morphological and ultrastructural characters that might help understand interrelations within the Neodermata are needed. METHODS Ultrastructure of the excretory ducts of representatives of the most basal parasitic flatworms (Neodermata), namely monocotylid (Monopisthocotylea) and chimaericolid (Polyopisthocotylea) monogeneans, aspidogastreans (Trematoda), as well as gyrocotylidean and amphilinidean tapeworms (Cestoda), were studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). RESULTS The present study revealed the same pattern of the cytoarchitecture of excretory ducts in all studied species of the basal neodermatans. This pattern is characterised by the presence of septate junctions between the adjacent epithelial cells and lateral ciliary flames along different levels of the excretory ducts. Additionally, a new character was observed in the protonephridial terminal cell of Gyrocotyle urna, namely a septate junction between terminal and adjacent duct cells at the level of the distal extremity of the flame tuft. In Amphilina foliacea, a new type of protonephridial cell with multiple flame bulbs and unique character of its weir, which consists of a single row of the ribs, is described. A remarkable difference has been observed between the structure of the luminal surface of the excretory ducts of the studied basal neodermatan groups and B. semperi. CONCLUSIONS The present study does not provide ultrastructural support for a close relationship between the Neodermata and B. semperi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larisa G. Poddubnaya
- Institute for Biology of Inland Waters, Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, Yaroslavl Region 152742 Russia
| | - Roman Kuchta
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Scholz
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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41
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Yin J, Zhang C, Mirarab S. ASTRAL-MP: scaling ASTRAL to very large datasets using randomization and parallelization. Bioinformatics 2020; 35:3961-3969. [PMID: 30903685 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btz211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2018] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Evolutionary histories can change from one part of the genome to another. The potential for discordance between the gene trees has motivated the development of summary methods that reconstruct a species tree from an input collection of gene trees. ASTRAL is a widely used summary method and has been able to scale to relatively large datasets. However, the size of genomic datasets is quickly growing. Despite its relative efficiency, the current single-threaded implementation of ASTRAL is falling behind the data growth trends is not able to analyze the largest available datasets in a reasonable time. RESULTS ASTRAL uses dynamic programing and is not trivially parallel. In this paper, we introduce ASTRAL-MP, the first version of ASTRAL that can exploit parallelism and also uses randomization techniques to speed up some of its steps. Importantly, ASTRAL-MP can take advantage of not just multiple CPU cores but also one or several graphics processing units (GPUs). The ASTRAL-MP code scales very well with increasing CPU cores, and its GPU version, implemented in OpenCL, can have up to 158× speedups compared to ASTRAL-III. Using GPUs and multiple cores, ASTRAL-MP is able to analyze datasets with 10 000 species or datasets with more than 100 000 genes in <2 days. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION ASTRAL-MP is available at https://github.com/smirarab/ASTRAL/tree/MP. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Yin
- Department of Mathematics, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Chao Zhang
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Siavash Mirarab
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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42
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Balsamo M, Artois T, Smith JPS, Todaro MA, Guidi L, Leander BS, Van Steenkiste NWL. The curious and neglected soft-bodied meiofauna: Rouphozoa (Gastrotricha and Platyhelminthes). HYDROBIOLOGIA 2020; 847:2613-2644. [PMID: 33551466 PMCID: PMC7864459 DOI: 10.1007/s10750-020-04287-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Gastrotricha and Platyhelminthes form a clade called Rouphozoa. Representatives of both taxa are main components of meiofaunal communities, but their role in the trophic ecology of marine and freshwater communities is not sufficiently studied. Traditional collection methods for meiofauna are optimized for Ecdysozoa, and include the use of fixatives or flotation techniques that are unsuitable for the preservation and identification of soft-bodied meiofauna. As a result, rouphozoans are usually underestimated in conventional biodiversity surveys and ecological studies. Here, we give an updated outline of their diversity and taxonomy, with some phylogenetic considerations. We describe successfully tested techniques for their recovery and study, and emphasize current knowledge on the ecology, distribution and dispersal of freshwater gastrotrichs and microturbellarians. We also discuss the opportunities and pitfalls of (meta)barcoding studies as a means of overcoming the taxonomic impediment. Finally, we discuss the importance of rouphozoans in aquatic ecosystems and provide future research directions to fill in crucial gaps in the biology of these organisms needed for understanding their basic role in the ecology of benthos and their place in the trophic networks linking micro-, meio- and macrofauna of freshwater ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Balsamo
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, Urbino, Italy
| | - Tom Artois
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | | | - M Antonio Todaro
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena-Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Loretta Guidi
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, Urbino, Italy
| | - Brian S Leander
- Departments of Botany and Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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43
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Monnens M, Thijs S, Briscoe AG, Clark M, Frost EJ, Littlewood DTJ, Sewell M, Smeets K, Artois T, Vanhove MPM. The first mitochondrial genomes of endosymbiotic rhabdocoels illustrate evolutionary relaxation of atp8 and genome plasticity in flatworms. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 162:454-469. [PMID: 32512097 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The first three mitochondrial (mt) genomes of endosymbiotic turbellarian flatworms are characterised for the rhabdocoels Graffilla buccinicola, Syndesmis echinorum and S. kurakaikina. Interspecific comparison of the three newly obtained sequences and the only previously characterised rhabdocoel, the free-living species Bothromesostoma personatum, reveals high mt genomic variability, including numerous rearrangements. The first intrageneric comparison within rhabdocoels shows that gene order is not fully conserved even between congeneric species. Atp8, until recently assumed absent in flatworms, was putatively annotated in two sequences. Selection pressure was tested in a phylogenetic framework and is shown to be significantly relaxed in this and another protein-coding gene: cox1. If present, atp8 appears highly derived in platyhelminths and its functionality needs to be addressed in future research. Our findings for the first time allude to a large degree of undiscovered (mt) genomic plasticity in rhabdocoels. It merits further attention whether this variation is correlated with a symbiotic lifestyle. Our results illustrate that this phenomenon is widespread in flatworms as a whole and not exclusive to the better-studied neodermatans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlies Monnens
- Hasselt University, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Research Group Zoology: Biodiversity and Toxicology, Agoralaan Gebouw D, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium.
| | - Sofie Thijs
- Hasselt University, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Research Group Environmental Biology, Agoralaan Gebouw D, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium.
| | - Andrew G Briscoe
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom.
| | - Miriam Clark
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Emily Joy Frost
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - D Tim J Littlewood
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom.
| | - Mary Sewell
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Karen Smeets
- Hasselt University, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Research Group Zoology: Biodiversity and Toxicology, Agoralaan Gebouw D, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium.
| | - Tom Artois
- Hasselt University, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Research Group Zoology: Biodiversity and Toxicology, Agoralaan Gebouw D, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium.
| | - Maarten P M Vanhove
- Hasselt University, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Research Group Zoology: Biodiversity and Toxicology, Agoralaan Gebouw D, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, University of Leuven, Charles Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; Zoology Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 17, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland; Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic.
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44
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Rozanski A, Moon H, Brandl H, Martín-Durán JM, Grohme MA, Hüttner K, Bartscherer K, Henry I, Rink JC. PlanMine 3.0-improvements to a mineable resource of flatworm biology and biodiversity. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 47:D812-D820. [PMID: 30496475 PMCID: PMC6324014 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky1070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Flatworms (Platyhelminthes) are a basally branching phylum that harbours a wealth of fascinating biology, including planarians with their astonishing regenerative abilities and the parasitic tape worms and blood flukes that exert a massive impact on human health. PlanMine (http://planmine.mpi-cbg.de/) has the mission objective of providing both a mineable sequence repository for planarians and also a resource for the comparative analysis of flatworm biology. While the original PlanMine release was entirely based on transcriptomes, the current release transitions to a more genomic perspective. Building on the recent availability of a high quality genome assembly of the planarian model species Schmidtea mediterranea, we provide a gene prediction set that now assign existing transcripts to defined genomic coordinates. The addition of recent single cell and bulk RNA-seq datasets greatly expands the available gene expression information. Further, we add transcriptomes from a broad range of other flatworms and provide a phylogeny-aware interface that makes evolutionary species comparisons accessible to non-experts. At its core, PlanMine continues to utilize the powerful InterMine framework and consistent data annotations to enable meaningful inter-species comparisons. Overall, PlanMine 3.0 thus provides a host of new features that makes the fascinating biology of flatworms accessible to the wider research community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Rozanski
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - HongKee Moon
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Holger Brandl
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - José M Martín-Durán
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Mile End Road, Fogg Building, E1 4NS London, UK
| | - Markus A Grohme
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Katja Hüttner
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstraße 20, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Kerstin Bartscherer
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstraße 20, 48149 Münster, Germany.,The Hubrecht Institute for Developmental Biology and Stem Cell Research, Uppsalalaan 8, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ian Henry
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Jochen C Rink
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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45
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Konczal M, Przesmycka KJ, Mohammed RS, Phillips KP, Camara F, Chmielewski S, Hahn C, Guigo R, Cable J, Radwan J. Gene duplications, divergence and recombination shape adaptive evolution of the fish ectoparasite Gyrodactylus bullatarudis. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:1494-1507. [PMID: 32222008 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Determining the molecular basis of parasite adaptation to its host is an important component in understanding host-parasite coevolution and the epidemiology of parasitic infections. Here, we investigate short- and long-term adaptive evolution in the eukaryotic parasite Gyrodactylus bullatarudis infecting Caribbean guppies (Poecilia reticulata), by comparing the reference genome of Tobagonian G. bullatarudis with other Platyhelminthes, and by analysing resequenced samples from local Trinidadian populations. At the macroevolutionary timescale, we observed duplication of G-protein and serine proteases genes, which are probably important in host-parasite arms races. Serine protease also showed strong evidence of ongoing, diversifying selection at the microevolutionary timescale. Furthermore, our analyses revealed that a hybridization event, involving two divergent genomes, followed by recombination has dramatically affected the genetic composition of Trinidadian populations. The recombinant genotypes invaded Trinidad and replaced local parasites in all populations. We localized more than 300 genes in regions fixed in local populations for variants of different origin, possibly due to diversifying selection pressure from local host populations. In addition, around 70 genes were localized in regions identified as heterozygous in some, but not all, individuals. This pattern is consistent with a very recent spread of recombinant parasites. Overall, our results are consistent with the idea that recombination between divergent genomes can result in particularly successful parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Konczal
- Evolutionary Biology Group, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Karolina J Przesmycka
- Evolutionary Biology Group, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Ryan S Mohammed
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies Zoology Museum, UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Karl P Phillips
- School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Marine Institute, Newport (Mayo), Ireland
| | - Francisco Camara
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sebastian Chmielewski
- Evolutionary Biology Group, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | | | - Roderic Guigo
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jo Cable
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jacek Radwan
- Evolutionary Biology Group, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
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46
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Benítez-Álvarez L, Maria Leal-Zanchet A, Oceguera-Figueroa A, Lopes Ferreira R, de Medeiros Bento D, Braccini J, Sluys R, Riutort M. Phylogeny and biogeography of the Cavernicola (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida): Relicts of an epigean group sheltering in caves? Mol Phylogenet Evol 2019; 145:106709. [PMID: 31862459 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2019.106709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The planarian suborder Cavernicola Sluys, 1990 was originally created to house five species of triclad flatworms with special morphological features and a surprisingly discontinuous and broad geographic distribution. These five species could not be accommodated with any degree of certainty in any of the three taxonomic groups existing at that moment, viz., Paludicola Hallez, 1892, Terricola Hallez, 1892, and Maricola Hallez, 1892. The scarce representation of the group and the peculiarities of the morphological features of the species, including several described more recently, have complicated new tests of the monophyly of the Cavernicola, the assessment of its taxonomic status, as well as the resolution of its internal relationships. Here we present the first molecular study including all genera currently known for the group, excepting one. We analysed newly generated 18S and 28S rDNA data for these species, together with a broad representation of other triclad flatworms. The resulting phylogenetic trees supported the monophyly of the Cavernicola, as well as its sister-group relationship to the Maricola. The sister-group relationship to the Maricola and affinities within the Cavernicola falsify the morphology-based phylogeny of the latter that was proposed previously. The relatively high diversity of some cavernicolan genera suggests that the presumed rarity of the group actually may in part be due to a collecting artefact. Ancestral state reconstruction analyses suggest that the ancestral habitat of the group concerned epigean freshwater conditions. Our results point to an evolutionary scenario in which the Cavernicola (a) originated in a freshwater habitat, (b) as the sister clade of the marine triclads, and (c) subsequently radiated and colonized both epigean and hypogean environments. Competition with other planarians, notably members of the Continenticola, or changes in epigean habitat conditions are two possible explanations -still to be tested- for the loss of most epigean diversity of the Cavernicola, which is currently reflected in their highly disjunct distributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisandra Benítez-Álvarez
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ana Maria Leal-Zanchet
- Instituto de Pesquisas de Planárias and Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), 93022-750 São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Alejandro Oceguera-Figueroa
- Laboratorio de Helmintología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tercer Circuito s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Copilco, Coyoacán, C.P. 04510, A.P. 70-153, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira
- Centro de Estudos em Biologia Subterrânea, Setor de Biodiversidade Subterrânea, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Campus Universitário, Caixa Postal 3037, Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Diego de Medeiros Bento
- ICMBio/CECAV-RN - Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Cavernas, 59015-350 Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - João Braccini
- Instituto de Pesquisas de Planárias and Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Biologia, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), 93022-750 São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Ronald Sluys
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marta Riutort
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
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Buddenborg SK, Kamel B, Bu L, Zhang SM, Mkoji GM, Loker ES. Transcriptional responses of Biomphalaria pfeifferi and Schistosoma mansoni following exposure to niclosamide, with evidence for a synergistic effect on snails following exposure to both stressors. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0006927. [PMID: 31841501 PMCID: PMC6936870 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2018] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis is one of the world's most common NTDs. Successful control operations often target snail vectors with the molluscicide niclosamide. Little is known about how niclosamide affects snails, including for Biomphalaria pfeifferi, the most important vector for Schistosoma mansoni in Africa. We used Illumina technology to explore how field-derived B. pfeifferi, either uninfected or harboring cercariae-producing S. mansoni sporocysts, respond to a sublethal treatment of niclosamide. This study afforded the opportunity to determine if snails respond differently to biotic or abiotic stressors, and if they reserve unique responses for when presented with both stressors in combination. We also examined how sporocysts respond when their snail host is treated with niclosamide. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Cercariae-producing sporocysts within snails treated with niclosamide express ~68% of the genes in the S. mansoni genome, as compared to 66% expressed by intramolluscan stages of S. mansoni in snails not treated with niclosamide. Niclosamide does not disable sporocysts nor does it seem to provoke from them distinctive responses associated with detoxifying a xenobiotic. For uninfected B. pfeifferi, niclosamide treatment alone increases expression of several features not up-regulated in infected snails including particular cytochrome p450s and heat shock proteins, glutathione-S-transferases, antimicrobial factors like LBP/BPI and protease inhibitors, and also provokes strong down regulation of proteases. Exposure of infected snails to niclosamide resulted in numerous up-regulated responses associated with apoptosis along with down-regulated ribosomal and defense functions, indicative of a distinctive, compromised state not achieved with either stimulus alone. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This study helps define the transcriptomic responses of an important and under-studied schistosome vector to S. mansoni sporocysts, to niclosamide, and to both in combination. It suggests the response of S. mansoni sporocysts to niclosamide is minimal and not reflective of a distinct repertoire of genes to handle xenobiotics while in the snail host. It also offers new insights for how niclosamide affects snails.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K. Buddenborg
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM United States of America
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton United Kingdom
| | - Bishoy Kamel
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM United States of America
| | - Lijing Bu
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM United States of America
| | - Si-Ming Zhang
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM United States of America
| | - Gerald M. Mkoji
- Center for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi KEN
| | - Eric S. Loker
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM United States of America
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48
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Abstract
Regeneration is the process by which lost or damaged tissue is replaced in adult organisms. Some organisms exhibit robust regenerative capabilities, while others, including humans, do not. Understanding the molecular principles governing the regenerative malleability of different organisms is of fundamental biological interest. Further, this problem has clear impact for the field of "regenerative medicine," which aspires to understand how human cells, tissues, and organs may be restored to normal function in scenarios of disease, damage, or age-related decline. This review will focus on the planarian flatworm as a powerful model system for studying the role of Ca2+ signals in regeneration. These invertebrate animals display an astounding innate regenerative capacity capable of regenerating complete organisms from tiny, excised fragments. New knowledge and methodological capabilities in this system highlight the potential for studying the role of Ca2+ signaling at multiple stages of the regenerative blueprint that controls stem cell behavior in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan S Marchant
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226
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49
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Rawlinson KA, Lapraz F, Ballister ER, Terasaki M, Rodgers J, McDowell RJ, Girstmair J, Criswell KE, Boldogkoi M, Simpson F, Goulding D, Cormie C, Hall B, Lucas RJ, Telford MJ. Extraocular, rod-like photoreceptors in a flatworm express xenopsin photopigment. eLife 2019; 8:45465. [PMID: 31635694 PMCID: PMC6805122 DOI: 10.7554/elife.45465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals detect light using opsin photopigments. Xenopsin, a recently classified subtype of opsin, challenges our views on opsin and photoreceptor evolution. Originally thought to belong to the Gαi-coupled ciliary opsins, xenopsins are now understood to have diverged from ciliary opsins in pre-bilaterian times, but little is known about the cells that deploy these proteins, or if they form a photopigment and drive phototransduction. We characterized xenopsin in a flatworm, Maritigrella crozieri, and found it expressed in ciliary cells of eyes in the larva, and in extraocular cells around the brain in the adult. These extraocular cells house hundreds of cilia in an intra-cellular vacuole (phaosome). Functional assays in human cells show Maritigrella xenopsin drives phototransduction primarily by coupling to Gαi. These findings highlight similarities between xenopsin and c-opsin and reveal a novel type of opsin-expressing cell that, like jawed vertebrate rods, encloses the ciliary membrane within their own plasma membrane. Eyes are elaborate organs that many animals use to detect light and see, but light can also be sensed in other, simpler ways and for purposes other than seeing. All animals that perceive light rely on cells called photoreceptors, which come in two main types: ciliary or rhabdomeric. Sometimes, an organism has both types of photoreceptors, but one is typically more important than the other. For example, most vertebrates see using ciliary photoreceptors, while rhabdomeric photoreceptors underpin vision in invertebrates. Flatworms are invertebrates that have long been studied due to their ability to regenerate following injuries. These worms have rhabdomeric photoreceptors in their eyes, but they also have unusual cells outside their eyes that have cilia – slender protuberances from the cell body - and could potentially be light sensitive. One obvious way to test if a cell is a photoreceptor is to see if it produces any light-sensing proteins, such as opsins. Until recently it was thought that each type of photoreceptor produced a different opsin, which were therefore classified into rhabdomeric of ciliary opsins. However, recent work has identified a new type of opsin, called xenopsin, in the ciliary photoreceptors of the larvae of some marine invertebrates. To determine whether the cells outside the flatworm’s eye were ciliary photoreceptors, Rawlinson et al. examined the genetic code of 30 flatworm species looking for ciliary opsin and xenopsin genes. This search revealed that all the flatworm species studied contained the genetic sequence for xenopsin, but not for the ciliary opsin. Rawlinson et al. chose the tiger flatworm to perform further experiments. First, they showed that, in this species, xenopsin genes are active both in the eyes of larvae and in the unusual ciliary cells found outside the eyes of the adult. Next, they put the xenopsin from the tiger flatworm into human embryonic kidney cells, and found that when the protein is present these cells can respond to light. This demonstrates that the newly discovered xenopsin is light-sensitive, suggesting that the unusual ciliary cells found expressing this protein outside the eyes in flatworms are likely photoreceptive cells. It is unclear why flatworms have developed these unusual ciliary photoreceptor cells or what their purpose is outside the eye. Often, photoreceptor cells outside the eyes are used to align the ‘body clock’ with the day-night cycle. This can be a factor in healing, hinting perhaps that these newly found cells may have a role in flatworms’ ability to regenerate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate A Rawlinson
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom.,Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, United States
| | - Francois Lapraz
- Université Côte D'Azur, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Valrose, Nice, France
| | - Edward R Ballister
- New York University School of Medicine, New York, United States.,Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Terasaki
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, United States.,University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, United States
| | - Jessica Rodgers
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J McDowell
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes Girstmair
- Centre for Life's Origins and Evolution, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katharine E Criswell
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, United States
| | - Miklos Boldogkoi
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Fraser Simpson
- Centre for Life's Origins and Evolution, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Brian Hall
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Robert J Lucas
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Maximilian J Telford
- Centre for Life's Origins and Evolution, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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50
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Buddenborg SK, Kamel B, Hanelt B, Bu L, Zhang SM, Mkoji GM, Loker ES. The in vivo transcriptome of Schistosoma mansoni in the prominent vector species Biomphalaria pfeifferi with supporting observations from Biomphalaria glabrata. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007013. [PMID: 31568484 PMCID: PMC6797213 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The full scope of the genes expressed by schistosomes during intramolluscan development has yet to be characterized. Understanding the gene products deployed by larval schistosomes in their snail hosts will provide insights into their establishment, maintenance, asexual reproduction, ability to castrate their hosts, and their prolific production of human-infective cercariae. Using the Illumina platform, the intramolluscan transcriptome of Schistosoma mansoni was investigated in field-derived specimens of the prominent vector species Biomphalaria pfeifferi at 1 and 3 days post infection (d) and from snails shedding cercariae. These S. mansoni samples were derived from the same snails used in our complementary B. pfeifferi transcriptomic study. We supplemented this view with microarray analyses of S. mansoni from B. glabrata at 2d, 4d, 8d, 16d, and 32d to highlight robust features of S. mansoni transcription, even when a different technique and vector species was used. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Transcripts representing at least 7,740 (66%) of known S. mansoni genes were expressed during intramolluscan development, with the greatest number expressed in snails shedding cercariae. Many transcripts were constitutively expressed throughout development featuring membrane transporters, and metabolic enzymes involved in protein and nucleic acid synthesis and cell division. Several proteases and protease inhibitors were expressed at all stages, including some proteases usually associated with cercariae. Transcripts associated with G-protein coupled receptors, germ cell perpetuation, and stress responses and defense were well represented. We noted transcripts homologous to planarian anti-bacterial factors, several neural development or neuropeptide transcripts including neuropeptide Y, and receptors that may be associated with schistosome germinal cell maintenance that could also impact host reproduction. In at least one snail the presence of larvae of another digenean species (an amphistome) was associated with repressed S. mansoni transcriptional activity. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This in vivo study, emphasizing field-derived snails and schistosomes, but supplemented with observations from a lab model, provides a distinct view from previous studies of development of cultured intramolluscan stages from lab-maintained organisms. We found many highly represented transcripts with suspected or unknown functions, with connection to intramolluscan development yet to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K. Buddenborg
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Bishoy Kamel
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
| | - Ben Hanelt
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
| | - Lijing Bu
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
| | - Si-Ming Zhang
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
| | - Gerald M. Mkoji
- Center for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairob,i Kenya
| | - Eric S. Loker
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
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