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Brand JN, Viktorin G, Wiberg RAW, Beisel C, Schärer L. 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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [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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Bertevello CR, Russo BRA, Tahira AC, Lopes-Junior EH, DeMarco R, Oliveira KC. The evolution of TNF signaling in platyhelminths suggests the cooptation of TNF receptor in the host-parasite interplay. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:491. [PMID: 32977830 PMCID: PMC7519573 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04370-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The TNF signaling pathway is involved in the regulation of many cellular processes (such as apoptosis and cell proliferation). Previous reports indicated the effect of human TNF-α on metabolism, physiology, gene expression and protein phosphorylation of the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni and suggested that its TNF receptor was responsible for this response. The lack of an endogenous TNF ligand reinforced the idea of the use of an exogenous ligand, but also opens the possibility that the receptor actually binds a non-canonical ligand, as observed for NGFRs. METHODS To obtain a more comprehensive view, we analyzed platyhelminth genomes deposited in the Wormbase ParaSite database to investigate the presence of TNF receptors and their respective ligands. Using different bioinformatics approaches, such as HMMer and BLAST search tools we identified and characterized the sequence of TNF receptors and ligand homologs. We also used bioinformatics resources for the identification of conserved protein domains and Bayesian inference for phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS Our analyses indicate the presence of 31 TNF receptors in 30 platyhelminth species. All platyhelminths display a single TNF receptor, and all are structurally remarkably similar to NGFR. It suggests no events of duplication and diversification occurred in this phylum, with the exception of a single species-specific duplication. Interestingly, we also identified TNF ligand homologs in five species of free-living platyhelminths. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the TNF receptor from platyhelminths may be able to bind canonical TNF ligands, thus strengthening the idea that these receptors are able to bind human TNF-α. This also raises the hypothesis that an endogenous ligand was substituted by the host ligand in parasitic platyhelminths. Moreover, our analysis indicates that death domains (DD) may be present in the intracellular region of most platyhelminth TNF receptors, thus pointing to a previously unreported apoptotic action of such receptors in platyhelminths. Our data highlight the idea that host-parasite crosstalk using the TNF pathway may be widespread in parasitic platyhelminths to mediate apoptotic responses. This opens up a new hypothesis to uncover what might be an important component to understand platyhelminth infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio R Bertevello
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bruno R A Russo
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana C Tahira
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ednilson Hilário Lopes-Junior
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ricardo DeMarco
- Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Katia C Oliveira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Torres-Carrera G, Ruiz-Escobar F, García-Prieto L, Oceguera-Figueroa A. Narcinecotyle longifilamentus n. gen., n. sp. (Monogenea: Hexabothriidae), gill parasite of the numbfish Narcine entemedor (Torpediniformes: Narcinidae) from the Mexican Pacific coast. Parasitol Int 2020; 76:102095. [PMID: 32114086 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2020.102095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A new genus and species of Hexabothriidae Price, 1942 is described from specimens infecting the gill of the numbfish Narcine entemedor Jordan and Starks from the Pacific coast of Mexico. In addition to the new taxon described here, species of 8 genera also display symmetrical haptors and have eggs with two polar filaments. However, they differ in the combination of the following features: distal portion of the male copulatory organ tubular, unarmed and proximally dilated confining an internal coiled duct, as well as dorsal origin of haptoral appendix. Based on molecular data derived from 3 loci, the mitochondrial Cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 as well as the nuclear ribosomal 18S and 28S, the new species was found nested within Hexabothriidae together with the other 4 genera with representatives in GenBank. This is the first species of Hexabothriidae reported from a species of Narcinidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Torres-Carrera
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, C.P. 04510 Mexico City, Mexico; Laboratorio de Helmintología, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, C.P. 04510 Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Fernando Ruiz-Escobar
- Programa de Biología Marina, Universidad del Mar campus Puerto Ángel, C.P. 70902 Oaxaca, Mexico
| | - Luis García-Prieto
- Laboratorio de Helmintología, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, C.P. 04510 Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Alejandro Oceguera-Figueroa
- Laboratorio de Helmintología, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, C.P. 04510 Mexico City, Mexico.
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Abstract
Nuclear receptors (NRs) belong to a large protein superfamily which includes intracellular receptors for secreted hydrophobic signal molecules, such as steroid hormones and thyroid hormones. They regulate development and reproduction in metazoans by binding to the promoter region of their target gene to activate or repress mRNA synthesis. Isolation and characterization of NRs in the parasitic trematode Schistosoma mansoni identified two homologues of mammalian thyroid receptor (TR). This was the first known protostome exhibiting TR homologues. Three novel NRs each possess a novel set of two DNA binding domains (DBD) in tandem with a ligand binding domain (LBD) (2DBD-NRs) isolated in Schistosoma mansoni revealed a novel NR modular structure: A/B-DBD-DBD-hinge-LBD. Full length cDNA of several NRs have been isolated and studied in the parasitic trematodes S. mansoni, S. japonicum and in the cestode Echinococcus multilocularis. The genome of the blood flukes S. mansoni, S. japonicum and S. haematobium, the liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis and the cestode Echinococcus multilocularis have been sequenced. Study of the NR complement in parasitic Platyhelminths will help us to understand the role of NRs in regulation of their development and understand the evolution of NR in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Wu
- Departments of Biochemistry and Structural Biology and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229-3800, USA
| | - Philip T LoVerde
- Departments of Biochemistry and Structural Biology and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229-3800, USA.
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Li MH. Development of in vivo biotransformation enzyme assays for ecotoxicity screening: In vivo measurement of phases I and II enzyme activities in freshwater planarians. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2016; 130:19-28. [PMID: 27062342 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2016.03.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2015] [Revised: 03/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The development of a high-throughput tool is required for screening of environmental pollutants and assessing their impacts on aquatic animals. Freshwater planarians can be used in rapid and sensitive toxicity bioassays. Planarians are known for their remarkable regeneration ability but much less known for their metabolic and xenobiotic biotransformation abilities. In this study, the activities of different phase I and II enzymes were determined in vivo by directly measuring fluorescent enzyme substrate disappearance or fluorescent enzyme metabolite production in planarian culture media. For phase I enzyme activity, O-deethylation activities with alkoxyresorufin could not be detected in planarian culture media. By contrast, O-deethylation activities with alkoxycoumarin were detected in planarian culture media. Increases in 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ECOD) activities was only observed in planarians exposed to 1μM, but not 10μM, β-naphthoflavone for 24h. ECOD activity was inhibited in planarians exposed to 10 and 100μM rifampicin or carbamazepine for 24h. For phase II enzyme activity, DT-diaphorase, arylsulfatases, uridine 5'-diphospho (UDP)-glucuronosyltransferase or catechol-O-methyltransferase activity was determined in culture media containing planarians. The results of this study indicate that freshwater planarians are a promising model organism to monitor exposure to environmental pollutants or assess their impacts through the in vivo measurement of phase I and II enzyme activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Hui Li
- Environmental Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
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Blohm AS, Mäder P, Quack T, Lu Z, Hahnel S, Schlitzer M, Grevelding CG. Derivatives of biarylalkyl carboxylic acid induce pleiotropic phenotypes in adult Schistosoma mansoni in vitro. Parasitol Res 2016; 115:3831-42. [PMID: 27230017 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5146-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomes and other parasitic platyhelminths cause infectious diseases of worldwide significance for humans and animals. Despite their medical and economic importance, vaccines are not available and the number of drugs is alarmingly limited. For most platyhelminths including schistosomes, Praziquantel (PZQ) is the commonly used drug. With respect to its regular application in mass treatment programs, however, there is increasing concern about resistance development.Previous studies demonstrated that inhibitors used to treat non-parasitic human diseases may be useful to be tested for their effects on parasites. To this end, we focused on biarylalkyl carboxylic acids (BACAs) as basis, which had been shown before to be interesting candidates in the context of finding alternative approaches to treat diabetes mellitus. We tested 32 chemically modified derivatives of these substances (biarylalkyl carboxylic acid derivatives (BACADs)) for their effects on adult Schistosoma mansoni in vitro. Treatment with 18 BACADs resulted in egg production-associated phenotypes and reduced pairing stability. In addition, 12 of these derivatives affected vitality and/or caused severe tegument damage, gut dilatation, or other forms of tissue disintegration which led to the death of worms. In most cases (10/12), one derivative caused more than one phenotype at a time. In vitro experiments in the presence of serum albumin (SA) and alpha-acidic glycoprotein (AGP) indicated a varying influence of these blood components on the effects of two selected derivatives. The variety of observed phenotypes suggested that different targets were hit. The results demonstrated that BACADs are interesting substances with respect to their anti-schistosomal effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane S Blohm
- BFS, Institut for Parasitology, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Gießen, 35392, Germany
| | - Patrick Mäder
- Institute for Pharmaceutic Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, 35032, Germany
| | - Thomas Quack
- BFS, Institut for Parasitology, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Gießen, 35392, Germany
| | - Zhigang Lu
- BFS, Institut for Parasitology, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Gießen, 35392, Germany
| | - Steffen Hahnel
- BFS, Institut for Parasitology, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Gießen, 35392, Germany
| | - Martin Schlitzer
- Institute for Pharmaceutic Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, 35032, Germany
| | - Christoph G Grevelding
- BFS, Institut for Parasitology, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Gießen, 35392, Germany.
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Martínez-González JJ, Guevara-Flores A, Rendón JL, Arenal IPD. Auranofin-induced oxidative stress causes redistribution of the glutathione pool in Taenia crassiceps cysticerci. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2015; 201:16-25. [PMID: 26024834 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2015.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Revised: 03/28/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Previously, we have studied the effect of the gold-compound auranofin (AF) on both thioredoxin-glutathione reductasa (TGR) activity and viability of Taenia crassiceps cysticerci. It was demonstrated that micromolar concentrations of AF were high enough to fully inhibit TGR and kill the parasites. In this work, the dynamics of changes in the glutathione pool of T. crassiceps cysticerci following the addition of AF, was analyzed. A dose-dependent decrease in the internal glutathione concentration, concomitant with an increase in ROS production was observed. These changes were simultaneous with the formation of glutathione-protein complexes and the export of glutathione disulfide (GSSG) to the culture medium. Incubation of cysticerci in the presence of both AF and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) prevents all the above changes, maintaining cysticerci viability. By contrast, the presence of both AF and buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) resulted in a potentiation of the effects of the gold compound, jeopardizing cysticerci viability. These results suggest the lethal effect of AF on T. crassiceps cysticerci, observed at micromolar concentrations, can be explained as a consequence of major changes in the glutathione status, which results in a significant increase in the oxidative stress of the parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- J J Martínez-González
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Apartado Postal 70-159, 04510 Mexico, DF, Mexico
| | - A Guevara-Flores
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Apartado Postal 70-159, 04510 Mexico, DF, Mexico
| | - J L Rendón
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Apartado Postal 70-159, 04510 Mexico, DF, Mexico
| | - I P Del Arenal
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Apartado Postal 70-159, 04510 Mexico, DF, Mexico.
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Zheng Y. Strategies of Echinococcus species responses to immune attacks: implications for therapeutic tool development. Int Immunopharmacol 2013; 17:495-501. [PMID: 23973651 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2013.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2013] [Revised: 07/26/2013] [Accepted: 07/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Echinococcus species have been studied as a model to investigate parasite-host interactions. Echinococcus spp. can actively communicate dynamically with a host to facilitate infection, growth and proliferation partially via secretion of molecules, especially in terms of harmonization of host immune attacks. This review systematically outlines our current knowledge of how the Echinococcus species have evolved to adapt to their host's microenvironment. This understanding of parasite-host interplay has implications in profound appreciation of parasite plasticity and is informative in designing novel and effective tools including vaccines and drugs for the treatment of echinococcosis and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadong Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS, Lanzhou, Gansu, China; Key Lab of New Animal Drug Project, Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, CAAS, Lanzhou, Gansu, China; Key Lab of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, CAAS, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
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Chan JD, Zarowiecki M, Marchant JS. Ca²⁺ channels and praziquantel: a view from the free world. Parasitol Int 2012; 62:619-28. [PMID: 23246536 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2012.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2012] [Accepted: 12/06/2012] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Targeting the cellular Ca(2+) channels and pumps that underpin parasite Ca(2+) homeostasis may realize novel antihelmintic agents. Indeed, the antischistosomal drug praziquantel (PZQ) is a key clinical agent that has been proposed to work in this manner. Heterologous expression data has implicated an action of PZQ on voltage-operated Ca(2+) channels, although the relevant in vivo target of this drug has remained undefined over three decades of clinical use. The purpose of this review is to bring new perspective to this issue by discussing the potential utility of free-living planarian flatworms for providing new insight into the mechanism of PZQ action. First, we discuss in vivo functional genetic data from the planarian system that broadly supports the molecular data collected in heterologous systems and the 'Ca(2+) hypothesis' of PZQ action. On the basis of these similarities we highlight our current knowledge of platyhelminth voltage operated Ca(2+) channels, their unique molecular pharmacology and the downstream functional PZQ interactome engaged by dysregulation of Ca(2+) influx that has potential to yield novel antischistosomal targets. Overall the broad dataset underscores a common theme of PZQ-evoked disruptions of Ca(2+) homeostasis in trematodes, cestodes and turbellarians, and showcases the utility of the planarian model for deriving insight into drug action and targets in parasitic flatworms.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D Chan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, MN 55455, USA; The Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota Medical School, MN 55455, USA
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