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Li S, Wang J, Tian X, Toufeeq S, Huang W. Immunometabolic regulation during the presence of microorganisms and parasitoids in insects. Front Immunol 2023; 14:905467. [PMID: 37818375 PMCID: PMC10560992 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.905467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Multicellular organisms live in environments containing diverse nutrients and a wide variety of microbial communities. On the one hand, the immune response of organisms can protect from the intrusion of exogenous microorganisms. On the other hand, the dynamic coordination of anabolism and catabolism of organisms is a necessary factor for growth and reproduction. Since the production of an immune response is an energy-intensive process, the activation of immune cells is accompanied by metabolic transformations that enable the rapid production of ATP and new biomolecules. In insects, the coordination of immunity and metabolism is the basis for insects to cope with environmental challenges and ensure normal growth, development and reproduction. During the activation of insect immune tissues by pathogenic microorganisms, not only the utilization of organic resources can be enhanced, but also the activated immune cells can usurp the nutrients of non-immune tissues by generating signals. At the same time, insects also have symbiotic bacteria in their body, which can affect insect physiology through immune-metabolic regulation. This paper reviews the research progress of insect immune-metabolism regulation from the perspective of insect tissues, such as fat body, gut and hemocytes. The effects of microorganisms (pathogenic bacteria/non-pathogenic bacteria) and parasitoids on immune-metabolism were elaborated here, which provide guidance to uncover immunometabolism mechanisms in insects and mammals. This work also provides insights to utilize immune-metabolism for the formulation of pest control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirong Li
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- College of Life Sciences, Yan’an University, Yan’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jing Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shangrao Normal University, Shangrao, China
| | - Xing Tian
- College of Life Sciences, Yan’an University, Yan’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shahzad Toufeeq
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wuren Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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2
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Zhou Y, Luo T, Gong Y, Guo Y, Wang D, Gao Z, Sun F, Fu L, Liu H, Pan W, Yang X. The non-oral infection of larval Echinococcus granulosus induces immune and metabolic reprogramming in the colon of mice. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1084203. [PMID: 36713407 PMCID: PMC9880436 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1084203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The intestinal tract serves as a critical regulator for nutrient absorption and overall health. However, its involvement in anti-parasitic infection and immunity has been largely neglected, especially when a parasite is not transmitted orally. The present study investigated the colonic histopathology and functional reprogramming in mice with intraperitoneal infection of the larval Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus). Results Compared with the control group, the E. granulosus-infected mice exhibited deteriorated secreted mucus, shortened length, decreased expression of tight junction proteins zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), and occludin in the colon. Moreover, RNA sequencing was employed to characterize colonic gene expression after infection. In total, 3,019 differentially expressed genes (1,346 upregulated and 1,673 downregulated genes) were identified in the colon of infected mice. KEGG pathway and GO enrichment analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes involved in intestinal immune responses, infectious disease-associated pathways, metabolism, or focal adhesion were significantly enriched. Among these, 18 tight junction-relative genes, 44 immune response-associated genes, and 23 metabolic genes were annotated. Furthermore, mebendazole treatment could reverse the colonic histopathology induced by E. granulosus infection. Conclusions Intraperitoneal infection with E. granulosus induced the pathological changes and functional reprogramming in the colon of mice, and mebendazole administration alleviated above alternations, highlighting the significance of the colon as a protective barrier against parasitic infection. The findings provide a novel perspective on host-parasite interplay and propose intestine as a possible target for treating parasitic diseases that are not transmitted orally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuying Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tiancheng Luo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuying Gong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuxin Guo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dingmin Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zixuan Gao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical College, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fenfen Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Linlin Fu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hua Liu
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Pan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoying Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Wilson A, Periandri EM, Sievers M, Petruccelli E. Drosophila Stat92E Signaling Following Pre-exposure to Ethanol. Neurosci Insights 2023; 18:26331055221146755. [PMID: 36643884 PMCID: PMC9834942 DOI: 10.1177/26331055221146755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Repeated exposure to alcohol alters neuromolecular signaling that influences acute and long-lasting behaviors underlying Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Recent animal model research has implicated changes in the conserved JAK/STAT pathway, a signaling pathway classically associated with development and the innate immune system. How ethanol exposure impacts STAT signaling within neural cells is currently unclear. Here, we investigated the role of Drosophila Stat92E in ethanol-induced locomotion, signaling activity, and downstream transcriptional responses. Findings suggest that expressing Stat92E-RNAi causes enhanced ethanol-induced hyperactivity in flies previously exposed to ethanol. Furthermore, alternative splicing of Stat92E itself was detected after repeated ethanol exposure, although no changes were found in downstream transcriptional activity. This work adds to our growing understanding of altered neuromolecular signaling following ethanol exposure and suggests that STAT signaling may be a relevant target to consider for AUD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Emily Petruccelli
- Emily Petruccelli, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville College of Arts and Sciences, 44 Circle Dr, Edwardsville, IL 62026, USA.
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Prioritizing autoimmunity risk variants for functional analyses by fine-mapping mutations under natural selection. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7069. [PMID: 36400766 PMCID: PMC9674589 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34461-9] [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: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogen-driven selection shaped adaptive mutations in immunity genes, including those contributing to inflammatory disorders. Functional characterization of such adaptive variants can shed light on disease biology and past adaptations. This popular idea, however, was difficult to test due to challenges in pinpointing adaptive mutations in selection footprints. In this study, using a local-tree-based approach, we show that 28% of risk loci (153/535) in 21 inflammatory disorders bear footprints of moderate and weak selection, and part of them are population specific. Weak selection footprints allow partial fine-mapping, and we show that in 19% (29/153) of the risk loci under selection, candidate disease variants are hitchhikers, and only in 39% of cases they are likely selection targets. We predict function for a subset of these selected SNPs and highlight examples of antagonistic pleiotropy. We conclude by offering disease variants under selection that can be tested functionally using infectious agents and other stressors to decipher the poorly understood link between environmental stressors and genetic risk in inflammatory conditions.
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5
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González-Acosta S, Baca-González V, Asensio-Calavia P, Otazo-Pérez A, López MR, Morales-delaNuez A, Pérez de la Lastra JM. Efficient Oral Priming of Tenebrio molitor Larvae Using Heat-Inactivated Microorganisms. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10081296. [PMID: 36016184 PMCID: PMC9415734 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10081296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial resistance is a global health problem that will increase over time. Advances in insect antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer a powerful new approach to combat antimicrobial resistance. Invertebrates represent a rich group of animals for the discovery of new antimicrobial agents due to their high diversity and the presence of adaptive immunity or “immune priming”. Here, we report a priming approach for Tenebrio molitor that simulates natural infection via the oral route. This oral administration has the advantage of minimizing the stress caused by conventional priming techniques and could be a viable method for mealworm immunity studies. When using inactivated microorganisms for oral priming, our results showed an increased survival of T. molitor larvae after exposure to various pathogens. This finding was consistent with the induction of antimicrobial activity in the hemolymph of primed larvae. Interestingly, the hemolymph of larvae orally primed with Escherichia coli showed constitutive activity against Staphylococcus aureus and heterologous activity for other Gram-negative bacteria, such as Salmonella enterica. The priming of T. molitor is generally performed via injection of the microorganism. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the oral administration of heat-inactivated microorganisms for priming mealworms. This technique has the advantage of reducing the stress that occurs with the conventional methods for priming vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio González-Acosta
- Biotechnology of Macromolecules Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Spain
- Escuela de Doctorado y Estudios de Posgrado, Universidad de La Laguna Avda, Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, SN. Edificio Calabaza-Apdo, 456, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Victoria Baca-González
- Biotechnology of Macromolecules Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Spain
| | - Patricia Asensio-Calavia
- Biotechnology of Macromolecules Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Spain
- Escuela de Doctorado y Estudios de Posgrado, Universidad de La Laguna Avda, Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, SN. Edificio Calabaza-Apdo, 456, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Andrea Otazo-Pérez
- Biotechnology of Macromolecules Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Spain
- Escuela de Doctorado y Estudios de Posgrado, Universidad de La Laguna Avda, Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, SN. Edificio Calabaza-Apdo, 456, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Manuel R. López
- Biotechnology of Macromolecules Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Spain
| | - Antonio Morales-delaNuez
- Biotechnology of Macromolecules Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Spain
| | - José Manuel Pérez de la Lastra
- Biotechnology of Macromolecules Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología, (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-922-474334
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Koranteng F, Cho B, Shim J. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Regulation of Hematopoiesis in Drosophila. Mol Cells 2022; 45:101-108. [PMID: 35253654 PMCID: PMC8926866 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2022.2039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster lymph gland, the primary site of hematopoiesis, contains myeloid-like progenitor cells that differentiate into functional hemocytes in the circulation of pupae and adults. Fly hemocytes are dynamic and plastic, and they play diverse roles in the innate immune response and wound healing. Various hematopoietic regulators in the lymph gland ensure the developmental and functional balance between progenitors and mature blood cells. In addition, systemic factors, such as nutrient availability and sensory inputs, integrate environmental variabilities to synchronize the blood development in the lymph gland with larval growth, physiology, and immunity. This review examines the intrinsic and extrinsic factors determining the progenitor states during hemocyte development in the lymph gland and provides new insights for further studies that may extend the frontier of our collective knowledge on hematopoiesis and innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bumsik Cho
- Department of Life Science, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Jiwon Shim
- Department of Life Science, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
- Research Institute for Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
- Research Institute for Convergence of Basic Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
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7
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Ullastres A, Merenciano M, González J. Regulatory regions in natural transposable element insertions drive interindividual differences in response to immune challenges in Drosophila. Genome Biol 2021; 22:265. [PMID: 34521452 PMCID: PMC8439047 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02471-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Variation in gene expression underlies interindividual variability in relevant traits including immune response. However, the genetic variation responsible for these gene expression changes remains largely unknown. Among the non-coding variants that could be relevant, transposable element insertions are promising candidates as they have been shown to be a rich and diverse source of cis-regulatory elements. Results In this work, we use a population genetics approach to identify transposable element insertions likely to increase the tolerance of Drosophila melanogaster to bacterial infection by affecting the expression of immune-related genes. We identify 12 insertions associated with allele-specific expression changes in immune-related genes. We experimentally validate three of these insertions including one likely to be acting as a silencer, one as an enhancer, and one with a dual role as enhancer and promoter. The direction in the change of gene expression associated with the presence of several of these insertions is consistent with an increased survival to infection. Indeed, for one of the insertions, we show that this is the case by analyzing both natural populations and CRISPR/Cas9 mutants in which the insertion is deleted from its native genomic context. Conclusions We show that transposable elements contribute to gene expression variation in response to infection in D. melanogaster and that this variation is likely to affect their survival capacity. Because the role of transposable elements as regulatory elements is not restricted to Drosophila, transposable elements are likely to play a role in immune response in other organisms as well. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13059-021-02471-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ullastres
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miriam Merenciano
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josefa González
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
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Botwright NA, Mohamed AR, Slinger J, Lima PC, Wynne JW. Host-Parasite Interaction of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar) and the Ectoparasite Neoparamoeba perurans in Amoebic Gill Disease. Front Immunol 2021; 12:672700. [PMID: 34135900 PMCID: PMC8202022 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.672700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) are susceptible to recurrent amoebic gill disease (AGD) caused by the ectoparasite Neoparamoeba perurans over the growout production cycle. The parasite elicits a highly localized response within the gill epithelium resulting in multifocal mucoid patches at the site of parasite attachment. This host-parasite response drives a complex immune reaction, which remains poorly understood. To generate a model for host-parasite interaction during pathogenesis of AGD in Atlantic salmon the local (gill) and systemic transcriptomic response in the host, and the parasite during AGD pathogenesis was explored. A dual RNA-seq approach together with differential gene expression and system-wide statistical analyses of gene and transcription factor networks was employed. A multi-tissue transcriptomic data set was generated from the gill (including both lesioned and non-lesioned tissue), head kidney and spleen tissues naïve and AGD-affected Atlantic salmon sourced from an in vivo AGD challenge trial. Differential gene expression of the salmon host indicates local and systemic upregulation of defense and immune responses. Two transcription factors, znfOZF-like and znf70-like, and their associated gene networks significantly altered with disease state. The majority of genes in these networks are candidates for mediators of the immune response, cellular proliferation and invasion. These include Aurora kinase B-like, rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 25-like and protein NDNF-like inhibited. Analysis of the N. perurans transcriptome during AGD pathology compared to in vitro cultured N. perurans trophozoites, as a proxy for wild type trophozoites, identified multiple gene candidates for virulence and indicates a potential master regulatory gene system analogous to the two-component PhoP/Q system. Candidate genes identified are associated with invasion of host tissue, evasion of host defense mechanisms and formation of the mucoid lesion. We generated a novel model for host-parasite interaction during AGD pathogenesis through integration of host and parasite functional profiles. Collectively, this dual transcriptomic study provides novel molecular insights into the pathology of AGD and provides alternative theories for future research in a step towards improved management of AGD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha A Botwright
- Livestock and Aquaculture, CSIRO Agriculture and Food, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Amin R Mohamed
- Livestock and Aquaculture, CSIRO Agriculture and Food, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Joel Slinger
- Livestock and Aquaculture, CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Woorim, QLD, Australia
| | - Paula C Lima
- Livestock and Aquaculture, CSIRO Agriculture and Food, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - James W Wynne
- Livestock and Aquaculture, CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Hobart, TAS, Australia
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A parasitoid wasp of Drosophila employs preemptive and reactive strategies to deplete its host's blood cells. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009615. [PMID: 34048506 PMCID: PMC8191917 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The wasps Leptopilina heterotoma parasitize and ingest their Drosophila hosts. They produce extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the venom that are packed with proteins, some of which perform immune suppressive functions. EV interactions with blood cells of host larvae are linked to hematopoietic depletion, immune suppression, and parasite success. But how EVs disperse within the host, enter and kill hematopoietic cells is not well understood. Using an antibody marker for L. heterotoma EVs, we show that these parasite-derived structures are readily distributed within the hosts’ hemolymphatic system. EVs converge around the tightly clustered cells of the posterior signaling center (PSC) of the larval lymph gland, a small hematopoietic organ in Drosophila. The PSC serves as a source of developmental signals in naïve animals. In wasp-infected animals, the PSC directs the differentiation of lymph gland progenitors into lamellocytes. These lamellocytes are needed to encapsulate the wasp egg and block parasite development. We found that L. heterotoma infection disassembles the PSC and PSC cells disperse into the disintegrating lymph gland lobes. Genetically manipulated PSC-less lymph glands remain non-responsive and largely intact in the face of L. heterotoma infection. We also show that the larval lymph gland progenitors use the endocytic machinery to internalize EVs. Once inside, L. heterotoma EVs damage the Rab7- and LAMP-positive late endocytic and phagolysosomal compartments. Rab5 maintains hematopoietic and immune quiescence as Rab5 knockdown results in hematopoietic over-proliferation and ectopic lamellocyte differentiation. Thus, both aspects of anti-parasite immunity, i.e., (a) phagocytosis of the wasp’s immune-suppressive EVs, and (b) progenitor differentiation for wasp egg encapsulation reside in the lymph gland. These results help explain why the lymph gland is specifically and precisely targeted for destruction. The parasite’s simultaneous and multipronged approach to block cellular immunity not only eliminates blood cells, but also tactically blocks the genetic programming needed for supplementary hematopoietic differentiation necessary for host success. In addition to its known functions in hematopoiesis, our results highlight a previously unrecognized phagocytic role of the lymph gland in cellular immunity. EV-mediated virulence strategies described for L. heterotoma are likely to be shared by other parasitoid wasps; their understanding can improve the design and development of novel therapeutics and biopesticides as well as help protect biodiversity. Parasitoid wasps serve as biological control agents of agricultural insect pests and are worthy of study. Many parasitic wasps develop inside their hosts to emerge as free-living adults. To overcome the resistance of their hosts, parasitic wasps use varied and ingenious strategies such as mimicry, evasion, bioactive venom, virus-like particles, viruses, and extracellular vesicles (EVs). We describe the effects of a unique class of EVs containing virulence proteins and produced in the venom of wasps that parasitize fruit flies of Drosophila species. EVs from Leptopilina heterotoma are widely distributed throughout the Drosophila hosts’ circulatory system after infection. They enter and kill macrophages by destroying the very same subcellular machinery that facilitates their uptake. An important protein in this process, Rab5, is needed to maintain the identity of the macrophage; when Rab5 function is reduced, macrophages turn into a different cell type called lamellocytes. Activities in the EVs can eliminate lamellocytes as well. EVs also interfere with the hosts’ genetic program that promotes lamellocyte differentiation needed to block parasite development. Thus, wasps combine specific preemptive and reactive strategies to deplete their hosts of the very cells that would otherwise sequester and kill them. These findings have applied value in agricultural pest control and medical therapeutics.
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Harnish JM, Link N, Yamamoto S. Drosophila as a Model for Infectious Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:2724. [PMID: 33800390 PMCID: PMC7962867 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has been used to understand fundamental principles of genetics and biology for over a century. Drosophila is now also considered an essential tool to study mechanisms underlying numerous human genetic diseases. In this review, we will discuss how flies can be used to deepen our knowledge of infectious disease mechanisms in vivo. Flies make effective and applicable models for studying host-pathogen interactions thanks to their highly conserved innate immune systems and cellular processes commonly hijacked by pathogens. Drosophila researchers also possess the most powerful, rapid, and versatile tools for genetic manipulation in multicellular organisms. This allows for robust experiments in which specific pathogenic proteins can be expressed either one at a time or in conjunction with each other to dissect the molecular functions of each virulent factor in a cell-type-specific manner. Well documented phenotypes allow large genetic and pharmacological screens to be performed with relative ease using huge collections of mutant and transgenic strains that are publicly available. These factors combine to make Drosophila a powerful tool for dissecting out host-pathogen interactions as well as a tool to better understand how we can treat infectious diseases that pose risks to public health, including COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Michael Harnish
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Houston, TX 77030, USA; (J.M.H.); (N.L.)
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Nichole Link
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Houston, TX 77030, USA; (J.M.H.); (N.L.)
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Houston, TX 77030, USA; (J.M.H.); (N.L.)
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, BCM, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Development, Disease Models and Therapeutics Graduate Program, BCM, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Hu L, Wang J, Yang C, Islam F, Bouwmeester HJ, Muños S, Zhou W. The Effect of Virulence and Resistance Mechanisms on the Interactions between Parasitic Plants and Their Hosts. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E9013. [PMID: 33260931 PMCID: PMC7730841 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21239013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic plants have a unique heterotrophic lifestyle based on the extraction of water and nutrients from host plants. Some parasitic plant species, particularly those of the family Orobanchaceae, attack crops and cause substantial yield losses. The breeding of resistant crop varieties is an inexpensive way to control parasitic weeds, but often does not provide a long-lasting solution because the parasites rapidly evolve to overcome resistance. Understanding mechanisms underlying naturally occurring parasitic plant resistance is of great interest and could help to develop methods to control parasitic plants. In this review, we describe the virulence mechanisms of parasitic plants and resistance mechanisms in their hosts, focusing on obligate root parasites of the genera Orobanche and Striga. We noticed that the resistance (R) genes in the host genome often encode proteins with nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat domains (NLR proteins), hence we proposed a mechanism by which host plants use NLR proteins to activate downstream resistance gene expression. We speculated how parasitic plants and their hosts co-evolved and discussed what drives the evolution of virulence effectors in parasitic plants by considering concepts from similar studies of plant-microbe interaction. Most previous studies have focused on the host rather than the parasite, so we also provided an updated summary of genomic resources for parasitic plants and parasitic genes for further research to test our hypotheses. Finally, we discussed new approaches such as CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing and RNAi silencing that can provide deeper insight into the intriguing life cycle of parasitic plants and could potentially contribute to the development of novel strategies for controlling parasitic weeds, thereby enhancing crop productivity and food security globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyang Hu
- Institute of Crop Science and Zhejiang Key Lab of Crop Germplasm, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (L.H.); (J.W.); (F.I.)
| | - Jiansu Wang
- Institute of Crop Science and Zhejiang Key Lab of Crop Germplasm, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (L.H.); (J.W.); (F.I.)
| | - Chong Yang
- Bioengineering Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioengineering, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510316, China;
| | - Faisal Islam
- Institute of Crop Science and Zhejiang Key Lab of Crop Germplasm, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (L.H.); (J.W.); (F.I.)
| | - Harro J. Bouwmeester
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1000 BE Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Stéphane Muños
- LIPM, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CNRS, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France;
| | - Weijun Zhou
- Institute of Crop Science and Zhejiang Key Lab of Crop Germplasm, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (L.H.); (J.W.); (F.I.)
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12
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Wang JB, Elya C, St Leger RJ. Genetic variation for resistance to the specific fly pathogen Entomophthora muscae. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14284. [PMID: 32868814 PMCID: PMC7459287 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71262-w] [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: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We found substantial variation in resistance to the fly-specific pathogen Entomophthora muscae 'Berkeley' (Entomophthoromycota), in 20 lines from the Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP). Resistance to E. muscae is positively (r = 0.55) correlated with resistance to the broad host range ascomycete entomopathogen Metarhizium anisopliae (Ma549), indicative of generalist (non-specific) defenses. Most of the lines showing above average resistance to Ma549 showed cross-resistance to E. muscae. However, lines that succumbed quickly to Ma549 exhibited the full range of resistance to E. muscae. This suggests fly populations differ in E. muscae-specific resistance mechanisms as well as generic defences effective against both Ma549 and E. muscae. We looked for trade-offs that could account for inter-line variation, but increases (decreases) in disease resistance to E. muscae are not consistently associated with increases (decreases) of resistance to oxidative stress, starvation stress and sleep indices. That these pathogens are dynamic agents of selection on hosts is reflected in this genetic variation for resistance in lines derived from wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan B Wang
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Carolyn Elya
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Raymond J St Leger
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
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13
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Koranteng F, Cha N, Shin M, Shim J. The Role of Lozenge in Drosophila Hematopoiesis. Mol Cells 2020; 43:114-120. [PMID: 31992020 PMCID: PMC7057836 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2019.0249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Drosophila hematopoiesis is comparable to mammalian differentiation of myeloid lineages, and therefore, has been a useful model organism in illustrating the molecular and genetic basis for hematopoiesis. Multiple novel regulators and signals have been uncovered using the tools of Drosophila genetics. A Runt domain protein, lozenge, is one of the first players recognized and closely studied in the hematopoietic lineage specification. Here, we explore the role of lozenge in determination of prohemocytes into a special class of hemocyte, namely the crystal cell, and discuss molecules and signals controlling the lozenge function and its implication in immunity and stress response. Given the highly conserved nature of Runt domain in both invertebrates and vertebrates, studies in Drosophila will enlighten our perspectives on Runx-mediated development and pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nuri Cha
- Department of Life Science, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Mingyu Shin
- Department of Life Science, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Jiwon Shim
- Department of Life Science, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
- Research Institute for Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
- Research Institute for Convergence of Basic Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 0476, Korea
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14
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Vertyporokh L, Wojda I. Immune response of Galleria mellonella after injection with non-lethal and lethal dosages of Candida albicans. J Invertebr Pathol 2020; 170:107327. [PMID: 31945326 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2020.107327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The immune response of Galleria mellonella to injection with non-lethal and lethal dosages of Candida albicans was compared. Larvae infected with the non-lethal dosage (2 × 104 cells/larva) did not show significant morphological changes, while those infected with the lethal dosage (2 × 105 cells/larva) showed inhibition of motility and cocoon formation and became darker around the area of injection after 24 h. While the administration of the lower dosage caused approx. 5- and 20-fold induction of genes for gallerimycin and galiomycin, respectively, the injection with the higher dosage induced approx. 25 and 120-fold expression of the respective genes. Similar differences were obtained for the insect metalloproteinase inhibitor (IMPI) and hemolin gene transcripts. The relatively low level of immune gene expression was confirmed by an assay of hemolymph antifungal activity, which was detected only in larvae infected with lethal dosage of C. albicans. Furthermore, greater amounts of immune-inducible peptides were detected in the hemolymph extracts in the same group of larvae. The stronger humoral immune response was not correlated with survival. Phenol oxidase (PO) activity was induced only in the hemolymph of larvae infected with the non-lethal dose; injection of the lethal dose resulted in strong inhibition of this enzyme after 24 h. We showed that PO is susceptible to regulation by immune priming with the non-lethal dose of C. albicans. The activity of this enzyme was enhanced in primed larvae at the time of re-injection. When both primed and non-primed larvae received 2 × 105 cells, the inhibition of PO was stronger in the primed group. G. mellonella infected with the lethal dose of C. albicans died despite the strong induction of humoral defence mechanisms. The priming-enhanced activity of PO was correlated with increased resistance to subsequent infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidiia Vertyporokh
- Maria Curie Skłodowska University, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Immunobiology, Lublin, Poland
| | - Iwona Wojda
- Maria Curie Skłodowska University, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Immunobiology, Lublin, Poland.
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15
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Thioester-containing Proteins in the Drosophila melanogaster Immune Response against the Pathogen Photorhabdus. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11020085. [PMID: 32013030 PMCID: PMC7073583 DOI: 10.3390/insects11020085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster forms a magnificent model for interpreting conserved host innate immune signaling and functional processes in response to microbial assaults. In the broad research field of host-microbe interactions, model hosts are used in conjunction with a variety of pathogenic microorganisms to disentangle host immune system activities and microbial pathogenicity strategies. The pathogen Photorhabdus is considered an established model for analyzing bacterial virulence and symbiosis due to its unique life cycle that extends between two invertebrate hosts: an insect and a parasitic nematode. In recent years, particular focus has been given to the mechanistic participation of the D. melanogaster thioester-containing proteins (TEPs) in the overall immune capacity of the fly upon response against the pathogen Photorhabdus alone or in combination with its specific nematode vector Heterorhabditis bacteriophora. The original role of certain TEPs in the insect innate immune machinery was linked to the antibacterial and antiparasite reaction of the mosquito malaria vector Anopheles gambiae; however, revamped interest in the immune competence of these molecules has recently emerged from the D. melanogaster-Photorhabdus infection system. Here, we review the latest findings on this topic with the expectation that such information will refine our understanding of the evolutionary immune role of TEPs in host immune surveillance.
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16
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Wey B, Heavner ME, Wittmeyer KT, Briese T, Hopper KR, Govind S. Immune Suppressive Extracellular Vesicle Proteins of Leptopilina heterotoma Are Encoded in the Wasp Genome. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2020; 10:1-12. [PMID: 31676506 PMCID: PMC6945029 DOI: 10.1534/g3.119.400349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Leptopilina heterotoma are obligate parasitoid wasps that develop in the body of their Drosophila hosts. During oviposition, female wasps introduce venom into the larval hosts' body cavity. The venom contains discrete, 300 nm-wide, mixed-strategy extracellular vesicles (MSEVs), until recently referred to as virus-like particles. While the crucial immune suppressive functions of L. heterotoma MSEVs have remained undisputed, their biotic nature and origin still remain controversial. In recent proteomics analyses of L. heterotoma MSEVs, we identified 161 proteins in three classes: conserved eukaryotic proteins, infection and immunity related proteins, and proteins without clear annotation. Here we report 246 additional proteins from the L. heterotoma MSEV proteome. An enrichment analysis of the entire proteome supports vesicular nature of these structures. Sequences for more than 90% of these proteins are present in the whole-body transcriptome. Sequencing and de novo assembly of the 460 Mb-sized L. heterotoma genome revealed 90% of MSEV proteins have coding regions within the genomic scaffolds. Altogether, these results explain the stable association of MSEVs with their wasps, and like other wasp structures, their vertical inheritance. While our results do not rule out a viral origin of MSEVs, they suggest that a similar strategy for co-opting cellular machinery for immune suppression may be shared by other wasps to gain advantage over their hosts. These results are relevant to our understanding of the evolution of figitid and related wasp species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Wey
- Biology Department, The City College of New York, 160 Convent Avenue, New York, 10031
- PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York
| | - Mary Ellen Heavner
- Biology Department, The City College of New York, 160 Convent Avenue, New York, 10031
- PhD Program in Biochemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, 10016
- Laboratory of Host-Pathogen Biology, Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, New York, 10065
| | - Kameron T Wittmeyer
- USDA-ARS, Beneficial Insect Introductions Research Unit, Newark, DE 19713, and
| | - Thomas Briese
- Center of Infection and Immunity, and Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, 10032
| | - Keith R Hopper
- USDA-ARS, Beneficial Insect Introductions Research Unit, Newark, DE 19713, and
| | - Shubha Govind
- Biology Department, The City College of New York, 160 Convent Avenue, New York, 10031,
- PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York
- PhD Program in Biochemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, 10016
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17
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Lin YH, Maaroufi HO, Ibrahim E, Kucerova L, Zurovec M. Expression of Human Mutant Huntingtin Protein in Drosophila Hemocytes Impairs Immune Responses. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2405. [PMID: 31681295 PMCID: PMC6805700 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The pathogenic effect of mutant HTT (mHTT) which causes Huntington disease (HD) are not restricted to nervous system. Such phenotypes include aberrant immune responses observed in the HD models. However, it is still unclear how this immune dysregulation influences the innate immune response against pathogenic infection. In the present study, we used transgenic Drosophila melanogaster expressing mutant HTT protein (mHTT) with hemocyte-specific drivers and examined the immune responses and hemocyte function. We found that mHTT expression in the hemocytes did not affect fly viability, but the numbers of circulating hemocytes were significantly decreased. Consequently, we observed that the expression of mHTT in the hemocytes compromised the immune responses including clot formation and encapsulation which lead to the increased susceptibility to entomopathogenic nematode and parasitoid wasp infections. In addition, mHTT expression in Drosophila macrophage-like S2 cells in vitro reduced ATP levels, phagocytic activity and the induction of antimicrobial peptides. Further effects observed in mHTT-expressing cells included the altered production of cytokines and activation of JAK/STAT signaling. The present study shows that the expression of mHTT in Drosophila hemocytes causes deficient cellular and humoral immune responses against invading pathogens. Our findings provide the insight into the pathogenic effects of mHTT in the immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Hsien Lin
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Houda Ouns Maaroufi
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Emad Ibrahim
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Lucie Kucerova
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Michal Zurovec
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
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18
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Bioinformatic analysis suggests potential mechanisms underlying parasitoid venom evolution and function. Genomics 2019; 112:1096-1104. [PMID: 31247332 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2019.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Hymenopteran parasitoid wasps are a diverse collection of species that infect arthropod hosts and use factors found in their venoms to manipulate host immune responses, physiology, and behaviour. Whole parasitoid venoms have been profiled using proteomic approaches, and here we present a bioinformatic characterization of the venom protein content from Ganaspis sp. 1, a parasitoid that infects flies of the genus Drosophila. We find evidence that diverse evolutionary processes including multifunctionalization, co-option, gene duplication, and horizontal gene transfer may be acting in concert to drive venom gene evolution in Ganaspis sp.1. One major role of parasitoid wasp venom is host immune evasion. We previously demonstrated that Ganaspis sp. 1 venom inhibits immune cell activation in infected Drosophila melanogaster hosts, and our current analysis has uncovered additional predicted virulence functions. Overall, this analysis represents an important step towards understanding the composition and activity of parasitoid wasp venoms.
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19
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Galenza A, Foley E. Immunometabolism: Insights from the Drosophila model. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2019; 94:22-34. [PMID: 30684503 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2019.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Multicellular organisms inhabit an environment that includes a mix of essential nutrients and large numbers of potentially harmful microbes. Germline-encoded receptors scan the environment for microbe associated molecular patterns, and, upon engagement, activate powerful defenses to protect the host from infection. At the same time, digestive enzymes and transporter molecules sieve through ingested material for building blocks and energy sources necessary for survival, growth, and reproduction. We tend to view immune responses as a potent array of destructive forces that overwhelm potentially harmful agents. In contrast, we view metabolic processes as essential, constructive elements in the maintenance and propagation of life. However, there is considerable evidence of functional overlap between the two processes, and disruptions to one frequently modify outputs of the other. Studies of immunometabolism, or interactions between immunity and metabolism, have increased in prominence with the discovery of inflammatory components to metabolic diseases such as type two diabetes. In this review, we will focus on contributions of studies with the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to our understanding of immunometabolism. Drosophila is widely used to study immune signaling, and to understand the regulation of metabolism in vivo, and this insect has considerable potential as a tool to build our understanding of the molecular and cellular bridges that connect immune and metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Galenza
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2S2, Canada
| | - Edan Foley
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2S2, Canada.
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20
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Altan E, Kubiski SV, Boros Á, Reuter G, Sadeghi M, Deng X, Creighton EK, Crim MJ, Delwart E. A Highly Divergent Picornavirus Infecting the Gut Epithelia of Zebrafish ( Danio rerio) in Research Institutions Worldwide. Zebrafish 2019; 16:291-299. [PMID: 30939077 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2018.1710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish have been extensively used as a model system for research in vertebrate development and pathogen-host interactions. We describe the complete genome of a novel picornavirus identified during a viral metagenomics analysis of zebrafish gut tissue. The closest relatives of this virus showed identity of <20% in their P1 capsids and <36% in their RdRp qualifying zebrafish picornavirus-1 (ZfPV-1) as member of a novel genus with a proposed name of Cyprivirus. Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR testing of zebrafish from North America, Europe, and Asia showed ZfPV-1 to be globally distributed, being detected in 23 of 41 (56%) institutions tested. In situ hybridization of whole zebrafish showed viral RNA was restricted to a subset of enterocytes and cells in the subjacent lamina propria of the intestine and the intestinal mucosa. This naturally occurring and apparently asymptomatic infection (in wild-type zebrafish lineage AB) provides a natural infection system to study picornavirus-host interactions in an advanced vertebrate model organism. Whether ZfPV-1 infection affects any immunological, developmental, or other biological processes in wild-type or mutant zebrafish lineages remains to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eda Altan
- 1 Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, California.,2 Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Steven V Kubiski
- 3 Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, San Diego, California
| | - Ákos Boros
- 4 Regional Laboratory of Virology, National Reference Laboratory of Gastroenteric Viruses, ÁNTSZ Regional Institute of State Public Health Service, Pécs, Hungary.,5 Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Gábor Reuter
- 5 Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Mohammadreza Sadeghi
- 1 Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, California.,6 Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Xutao Deng
- 1 Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, California.,2 Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | | | | | - Eric Delwart
- 1 Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, California.,2 Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California
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21
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Trivedi S, Starz-Gaiano M. Drosophila Jak/STAT Signaling: Regulation and Relevance in Human Cancer and Metastasis. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19124056. [PMID: 30558204 PMCID: PMC6320922 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19124056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past three-decades, Janus kinase (Jak) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling has emerged as a paradigm to understand the involvement of signal transduction in development and disease pathology. At the molecular level, cytokines and interleukins steer Jak/STAT signaling to transcriptional regulation of target genes, which are involved in cell differentiation, migration, and proliferation. Jak/STAT signaling is involved in various types of blood cell disorders and cancers in humans, and its activation is associated with carcinomas that are more invasive or likely to become metastatic. Despite immense information regarding Jak/STAT regulation, the signaling network has numerous missing links, which is slowing the progress towards developing drug therapies. In mammals, many components act in this cascade, with substantial cross-talk with other signaling pathways. In Drosophila, there are fewer pathway components, which has enabled significant discoveries regarding well-conserved regulatory mechanisms. Work across species illustrates the relevance of these regulators in humans. In this review, we showcase fundamental Jak/STAT regulation mechanisms in blood cells, stem cells, and cell motility. We examine the functional relevance of key conserved regulators from Drosophila to human cancer stem cells and metastasis. Finally, we spotlight less characterized regulators of Drosophila Jak/STAT signaling, which stand as promising candidates to be investigated in cancer biology. These comparisons illustrate the value of using Drosophila as a model for uncovering the roles of Jak/STAT signaling and the molecular means by which the pathway is controlled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunny Trivedi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA.
| | - Michelle Starz-Gaiano
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA.
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22
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Kruitwagen A, Beukeboom LW, Wertheim B. Optimization of native biocontrol agents, with parasitoids of the invasive pest Drosophila suzukii as an example. Evol Appl 2018; 11:1473-1497. [PMID: 30344621 PMCID: PMC6183459 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of biological control methods for exotic invasive pest species has become more challenging during the last decade. Compared to indigenous natural enemies, species from the pest area of origin are often more efficient due to their long coevolutionary history with the pest. The import of these well-adapted exotic species, however, has become restricted under the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing, reducing the number of available biocontrol candidates. Finding new agents and ways to improve important traits for control agents ("biocontrol traits") is therefore of crucial importance. Here, we demonstrate the potential of a surprisingly under-rated method for improvement of biocontrol: the exploitation of intraspecific variation in biocontrol traits, for example, by selective breeding. We propose a four-step approach to investigate the potential of this method: investigation of the amount of (a) inter- and (b) intraspecific variation for biocontrol traits, (c) determination of the environmental and genetic factors shaping this variation, and (d) exploitation of this variation in breeding programs. We illustrate this approach with a case study on parasitoids of Drosophila suzukii, a highly invasive pest species in Europe and North America. We review all known parasitoids of D. suzukii and find large variation among and within species in their ability to kill this fly. We then consider which genetic and environmental factors shape the interaction between D. suzukii and its parasitoids to explain this variation. Insight into the causes of variation informs us on how and to what extent candidate agents can be improved. Moreover, it aids in predicting the effectiveness of the agent upon release and provides insight into the selective forces that are limiting the adaptation of indigenous species to the new pest. We use this knowledge to give future research directions for the development of selective breeding methods for biocontrol agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Kruitwagen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Leo W. Beukeboom
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Bregje Wertheim
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
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23
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Iacovone A, Ris N, Poirié M, Gatti JL. Time-course analysis of Drosophila suzukii interaction with endoparasitoid wasps evidences a delayed encapsulation response compared to D. melanogaster. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201573. [PMID: 30070997 PMCID: PMC6072091 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila suzukii (the spotted-wing Drosophila) appears to be unsuitable for the development of most Drosophila larval endoparasitoids, be they sympatric or not. Here, we questioned the physiological bases of this widespread failure by characterizing the interactions between D. suzukii and various parasitoid species (Asobara japonica, Leptopilina boulardi, Leptopilina heterotoma and Leptopilina victoriae) and comparing them with those observed with D. melanogaster, a rather appropriate host. All parasitoids were able to oviposit in L1 and L2 larval stages of both hosts but their propensity to parasitize was higher on D. melanogaster. A. japonica and, to a much lesser extent, L. heterotoma, were the two species able to successfully develop in D. suzukii, the failure of the parasitism resulting either in the parasitoid encapsulation (notably with L. heterotoma) or the host and parasitoid deaths (especially with L. boulardi and L. victoriae). Compared to D. melanogaster, encapsulation in D. suzukii was strongly delayed and led, if successful, to the production of much larger capsules in surviving flies and, in the event of failure, to the death of both partners because of an uncontrolled melanization. The results thus revealed a different timing of the immune response to parasitoids in D. suzukii compared to D. melanogaster with a lose-lose outcome for parasitoids (generally unsuccessful development) and hosts (high mortality and possible reduction of the fitness of survivors). Finally, these results might suggest that some European endoparasitoids of Drosophila interact with this pest in the field in an unmeasurable way, since they kill their host without reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Iacovone
- Université Côte d’Azur, INRA, CNRS, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Nicolas Ris
- Université Côte d’Azur, INRA, CNRS, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Marylène Poirié
- Université Côte d’Azur, INRA, CNRS, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Jean-Luc Gatti
- Université Côte d’Azur, INRA, CNRS, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, Sophia Antipolis, France
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Lindberg HM, McKean KA, Caraco T, Wang IN. Within-host dynamics and random duration of pathogen infection: Implications for between-host transmission. J Theor Biol 2018; 446:137-148. [PMID: 29391172 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2018.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2017] [Revised: 12/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Taking an ecological perspective, this paper reports theoretical and empirical results concerning fatal bacterial infections of adult insects. Two models, each combining deterministic and stochastic elements, characterize how the pathogen's dynamics might govern an infected host's mortality rate. We analyze the models in detail for exponential pathogen growth, and apply them to observed insect mortality when the pathogen's growth is unregulated. We then allow bacteriophage to generate fluctuations in the within-host pathogen density; we demonstrate that only one of our models matches host mortality rates when pathogen growth is regulated by phage. We generalize our results on mortality hazard of individual hosts to analyze how random duration of the infectious period can combine with probabilistic transmission events to affect between-host transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather M Lindberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, Albany, NY 12222, USA; Center for Science and Health Professions, Virginia Western Community College, Roanoke, VA 24015, USA
| | - Kurt A McKean
- School of Biological, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
| | - T Caraco
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Ing-Nang Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, Albany, NY 12222, USA.
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GIBSON AMANDAK, MORRAN LEVIT. A Model for Evolutionary Ecology of Disease: The Case for Caenorhabditis Nematodes and Their Natural Parasites. J Nematol 2018. [DOI: 10.21307/jofnem-2017-083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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Gibson AK, Morran LT. A Model for Evolutionary Ecology of Disease: The Case for Caenorhabditis Nematodes and Their Natural Parasites. J Nematol 2017; 49:357-372. [PMID: 29353923 PMCID: PMC5770282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Many of the outstanding questions in disease ecology and evolution call for combining observation of natural host-parasite populations with experimental dissection of interactions in the field and the laboratory. The "rewilding" of model systems holds great promise for this endeavor. Here, we highlight the potential for development of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and its close relatives as a model for the study of disease ecology and evolution. This powerful laboratory model was disassociated from its natural habitat in the 1960s. Today, studies are uncovering that lost natural history, with several natural parasites described since 2008. Studies of these natural Caenorhabditis-parasite interactions can reap the benefits of the vast array of experimental and genetic tools developed for this laboratory model. In this review, we introduce the natural parasites of C. elegans characterized thus far and discuss resources available to study them, including experimental (co)evolution, cryopreservation, behavioral assays, and genomic tools. Throughout, we present avenues of research that are interesting and feasible to address with caenorhabditid nematodes and their natural parasites, ranging from the maintenance of outcrossing to the community dynamics of host-associated microbes. In combining natural relevance with the experimental power of a laboratory supermodel, these fledgling host-parasite systems can take on fundamental questions in evolutionary ecology of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Levi T Morran
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322
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RNAseq Analysis of the Drosophila Response to the Entomopathogenic Nematode Steinernema. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2017; 7:1955-1967. [PMID: 28450373 PMCID: PMC5473771 DOI: 10.1534/g3.117.041004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster is an outstanding model to study the molecular and functional basis of host-pathogen interactions. Currently, our knowledge of microbial infections in D. melanogaster is well understood; however, the response of flies to nematode infections is still in its infancy. Here, we have used the potent parasitic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae, which lives in mutualism with its endosymbiotic bacteria Xenorhabdus nematophila, to examine the transcriptomic basis of the interaction between D. melanogaster and entomopathogenic nematodes. We have employed next-generation RNA sequencing (RNAseq) to investigate the transcriptomic profile of D. melanogaster larvae in response to infection by S. carpocapsae symbiotic (carrying X. nematophila) or axenic (lacking X. nematophila) nematodes. Bioinformatic analyses have identified the strong induction of genes that are associated with the peritrophic membrane and the stress response, as well as several genes that participate in developmental processes. We have also found that genes with different biological functions are enriched in D. melanogaster larvae responding to either symbiotic or axenic nematodes. We further show that while symbiotic nematode infection enriched certain known immune-related genes, axenic nematode infection enriched several genes associated with chitin binding, lipid metabolic functions, and neuroactive ligand receptors. In addition, we have identified genes with a potential role in nematode recognition and genes with potential antinematode activity. Findings from this study will undoubtedly set the stage for the identification of key regulators of antinematode immune mechanisms in D. melanogaster, as well as in other insects of socioeconomic importance.
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Wojda I. Immunity of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella. INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 24:342-357. [PMID: 26847724 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 12/29/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Investigation of insect immune mechanisms provides important information concerning innate immunity, which in many aspects is conserved in animals. This is one of the reasons why insects serve as model organisms to study virulence mechanisms of human pathogens. From the evolutionary point of view, we also learn a lot about host-pathogen interaction and adaptation of organisms to conditions of life. Additionally, insect-derived antibacterial and antifungal peptides and proteins are considered for their potential to be applied as alternatives to antibiotics. While Drosophila melanogaster is used to study the genetic aspect of insect immunity, Galleria mellonella serves as a good model for biochemical research. Given the size of the insect, it is possible to obtain easily hemolymph and other tissues as a source of many immune-relevant polypeptides. This review article summarizes our knowledge concerning G. mellonella immunity. The best-characterized immune-related proteins and peptides are recalled and their short characteristic is given. Some other proteins identified at the mRNA level are also mentioned. The infectious routes used by Galleria natural pathogens such as Bacillus thuringiensis and Beauveria bassiana are also described in the context of host-pathogen interaction. Finally, the plasticity of G. mellonella immune response influenced by abiotic and biotic factors is described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Wojda
- Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Department of Immunobiology, Akademicka 19, 20-033, Lublin, Poland
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Mikonranta L, Dickel F, Mappes J, Freitak D. Lepidopteran species have a variety of defence strategies against bacterial infections. J Invertebr Pathol 2017; 144:88-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2017.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Revised: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Baxter RHG, Contet A, Krueger K. Arthropod Innate Immune Systems and Vector-Borne Diseases. Biochemistry 2017; 56:907-918. [PMID: 28072517 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Arthropods, especially ticks and mosquitoes, are the vectors for a number of parasitic and viral human diseases, including malaria, sleeping sickness, Dengue, and Zika, yet arthropods show tremendous individual variation in their capacity to transmit disease. A key factor in this capacity is the group of genetically encoded immune factors that counteract infection by the pathogen. Arthropod-specific pattern recognition receptors and protease cascades detect and respond to infection. Proteins such as antimicrobial peptides, thioester-containing proteins, and transglutaminases effect responses such as lysis, phagocytosis, melanization, and agglutination. Effector responses are initiated by damage signals such as reactive oxygen species signaling from epithelial cells and recognized by cell surface receptors on hemocytes. Antiviral immunity is primarily mediated by siRNA pathways but coupled with interferon-like signaling, antimicrobial peptides, and thioester-containing proteins. Molecular mechanisms of immunity are closely linked to related traits of longevity and fertility, and arthropods have the capacity for innate immunological memory. Advances in understanding vector immunity can be leveraged to develop novel control strategies for reducing the rate of transmission of both ancient and emerging threats to global health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard H G Baxter
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, Yale University , New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Alicia Contet
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, Yale University , New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Kathryn Krueger
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, Yale University , New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
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31
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Drosophila miR-956 suppression modulates Ectoderm-expressed 4 and inhibits viral replication. Virology 2017; 502:20-27. [DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2016.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Revised: 12/02/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Anderl I, Vesala L, Ihalainen TO, Vanha-aho LM, Andó I, Rämet M, Hultmark D. Transdifferentiation and Proliferation in Two Distinct Hemocyte Lineages in Drosophila melanogaster Larvae after Wasp Infection. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005746. [PMID: 27414410 PMCID: PMC4945071 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular immune responses require the generation and recruitment of diverse blood cell types that recognize and kill pathogens. In Drosophila melanogaster larvae, immune-inducible lamellocytes participate in recognizing and killing parasitoid wasp eggs. However, the sequence of events required for lamellocyte generation remains controversial. To study the cellular immune system, we developed a flow cytometry approach using in vivo reporters for lamellocytes as well as for plasmatocytes, the main hemocyte type in healthy larvae. We found that two different blood cell lineages, the plasmatocyte and lamellocyte lineages, contribute to the generation of lamellocytes in a demand-adapted hematopoietic process. Plasmatocytes transdifferentiate into lamellocyte-like cells in situ directly on the wasp egg. In parallel, a novel population of infection-induced cells, which we named lamelloblasts, appears in the circulation. Lamelloblasts proliferate vigorously and develop into the major class of circulating lamellocytes. Our data indicate that lamellocyte differentiation upon wasp parasitism is a plastic and dynamic process. Flow cytometry with in vivo hemocyte reporters can be used to study this phenomenon in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Anderl
- Institute of Biosciences and Medical Technology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Laura Vesala
- Institute of Biosciences and Medical Technology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Teemu O. Ihalainen
- Institute of Biosciences and Medical Technology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Leena-Maija Vanha-aho
- Institute of Biosciences and Medical Technology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - István Andó
- Institute of Genetics Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Mika Rämet
- Institute of Biosciences and Medical Technology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
- PEDEGO Research Unit, and Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Dan Hultmark
- Institute of Biosciences and Medical Technology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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Kutzer MAM, Armitage SAO. Maximising fitness in the face of parasites: a review of host tolerance. ZOOLOGY 2016; 119:281-9. [PMID: 27373338 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2016.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Tolerance, the ability of a host to limit the negative fitness effects of a given parasite load, is now recognised as an important host defence strategy in animals. Together with resistance, the ability of a host to limit parasite load, these two host strategies represent two disparate host responses to parasites, each with different predicted evolutionary consequences: resistance is predicted to reduce parasite prevalence, whereas tolerance could be neutral towards, or increase, parasite prevalence in a population. The distinction between these two strategies might have far-reaching epidemiological consequences. Classically, a reaction norm defines host tolerance because it depicts the change in host fitness as a function of parasite load, where a shallow negative slope indicates that host fitness slowly deteriorates as parasite load increases (i.e., high tolerance). Despite the fact that tolerance was only recently acknowledged to be an important component in an animal's immune repertoire, it is frequently referenced, so our aim is to emphasise the current advances on the topic. We begin by summarising the ways in which biologists measure the two components of tolerance, parasite load and fitness, as well as the ways in which the concept has been defined (i.e., point and range tolerance). It is common to test for variation in host tolerance according to intrinsic, innate factors, where variation exists among populations, genders or genotypes. Such variation in tolerance is pervasive across animal taxa, and we briefly review some of the mechanistic bases of variation that have recently begun to be explored. Three further novel advancements in the tolerance field are the appreciation of the role of extrinsic, environmental factors on tolerance, host tolerance in multi-host-parasite systems and individual-based approaches to tolerance measures. We explore these topics using recent examples and suggest some future perspectives. It is becoming increasingly clear that an appreciation of tolerance as a defence strategy can provide significant insights into how hosts coexist with parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan A M Kutzer
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstrasse 1, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Sophie A O Armitage
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Hüfferstrasse 1, D-48149 Münster, Germany.
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Longevity-modulating effects of symbiosis: insights from Drosophila–Wolbachia interaction. Biogerontology 2016; 17:785-803. [DOI: 10.1007/s10522-016-9653-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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Mateos M, Winter L, Winter C, Higareda-Alvear VM, Martinez-Romero E, Xie J. Independent origins of resistance or susceptibility of parasitic wasps to a defensive symbiont. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:2679-87. [PMID: 27066241 PMCID: PMC4798148 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Revised: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect microbe associations are diverse, widespread, and influential. Among the fitness effects of microbes on their hosts, defense against natural enemies is increasingly recognized as ubiquitous, particularly among those associations involving heritable, yet facultative, bacteria. Protective mutualisms generate complex ecological and coevolutionary dynamics that are only beginning to be elucidated. These depend in part on the degree to which symbiont‐mediated protection exhibits specificity to one or more members of the natural enemy community. Recent findings in a well‐studied defensive mutualism system (i.e., aphids, bacteria, parasitoid wasps) reveal repeated instances of evolution of susceptibility or resistance to defensive bacteria by parasitoids. This study searched for similar patterns in an emerging model system for defensive mutualisms: the interaction of Drosophila, bacteria in the genus Spiroplasma, and wasps that parasitize larval stages of Drosophila. Previous work indicated that three divergent species of parasitic wasps are strongly inhibited by the presence of Spiroplasma in three divergent species of Drosophila, including D. melanogaster. The results of this study uncovered two additional wasp species that are susceptible to Spiroplasma and two that are unaffected by Spiroplasma, implying at least two instances of loss or gain of susceptibility to Spiroplasma among larval parasitoids of Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Mateos
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University College Station Texas
| | - Lauryn Winter
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University College Station Texas
| | - Caitlyn Winter
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University College Station Texas
| | | | | | - Jialei Xie
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University College Station Texas
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Disease Dynamics in Ants: A Critical Review of the Ecological Relevance of Using Generalist Fungi to Study Infections in Insect Societies. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2016; 94:287-306. [PMID: 27131328 DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2015.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
It is assumed that social life can lead to the rapid spread of infectious diseases and outbreaks. In ants, disease outbreaks are rare and the expression of collective behaviors is invoked to explain the absence of epidemics in natural populations. Here, we address the ecological approach employed by many studies that have notably focused (89% of the studies) on two genera of generalist fungal parasites (Beauveria and Metarhizium). We ask whether these are the most representative models to study the evolutionary ecology of ant-fungal parasite interactions. To assess this, we critically examine the literature on ants and their interactions with fungal parasites from the past 114years (1900-2014). We discuss how current evolutionary ecology approaches emerged from studies focused on the biological control of pest ants. We also analyzed the ecological relevance of the laboratory protocols used in evolutionary ecology studies employing generalist parasites, as well as the rare natural occurrence of these parasites on ants. After a detailed consideration of all the publications, we suggest that using generalist pathogens such as Beauveria and Metarhizium is not an optimal approach if the goal is to study the evolutionary ecology of disease in ants. We conclude by advocating for approaches that incorporate greater realism.
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Lynch ZR, Schlenke TA, de Roode JC. Evolution of behavioural and cellular defences against parasitoid wasps in the Drosophila melanogaster subgroup. J Evol Biol 2016; 29:1016-29. [PMID: 26859227 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Revised: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
It may be intuitive to predict that host immune systems will evolve to counter a broad range of potential challenges through simultaneous investment in multiple defences. However, this would require diversion of resources from other traits, such as growth, survival and fecundity. Therefore, ecological immunology theory predicts that hosts will specialize in only a subset of possible defences. We tested this hypothesis through a comparative study of a cellular immune response and a putative behavioural defence used by eight fruit fly species against two parasitoid wasp species (one generalist and one specialist). Fly larvae can survive infection by melanotically encapsulating wasp eggs, and female flies can potentially reduce infection rates in their offspring by laying fewer eggs when wasps are present. The strengths of both defences varied significantly but were not negatively correlated across our chosen host species; thus, we found no evidence for a trade-off between behavioural and cellular immunity. Instead, cellular defences were significantly weaker against the generalist wasp, whereas behavioural defences were similar in strength against both wasps and positively correlated between wasps. We investigated the adaptive significance of wasp-induced oviposition reduction behaviour by testing whether wasp-exposed parents produce offspring with stronger cellular defences, but we found no support for this hypothesis. We further investigated the sensory basis of this behaviour by testing mutants deficient in either vision or olfaction, both of which failed to reduce their oviposition rates in the presence of wasps, suggesting that both senses are necessary for detecting and responding to wasps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z R Lynch
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - T A Schlenke
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Biology, Reed College, Portland, OR, USA
| | - J C de Roode
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Lu HL, St. Leger R. Insect Immunity to Entomopathogenic Fungi. GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI 2016; 94:251-85. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2015.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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Dudzic JP, Kondo S, Ueda R, Bergman CM, Lemaitre B. Drosophila innate immunity: regional and functional specialization of prophenoloxidases. BMC Biol 2015; 13:81. [PMID: 26437768 PMCID: PMC4595066 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-015-0193-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The diversification of immune systems during evolution involves the expansion of particular gene families in given phyla. A better understanding of the metazoan immune system requires an analysis of the logic underlying such immune gene amplification. This analysis is now within reach due to the ease with which we can generate multiple mutations in an organism. In this paper, we analyze the contribution of the three Drosophila prophenoloxidases (PPOs) to host defense by generating single, double and triple mutants. PPOs are enzymes that catalyze the production of melanin at the site of infection and around parasites. They are the rate-limiting enzymes that contribute to the melanization reaction, a major immune mechanism of arthropods. The number of PPO-encoding genes is variable among insects, ranging from one in the bee to ten in the mosquito. Results By analyzing mutations alone and in combination, we ascribe a specific function to each of the three PPOs of Drosophila. Our study confirms that two PPOs produced by crystal cells, PPO1 and PPO2, contribute to the bulk of melanization in the hemolymph, upon septic or clean injury. In contrast, PPO3, a PPO restricted to the D. melanogaster group, is expressed in lamellocytes and contributes to melanization during the encapsulation process. Interestingly, another overlapping set of PPOs, PPO2 and PPO3, achieve melanization of the capsule upon parasitoid wasp infection. Conclusions The use of single or combined mutations allowed us to show that each PPO mutant has a specific phenotype, and that knocking out two of three genes is required to abolish fully a particular function. Thus, Drosophila PPOs have partially overlapping functions to optimize melanization in at least two conditions: following injury or during encapsulation. Since PPO3 is restricted to the D. melanogaster group, this suggests that production of PPO by lamellocytes emerged as a recent defense mechanism against parasitoid wasps. We conclude that differences in spatial localization, immediate or late availability, and mode of activation underlie the functional diversification of the three Drosophila PPOs, with each of them having non-redundant but overlapping functions. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-015-0193-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan P Dudzic
- Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 19, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Shu Kondo
- Invertebrate Genetics Laboratory, Genetic Strains Research Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, 411-8540, Japan.
| | - Ryu Ueda
- Invertebrate Genetics Laboratory, Genetic Strains Research Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, 411-8540, Japan.
| | - Casey M Bergman
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
| | - Bruno Lemaitre
- Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 19, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Sironi M, Cagliani R, Forni D, Clerici M. Evolutionary insights into host-pathogen interactions from mammalian sequence data. Nat Rev Genet 2015; 16:224-36. [PMID: 25783448 PMCID: PMC7096838 DOI: 10.1038/nrg3905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Infections are one of the major selective pressures acting on humans, and host-pathogen interactions contribute to shaping the genetic diversity of both organisms. Evolutionary genomic studies take advantage of experiments that natural selection has been performing over millennia. In particular, inter-species comparative genomic analyses can highlight the genetic determinants of infection susceptibility or severity. Recent examples show how evolution-guided approaches can provide new insights into host-pathogen interactions, ultimately clarifying the basis of host range and explaining the emergence of different diseases. We describe the latest developments in comparative immunology and evolutionary genetics, showing their relevance for understanding the molecular determinants of infection susceptibility in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Sironi
- Bioinformatics, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Rachele Cagliani
- Bioinformatics, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Diego Forni
- Bioinformatics, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Mario Clerici
- 1] Department of Physiopathology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20090 Milan, Italy. [2] Don C. Gnocchi Foundation ONLUS, IRCCS, 20148 Milan, Italy
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Abstract
Flies of the genus Drosophila, and particularly those of the species Drosophila melanogaster, are best known as laboratory organisms. As with all model organisms, they were domesticated for empirical studies, but they also continue to exist as wild populations. Decades of research on these flies in the laboratory have produced astounding and important insights into basic biological processes, but we have only scratched the surface of what they have to offer as research organisms. An outstanding challenge now is to build on this knowledge and explore how natural history has shaped D. melanogaster in order to advance our understanding of biology more generally. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.06793.001
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Affiliation(s)
- Therese Ann Markow
- Division of Biological Sciences, Laboratorio Nacional para Genomica de la Biodiversidad, La Jolla, United States
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42
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Khalil S, Jacobson E, Chambers MC, Lazzaro BP. Systemic bacterial infection and immune defense phenotypes in Drosophila melanogaster. J Vis Exp 2015:e52613. [PMID: 25992475 PMCID: PMC4542538 DOI: 10.3791/52613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is one of the premier model organisms for studying the function and evolution of immune defense. Many aspects of innate immunity are conserved between insects and mammals, and since Drosophila can readily be genetically and experimentally manipulated, they are powerful for studying immune system function and the physiological consequences of disease. The procedure demonstrated here allows infection of flies by introduction of bacteria directly into the body cavity, bypassing epithelial barriers and more passive forms of defense and allowing focus on systemic infection. The procedure includes protocols for the measuring rates of host mortality, systemic pathogen load, and degree of induction of the host immune system. This infection procedure is inexpensive, robust and quantitatively repeatable, and can be used in studies of functional genetics, evolutionary life history, and physiology.
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Vanha-aho LM, Anderl I, Vesala L, Hultmark D, Valanne S, Rämet M. Edin Expression in the Fat Body Is Required in the Defense Against Parasitic Wasps in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1004895. [PMID: 25965263 PMCID: PMC4429011 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2014] [Accepted: 04/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular immune response against parasitoid wasps in Drosophila involves the activation, mobilization, proliferation and differentiation of different blood cell types. Here, we have assessed the role of Edin (elevated during infection) in the immune response against the parasitoid wasp Leptopilina boulardi in Drosophila melanogaster larvae. The expression of edin was induced within hours after a wasp infection in larval fat bodies. Using tissue-specific RNAi, we show that Edin is an important determinant of the encapsulation response. Although edin expression in the fat body was required for the larvae to mount a normal encapsulation response, it was dispensable in hemocytes. Edin expression in the fat body was not required for lamellocyte differentiation, but it was needed for the increase in plasmatocyte numbers and for the release of sessile hemocytes into the hemolymph. We conclude that edin expression in the fat body affects the outcome of a wasp infection by regulating the increase of plasmatocyte numbers and the mobilization of sessile hemocytes in Drosophila larvae. The events leading to a successful encapsulation of parasitoid wasp eggs in the larvae of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster are insufficiently understood. The formation of a capsule seals off the wasp egg, and this process is often functionally compared to the formation of granulomas in vertebrates. Like granuloma formation in humans, the encapsulation process in fruit flies requires the activation, mobilization, proliferation and differentiation of different blood cell types. Here, we have studied the role of Edin (elevated during infection) in the immune defense against the parasitoid wasp Leptopilina boulardi in Drosophila larvae. We demonstrate that edin expression in the fat body (an immune-responsive organ in Drosophila functionally resembling the mammalian liver) is required for a normal defense against wasp eggs. Edin is required for the release of blood cells from larval tissues and for the subsequent increase in circulating blood cell numbers. Our results provide new knowledge of how the encapsulation process is regulated in Drosophila, and how blood cells are activated upon wasp parasitism. Understanding of the encapsulation process in invertebrates may eventually lead to a better knowledge of the pathophysiology of granuloma formation in human diseases, such as tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leena-Maija Vanha-aho
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Ines Anderl
- Laboratory of Genetic Immunology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Laura Vesala
- Laboratory of Genetic Immunology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Dan Hultmark
- Laboratory of Genetic Immunology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Susanna Valanne
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Mika Rämet
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
- Department of Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
- PEDEGO Research Center, and Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu and Department of Children and Adolescents, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- * E-mail:
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Bajgar A, Kucerova K, Jonatova L, Tomcala A, Schneedorferova I, Okrouhlik J, Dolezal T. Extracellular adenosine mediates a systemic metabolic switch during immune response. PLoS Biol 2015; 13:e1002135. [PMID: 25915062 PMCID: PMC4411001 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune defense is energetically costly, and thus an effective response requires metabolic adaptation of the organism to reallocate energy from storage, growth, and development towards the immune system. We employ the natural infection of Drosophila with a parasitoid wasp to study energy regulation during immune response. To combat the invasion, the host must produce specialized immune cells (lamellocytes) that destroy the parasitoid egg. We show that a significant portion of nutrients are allocated to differentiating lamellocytes when they would otherwise be used for development. This systemic metabolic switch is mediated by extracellular adenosine released from immune cells. The switch is crucial for an effective immune response. Preventing adenosine transport from immune cells or blocking adenosine receptor precludes the metabolic switch and the deceleration of development, dramatically reducing host resistance. Adenosine thus serves as a signal that the “selfish” immune cells send during infection to secure more energy at the expense of other tissues. A study of the fruit fly's response to parasitoid wasp eggs reveals that immune cells selfishly release adenosine as a signal to trigger a systemic metabolic switch, thereby suppressing nonimmune processes and securing energy and nutrients for immune activity. Read the Primer. The immune response is energetically costly and often requires adaption of the whole organism to ensure it receives enough energy. It is not well understood how distribution of energy resources within the organism is regulated during an immune response. To understand this better, we used parasitoid wasp infection of fruit fly larvae—the host larvae have 48 h before they pupate to destroy the infecting “alien” or face destruction by the parasitoid that will consume the developing pupa. Here we find a signal, generated by the host immune cells, which mediates a systemic energy switch. This signal—adenosine—suppresses processes driving larval to pupal development of the host, thereby freeing up energy for the immune system. We show that the resulting developmental delay in the fruit fly larvae is crucial for an efficient immune response; without the adenosine signal, resistance to the parasitoid drops drastically. Generation of this signal by immune cells demonstrates that in response to external stressors, the immune system can mobilize reallocation to itself of energy and nutrients from the rest of the organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Bajgar
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Katerina Kucerova
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Jonatova
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ales Tomcala
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ivana Schneedorferova
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Okrouhlik
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Dolezal
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
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Gumiel M, da Mota FF, Rizzo VDS, Sarquis O, de Castro DP, Lima MM, Garcia EDS, Carels N, Azambuja P. Characterization of the microbiota in the guts of Triatoma brasiliensis and Triatoma pseudomaculata infected by Trypanosoma cruzi in natural conditions using culture independent methods. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:245. [PMID: 25903360 PMCID: PMC4429471 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0836-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, which is transmitted by triatomine vectors. The northeastern region of Brazil is endemic for Chagas disease and has the largest diversity of triatomine species. T. cruzi development in its triatomine vector depends on diverse factors, including the composition of bacterial gut microbiota. Methods We characterized the triatomines captured in the municipality of Russas (Ceará) by sequencing the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. The composition of the bacterial community in the gut of peridomestic Triatoma brasiliensis and Triatoma pseudomaculata was investigated using culture independent methods based on the amplification of the 16S rRNA gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), DNA fragment cloning, Sanger sequencing and 454 pyrosequencing. Additionally, we identified TcI and TcII types of T. cruzi by sequencing amplicons from the gut metagenomic DNA with primers for the mini-exon gene. Results Triatomines collected in the peridomestic ecotopes were diagnosed as T. pseudomaculata and T. brasiliensis by comparing their COI sequence with GenBank. The rate of infection by T. cruzi in adult triatomines reached 80% for T. pseudomaculata and 90% for T. brasiliensis. According to the DNA sequences from the DGGE bands, the triatomine gut microbiota was primarily composed of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. However, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were also detected, although in much lower proportions. Serratia was the main genus, as it was encountered in all samples analyzed by DGGE and 454 pyrosequencing. Members of Corynebacterinae, a suborder of the Actinomycetales, formed the next most important group. The cloning and sequencing of full-length 16S rRNA genes confirmed the presence of Serratia marcescens, Dietzia sp., Gordonia terrae, Corynebacterium stationis and Corynebacterium glutamicum. Conclusions The study of the bacterial microbiota in the triatomine gut has gained increased attention because of the possible role it may play in the epidemiology of Chagas disease by competing with T. cruzi. Culture independent methods have shown that the bacterial composition of the microbiota in the guts of peridomestic triatomines is made up by only few bacterial species. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-015-0836-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcia Gumiel
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Fabio Faria da Mota
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. .,Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Vanessa de Sousa Rizzo
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Otília Sarquis
- Laboratório de Ecoepidemiologia da Doença de Chagas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Daniele Pereira de Castro
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. .,Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Marli Maria Lima
- Laboratório de Ecoepidemiologia da Doença de Chagas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Eloi de Souza Garcia
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. .,Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Nicolas Carels
- Laboratório de Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos, National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Neglected Diseases (INCT-IDN), Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Patricia Azambuja
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. .,Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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A novel electronic assessment strategy to support applied Drosophila genetics training in university courses. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2015; 5:689-98. [PMID: 25717150 PMCID: PMC4426358 DOI: 10.1534/g3.115.017509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The advent of "omic" technologies has revolutionized genetics and created a demand to focus classical genetics on its present-day applications (Redfield, 2012, PLoS Biol 10: e1001356). This demand can be met by training students in Drosophila mating scheme design, which is an important problem-solving skill routinely applied in many modern research laboratories. It promotes a thorough understanding and application of classical genetics rules and introduces to transgenic technologies and the use of model organisms. As we show here, such training can be implemented as a flexible and concise module (~1-day home study, ~8-hour course time) on university courses by using our previously published training package designed for fly researchers (Roote and Prokop, 2013, G3 (Bethesda) 3: 353-358). However, assessing this training to make it an accredited course element is difficult, especially in large courses. Here, we present a powerful assessment strategy based on a novel hybrid concept in which students solve crossing tasks initially on paper and then answer automatically marked questions on the computer (1.5 hours total). This procedure can be used to examine student performance on more complex tasks than conventional e-assessments and is more versatile, time-saving, and fairer than standard paper-based assignments. Our evaluation shows that the hybrid assessment is effective and reliably detects varying degrees of understanding among students. It also may be applicable in other disciplines requiring complex problem solving, such as mathematics, chemistry, physics, or informatics. Here, we describe our strategies in detail and provide all resources needed for their implementation.
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47
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Heavner ME, Hudgins AD, Rajwani R, Morales J, Govind S. Harnessing the natural Drosophila-parasitoid model for integrating insect immunity with functional venomics. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2014; 6:61-67. [PMID: 25642411 PMCID: PMC4309977 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2014.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila species lack most hallmarks of adaptive immunity yet are highly successful against an array of natural microbial pathogens and metazoan enemies. When attacked by figitid parasitoid wasps, fruit flies deploy robust, multi-faceted innate immune responses and overcome many attackers. In turn, parasitoids have evolved immunosuppressive strategies to match, and more frequently to overcome, their hosts. We present methods to examine the evolutionary dynamics underlying anti-parasitoid host defense by teasing apart the specialized immune-modulating venoms of figitid parasitoids and, in turn, possibly delineating the roles of individual venom molecules. This combination of genetic, phylogenomic, and "functional venomics" methods in the Drosophila-parasitoid model should allow entomologists and immunologists to tackle important outstanding questions with implications across disciplines and to pioneer translational applications in agriculture and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E. Heavner
- The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, 10016
- Department of Biology, The City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, New York, 10031
| | - Adam D. Hudgins
- Department of Biology, The City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, New York, 10031
| | - Roma Rajwani
- Department of Biology, The City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, New York, 10031
| | - Jorge Morales
- Department of Biology, The City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, New York, 10031
| | - Shubha Govind
- The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, 10016
- Department of Biology, The City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, New York, 10031
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48
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Goody MF, Sullivan C, Kim CH. Studying the immune response to human viral infections using zebrafish. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 46:84-95. [PMID: 24718256 PMCID: PMC4067600 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2014.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2014] [Revised: 03/31/2014] [Accepted: 03/31/2014] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Humans and viruses have a long co-evolutionary history. Viral illnesses have and will continue to shape human history: from smallpox, to influenza, to HIV, and beyond. Animal models of human viral illnesses are needed in order to generate safe and effective antiviral medicines, adjuvant therapies, and vaccines. These animal models must support the replication of human viruses, recapitulate aspects of human viral illnesses, and respond with conserved immune signaling cascades. The zebrafish is perhaps the simplest, most commonly used laboratory model organism in which innate and/or adaptive immunity can be studied. Herein, we will discuss the current zebrafish models of human viral illnesses and the insights they have provided. We will highlight advantages of early life stage zebrafish and the importance of innate immunity in human viral illnesses. We will also discuss viral characteristics to consider before infecting zebrafish with human viruses as well as predict other human viruses that may be able to infect zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle F Goody
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Con Sullivan
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Carol H Kim
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA.
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49
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Abstract
In nature, larvae of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster are commonly infected by parasitoid wasps. Following infection, flies mount an immune response termed cellular encapsulation in which fly immune cells form a multilayered capsule that covers and kills the wasp egg. Parasitoids have thus evolved virulence factors to suppress cellular encapsulation. To uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying the antiwasp response, we and others have begun identifying and functionally characterizing these virulence factors. Our recent work on the Drosophila parasitoid Ganaspis sp.1 has demonstrated that a virulence factor encoding a SERCA-type calcium pump plays an important role in Ganaspis sp.1 virulence. This venom SERCA antagonizes fly immune cell calcium signaling and thereby prevents the activation of the encapsulation response. In this way, the study of wasp virulence factors has revealed a novel aspect of fly immunity, namely a role for calcium signaling in fly immune cell activation, which is conserved with human immunity, again illustrating the marked conservation between fly and mammalian immune responses. Our findings demonstrate that the cellular encapsulation response can serve as a model of immune cell function and can also provide valuable insight into basic cell biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan T Mortimer
- School of Life Sciences; Gibbet Hill Campus; University of Warwick; Coventry, UK
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