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Zhou YM, Duan L, Luo L, Guan JQ, Yang ZK, Qu JJ, Zou X. The composition and function of bacterial communities in Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) changed dramatically with infected fungi: A new potential to culture Cordyceps cicadae. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38709468 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Cordyceps cicadae (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) is a renowned entomopathogenic fungus used as herbal medicine in China. However, wild C. cicadae resources have been threatened by heavy harvesting. We hypothesised that Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) could be a new alternative to cultivate C. cicadae due to the low cost of rearing. Bacterial communities are crucial for the formation of Cordyceps and for promoting the production of metabolites. To better understand the bacterial community structure associated with Cordyceps, three Claviciptaceae fungi were used to explore the pathogenicity of the silkworms. Here, fifth-instar silkworms were infected with C. cicadae, Cordyceps cateniannulata (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) and Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae). Subsequently, we applied high-throughput sequencing to explore the composition of bacterial communities in silkworms. Our results showed that all three fungi were highly pathogenic to silkworms, which suggests that silkworms have the potential to cultivate Cordyceps. After fungal infection, the diversity of bacterial communities in silkworms decreased significantly, and the abundance of Staphylococcus increased in mummified larvae, which may play a role in the death process when the host suffers infection by entomopathogenic fungi. Furthermore, there were high similarities in the bacterial community composition and function in the C. cicadae and C. cateniannulata infected samples, and the phylogenetic analysis suggested that these similarities may be related to the fungal phylogenetic relationship. Our findings reveal that infection with different entomopathogenic fungi affects the composition and function of bacterial communities in silkworms and that the bacterial species associated with Cordyceps are primarily host dependent, while fungal infection affects bacterial abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Ming Zhou
- Institute of Fungus Resources, Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Lin Duan
- Institute of Fungus Resources, Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Li Luo
- Institute of Fungus Resources, Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Jing-Qiang Guan
- Institute of Fungus Resources, Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Zheng-Kai Yang
- College of Tea Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Jiao-Jiao Qu
- College of Tea Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Xiao Zou
- Institute of Fungus Resources, Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
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Qian L, Wang Y, Deng P, Zhang J, Qin Y, Li Z, Liao H, Chen F. Enterococcus casseliflavus regulates amino acid metabolism in edible insect Clanis bilineata tsingtauica: a functional metagenomics study. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1343265. [PMID: 38591043 PMCID: PMC10999662 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1343265] [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: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The soybean hawkmoth, Clanis bilineata tsingtauica, is an edible insect that possesses high nutritional, medicinal and economic value. It has developed into a characteristic agricultural industry in China. Methods The dominant gut bacterium in diapause larvae of soybean hawkmoths was identified by metagenomics, and the effect of diapause time on gut microbiome composition, diversity and function was investigated. Results Enterococcus and Enterobacter were measured to be the dominant genera, with Enterococcus casseliflavus and Enterococcus pernyi being the dominant species. Compared to the controls, the relative abundance of E. casseliflavus and E. pernyi on day 14 was lower by 54.51 and 42.45%, respectively. However, the species richness (including the index of Chao and ACE) of gut microbiota increased on day 28 compared to controls. The gene function was mainly focused on carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. Metabolic pathways annotated for amino acids on day 14 increased by 9.83% compared to controls. It is speculated that diapause soybean hawkmoths may up-regulate amino acid metabolism by reducing E. casseliflavus abundance to maintain their nutritional balance. Additionally, tetracycline, chloromycetin and ampicillin were screened as the top three antibiotics against E. casseliflavus. Discussion This study not only extends our knowledge of gut microbiome in soybean hawkmoths at the species level, but also provides an initial investigation of gene functionality in interaction with insect hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Qian
- Institute of Leisure Agriculture, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanhui Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Pan Deng
- Institute of Leisure Agriculture, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Jia Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yi Qin
- Institute of Leisure Agriculture, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Zongnan Li
- Institute of Leisure Agriculture, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Huaijian Liao
- Institute of Leisure Agriculture, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- College of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Fajun Chen
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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Muhammad A, Zhang N, He J, Shen X, Zhu X, Xiao J, Qian Z, Sun C, Shao Y. Multiomics analysis reveals the molecular basis for increased body weight in silkworms (Bombyx mori) exposed to environmental concentrations of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics. J Adv Res 2024; 57:43-57. [PMID: 37741508 PMCID: PMC10918344 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2023.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging environmental pollutants that have raised serious concerns about their potential impact on ecosystem and organism health. Despite increasing efforts to investigate the impacts of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) on biota little is known about their potential impacts on terrestrial organisms, especially insects, at environmental concentrations. OBJECTIVES To address this gap, we used an insect model, silkworm Bombyx mori to examine the potential long-term impacts of different sizes of polystyrene (PS) MNPs at environmentally realistic concentrations (0.25 to 1.0 μg/mL). METHODS After exposure to PS-MNPs over most of the larval lifetime (from second to last instar), the endpoints were examined by an integrated physiological (growth and survival) and multiomics approach (metabolomics, 16S rRNA, and transcriptomics). RESULTS Our results indicated that dietary exposures to PS-MNPs had no lethal effect on survivorship, but interestingly, increased host body weight. Multiomics analysis revealed that PS-MNPs exposure significantly altered multiple pathways, particularly lipid metabolism, leading to enriched energy reserves. Furthermore, the exposure changed the structure and composition of the gut microbiome and increased the abundance of gut bacteria Acinetobacter and Enterococcus. Notably, the predicted functional profiles and metabolite expressions were significantly correlated with bacterial abundance. Importantly, these observed effects were particle size-dependent and were ranked as PS-S (91.92 nm) > PS-M (5.69 µm) > PS-L (9.7 µm). CONCLUSION Overall, PS-MNPs at environmentally realistic concentrations exerted stimulatory effects on energy metabolism that subsequently enhanced body weight in silkworms, suggesting that chronic PS-MNPs exposure might trigger weight gain in animals and humans by influencing host energy and microbiota homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abrar Muhammad
- Max Planck Partner Group, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Max Planck Partner Group, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jintao He
- Max Planck Partner Group, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Shen
- Max Planck Partner Group, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinyue Zhu
- Max Planck Partner Group, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Xiao
- Max Planck Partner Group, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhaoyi Qian
- Max Planck Partner Group, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao Sun
- Analysis Center of Agrobiology and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yongqi Shao
- Max Planck Partner Group, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China.
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Li G, Tong Y, Xiao Y, Huang S, Zhao T, Xia X. Probiotic Bacillus subtilis contributes to the modulation of gut microbiota and blood metabolic profile of hosts. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2023; 272:109712. [PMID: 37544638 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2023.109712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Probiotic Bacillus subtilis has beneficial efficacy on host's health. The microbiota-gut-blood system (MGBS) plays a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis of hosts. However, the mechanism by which the probiotic B. subtilis positively acts on the MGBS of hosts remains unclear. Herein, we used an interspecies animal model to explore the causal associations between this bacterium and the micro-ecology balance and circulatory homeostasis of hosts. Results showed that the body weight of hosts significantly increased after probiotic B. subtilis supplementation (P < 0.05). Enterococcus was found to be the most important microbial marker causing the intergroup differences observed herein, and its relative abundance remarkably increased after B. subtilis supplementation. In addition, the supplementation of B. subtilis induced significant alterations in the levels of circulating metabolites, such as serine, arginine, adenine, uric acid, and pyridoxal (P < 0.05), indicating that B. subtilis modulated the metabolic profile of blood circulation in the host. The metabolisms of amino acids, purine, and vitamin B were the primary pathways modulated by B. subtilis. In conclusion, probiotic B. subtilis substantially introduced subtle but positive changes in the host's gut microbiome, and it promoted the physiological activity of the host by modulating circulating metabolites. The study provides a theoretical reference for the application of probiotic B. subtilis to improve the health state of specific populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guannan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yujie Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yi Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shengquan Huang
- Renhe Global (Shanghai) Big Health Research Institute Co., LTD., Shanghai, China
| | - Tianfu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuejuan Xia
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
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Zaghloul HAH, El Halfawy NM. Whole genome analyses of toxicants tolerance genes of Apis mellifera gut-derived Enterococcus faecium strains. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:479. [PMID: 37620768 PMCID: PMC10463970 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09590-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Because of its social nature, the honeybee is regularly exposed to environmental toxicants such as heavy metals and xenobiotics. These toxicants are known to exert strong selective pressure on the gut microbiome's structure and diversity. For example, resistant microbial members are more likely to dominate in maintaining a stable microbiome, which is critical for bee health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the Enterococcus faecium strains isolated from bee guts for their in vitro growth and tolerability to diverse heavy metals and xenobiotics. An additional aim was to analyze the genomes of E. faecium isolates to assess the molecular bases of resistance and compare them with E. faecium species isolated from other environmental sources. RESULTS The E. faecium bee isolates were able to tolerate high levels (up to 200 mg/L) of toxicants, including cadmium, zinc, benzoate, phenol and hexane. Moreover, the isolates could tolerate toluene and copper at up to 100 mg/L. The genome of E. faecium Am5, isolated from the larval stage of Apis mellifera gut, was about 2.7 Mb in size, had a GC content of 37.9% and 2,827 predicted coding sequences. Overall, the Am5 genome features were comparable with previously sequenced bee-gut isolates, E. faecium Am1, Bee9, SM21, and H7. The genomes of the bee isolates provided insight into the observed heavy metal tolerance. For example, heavy metal tolerance and/or regulation genes were present, including czcD (cobalt/zinc/cadmium resistance), cadA (exporting ATPase), cutC (cytoplasmic copper homeostasis) and zur (zinc uptake regulation). Additionally, genes associated with nine KEGG xenobiotic biodegradation pathways were detected, including γ-hexachlorocyclohexane, benzoate, biphenyl, bisphenol A, tetrachloroethene, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, ethylbenzene, trinitrotoluene and caprolactam. Interestingly, a comparative genomics study demonstrated the conservation of toxicant resistance genes across a variety of E. faecium counterparts isolated from other environmental sources such as non-human mammals, humans, avians, and marine animals. CONCLUSIONS Honeybee gut-derived E. faecium strains can tolerate a variety of heavy metals. Moreover, their genomes encode many xenobiotic biodegradation pathways. Further research is required to examine E. faecium strains potential to boost host resistance to environmental toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heba A H Zaghloul
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Moharam Bek 21511, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Nancy M El Halfawy
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Moharam Bek 21511, Alexandria, Egypt.
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Zhao Y, Liu X, Liang C, Pei T, Guo M, Wang J, Zhang J. α-Lipoic Acid Alleviated Fluoride-Induced Hepatocyte Injury via Inhibiting Ferroptosis. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2022; 70:15962-15971. [PMID: 36459405 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c07484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Fluoride is widely used in agricultural production and food packaging. Excessive fluoride in water and food is a serious threat to liver health. α-Lipoic acid, a natural free radical scavenger, has hepatoprotective properties. However, the protective effect of α-lipoic acid on fluorohepatotoxicity is uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of ferroptosis in α-lipoic acid preventing fluoride-induced hepatotoxicity. Five-week-old ICR mice were treated with sodium fluoride (100 mg/L) and/or α-lipoic acid (200 mg/kg) for 9 weeks. The results showed that α-lipoic acid attenuated fluoride-induced damage to liver morphology and ultrastructure. Moreover, α-lipoic acid alleviated fluoride-induced iron accumulation, increased oxidative stress, and elevated lipid peroxidation in the liver. In addition, the mechanism study found that α-lipoic acid prevented fluoride-induced ferroptosis through the System Xc-/GPX4 axis, lipid peroxidation axis, and iron metabolism axis, but it was interestingly not regulated by mitochondrial free radical axis in the hepatocytes. Altogether, this study indicated that α-lipoic acid prevents fluoride-induced liver injury by inhibiting ferroptosis, which has potential implications for the prevention and treatment of fluoride-induced liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangfei Zhao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China
| | - Xueyan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China
| | - Chen Liang
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China
| | - Ting Pei
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China
| | - Mingyue Guo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China
| | - Jundong Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China
| | - Jianhai Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China
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Plant-derived tormentic acid alters the gut microbiota of the silkworm (Bombyx mori). Sci Rep 2022; 12:13005. [PMID: 35906393 PMCID: PMC9338012 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17478-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, phytochemicals have started to attract more attention due to their contribution to health and bioactivity. Microorganisms in the intestines of organisms contribute to the processing, function, and biotransformation of these substances. The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is one of the organisms used for the biotransformation of phytochemicals due to its controlled reproduction and liability to microbial manipulation. In this study, a bioactive compound, tormentic acid (TA), extracted from Sarcopoterium spinosum was used in the silkworm diet, and the alterations of intestinal microbiota of the silkworm were assessed. To do this, silkworms were fed on a diet with various tormentic acid content, and 16S metagenomic analysis was performed to determine the alterations in the gut microbiota profile of these organisms. Diet with different TA content did not cause a change in the bacterial diversity of the samples. A more detailed comparison between different feeding groups indicated increased abundance of bacteria associated with health, i.e., Intestinibacter spp., Flavonifractor spp., Senegalimassilia spp., through the utilization of bioactive substances such as flavonoids. In conclusion, it might be said that using TA as a supplementary product might help ameliorate the infected gut, promote the healthy gut, and relieve the undesirable effects of medicines on the gastrointestinal system.
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