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Ergunay K, Bourke BP, Linton YM. Exploring the potential of tick transcriptomes for virus screening: A data reuse approach for tick-borne virus surveillance. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2025; 19:e0012907. [PMID: 40048471 PMCID: PMC11922208 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2025] [Accepted: 02/11/2025] [Indexed: 03/20/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We set out to investigate the utility of publicly available tick transcriptomic data to identify and characterize known and recently described tick-borne viruses, using de novo assembly and subsequent protein database alignment and taxonomical binning. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A total of 127 virus contigs were recovered from 35 transcriptomes, originating from cell lines (40%), colony-reared ticks (25.7%) or field-collected ticks (34.2%). Generated virus contigs encompass DNA (n = 2) and RNA (n = 13) virus families, with 3 and 28 taxonomically distinct isolates, respectively. Known human and animal pathogens comprise 32.8% of the contigs, where Beiji nairovirus (BJNV) was the most prevalent tick-borne pathogenic virus, identified in 22.8% of the transcriptomes. Other pathogens included Nuomin virus (NUMV) (2.8%), African swine fever virus (ASFV) (5.7%), African horse sickness virus 3 (AHSV-3) (2.8%) and Alongshan virus (ALSV) (2.8%). CONCLUSIONS Previously generated transcriptome data can be leveraged for detecting tick-borne viruses, as exemplified by new descriptions of ALSV and BJNV in new geographic locations and other viruses previously detailed in screening reports. Monitoring pathogens using publicly available data might facilitate biosurveillance by directing efforts to regions of preliminary spillover and identifying targets for screening. Metadata availability is crucial for further assessments of detections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koray Ergunay
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, Suitland, Maryland, United States of America
- One Health Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution–National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Brian P. Bourke
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, Suitland, Maryland, United States of America
- One Health Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution–National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Yvonne-Marie Linton
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Institution, Museum Support Center, Suitland, Maryland, United States of America
- One Health Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution–National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Washington, DC, United States of America
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2
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Laredo-Tiscareño SV, Garza-Hernandez JA, Tangudu CS, Dankaona W, Rodríguez-Alarcón CA, Gonzalez-Peña R, Adame-Gallegos JR, Beristain-Ruiz DM, Barajas-López IN, Hargett AM, Munderloh UG, Blitvich BJ. Detection of multiple novel viruses in argasid and ixodid ticks in Mexico. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2025; 16:102455. [PMID: 39946816 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2025.102455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2024] [Revised: 02/02/2025] [Accepted: 02/06/2025] [Indexed: 03/22/2025]
Abstract
We examined ticks from Mexico using viral metagenomics to increase our understanding of the composition and diversity of the tick virome. The analysis was performed using 3,127 ticks of four Ixodidae spp. and one Argasidae spp. collected in 2019 to 2021 from domestic animals in four states of Mexico (Chiapas, Chihuahua, Guerrero, and Michoacán). All ticks were homogenized and tested for viruses using two approaches. In the first approach, an aliquot of each homogenate underwent two blind passages in Ixodes scapularis (ISE6) cells. Supernatants from all second passage cultures were subjected to polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation to enrich for virions then RNAs were extracted from the precipitates and analyzed by unbiased high-throughput sequencing (UHTS). In the second approach, an aliquot of every homogenate was subjected to PEG precipitation then RNAs were extracted and analyzed by UHTS, allowing for the detection of viruses unable to replicate in ISE6 cells. We identified seven novel species of viruses from multiple taxonomic groups (Bunyavirales, Flaviviridae, Nodaviridae, Nyamivirdae, Rhabdoviridae, Solemoviridae, and Totiviridae), some of which are highly divergent from all classified viruses and cannot be assigned to any established genus. Twelve recognized species of viruses were also identified. In summary, multiple novel and recognized viruses were detected in ticks from Mexico, highlighting the remarkable diversity of the tick virome.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Viridiana Laredo-Tiscareño
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Javier A Garza-Hernandez
- Departamento de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico
| | - Chandra S Tangudu
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Wichan Dankaona
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA; Animal Virome and Diagnostic Development Research Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Carlos A Rodríguez-Alarcón
- Departamento de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico
| | - Rodolfo Gonzalez-Peña
- Laboratorio de Arbovirologia, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Merida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Jaime R Adame-Gallegos
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico
| | - Diana M Beristain-Ruiz
- Departamento de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico
| | | | - Alissa M Hargett
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Ulrike G Munderloh
- Department of Entomology, College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Bradley J Blitvich
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
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3
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Santana TDD, Rodrigues TM, Andrade LDA, Santos ER, Ardisson-Araújo DMP. Three picorna-like viruses found associated with the spider mite, Tetranychus truncatus (Acari: Tetranychidae). J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 206:108169. [PMID: 39019394 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Herbivorous arthropods, such as mites and insects, host a variety of microorganisms that significantly influence their ecology and evolution. While insect viruses have been extensively studied, our understanding of the diversity and composition of mite viromes and the interactions with mite hosts remains limited. The Asian spider mite, Tetranychus truncatus Ehara (Acari: Tetranychidae), a major agricultural pest, has not yet been reported to harbor any viruses. Here, using publicly available RNA-Seq data, we identified and characterized three picorna-like viruses associated with T. truncatus: Tetranychus truncatus-associated iflavirus 1 (TtAIV-1), Tetranychus truncatus-associated picorna-like virus 1 (TtAV-1), and Tetranychus truncatus-associated picorna-like virus 2 (TtAV-2). TtAIV-1 has a typical Iflaviridae genome structure with a single ORF, representing the first iflavirus associated with the Tetranychus genus. TtAV-1 and TtAV-2 exhibit bicistronic arrangements similar to dicistroviruses and other picorna-like viruses, with complex secondary structures in their non-coding regions. Phylogenetic analysis places TtAIV-1 within Iflaviridae, possibly as a new species, while TtAV-1 and TtAV-2 form distinct clades within unclassified picorna-like viruses, suggesting new families within Picornavirales. We analyzed in silico the presence and abundance of these viruses in T. truncatus across four bioproject SRAs, mostly finding them co-associated, with viral reads reaching up to 30% of total reads. Their presence and abundance varied by mite treatment and origin, with no significant impact from Wolbachia infection or abamectin exposure, although TtAV-2 was absent in abamectin-treated mites. Temperature influenced virus abundance, and variations were observed among Chinese mite populations based on geography and host plant association. Our findings offer insights into picorna-like virus diversity and dynamics in T. truncatus, revealing potential roles in mite biology and suggesting applications for mite population control, thereby enhancing agricultural productivity and food security.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thiago Magalhães Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Insect Virology, Cell Biology Department, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Lucas de Araujo Andrade
- Laboratory of Insect Virology, Cell Biology Department, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Ethiane R Santos
- Laboratory of Insect Virology, Cell Biology Department, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Daniel M P Ardisson-Araújo
- Laboratory of Insect Virology, Cell Biology Department, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF 70910-900, Brazil.
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4
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Lin Y, Pascall DJ. Characterisation of putative novel tick viruses and zoonotic risk prediction. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10814. [PMID: 38259958 PMCID: PMC10800298 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Tick-associated viruses remain a substantial zoonotic risk worldwide, so knowledge of the diversity of tick viruses has potential health consequences. Despite their importance, large amounts of sequences in public data sets from tick meta-genomic and -transcriptomic projects remain unannotated, sequence data that could contain undocumented viruses. Through data mining and bioinformatic analysis of more than 37,800 public meta-genomic and -transcriptomic data sets, we found 83 unannotated contigs exhibiting high identity with known tick viruses. These putative viral contigs were classified into three RNA viral families (Alphatetraviridae, Orthomyxoviridae and Chuviridae) and one DNA viral family (Asfarviridae). After manual checking of quality and dissimilarity towards other sequences in the data set, these 83 contigs were reduced to five contigs in the Alphatetraviridae from four putative viruses, four in the Orthomyxoviridae from two putative viruses and one in the Chuviridae which clustered with known tick-associated viruses, forming a separate clade within the viral families. We further attempted to assess which previously known tick viruses likely represent zoonotic risks and thus deserve further investigation. We ranked the human infection potential of 133 known tick-associated viruses using a genome composition-based machine learning model. We found five high-risk tick-associated viruses (Langat virus, Lonestar tick chuvirus 1, Grotenhout virus, Taggert virus and Johnston Atoll virus) that have not been known to infect human and two viral families (Nairoviridae and Phenuiviridae) that contain a large proportion of potential zoonotic tick-associated viruses. This adds to the knowledge of tick virus diversity and highlights the importance of surveillance of newly emerging tick-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Lin
- MRC Biostatistics UnitUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Royal Veterinary CollegeUniversity of LondonLondonUK
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5
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Stegmüller S, Qi W, Torgerson PR, Fraefel C, Kubacki J. Hazard potential of Swiss Ixodes ricinus ticks: Virome composition and presence of selected bacterial and protozoan pathogens. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290942. [PMID: 37956168 PMCID: PMC10642849 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks play an important role in transmitting many different emerging zoonotic pathogens that pose a significant threat to human and animal health. In Switzerland and abroad, the number of tick-borne diseases, in particular tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), has been increasing over the last few years. Thus, it remains essential to investigate the pathogen spectrum of ticks to rapidly detect emerging pathogens and initiate the necessary measures. To assess the risk of tick-borne diseases in different regions of Switzerland, we collected a total of 10'286 ticks from rural and urban areas in ten cantons in 2021 and 2022. Ticks were pooled according to species, developmental stage, gender, and collection site, and analyzed using next generation sequencing (NGS) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The metagenomic analysis revealed for the first time the presence of Alongshan virus (ALSV) in Swiss ticks. Interestingly, the pool-prevalence of ALSV was higher than that of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). Furthermore, several TBEV foci have been identified and pool prevalence of selected non-viral pathogens determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Stegmüller
- Institute of Virology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Weihong Qi
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Paul R. Torgerson
- Section of Epidemiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Cornel Fraefel
- Institute of Virology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jakub Kubacki
- Institute of Virology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Mittelhäusern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology (DIP), Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Paulson AR, Lougheed SC, Huang D, Colautti RI. Multiomics Reveals Symbionts, Pathogens, and Tissue-Specific Microbiome of Blacklegged Ticks (Ixodes scapularis) from a Lyme Disease Hot Spot in Southeastern Ontario, Canada. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0140423. [PMID: 37184407 PMCID: PMC10269869 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01404-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks in the family Ixodidae are important vectors of zoonoses, including Lyme disease (LD), which is caused by spirochete bacteria from the Borreliella (Borrelia) burgdorferi sensu lato complex. The blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) continues to expand across Canada, creating hot spots of elevated LD risk at the leading edge of its expanding range. Current efforts to understand the risk of pathogen transmission associated with I. scapularis in Canada focus primarily on targeted screens, while natural variation in the tick microbiome remains poorly understood. Using multiomics consisting of 16S metabarcoding and ribosome-depleted, whole-shotgun RNA transcriptome sequencing, we examined the microbial communities associated with adult I. scapularis (n = 32), sampled from four tissue types (whole tick, salivary glands, midgut, and viscera) and three geographical locations within a LD hot spot near Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The communities consisted of both endosymbiotic and known or potentially pathogenic microbes, including RNA viruses, bacteria, and a Babesia sp. intracellular parasite. We show that β-diversity is significantly higher between the bacterial communities of individual tick salivary glands and midguts than that of whole ticks. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) determined that the three potentially pathogenic bacteria detected by V4 16S rRNA sequencing also differed among dissected tissues only, including a Borrelia strain from the B. burgdorferi sensu lato complex, Borrelia miyamotoi, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Importantly, we find coinfection of I. scapularis by multiple microbes, in contrast to diagnostic protocols for LD, which typically focus on infection from a single pathogen of interest (B. burgdorferi sensu stricto). IMPORTANCE As a vector of human health concern, blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) transmit pathogens that cause tick-borne diseases (TBDs), including Lyme disease (LD). Several hot spots of elevated LD risk have emerged across Canada as I. scapularis expands its range. Focusing on a hot spot in southeastern Ontario, we used high-throughput sequencing to characterize the microbiome of whole ticks and dissected salivary glands and midguts. Compared with whole ticks, salivary glands and midguts were more diverse and associated with distinct bacterial communities that are less dominated by Rickettsia endosymbiont bacteria and are enriched for pathogenic bacteria, including a B. burgdorferi sensu lato-associated Borrelia sp., Borrelia miyamotoi, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. We also found evidence of coinfection of I. scapularis by multiple pathogens. Overall, our study highlights the challenges and opportunities associated with the surveillance of the microbiome of I. scapularis for pathogen detection using metabarcoding and metatranscriptome approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber R. Paulson
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - David Huang
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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7
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Feng C, Torimaru K, Lim MYT, Chak LL, Shiimori M, Tsuji K, Tanaka T, Iida J, Okamura K. A novel eukaryotic RdRP-dependent small RNA pathway represses antiviral immunity by controlling an ERK pathway component in the black-legged tick. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281195. [PMID: 36996253 PMCID: PMC10062562 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are involved in antiviral defense and gene regulation. Although roles of RNA-dependent RNA Polymerases (RdRPs) in sRNA biology are extensively studied in nematodes, plants and fungi, understanding of RdRP homologs in other animals is still lacking. Here, we study sRNAs in the ISE6 cell line, which is derived from the black-legged tick, an important vector of human and animal pathogens. We find abundant classes of ~22nt sRNAs that require specific combinations of RdRPs and sRNA effector proteins (Argonautes or AGOs). RdRP1-dependent sRNAs possess 5'-monophosphates and are mainly derived from RNA polymerase III-transcribed genes and repetitive elements. Knockdown of some RdRP homologs misregulates genes including RNAi-related genes and the regulator of immune response Dsor1. Sensor assays demonstrate that Dsor1 is downregulated by RdRP1 through the 3'UTR that contains a target site of RdRP1-dependent repeat-derived sRNAs. Consistent with viral gene repression by the RNAi mechanism using virus-derived small interfering RNAs, viral transcripts are upregulated by AGO knockdown. On the other hand, RdRP1 knockdown unexpectedly results in downregulation of viral transcripts. This effect is dependent on Dsor1, suggesting that antiviral immunity is enhanced by RdRP1 knockdown through Dsor1 upregulation. We propose that tick sRNA pathways control multiple aspects of immune response via RNAi and regulation of signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Canran Feng
- Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara, Japan
| | | | - Mandy Yu Theng Lim
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Li-Ling Chak
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Kosuke Tsuji
- Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Tanaka
- Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Junko Iida
- Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara, Japan
| | - Katsutomo Okamura
- Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara, Japan
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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8
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A Search for Tick-Associated, Bronnoya-like Virus Spillover into Sheep. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11010209. [PMID: 36677501 PMCID: PMC9865699 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11010209] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases are responsible for many vector-borne diseases within Europe. Recently, novel viruses belonging to a new viral family of the order Bunyavirales were discovered in numerous tick species. In this study, we used metatranscriptomics to detect the virome, including novel viruses, associated with Ixodes ricinus collected from Romania and France. A bunyavirus-like virus related to the Bronnoya virus was identified for the first time in these regions. It presents a high level of amino-acid conservation with Bronnoya-related viruses identified in I. ricinus ticks from Norway and Croatia and with the Ixodes scapularis bunyavirus isolated from a tick cell line in Japan in 2014. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the Bronnoya viruses' sub-clade is distinct from several Bunyavirales families, suggesting that it could constitute a novel family within the order. To determine if Bronnoya viruses could constitute novel tick-borne arboviruses, a Luciferase immunoprecipitation assay for detecting antibodies in the viral glycoprotein of the Romanian Bronnoya virus was used to screen sera from small ruminants exposed to tick bites. No positive serum was detected, suggesting that this virus is probably not able to infect small ruminants. This study represents the first serological investigation of mammalian infections with a Bronnoya-like virus and an initial step in the identification of potential new emergences of tick-borne arboviruses.
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Liu Z, Li L, Xu W, Yuan Y, Liang X, Zhang L, Wei Z, Sui L, Zhao Y, Cui Y, Yin Q, Li D, Li Q, Hou Z, Wei F, Liu Q, Wang Z. Extensive diversity of RNA viruses in ticks revealed by metagenomics in northeastern China. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0011017. [PMID: 36542659 PMCID: PMC9836300 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks act as important vectors of infectious agents, and several emerging tick-borne viruses have recently been identified to be associated with human diseases in northeastern China. However, little is known about the tick virome in northeastern China. METHODS Ticks collected from April 2020 to July 2021 were pooled for metagenomic analysis to investigate the virome diversity in northeastern China. RESULTS In total, 22 RNA viruses were identified, including four each in the Nairoviridae and Phenuiviridae families, three each in the Flaviviridae, Rhabdoviridae, and Solemoviridae families, two in the Chuviridae family, and one each in the Partitiviridae, Tombusviridae families and an unclassified virus. Of these, eight viruses were of novel species, belonging to the Nairoviridae (Ji'an nairovirus and Yichun nairovirus), Phenuiviridae (Mudanjiang phlebovirus), Rhabdoviridae (Tahe rhabdovirus 1-3), Chuviridae (Yichun mivirus), and Tombusviridae (Yichun tombus-like virus) families, and five members were established human pathogens, including Alongshan virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, Songling virus, Beiji nairovirus, and Nuomin virus. I. persulcatus ticks had significant higher number of viral species than H. japonica, H. concinna, and D. silvarum ticks. Significant differences in tick viromes were observed among Daxing'an, Xiaoxing'an and Changbai mountains. CONCLUSIONS These findings showed an extensive diversity of RNA viruses in ticks in northeastern China, revealing potential public health threats from the emerging tick-borne viruses. Further studies are needed to explain the natural circulation and pathogenicity of these viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyan Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, State Key Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Liang Li
- Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenbo Xu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, State Key Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yongxu Yuan
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaojie Liang
- Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Li Zhang
- Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhengkai Wei
- School of Life Sciences and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Liyan Sui
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, State Key Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yinghua Zhao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, State Key Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanyan Cui
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Tonghua Normal University, Tonghua, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qing Yin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, State Key Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dajun Li
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qianxue Li
- Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhijun Hou
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Feng Wei
- Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Quan Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, State Key Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
- Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
- School of Life Sciences and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zedong Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, State Key Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
- Changchun Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, Jilin Province, People’s Republic of China
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Bell-Sakyi L, Hartley CS, Khoo JJ, Forth JH, Palomar AM, Makepeace BL. New Cell Lines Derived from European Tick Species. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10061086. [PMID: 35744603 PMCID: PMC9228755 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10061086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick cell lines are important tools for research on ticks and the pathogens they transmit. Here, we report the establishment of ten new cell lines from European ticks of the genera Argas, Dermacentor, Hyalomma, Ixodes and Rhipicephalus originating from Germany and Spain. For each cell line, the method used to generate the primary culture, a morphological description of the cells and species confirmation by sequencing of the partial 16S rRNA gene are presented. Further molecular analysis of the two new Ixodes ricinus cell lines and three existing cell lines of the same species revealed genetic variation between cell lines derived from ticks collected in the same or nearby locations. Collectively, these new cell lines will support research into a wide range of viral, bacterial and protozoal tick-borne diseases prevalent in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK; (C.S.H.); (J.J.K.); (B.L.M.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Catherine S. Hartley
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK; (C.S.H.); (J.J.K.); (B.L.M.)
| | - Jing Jing Khoo
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK; (C.S.H.); (J.J.K.); (B.L.M.)
| | - Jan Hendrik Forth
- Robert Koch-Institut, Nordufer 20, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Ana M. Palomar
- Centre of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital Universitario San Pedro-CIBIR, 26006 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain;
| | - Benjamin L. Makepeace
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK; (C.S.H.); (J.J.K.); (B.L.M.)
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Salata C, Moutailler S, Attoui H, Zweygarth E, Decker L, Bell-Sakyi L. How relevant are in vitro culture models for study of tick-pathogen interactions? Pathog Glob Health 2021; 115:437-455. [PMID: 34190676 PMCID: PMC8635668 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2021.1944539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although tick-borne infectious diseases threaten human and animal health worldwide, with constantly increasing incidence, little knowledge is available regarding vector-pathogen interactions and pathogen transmission. In vivo laboratory study of these subjects using live, intact ticks is expensive, labor-intensive, and challenging from the points of view of biosafety and ethics. Several in vitro models have been developed, including over 70 continuous cell lines derived from multiple tick species and a variety of tick organ culture systems, facilitating many research activities. However, some limitations have to be considered in the translation of the results from the in vitro environment to the in vivo situation of live, intact ticks, and vertebrate hosts. In this review, we describe the available in vitro models and selected results from their application to the study of tick-borne viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, where possible comparing these results to studies in live, intact ticks. Finally, we highlight the strengths and weaknesses of in vitro tick culture models and their essential role in tick-borne pathogen research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiano Salata
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Sara Moutailler
- Laboratoire De Santé Animale, Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Houssam Attoui
- Department of Animal Health, UMR1161 Virologie, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Erich Zweygarth
- The Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Lygia Decker
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Complexity and local specificity of the virome associated with tospovirus-transmitting thrips species. J Virol 2021; 95:e0059721. [PMID: 34232724 PMCID: PMC8513489 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00597-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Frankliniella occidentalis (western flower thrips=WFT) and Thrips tabaci (onion thrips=OT) are insect species that greatly impact horticultural crops through direct damage and their efficient vectoring of tomato spotted wilt virus and iris yellow spot virus. In this study we collected thrips of these species from 12 field populations in various regions in Italy. We also included one field population of Neohydatothrips variabilis (soybean thrips=ST) from the U.S.A. Total RNAseq from high-throughput sequencing (HTS) was used to assemble the virome and then we assigned putative viral contigs to each thrips sample by qRT-PCR. Excluding plant and fungal viruses, we were able to identify 61 viral segments, corresponding to 41 viruses: 14 were assigned to WFT, 17 to OT, one from ST and 9 viruses could not be assigned to any species based on our stringent criteria. All these viruses are putative representative of new species (with only the exception of a sobemo-like virus that is 100% identical to a virus recently characterized in ST) and some belong to new higher-ranking taxa. These additions to the viral phylogeny suggest previously undescribed evolutionary niches. Most of the Baltimore's classes of RNA viruses were present (positive- and minus- strand and dsRNA viruses), but only one DNA virus was identified in our collection. Repeated sampling in a subset of locations in 2019 and 2020 and further virus characterization in a subset of four thrips populations maintained in laboratory allowed us to provide evidence of a locally persistent thrips core virome that characterizes each population. IMPORTANCE Harnessing the insect microbiome can result in new approaches to contain their populations or the damage they cause vectoring viruses of medical, veterinary, or agricultural importance. Persistent insect viruses are a neglected component of their microbiota. Here for the first time, we characterize the virome associated with the two model systems for tospovirus-transmitting thrips species, of utmost importance for the direct and indirect damage they cause to a number of different crops. The thrips virome here characterized includes several novel viruses, that in some cases reveal previously undescribed clades. More importantly, some of the viruses we describe are part of a core virome that is specific and consistently present in distinct geographical locations monitored over the years, hinting at a possible mutualistic symbiotic relationship with their host.
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13
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Sequence diversity and evolution of a group of iflaviruses associated with ticks. Arch Virol 2021; 166:1843-1852. [PMID: 33870470 PMCID: PMC8195936 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-021-05060-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We studied a group of tick-associated viruses with characteristics of members of the family Iflaviridae, a family of viruses frequently found in arthropods. Our aim was to gain insight into the evolutionary dynamics of this group of viruses, which may be linked to the biology of ticks. We explored assembled RNA-Seq data sets for different species of ticks. We identified members of five different iflavirus species, four of them novel, and discovered nine new genome sequences, including variants. Five variants represented a virus species associated with Ixodes ricinus. Unexpectedly, a sequence found in the Ixodes scapularis cell line ISE6 was nearly identical to the sequences of I. ricinus variants, suggesting a contamination of this cell line by I. ricinus material. Analysing patterns of substitutions between these variants, we detected a strong excess of synonymous mutations, suggesting evolution under strong positive selection. The phylogenies of the viruses and of their tick hosts were not congruent, suggesting recurrent host changes across tick genera during their evolution. Overall, our work constitutes a step in the understanding of the interactions between this family of viruses and ticks.
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Virus Prospecting in Crickets-Discovery and Strain Divergence of a Novel Iflavirus in Wild and Cultivated Acheta domesticus. Viruses 2021; 13:v13030364. [PMID: 33669085 PMCID: PMC7996529 DOI: 10.3390/v13030364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Orthopteran insects have high reproductive rates leading to boom-bust population dynamics with high local densities that are ideal for short, episodic disease epidemics. Viruses are particularly well suited for such host population dynamics, due to their supreme ability to adapt to changing transmission criteria. However, very little is known about the viruses of Orthopteran insects. Since Orthopterans are increasingly reared commercially, for animal feed and human consumption, there is a risk that viruses naturally associated with these insects can adapt to commercial rearing conditions, and cause disease. We therefore explored the virome of the house cricket Acheta domesticus, which is both part of the natural Swedish landscape and reared commercially for the pet feed market. Only 1% of the faecal RNA and DNA from wild-caught A. domesticus consisted of viruses. These included both known and novel viruses associated with crickets/insects, their bacterial-fungal microbiome, or their plant food. Relatively abundant among these viral Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) was a novel Iflavirus, tentatively named Acheta domesticus Iflavirus (AdIV). Quantitative analyses showed that AdIV was also abundant in frass and insect samples from commercially reared crickets. Interestingly, the wild and commercial AdIV strains had short, extremely divergent variation hotspots throughout the genome, which may indicate specific adaptation to their hosts’ distinct rearing environments.
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Pettersson JHO, Ellström P, Ling J, Nilsson I, Bergström S, González-Acuña D, Olsen B, Holmes EC. Circumpolar diversification of the Ixodes uriae tick virome. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008759. [PMID: 32745135 PMCID: PMC7425989 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks (order: Ixodida) are a highly diverse and ecologically important group of ectoparasitic blood-feeding organisms. One such species, the seabird tick (Ixodes uriae), is widely distributed around the circumpolar regions of the northern and southern hemispheres. It has been suggested that Ix. uriae spread from the southern to the northern circumpolar region millions of years ago and has remained isolated in these regions ever since. Such a profound biographic subdivision provides a unique opportunity to determine whether viruses associated with ticks exhibit the same evolutionary patterns as their hosts. To test this, we collected Ix. uriae specimens near a Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) colony at Neko harbour, Antarctica, and from migratory birds—the Razorbill (Alca torda) and the Common murre (Uria aalge)—on Bonden island, northern Sweden. Through meta-transcriptomic next-generation sequencing we identified 16 RNA viruses, seven of which were novel. Notably, we detected the same species, Ronne virus, and two closely related species, Bonden virus and Piguzov virus, in both hemispheres indicating that there have been at least two cross-circumpolar dispersal events. Similarly, we identified viruses discovered previously in other locations several decades ago, including Gadgets Gully virus, Taggert virus and Okhotskiy virus. By identifying the same or closely related viruses in geographically disjunct sampling locations we provide evidence for virus dispersal within and between the circumpolar regions. In marked contrast, our phylogenetic analysis revealed no movement of the Ix. uriae tick hosts between the same locations. Combined, these data suggest that migratory birds are responsible for the movement of viruses at both local and global scales. As host populations diverge, so may those microorganisms, including viruses, that are dependent on those hosts. To examine this key issue in host-microbe evolution we compared the co-phylogenies of the seabird tick, Ixodes uriae, and their RNA viruses sampled from the far northern and southern hemispheres. Despite the huge geographic distance between them, phylogeographic analysis reveals that the same and closely related viruses were found both within and between the northern and southern circumpolar regions, most likely reflecting transfer by virus-infected migratory birds. In contrast, genomic data suggested that the Ix. uriae populations were phylogenetically distinct between the northern and southern hemispheres. This work emphasises the importance of migratory birds and ticks as vectors and sources of virus dispersal and introduction at both the local and global scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H.-O. Pettersson
- Zoonosis Science Center, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- * E-mail: (JHOP); (ECH)
| | - Patrik Ellström
- Zoonosis Science Center, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jiaxin Ling
- Zoonosis Science Center, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ingela Nilsson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Sven Bergström
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Daniel González-Acuña
- Laboratorio de Parásitos y Enfermedades de Fauna silvestre, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - Björn Olsen
- Zoonosis Science Center, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Edward C. Holmes
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- * E-mail: (JHOP); (ECH)
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16
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Kobayashi D, Murota K, Itokawa K, Ejiri H, Amoa-Bosompem M, Faizah AN, Watanabe M, Maekawa Y, Hayashi T, Noda S, Yamauchi T, Komagata O, Sawabe K, Isawa H. RNA virome analysis of questing ticks from Hokuriku District, Japan, and the evolutionary dynamics of tick-borne phleboviruses. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 11:101364. [PMID: 31928929 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.101364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne viruses have emerged recently in many parts of the world, and the discoveries of novel tick-borne viruses have been accelerated by the development of high-throughput sequencing technology. In this study, a cost-efficient small benchtop next-generation sequencer, the Illumina MiniSeq, was used for the RNA virome analysis of questing ticks collected from Hokuriku District, Japan, and assessed for their potential utility in a tick-borne virus surveillance system. We detected two phleboviruses [Kabuto Mountain virus (KAMV) and Okutama tick virus (OKTV)], a coltivirus [Tarumizu tick virus (TarTV)], and a novel iflavirus [Hamaphysalis flava iflavirus (HfIFV)] from tick homogenates and/or cell culture supernatants after virus isolation processes. The number of sequence reads from KAMV and TarTV markedly increased when cell culture supernatants were used, indicating a successful isolation of these viruses. In contrast, OKTV and HfIFV were detected only in tick homogenates but not from cell culture supernatants, suggesting a failure to isolate these viruses. Furthermore, we performed genomic and phylogenetic analyzes of these detected viruses. OKTV and some phleboviruses discovered recently by NGS-based methods were probably deficient in the M genome segment, which are herein proposed as M segment-deficient phlebovirus (MdPV). A phylogenetic analysis of phleboviruses, including MdPV, suggested that Uukuniemi and Kaisodi group viruses and kabutoviruses evolved from an ancestral MdPV, which provides insights into the evolutionary dynamics of phleboviruses as emerging pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Kobayashi
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan; Department of Research Promotion, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, 20F Yomiuri Shimbun Bldg. 1-7-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Katsunori Murota
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan; Kyushu Research Station, National Institute of Animal Health, NARO, 2702 Chuzan, Kagoshima 891-0105, Japan
| | - Kentaro Itokawa
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan; Pathogen genomics center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Hiroko Ejiri
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan; Division of infectious Diseases Epidemiology and Control, National Defense Medical Research Institute, National Defense Medical College, 3-2 Namiki, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-8513, Japan
| | - Michael Amoa-Bosompem
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Astri Nur Faizah
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Mamoru Watanabe
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Yoshihide Maekawa
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Hayashi
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Shinichi Noda
- Research Center for the Pacific Islands, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-8580, Japan
| | - Takeo Yamauchi
- Laboratory of Entomology, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Osamu Komagata
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Kyoko Sawabe
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Isawa
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
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The Unique Phylogenetic Position of a Novel Tick-Borne Phlebovirus Ensures an Ixodid Origin of the Genus Phlebovirus. mSphere 2018; 3:3/3/e00239-18. [PMID: 29898985 PMCID: PMC6001614 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00239-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of novel tick-borne RNA viruses causing severe illness in humans has complicated the epidemiological landscape of tick-borne diseases, requiring further investigation to safeguard public health. In the present study, we discovered a novel tick-borne phlebovirus from Ixodes persulcatus ticks in Japan. While its viral RNA genome sequences were similar to those of mosquito/sandfly-borne viruses, molecular and biological footprints confirmed that this is a tick-borne virus. The unique evolutionary position of the virus allowed us to estimate the ancestral phlebovirus vector, which was likely a hard tick. Our findings may provide a better understanding of the evolution and emergence of phleboviruses associated with emerging infectious diseases, such as severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) and Heartland virus disease. The recent emergence of novel tick-borne RNA viruses has complicated the epidemiological landscape of tick-borne infectious diseases, posing a significant challenge to public health systems that seek to counteract tick-borne diseases. The identification of two novel tick-borne phleboviruses (TBPVs), severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) and Heartland virus (HRTV), as causative agents of severe illness in humans has accelerated the investigation and discoveries of novel TBPVs. In the present study, we isolated a novel TBPV designated Mukawa virus (MKWV) from host-questing Ixodes persulcatus females captured in Japan. Genetic characterization revealed that MKWV is a member of the genus Phlebovirus in the family Phenuiviridae. Interestingly, MKWV is genetically distinct from other known TBPVs and shares a most recent common ancestor with mosquito/sandfly-borne (insect-borne) phleboviruses. Despite its genetic similarity to insect-borne phleboviruses, the molecular footprints of its viral proteins and its biological characteristics define MKWV as a tick-borne virus that can be transmitted to mammals. A phylogenetic ancestral-state reconstruction for arthropod vectors of phleboviruses including MKWV based on viral L segment sequences indicated that ticks likely harbored ancestral phleboviruses that evolved into both the tick-borne and MKWV/insect-borne phlebovirus lineages. Overall, our findings suggest that most of the phlebovirus evolution has occurred in hard ticks to generate divergent viruses, which may provide a seminal foundation for understanding the mechanisms underlying the evolution and emergence of pathogenic phleboviruses, such as Rift Valley fever virus and SFTSV/HRTV. IMPORTANCE The emergence of novel tick-borne RNA viruses causing severe illness in humans has complicated the epidemiological landscape of tick-borne diseases, requiring further investigation to safeguard public health. In the present study, we discovered a novel tick-borne phlebovirus from Ixodes persulcatus ticks in Japan. While its viral RNA genome sequences were similar to those of mosquito/sandfly-borne viruses, molecular and biological footprints confirmed that this is a tick-borne virus. The unique evolutionary position of the virus allowed us to estimate the ancestral phlebovirus vector, which was likely a hard tick. Our findings may provide a better understanding of the evolution and emergence of phleboviruses associated with emerging infectious diseases, such as severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) and Heartland virus disease.
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18
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Bell-Sakyi L, Darby A, Baylis M, Makepeace BL. The Tick Cell Biobank: A global resource for in vitro research on ticks, other arthropods and the pathogens they transmit. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:1364-1371. [PMID: 29886187 PMCID: PMC6052676 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Tick cell lines are increasingly used in many fields of tick and tick-borne disease research. The Tick Cell Biobank was established in 2009 to facilitate the development and uptake of these unique and valuable resources. As well as serving as a repository for existing and new ixodid and argasid tick cell lines, the Tick Cell Biobank supplies cell lines and training in their maintenance to scientists worldwide and generates novel cultures from tick species not already represented in the collection. Now part of the Institute of Infection and Global Health at the University of Liverpool, the Tick Cell Biobank has embarked on a new phase of activity particularly targeted at research on problems caused by ticks, other arthropods and the diseases they transmit in less-developed, lower- and middle-income countries. We are carrying out genotypic and phenotypic characterisation of selected cell lines derived from tropical tick species. We continue to expand the culture collection, currently comprising 63 cell lines derived from 18 ixodid and argasid tick species and one each from the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis and the biting midge Culicoides sonorensis, and are actively engaging with collaborators to obtain starting material for primary cell cultures from other midge species, mites, tsetse flies and bees. Outposts of the Tick Cell Biobank will be set up in Malaysia, Kenya and Brazil to facilitate uptake and exploitation of cell lines and associated training by scientists in these and neighbouring countries. Thus the Tick Cell Biobank will continue to underpin many areas of global research into biology and control of ticks, other arthropods and vector-borne viral, bacterial and protozoan pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, United Kingdom.
| | - Alistair Darby
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Biosciences Building, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, United Kingdom.
| | - Matthew Baylis
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, United Kingdom; NIHR Health Protection Research Institute in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, The Ronald Ross Building, 8 West Derby Street, Liverpool L69 7BE, United Kingdom.
| | - Benjamin L Makepeace
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park IC2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, United Kingdom.
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Discovery of a novel iflavirus sequence in the eastern paralysis tick Ixodes holocyclus. Arch Virol 2018; 163:2451-2457. [PMID: 29752559 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-018-3868-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Ixodes holocyclus, the eastern paralysis tick, is a significant parasite in Australia in terms of animal and human health. However, very little is known about its virome. In this study, next-generation sequencing of I. holocyclus salivary glands yielded a full-length genome sequence which phylogenetically groups with viruses classified in the Iflaviridae family and shares 45% amino acid similarity with its closest relative Bole hyalomma asiaticum virus 1. The sequence of this virus, provisionally named Ixodes holocyclus iflavirus (IhIV) has been identified in tick populations from northern New South Wales and Queensland, Australia and represents the first virus sequence reported from I. holocyclus.
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20
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O'Brien CA, Hall RA, Lew-Tabor A. Could Australian ticks harbour emerging viral pathogens? MICROBIOLOGY AUSTRALIA 2018. [DOI: 10.1071/ma18060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne viruses contribute significantly to the disease burden in Europe, Asia and the US. Historically, some of the most well-known viruses from this group include the human pathogens, tick-borne encephalitis virus and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus. More recently multiple emerging tick-borne viruses have been associated with severe disease in humans with Bourbon virus and Heartland virus isolated from patients in the US and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus reported from China, Japan, and South Korea. Such examples highlight the need for broader approaches to survey arthropod pathogens, to encompass not only known but novel pathogens circulating in Australian tick populations.
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