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Apoorva, Singh SK. A tale of endurance: bats, viruses and immune dynamics. Future Microbiol 2024. [PMID: 38648093 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2023-0233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of highly zoonotic viral infections has propelled bat research forward. The viral outbreaks including Hendra virus, Nipah virus, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, Rabies virus, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, SARS-CoV and the latest SARS-CoV-2 have been epidemiologically linked to various bat species. Bats possess unique immunological characteristics that allow them to serve as a potential viral reservoir. Bats are also known to protect themselves against viruses and maintain their immunity. Therefore, there is a need for in-depth understanding into bat-virus biology to unravel the major factors contributing to the coexistence and spread of viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apoorva
- Molecular Biology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Sunit Kumar Singh
- Molecular Biology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
- Dr. B R Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi (North Campus), New Delhi, 110007, India
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2
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Guito JC, Arnold CE, Schuh AJ, Amman BR, Sealy TK, Spengler JR, Harmon JR, Coleman-McCray JD, Sanchez-Lockhart M, Palacios GF, Towner JS, Prescott JB. Peripheral immune responses to filoviruses in a reservoir versus spillover hosts reveal transcriptional correlates of disease. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1306501. [PMID: 38259437 PMCID: PMC10800976 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1306501] [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: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Several filoviruses, including Marburg virus (MARV), cause severe disease in humans and nonhuman primates (NHPs). However, the Egyptian rousette bat (ERB, Rousettus aegyptiacus), the only known MARV reservoir, shows no overt illness upon natural or experimental infection, which, like other bat hosts of zoonoses, is due to well-adapted, likely species-specific immune features. Despite advances in understanding reservoir immune responses to filoviruses, ERB peripheral blood responses to MARV and how they compare to those of diseased filovirus-infected spillover hosts remain ill-defined. We thus conducted a longitudinal analysis of ERB blood gene responses during acute MARV infection. These data were then contrasted with a compilation of published primate blood response studies to elucidate gene correlates of filovirus protection versus disease. Our work expands on previous findings in MARV-infected ERBs by supporting both host resistance and disease tolerance mechanisms, offers insight into the peripheral immunocellular repertoire during infection, and provides the most direct known cross-examination between reservoir and spillover hosts of the most prevalently-regulated response genes, pathways and activities associated with differences in filovirus pathogenesis and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan C. Guito
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Catherine E. Arnold
- Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Frederick, MD, United States
- RD-CBR, Research and Development Directorate, Chemical and Biological Technologies Directorate, Research Center of Excellence, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA, United States
| | - Amy J. Schuh
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Brian R. Amman
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Tara K. Sealy
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jessica R. Spengler
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jessica R. Harmon
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Joann D. Coleman-McCray
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Mariano Sanchez-Lockhart
- Center for Genome Sciences, Molecular Biology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, United States
| | - Gustavo F. Palacios
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jonathan S. Towner
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Joseph B. Prescott
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Center for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
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3
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Perrot J, Dacheux L. [Bats and viruses: Balancing infection control and immune tolerance]. Med Sci (Paris) 2023; 39:945-952. [PMID: 38108725 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2023179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, bats have been associated with numerous viral pandemics. Bats harbor a large variety of viruses, some of which have a high zoonotic potential for humans. While infection with these viruses can be fatal in other mammals, bats are often infected asymptomatically. It is hypothesized that a balanced immune response would enable them to maintain homeostasis during infection, thus limiting viral replication while avoiding the impact of excessive inflammation. Deciphering these mechanisms, using adapted in vitro models, will help assess and avoid the potential zoonotic risk of these animals, while paving the way for the development of therapeutics for infectious and inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Perrot
- Institut Pasteur, université Paris Cité, unité Lyssavirus, épidémiologie et neuropathologie, 28 rue du docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15
| | - Laurent Dacheux
- Institut Pasteur, université Paris Cité, unité Lyssavirus, épidémiologie et neuropathologie, 28 rue du docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15
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Bornstein K, Gryan G, Chang ES, Marchler-Bauer A, Schneider VA. The NIH Comparative Genomics Resource: addressing the promises and challenges of comparative genomics on human health. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:575. [PMID: 37759191 PMCID: PMC10523801 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09643-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Comparative genomics is the comparison of genetic information within and across organisms to understand the evolution, structure, and function of genes, proteins, and non-coding regions (Sivashankari and Shanmughavel, Bioinformation 1:376-8, 2007). Advances in sequencing technology and assembly algorithms have resulted in the ability to sequence large genomes and provided a wealth of data that are being used in comparative genomic analyses. Comparative analysis can be leveraged to systematically explore and evaluate the biological relationships and evolution between species, aid in understanding the structure and function of genes, and gain a better understanding of disease and potential drug targets. As our knowledge of genetics expands, comparative genomics can help identify emerging model organisms among a broader span of the tree of life, positively impacting human health. This impact includes, but is not limited to, zoonotic disease research, therapeutics development, microbiome research, xenotransplantation, oncology, and toxicology. Despite advancements in comparative genomics, new challenges have arisen around the quantity, quality assurance, annotation, and interoperability of genomic data and metadata. New tools and approaches are required to meet these challenges and fulfill the needs of researchers. This paper focuses on how the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Comparative Genomics Resource (CGR) can address both the opportunities for comparative genomics to further impact human health and confront an increasingly complex set of challenges facing researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gary Gryan
- The MITRE Corporation, 7525 Colshire Dr, McLean, VA, USA
| | - E Sally Chang
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Aron Marchler-Bauer
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Valerie A Schneider
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA.
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5
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Ruhs EC, Chia WN, Foo R, Peel AJ, Li Y, Larman HB, Irving AT, Wang L, Brook CE. Applications of VirScan to broad serological profiling of bat reservoirs for emerging zoonoses. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1212018. [PMID: 37808979 PMCID: PMC10559906 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1212018] [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: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Bats are important providers of ecosystem services such as pollination, seed dispersal, and insect control but also act as natural reservoirs for virulent zoonotic viruses. Bats host multiple viruses that cause life-threatening pathology in other animals and humans but, themselves, experience limited pathological disease from infection. Despite bats' importance as reservoirs for several zoonotic viruses, we know little about the broader viral diversity that they host. Bat virus surveillance efforts are challenged by difficulties of field capture and the limited scope of targeted PCR- or ELISA-based molecular and serological detection. Additionally, virus shedding is often transient, thus also limiting insights gained from nucleic acid testing of field specimens. Phage ImmunoPrecipitation Sequencing (PhIP-Seq), a broad serological tool used previously to comprehensively profile viral exposure history in humans, offers an exciting prospect for viral surveillance efforts in wildlife, including bats. Methods Here, for the first time, we apply PhIP-Seq technology to bat serum, using a viral peptide library originally designed to simultaneously assay exposures to the entire human virome. Results Using VirScan, we identified past exposures to 57 viral genera-including betacoronaviruses, henipaviruses, lyssaviruses, and filoviruses-in semi-captive Pteropus alecto and to nine viral genera in captive Eonycteris spelaea. Consistent with results from humans, we find that both total peptide hits (the number of enriched viral peptides in our library) and the corresponding number of inferred past virus exposures in bat hosts were correlated with poor bat body condition scores and increased with age. High and low body condition scores were associated with either seropositive or seronegative status for different viruses, though in general, virus-specific age-seroprevalence curves defied assumptions of lifelong immunizing infection, suggesting that many bat viruses may circulate via complex transmission dynamics. Discussion Overall, our work emphasizes the utility of applying biomedical tools, like PhIP-Seq, first developed for humans to viral surveillance efforts in wildlife, while highlighting opportunities for taxon-specific improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Cornelius Ruhs
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Grainger Bioinformatics Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Wan Ni Chia
- Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- CoV Biotechnology Pte Ltd., Singapore, Singapore
| | - Randy Foo
- Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Alison J. Peel
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Brisband, QLD, Australia
| | - Yimei Li
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Quantitative and Computational Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - H. Benjamin Larman
- HBL – Institute for Cell Engineering, Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Aaron T. Irving
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Haining, Zhejiang, China
- BIMET - Biomedical and Translational Research Centre of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Linfa Wang
- Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Cara E. Brook
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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Brook CE, Rozins C, Guth S, Boots M. Reservoir host immunology and life history shape virulence evolution in zoonotic viruses. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002268. [PMID: 37676899 PMCID: PMC10484437 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002268] [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: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The management of future pandemic risk requires a better understanding of the mechanisms that determine the virulence of emerging zoonotic viruses. Meta-analyses suggest that the virulence of emerging zoonoses is correlated with but not completely predictable from reservoir host phylogeny, indicating that specific characteristics of reservoir host immunology and life history may drive the evolution of viral traits responsible for cross-species virulence. In particular, bats host viruses that cause higher case fatality rates upon spillover to humans than those derived from any other mammal, a phenomenon that cannot be explained by phylogenetic distance alone. In order to disentangle the fundamental drivers of these patterns, we develop a nested modeling framework that highlights mechanisms that underpin the evolution of viral traits in reservoir hosts that cause virulence following cross-species emergence. We apply this framework to generate virulence predictions for viral zoonoses derived from diverse mammalian reservoirs, recapturing trends in virus-induced human mortality rates reported in the literature. Notably, our work offers a mechanistic hypothesis to explain the extreme virulence of bat-borne zoonoses and, more generally, demonstrates how key differences in reservoir host longevity, viral tolerance, and constitutive immunity impact the evolution of viral traits that cause virulence following spillover to humans. Our theoretical framework offers a series of testable questions and predictions designed to stimulate future work comparing cross-species virulence evolution in zoonotic viruses derived from diverse mammalian hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara E. Brook
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Carly Rozins
- Department of Science, Technology, and Society, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sarah Guth
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Mike Boots
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom
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7
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Pereira PDC, Diniz DG, da Costa ER, Magalhães NGDM, da Silva ADJF, Leite JGS, Almeida NIP, Cunha KDN, de Melo MAD, Vasconcelos PFDC, Diniz JAP, Brites D, Anthony DC, Diniz CWP, Guerreiro-Diniz C. Genes, inflammatory response, tolerance, and resistance to virus infections in migratory birds, bats, and rodents. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1239572. [PMID: 37711609 PMCID: PMC10497949 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1239572] [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: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Normally, the host immunological response to viral infection is coordinated to restore homeostasis and protect the individual from possible tissue damage. The two major approaches are adopted by the host to deal with the pathogen: resistance or tolerance. The nature of the responses often differs between species and between individuals of the same species. Resistance includes innate and adaptive immune responses to control virus replication. Disease tolerance relies on the immune response allowing the coexistence of infections in the host with minimal or no clinical signs, while maintaining sufficient viral replication for transmission. Here, we compared the virome of bats, rodents and migratory birds and the molecular mechanisms underlying symptomatic and asymptomatic disease progression. We also explore the influence of the host physiology and environmental influences on RNA virus expression and how it impacts on the whole brain transcriptome of seemingly healthy semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) and spotted sandpiper (Actitis macularius). Three time points throughout the year were selected to understand the importance of longitudinal surveys in the characterization of the virome. We finally revisited evidence that upstream and downstream regulation of the inflammatory response is, respectively, associated with resistance and tolerance to viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Douglas Corrêa Pereira
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | - Daniel Guerreiro Diniz
- Seção de Hepatologia, Laboratório de Microscopia Eletrônica, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, Pará, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Emanuel Ramos da Costa
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Nara Gyzely de Morais Magalhães
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | - Anderson de Jesus Falcão da Silva
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Gizele Sousa Leite
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | - Natan Ibraim Pires Almeida
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | - Kelle de Nazaré Cunha
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | - Mauro André Damasceno de Melo
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | - Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos
- Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade do Estado do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
- Seção de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Ananindeua, Pará, Brazil
| | - José Antonio Picanço Diniz
- Seção de Hepatologia, Laboratório de Microscopia Eletrônica, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Dora Brites
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Daniel Clive Anthony
- Department of Pharmacology, Laboratory of Experimental Neuropathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Cristovam Wanderley Picanço Diniz
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Cristovam Guerreiro-Diniz
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
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Stockmaier S. Bat behavioral immune responses in social contexts: current knowledge and future directions. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1232556. [PMID: 37662931 PMCID: PMC10469833 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1232556] [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: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals often mount complex immune responses to infections. Aside from cellular and molecular defense mechanisms, animals can alter their behavior in response to infection by avoiding, resisting, or tolerating negative effects of pathogens. These behaviors are often connected to cellular and molecular immune responses. For instance, sickness behaviors are a set of behavioral changes triggered by the host inflammatory response (e.g., cytokines) and could aid in resisting or tolerating infection, as well as affect transmission dynamics if sick animals socially withdraw or are being avoided by others. To fully understand the group and population level transmission dynamics and consequences of pathogen infections in bats, it is not only important to consider cellular and molecular defense mechanisms, but also behavioral mechanisms, and how both interact. Although there has been increasing interest in bat immune responses due to their ability to successfully cope with viral infections, few studies have explored behavioral anti-pathogen defense mechanisms. My main objective is to explore the interaction of cellular and molecular defense mechanisms, and behavioral alterations that results from infection in bats, and to outline current knowledge and future research avenues in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Stockmaier
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
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9
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Garg KM, Lamba V, Sanyal A, Dovih P, Chattopadhyay B. Next Generation Sequencing Revolutionizes Organismal Biology Research in Bats. J Mol Evol 2023:10.1007/s00239-023-10107-2. [PMID: 37154841 PMCID: PMC10166039 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-023-10107-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The advent of next generation sequencing technologies (NGS) has greatly accelerated our understanding of critical aspects of organismal biology from non-model organisms. Bats form a particularly interesting group in this regard, as genomic data have helped unearth a vast spectrum of idiosyncrasies in bat genomes associated with bat biology, physiology, and evolution. Bats are important bioindicators and are keystone species to many eco-systems. They often live in proximity to humans and are frequently associated with emerging infectious diseases, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly four dozen bat genomes have been published to date, ranging from drafts to chromosomal level assemblies. Genomic investigations in bats have also become critical towards our understanding of disease biology and host-pathogen coevolution. In addition to whole genome sequencing, low coverage genomic data like reduced representation libraries, resequencing data, etc. have contributed significantly towards our understanding of the evolution of natural populations, and their responses to climatic and anthropogenic perturbations. In this review, we discuss how genomic data have enhanced our understanding of physiological adaptations in bats (particularly related to ageing, immunity, diet, etc.), pathogen discovery, and host pathogen co-evolution. In comparison, the application of NGS towards population genomics, conservation, biodiversity assessment, and functional genomics has been appreciably slower. We reviewed the current areas of focus, identifying emerging topical research directions and providing a roadmap for future genomic studies in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kritika M Garg
- Centre for Interdisciplinay Archaeological Research, Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana, 131029, India
- Department of Biology, Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana, 131029, India
- Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability (3CS), Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana, 131029, India
| | - Vinita Lamba
- Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana, 131029, India
- J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR72701, USA
| | - Avirup Sanyal
- Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana, 131029, India
- Ecology and Evolution, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, 560065, India
| | - Pilot Dovih
- Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability (3CS), Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana, 131029, India
- Ecology and Evolution, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, 560065, India
- School of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Sastra University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, 613401, India
| | - Balaji Chattopadhyay
- Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability (3CS), Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana, 131029, India.
- Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana, 131029, India.
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10
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Engineering antiviral immune-like systems for autonomous virus detection and inhibition in mice. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7629. [PMID: 36494373 PMCID: PMC9734111 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35425-9] [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: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that viral diseases represent an enormous public health and economic threat to mankind and that individuals with compromised immune systems are at greater risk of complications and death from viral diseases. The development of broad-spectrum antivirals is an important part of pandemic preparedness. Here, we have engineer a series of designer cells which we term autonomous, intelligent, virus-inducible immune-like (ALICE) cells as sense-and-destroy antiviral system. After developing a destabilized STING-based sensor to detect viruses from seven different genera, we have used a synthetic signal transduction system to link viral detection to the expression of multiple antiviral effector molecules, including antiviral cytokines, a CRISPR-Cas9 module for viral degradation and the secretion of a neutralizing antibody. We perform a proof-of-concept study using multiple iterations of our ALICE system in vitro, followed by in vivo functionality testing in mice. We show that dual output ALICESaCas9+Ab system delivered by an AAV-vector inhibited viral infection in herpetic simplex keratitis (HSK) mouse model. Our work demonstrates that viral detection and antiviral countermeasures can be paired for intelligent sense-and-destroy applications as a flexible and innovative method against virus infection.
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11
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Ellwanger JH, Fearnside PM, Ziliotto M, Valverde-Villegas JM, Veiga ABGDA, Vieira GF, Bach E, Cardoso JC, Müller NFD, Lopes G, Caesar L, Kulmann-Leal B, Kaminski VL, Silveira ES, Spilki FR, Weber MN, Almeida SEDEM, Hora VPDA, Chies JAB. Synthesizing the connections between environmental disturbances and zoonotic spillover. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2022; 94:e20211530. [PMID: 36169531 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202220211530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Zoonotic spillover is a phenomenon characterized by the transfer of pathogens between different animal species. Most human emerging infectious diseases originate from non-human animals, and human-related environmental disturbances are the driving forces of the emergence of new human pathogens. Synthesizing the sequence of basic events involved in the emergence of new human pathogens is important for guiding the understanding, identification, and description of key aspects of human activities that can be changed to prevent new outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics. This review synthesizes the connections between environmental disturbances and increased risk of spillover events based on the One Health perspective. Anthropogenic disturbances in the environment (e.g., deforestation, habitat fragmentation, biodiversity loss, wildlife exploitation) lead to changes in ecological niches, reduction of the dilution effect, increased contact between humans and other animals, changes in the incidence and load of pathogens in animal populations, and alterations in the abiotic factors of landscapes. These phenomena can increase the risk of spillover events and, potentially, facilitate new infectious disease outbreaks. Using Brazil as a study model, this review brings a discussion concerning anthropogenic activities in the Amazon region and their potential impacts on spillover risk and spread of emerging diseases in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Henrique Ellwanger
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Laboratório de Imunobiologia e Imunogenética, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular/PPGBM, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Philip Martin Fearnside
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia/INPA, Avenida André Araújo, 2936, Aleixo, 69067-375 Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Marina Ziliotto
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Laboratório de Imunobiologia e Imunogenética, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular/PPGBM, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Jacqueline María Valverde-Villegas
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier/IGMM, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/CNRS, Laboratoire coopératif IGMM/ABIVAX, 1919, route de Mende, 34090 Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Ana Beatriz G DA Veiga
- Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre/UFCSPA, Departamento de Ciências Básicas de Saúde, Rua Sarmento Leite, 245, Centro Histórico, 90050-170 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Gustavo F Vieira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular/PPGBM, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Laboratório de Imunoinformática, Núcleo de Bioinformática do Laboratório de Imunogenética/NBLI, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Desenvolvimento Humano, Universidade La Salle, Laboratório de Saúde Humana in silico, Avenida Victor Barreto, 2288, Centro, 92010-000 Canoas, RS, Brazil
| | - Evelise Bach
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Laboratório de Imunobiologia e Imunogenética, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular/PPGBM, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Jáder C Cardoso
- Centro Estadual de Vigilância em Saúde/CEVS, Divisão de Vigilância Ambiental em Saúde, Secretaria da Saúde do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga, 5400, Jardim Botânico, 90610-000 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Nícolas Felipe D Müller
- Centro Estadual de Vigilância em Saúde/CEVS, Divisão de Vigilância Ambiental em Saúde, Secretaria da Saúde do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga, 5400, Jardim Botânico, 90610-000 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Lopes
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ, Casa de Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Lílian Caesar
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular/PPGBM, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Indiana University/IU, Department of Biology, 915 East 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Bruna Kulmann-Leal
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Laboratório de Imunobiologia e Imunogenética, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular/PPGBM, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Valéria L Kaminski
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo/UNIFESP, Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia/ICT, Laboratório de Imunologia Aplicada, Rua Talim, 330, Vila Nair, 12231-280 São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
| | - Etiele S Silveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular/PPGBM, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Laboratório de Imunoinformática, Núcleo de Bioinformática do Laboratório de Imunogenética/NBLI, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Fernando R Spilki
- Universidade Feevale, Laboratório de Saúde Única, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde/ICS, Rodovia ERS-239, 2755, Vila Nova, 93525-075 Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil
| | - Matheus N Weber
- Universidade Feevale, Laboratório de Saúde Única, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde/ICS, Rodovia ERS-239, 2755, Vila Nova, 93525-075 Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil
| | - Sabrina E DE Matos Almeida
- Universidade Feevale, Laboratório de Saúde Única, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde/ICS, Rodovia ERS-239, 2755, Vila Nova, 93525-075 Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil
| | - Vanusa P DA Hora
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande/FURG, Faculdade de Medicina, Rua Visconde de Paranaguá, 102, Centro, 96203-900, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - José Artur B Chies
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Laboratório de Imunobiologia e Imunogenética, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular/PPGBM, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/UFRGS, Departmento de Genética, Campus do Vale, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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12
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Tobin DM. Modelling infectious disease to support human health. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:276457. [PMID: 36037003 PMCID: PMC9459390 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
During the current COVID-19 pandemic, there has been renewed scientific and public focus on understanding the pathogenesis of infectious diseases and investigating vaccines and therapies to combat them. In addition to the tragic toll of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), we also recognize increased threats from antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, the effects of climate change on the prevalence and spread of human pathogens, and the recalcitrance of other infectious diseases – including tuberculosis, malaria, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and fungal infections – that continue to cause millions of deaths annually. Large amounts of funding have rightly been redirected toward vaccine development and clinical trials for COVID-19, but we must continue to pursue fundamental and translational research on other pathogens and host immunity. Now more than ever, we need to support the next generation of researchers to develop and utilize models of infectious disease that serve as engines of discovery, innovation and therapy. Summary: This Editorial considers how knowledge from animal and other models of infectious disease can impact our understanding of human biology and potential therapies, focusing largely on zebrafish. It also highlights ways in which DMM is supporting these areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Tobin
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.,Department of Immunology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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13
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Choi M, Cho HS, Ahn B, Prathap S, Nagasundarapandian S, Park C. Genomewide Analysis and Biological Characterization of Cathelicidins with Potent Antimicrobial Activity and Low Cytotoxicity from Three Bat Species. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11080989. [PMID: 35892379 PMCID: PMC9330922 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11080989] [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: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cathelicidins are potent antimicrobial peptides with broad spectrum antimicrobial activity in many vertebrates and an important component of the innate immune system. However, our understanding of the genetic variations and biological characteristics of bat cathelicidins is limited. In this study, we performed genome-level analysis of the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidins from seven bat species in the six families, listed 19 cathelicidin-like sequences, and showed that the number of functional cathelicidin genes differed among bat species. Based on the identified biochemical characteristics of bat cathelicidins, three cathelicidins, HA-CATH (from Hipposideros armiger), ML-CATH (from Myotis lucifugus), and PD-CATH (from Phyllostomus discolor), with clear antimicrobial signatures were chemically synthesized and evaluated antimicrobial activity. HA-CATH showed narrow-spectrum antibacterial activity against a panel of 12 reference bacteria, comprising 6 Gram-negative and 6 Gram-positive strains. However, ML-CATH and PD-CATH showed potent antibacterial activity against a broad spectrum of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1 and 3 μg/mL, respectively, against Staphylococcus aureus. ML-CATH and PD-CATH also showed antifungal activities against Candida albicans and Cryptococcus cuniculi with MIC of 5 to 40 μg/mL, respectively, and 80% inhibition of the metabolism of Mucor hiemalis hyphae at 80 μg/mL, while displaying minimal cytotoxicity to HaCaT cells. Taken together, although the spectrum and efficacy of bat cathelicidins were species-dependent, the antimicrobial activity of ML-CATH and PD-CATH was comparable to that of other highly active cathelicidins in vertebrates while having negligible cytotoxicity to mammalian cells. ML-CATH and PD-CATH can be exploited as promising candidates for the development of antimicrobial therapeutics.
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14
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Weinberg M, Yovel Y. Revising the paradigm: Are bats really pathogen reservoirs or do they possess an efficient immune system? iScience 2022; 25:104782. [PMID: 35982789 PMCID: PMC9379578 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
While bats are often referred to as reservoirs of viral pathogens, a meta-analysis of the literature reveals many cases in which there is not enough evidence to claim so. In many cases, bats are able to confront viruses, recover, and remain immune by developing a potent titer of antibodies, often without becoming a reservoir. In other cases, bats might have carried an ancestral virus that at some time point might have mutated into a human pathogen. Moreover, bats exhibit a balanced immune response against viruses that have evolved over millions of years. Using genomic tools, it is now possible to obtain a deeper understanding of that unique immune system and its variability across the order Chiroptera. We conclude, that with the exception of a few viruses, bats pose little zoonotic danger to humans and that they operate a highly efficient anti-inflammatory response that we should strive to understand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Weinberg
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Corresponding author
| | - Yossi Yovel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
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15
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Lam LKM, Dobkin J, Eckart KA, Gereg I, DiSalvo A, Nolder A, Anis E, Ellis JC, Turner G, Mangalmurti NS. Bat Red Blood Cells Express Nucleic Acid-Sensing Receptors and Bind RNA and DNA. Immunohorizons 2022; 6:299-306. [PMID: 35595326 DOI: 10.4049/immunohorizons.2200013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
RBCs demonstrate immunomodulatory capabilities through the expression of nucleic acid sensors. However, little is known about bat RBCs, and no studies have examined the immune function of bat erythrocytes. In this study, we show that bat RBCs express the nucleic acid-sensing TLRs TLR7 and TLR9 and bind the nucleic acid ligands, ssRNA, and CpG DNA. Collectively, these data suggest that, like human RBCs, bat erythrocytes possess immune function and may be reservoirs for nucleic acids. These findings provide unique insight into bat immunity and may uncover potential mechanisms by which virulent pathogens of humans are concealed in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- L K Metthew Lam
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Jane Dobkin
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Kaitlyn A Eckart
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Ian Gereg
- Department of Pathobiology, Wildlife Futures Program, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, PA
| | - Andrew DiSalvo
- Bureau of Wildlife Management, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Harrisburg, PA; and
| | - Amber Nolder
- Bureau of Wildlife Management, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Harrisburg, PA; and
| | - Eman Anis
- Department of Pathobiology, Wildlife Futures Program, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, PA
| | - Julie C Ellis
- Department of Pathobiology, Wildlife Futures Program, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, PA
| | - Greg Turner
- Bureau of Wildlife Management, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Harrisburg, PA; and
| | - Nilam S Mangalmurti
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; .,Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
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16
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Papies J, Sieberg A, Ritz D, Niemeyer D, Drosten C, Müller MA. Reduced IFN-ß inhibitory activity of Lagos bat virus phosphoproteins in human compared to Eidolon helvum bat cells. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0264450. [PMID: 35259191 PMCID: PMC8903296 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Eidolon helvum bats are reservoir hosts for highly pathogenic lyssaviruses often showing limited disease upon natural infection. An enhanced antiviral interferon (IFN) response combined with reduced inflammation might be linked to the apparent virus tolerance in bats. Lyssavirus phosphoproteins inhibit the IFN response with virus strain-specific efficiency. To date, little is known regarding the lyssavirus P-dependent anti-IFN countermeasures in bats, mainly due to a lack of in vitro tools. By using E. helvum bat cell cultures in a newly established bat-specific IFN-promoter activation assay, we analyzed the IFN-ß inhibitory activity of multiple lyssavirus P in E. helvum compared to human cells. Initial virus infection studies with a recently isolated E. helvum-borne Lagos bat virus street strain from Ghana showed enhanced LBV propagation in an E. helvum lung cell line compared to human A549 lung cells at later time points suggesting effective viral countermeasures against cellular defense mechanisms. A direct comparison of the IFN-ß inhibitory activity of the LBV-GH P protein with other lyssavirus P proteins showed that LBV-GH P and RVP both strongly inhibited the bat IFN-β promotor activation (range 75–90%) in EidLu/20.2 and an E. helvum kidney cell line. Conversely, LBV-GH P blocked the activation of the human IFN-β promoter less efficiently compared to a prototypic Rabies virus P protein (range LBV P 52–68% vs RVP 71–95%) in two different human cell lines (HEK-293T, A549). The same pattern was seen for two prototypic LBV P variants suggesting an overall reduced LBV P IFN-ß inhibitory activity in human cells as compared to E. helvum bat cells. Increased IFN-ß inhibition by lyssavirus P in reservoir host cells might be a result of host-specific adaptation processes towards an enhanced IFN response in bat cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Papies
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Sieberg
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Ritz
- Institute of Virology, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Daniela Niemeyer
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Drosten
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcel A. Müller
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
- * E-mail:
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17
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Abstract
Infectious diseases emerge via many routes and may need to overcome stepwise bottlenecks to burgeon into epidemics and pandemics. About 60% of human infections have animal origins, whereas 40% either co-evolved with humans or emerged from non-zoonotic environmental sources. Although the dynamic interaction between wildlife, domestic animals, and humans is important for the surveillance of zoonotic potential, exotic origins tend to be overemphasized since many zoonoses come from anthropophilic wild species (for example, rats and bats). We examine the equivocal evidence of whether the appearance of novel infections is accelerating and relate technological developments to the risk of novel disease outbreaks. Then we briefly compare selected epidemics, ancient and modern, from the Plague of Athens to COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin A Weiss
- Division of Infection & Immunity, University College London, London, UK
| | - Neeraja Sankaran
- The Descartes Centre for the History and Philosophy of the Sciences and the Humanities, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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18
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Roberts M, Dobson A, Restif O, Wells K. Challenges in modelling the dynamics of infectious diseases at the wildlife-human interface. Epidemics 2021; 37:100523. [PMID: 34856500 PMCID: PMC8603269 DOI: 10.1016/j.epidem.2021.100523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic is of zoonotic origin, and many other emerging infections of humans have their origin in an animal host population. We review the challenges involved in modelling the dynamics of wildlife–human interfaces governing infectious disease emergence and spread. We argue that we need a better understanding of the dynamic nature of such interfaces, the underpinning diversity of pathogens and host–pathogen association networks, and the scales and frequencies at which environmental conditions enable spillover and host shifting from animals to humans to occur. The major drivers of the emergence of zoonoses are anthropogenic, including the global change in climate and land use. These, and other ecological processes pose challenges that must be overcome to counterbalance pandemic risk. The development of more detailed and nuanced models will provide better tools for analysing and understanding infectious disease emergence and spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mick Roberts
- School of Natural & Computational Sciences, New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study and the Infectious Disease Research Centre, Massey University, Private Bag 102 904, North Shore Mail Centre, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Andrew Dobson
- EEB, Eno Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Santa Fe Institute, Hyde Park Rd., Santa Fe, NM, USA
| | - Olivier Restif
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Konstans Wells
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
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19
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Snell‐Rood EC, Smirnoff D, Cantrell H, Chapman K, Kirscht E, Stretch E. Bioinspiration as a method of problem-based STEM education: A case study with a class structured around the COVID-19 crisis. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:16374-16386. [PMID: 34900221 PMCID: PMC8646331 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioinspiration is a promising lens for biology instruction as it allows the instructor to focus on current issues, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. From social distancing to oxygen stress, organisms have been tackling pandemic-related problems for millions of years. What can we learn from such diverse adaptations in our own applications? This review uses a seminar course on the COVID-19 crisis to illustrate bioinspiration as an approach to teaching biology content. At the start of the class, students mind-mapped the entire problem; this range of subproblems was used to structure the biology content throughout the entire class. Students came to individual classes with a brainstormed list of biological systems that could serve as inspiration for a particular problem (e.g., absorptive leaves in response to the problem of toilet paper shortages). After exploration of relevant biology content, discussion returned to the focal problem. Students dug deeper into the literature in a group project on mask design and biological systems relevant to filtration and transparency. This class structure was an engaging way for students to learn principles from ecology, evolution, behavior, and physiology. Challenges with this course design revolved around the interdisciplinary and creative nature of the structure; for instance, the knowledge of the participants was often stretched by engineering details. While the present class was focused on the COVID-19 crisis, a course structured through a bioinspired approach can be applied to other focal problems, or subject areas, giving instructors a powerful method to deliver interdisciplinary content in an integrated and inquiry-driven way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie C. Snell‐Rood
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and BehaviorUniversity of Minnesota‐Twin CitiesSaint PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Dimitri Smirnoff
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and BehaviorUniversity of Minnesota‐Twin CitiesSaint PaulMinnesotaUSA
- Department of Curriculum and InstructionSaint PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Hunter Cantrell
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and BehaviorUniversity of Minnesota‐Twin CitiesSaint PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Kaila Chapman
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and BehaviorUniversity of Minnesota‐Twin CitiesSaint PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Elizabeth Kirscht
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and BehaviorUniversity of Minnesota‐Twin CitiesSaint PaulMinnesotaUSA
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20
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Stout AE, Guo Q, Millet JK, Whittaker1 GR. Viral and Host Attributes Underlying the Origins of Zoonotic Coronaviruses in Bats. Comp Med 2021; 71:442-450. [PMID: 34635199 PMCID: PMC8594259 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-cm-21-000027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
With a presumed origin in bats, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a major source of morbidity and mortality in the hu- man population, and the causative agent, SARS-CoV-2, aligns most closely at the genome level with the bat coronaviruses RaBtCoV4991/RaTG13 and RmYN02. The ability of bats to provide reservoirs of numerous viruses in addition to coronaviruses remains an active area of research. Unique aspects of the physiology of the chiropteran immune system may contribute to the ability of bats to serve as viral reservoirs. The coronavirus spike protein plays important roles in viral pathogenesis and the immune response. Although much attention has focused on the spike receptor-binding domain, a unique aspect of SARS-CoV-2 as compared with its closest relatives is the presence of a furin cleavage site in the S1-S2 region of the spike protein. Proteolytic activation is likely an important feature that allows SARS-CoV-2-and other coronaviruses-to overcome the species barriers and thus cause human disease. The diversity of bat species limits the ability to draw broad conclusions about viral pathogenesis, but comparisons across species and with reference to humans and other susceptible mammals may guide future research in this regard.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Qinghua Guo
- Master of Public Health Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York; and
| | - Jean K Millet
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, UVSQ, Virologie et Immunologie Moléculaires, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Gary R Whittaker1
- Master of Public Health Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York; and
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21
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Eskew EA, Fraser D, Vonhof MJ, Pinsky ML, Maslo B. Host gene expression in wildlife disease: making sense of species-level responses. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:6517-6530. [PMID: 34516689 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases are significant threats to wildlife conservation, yet the impacts of pathogen exposure and infection can vary widely among host species. As such, conservation biologists and disease ecologists have increasingly aimed to understand species-specific host susceptibility using molecular methods. In particular, comparative gene expression assays have been used to contrast the transcriptomic responses of disease-resistant and disease-susceptible hosts to pathogen exposure. This work usually assumes that the gene expression responses of disease-resistant species will reveal the activation of molecular pathways contributing to host defence. However, results often show that disease-resistant hosts undergo little gene expression change following pathogen challenge. Here, we discuss the mechanistic implications of these "null" findings and offer methodological suggestions for future molecular studies of wildlife disease. First, we highlight that muted transcriptomic responses with minimal immune system recruitment may indeed be protective for nonsusceptible hosts if they limit immunopathology and promote pathogen tolerance in systems where susceptible hosts suffer from genetic dysregulation. Second, we argue that overly narrow investigation of responses to pathogen exposure may overlook important, constitutively active molecular pathways that underlie species-specific defences. Finally, we outline alternative study designs and approaches that complement interspecific transcriptomic comparisons, including intraspecific gene expression studies and genomic methods to detect signatures of selection. Collectively, these insights will help ecologists extract maximal information from conservation-relevant transcriptomic data sets, leading to a deeper understanding of host defences and, ultimately, the implementation of successful conservation interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan A Eskew
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.,Department of Biology, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, USA
| | - Devaughn Fraser
- Wildlife Genetics Research Laboratory, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Maarten J Vonhof
- Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
| | - Malin L Pinsky
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Brooke Maslo
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
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22
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Nagaraja S, Jain D, Kesavardhana S. Inflammasome regulation in driving COVID-19 severity in humans and immune tolerance in bats. J Leukoc Biol 2021; 111:497-508. [PMID: 34057760 PMCID: PMC8242921 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.4covhr0221-093rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are RNA viruses that cause human respiratory infections. Zoonotic transmission of the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus caused the recent COVID‐19 pandemic, which led to over 2 million deaths worldwide. Elevated inflammatory responses and cytotoxicity in the lungs are associated with COVID‐19 severity in SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected individuals. Bats, which host pathogenic CoVs, operate dampened inflammatory responses and show tolerance to these viruses with mild clinical symptoms. Delineating the mechanisms governing these host‐specific inflammatory responses is essential to understand host–virus interactions determining the outcome of pathogenic CoV infections. Here, we describe the essential role of inflammasome activation in determining COVID‐19 severity in humans and innate immune tolerance in bats that host several pathogenic CoVs. We further discuss mechanisms leading to inflammasome activation in human SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and how bats are molecularly adapted to suppress these inflammasome responses. We also report an analysis of functionally important residues of inflammasome components that provide new clues of bat strategies to suppress inflammasome signaling and innate immune responses. As spillover of bat viruses may cause the emergence of new human disease outbreaks, the inflammasome regulation in bats and humans likely provides specific strategies to combat the pathogenic CoV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahana Nagaraja
- Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Disha Jain
- Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Sannula Kesavardhana
- Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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23
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Mallott EK, Amato KR. Host specificity of the gut microbiome. Nat Rev Microbiol 2021; 19:639-653. [PMID: 34045709 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-021-00562-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Developing general principles of host-microorganism interactions necessitates a robust understanding of the eco-evolutionary processes that structure microbiota. Phylosymbiosis, or patterns of microbiome composition that can be predicted by host phylogeny, is a unique framework for interrogating these processes. Identifying the contexts in which phylosymbiosis does and does not occur facilitates an evaluation of the relative importance of different ecological processes in shaping the microbial community. In this Review, we summarize the prevalence of phylosymbiosis across the animal kingdom on the basis of the current literature and explore the microbial community assembly processes and related host traits that contribute to phylosymbiosis. We find that phylosymbiosis is less prevalent in taxonomically richer microbiomes and hypothesize that this pattern is a result of increased stochasticity in the assembly of complex microbial communities. We also note that despite hosting rich microbiomes, mammals commonly exhibit phylosymbiosis. We hypothesize that this pattern is a result of a unique combination of mammalian traits, including viviparous birth, lactation and the co-evolution of haemochorial placentas and the eutherian immune system, which compound to ensure deterministic microbial community assembly. Examining both the individual and the combined importance of these traits in driving phylosymbiosis provides a new framework for research in this area moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K Mallott
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Katherine R Amato
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
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24
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McKee CD, Bai Y, Webb CT, Kosoy MY. Bats are key hosts in the radiation of mammal-associated Bartonella bacteria. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2021; 89:104719. [PMID: 33444855 PMCID: PMC10915969 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.104719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Bats are notorious reservoirs of several zoonotic diseases and may be uniquely tolerant of infection among mammals. Broad sampling has revealed the importance of bats in the diversification and spread of viruses and eukaryotes to other animal hosts. Vector-borne bacteria of the genus Bartonella are prevalent and diverse in mammals globally and recent surveys have revealed numerous Bartonella lineages in bats. We assembled a sequence database of Bartonella strains, consisting of nine genetic loci from 209 previously characterized Bartonella lineages and 121 new cultured isolates from bats, and used these data to perform a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the Bartonella genus. This analysis included estimation of divergence dates using a molecular clock and ancestral reconstruction of host associations and geography. We estimate that Bartonella began infecting mammals 62 million years ago near the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. Additionally, the radiation of particular Bartonella clades correlate strongly to the timing of diversification and biogeography of mammalian hosts. Bats were inferred to be the ancestral hosts of all mammal-associated Bartonella and appear to be responsible for the early geographic expansion of the genus. We conclude that bats have had a deep influence on the evolutionary radiation of Bartonella bacteria and their spread to other mammalian orders. These results support a 'bat seeding' hypothesis that could explain similar evolutionary patterns in other mammalian parasite taxa. Application of such phylogenetic tools as we have used to other taxa may reveal the general importance of bats in the ancient diversification of mammalian parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clifton D McKee
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, 1021 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; Department of Biology, Colorado State University, 1878 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Ying Bai
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - Colleen T Webb
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, 1021 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; Department of Biology, Colorado State University, 1878 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Michael Y Kosoy
- KB One Health, LLC, 3244 Reedgrass Court, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
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25
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Zoonotic Risk: One More Good Reason Why Cats Should Be Kept Away from Bats. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10030304. [PMID: 33807760 PMCID: PMC8002059 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10030304] [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: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are often unfairly depicted as the direct culprit in the current COVID-19 pandemic, yet the real causes of this and other zoonotic spillover events should be sought in the human impact on the environment, including the spread of domestic animals. Here, we discuss bat predation by cats as a phenomenon bringing about zoonotic risks and illustrate cases of observed, suspected or hypothesized pathogen transmission from bats to cats, certainly or likely following predation episodes. In addition to well-known cases of bat rabies, we review other diseases that affect humans and might eventually reach them through cats that prey on bats. We also examine the potential transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the causal agent of COVID-19, from domestic cats to bats, which, although unlikely, might generate a novel wildlife reservoir in these mammals, and identify research and management directions to achieve more effective risk assessment, mitigation or prevention. Overall, not only does bat killing by cats represent a potentially serious threat to biodiversity conservation, but it also bears zoonotic implications that can no longer be neglected.
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26
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Corduneanu A, Mihalca AD, Sándor AD, Hornok S, Malmberg M, Viso NP, Bongcam-Rudloff E. The heart microbiome of insectivorous bats from Central and South Eastern Europe. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2021; 75:101605. [PMID: 33421678 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2020.101605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Host associated microbiome not only may affect the individual health-status or provide insights into the species- or group specific bacterial communities but may act as early warning signs in the assessment of zoonotic reservoirs, offering clues to predict, prevent and control possible episodes of emerging zoonoses. Bats may be carriers and reservoirs of multiple pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and parasites, showing in the same time robust immunity against many of them. The microbiota plays a fundamental role on the induction, training and function of the host immune system and the immune system has largely evolved in order to maintain the symbiotic relationship of the host with these diverse microbes. Thus, expanding our knowledge on bat-associated microbiome it can be usefully in understanding bats' outstanding immune capacities. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of different bacterial communities in heart tissue of insectivorous bats, Nyctalus noctula, Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Rhinoplophus hipposideros, from Central and Eastern Europe using high-throughput sequencing of variable regions of the 16S rRNA. In addition, species-specific PCRs were used to validate the presence of the vector-borne pathogens Bartonella spp. and Rickettsia spp. In this study we identified a wide variety of bacterial groups, with the most abundant phyla being Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. The results showed that at individual level, the year or location had no effect on the diversity and composition of the microbiome, however host species determined both structure and abundance of the bacterial community. We report the presence of vector-borne bacteria Bartonella spp. in samples of N. noctula and indications of Rickettsia spp. in R. hipposideros. Our results provide a first insight into the bacterial community found in heart tissue of bats from Central and South Eastern Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Corduneanu
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Andrei Daniel Mihalca
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Attila D Sándor
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Sándor Hornok
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Maja Malmberg
- Section of Virology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7028, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden; SLU Global Bioinformatics Centre, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7023, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Natalia Pin Viso
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Godoy Cruz 2290, 1425, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular, IABiMo, INTA-CONICET, Calle Las Cabañas y Los Reseros s/n, Casilla de Correo 25, Castelar, 1712, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Erik Bongcam-Rudloff
- SLU Global Bioinformatics Centre, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7023, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
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27
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Irving AT, Ahn M, Goh G, Anderson DE, Wang LF. Lessons from the host defences of bats, a unique viral reservoir. Nature 2021; 589:363-370. [PMID: 33473223 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-03128-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
There have been several major outbreaks of emerging viral diseases, including Hendra, Nipah, Marburg and Ebola virus diseases, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-as well as the current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Notably, all of these outbreaks have been linked to suspected zoonotic transmission of bat-borne viruses. Bats-the only flying mammal-display several additional features that are unique among mammals, such as a long lifespan relative to body size, a low rate of tumorigenesis and an exceptional ability to host viruses without presenting clinical disease. Here we discuss the mechanisms that underpin the host defence system and immune tolerance of bats, and their ramifications for human health and disease. Recent studies suggest that 64 million years of adaptive evolution have shaped the host defence system of bats to balance defence and tolerance, which has resulted in a unique ability to act as an ideal reservoir host for viruses. Lessons from the effective host defence of bats would help us to better understand viral evolution and to better predict, prevent and control future viral spillovers. Studying the mechanisms of immune tolerance in bats could lead to new approaches to improving human health. We strongly believe that it is time to focus on bats in research for the benefit of both bats and humankind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron T Irving
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore. .,Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, China. .,Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Matae Ahn
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Geraldine Goh
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Danielle E Anderson
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lin-Fa Wang
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore. .,SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute, Singapore, Singapore.
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28
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Nunn AVW, Guy GW, Brysch W, Botchway SW, Frasch W, Calabrese EJ, Bell JD. SARS-CoV-2 and mitochondrial health: implications of lifestyle and ageing. Immun Ageing 2020; 17:33. [PMID: 33292333 PMCID: PMC7649575 DOI: 10.1186/s12979-020-00204-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Infection with SARs-COV-2 displays increasing fatality with age and underlying co-morbidity, in particular, with markers of the metabolic syndrome and diabetes, which seems to be associated with a "cytokine storm" and an altered immune response. This suggests that a key contributory factor could be immunosenescence that is both age-related and lifestyle-induced. As the immune system itself is heavily reliant on mitochondrial function, then maintaining a healthy mitochondrial system may play a key role in resisting the virus, both directly, and indirectly by ensuring a good vaccine response. Furthermore, as viruses in general, and quite possibly this new virus, have also evolved to modulate immunometabolism and thus mitochondrial function to ensure their replication, this could further stress cellular bioenergetics. Unlike most sedentary modern humans, one of the natural hosts for the virus, the bat, has to "exercise" regularly to find food, which continually provides a powerful adaptive stimulus to maintain functional muscle and mitochondria. In effect the bat is exposed to regular hormetic stimuli, which could provide clues on how to resist this virus. In this paper we review the data that might support the idea that mitochondrial health, induced by a healthy lifestyle, could be a key factor in resisting the virus, and for those people who are perhaps not in optimal health, treatments that could support mitochondrial function might be pivotal to their long-term recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alistair V W Nunn
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Centre for Optimal Health, University of Westminster, London, W1W 6UW, UK.
| | | | | | - Stanley W Botchway
- UKRI, STFC, Central Laser Facility, & Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX110QX, UK
| | - Wayne Frasch
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
| | - Edward J Calabrese
- Environmental Health Sciences Division, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Jimmy D Bell
- Department of Life Sciences, Research Centre for Optimal Health, University of Westminster, London, W1W 6UW, UK
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29
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Guito JC, Prescott JB, Arnold CE, Amman BR, Schuh AJ, Spengler JR, Sealy TK, Harmon JR, Coleman-McCray JD, Kulcsar KA, Nagle ER, Kumar R, Palacios GF, Sanchez-Lockhart M, Towner JS. Asymptomatic Infection of Marburg Virus Reservoir Bats Is Explained by a Strategy of Immunoprotective Disease Tolerance. Curr Biol 2020; 31:257-270.e5. [PMID: 33157026 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Marburg virus (MARV) is among the most virulent pathogens of primates, including humans. Contributors to severe MARV disease include immune response suppression and inflammatory gene dysregulation ("cytokine storm"), leading to systemic damage and often death. Conversely, MARV causes little to no clinical disease in its reservoir host, the Egyptian rousette bat (ERB). Previous genomic and in vitro data suggest that a tolerant ERB immune response may underlie MARV avirulence, but no significant examination of this response in vivo yet exists. Here, using colony-bred ERBs inoculated with a bat isolate of MARV, we use species-specific antibodies and an immune gene probe array (NanoString) to temporally characterize the transcriptional host response at sites of MARV replication relevant to primate pathogenesis and immunity, including CD14+ monocytes/macrophages, critical immune response mediators, primary MARV targets, and skin at the inoculation site, where highest viral loads and initial engagement of antiviral defenses are expected. Our analysis shows that ERBs upregulate canonical antiviral genes typical of mammalian systems, such as ISG15, IFIT1, and OAS3, yet demonstrate a remarkable lack of significant induction of proinflammatory genes classically implicated in primate filoviral pathogenesis, including CCL8, FAS, and IL6. Together, these findings offer the first in vivo functional evidence for disease tolerance as an immunological mechanism by which the bat reservoir asymptomatically hosts MARV. More broadly, these data highlight factors determining disparate outcomes between reservoir and spillover hosts and defensive strategies likely utilized by bat hosts of other emerging pathogens, knowledge that may guide development of effective antiviral therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan C Guito
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Joseph B Prescott
- Center for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Catherine E Arnold
- Diagnostic Systems Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Brian R Amman
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Amy J Schuh
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Jessica R Spengler
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Tara K Sealy
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Jessica R Harmon
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - JoAnn D Coleman-McCray
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Kirsten A Kulcsar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Elyse R Nagle
- Center for Genome Sciences, USAMRIID, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Raina Kumar
- Center for Genome Sciences, USAMRIID, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | | | - Mariano Sanchez-Lockhart
- Center for Genome Sciences, USAMRIID, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA; Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.
| | - Jonathan S Towner
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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30
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Friedler A. Sociocultural, behavioural and political factors shaping the COVID-19 pandemic: the need for a biocultural approach to understanding pandemics and (re)emerging pathogens. Glob Public Health 2020; 16:17-35. [PMID: 33019889 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2020.1828982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Although there has been increasing focus in recent years on interdisciplinary approaches to health and disease, and in particular the dimension of social inequalities in epidemics, infectious diseases have been much less focused on. This is especially true in the area of cultural dynamics and their effects on pathogen behaviours, although there is evidence to suggest that this relationship is central to shaping our interactions with infectious disease agents on a variety of levels. This paper makes a case for a biocultural approach to pandemics such as COVID-19. It then uses this biocultural framework to examine the anthropogenic dynamics that influenced and continue to shape the COVID-19 pandemic, both during its initial phase and during critical intersections of the pandemic. Through this understanding of biocultural interactions between people, animals and pathogens, a broader societal and political dimension is drawn as a function of population level and international cultures, to reflect on the culturally mediated differential burden of the pandemic. Ultimately, it is argued that a biocultural perspective on infectious disease pandemics will allow for critical reflection on how culture shapes our behaviours at all levels, and how the effects of these behaviours are ultimately foundational to pathogen ecology and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Friedler
- Département des sciences humaines et sociales, École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique - Campus de Paris, Saint-Denis, France.,l'Unité des Virus Emergents, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
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31
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Diaz-Salazar C, Sun JC. Natural killer cell responses to emerging viruses of zoonotic origin. Curr Opin Virol 2020; 44:97-111. [PMID: 32784125 PMCID: PMC7415341 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2020.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Emerging viral diseases pose a major threat to public health worldwide. Nearly all emerging viruses, including Ebola, Dengue, Nipah, West Nile, Zika, and coronaviruses (including SARS-Cov2, the causative agent of the current COVID-19 pandemic), have zoonotic origins, indicating that animal-to-human transmission constitutes a primary mode of acquisition of novel infectious diseases. Why these viruses can cause profound pathologies in humans, while natural reservoir hosts often show little evidence of disease is not completely understood. Differences in the host immune response, especially within the innate compartment, have been suggested to be involved in this divergence. Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that play a critical role in the early antiviral response, secreting effector cytokines and clearing infected cells. In this review, we will discuss the mechanisms through which NK cells interact with viruses, their contribution towards maintaining equilibrium between the virus and its natural host, and their role in disease progression in humans and other non-natural hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Diaz-Salazar
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, United States,Department of Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Joseph C Sun
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, United States; Department of Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, United States.
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32
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Imnadze T, Natradze I, Zhgenti E, Malania L, Abazashvili N, Sidamonidze K, Khmaladze E, Zakalashvili M, Imnadze P, Arner RJ, Motin V, Kosoy M. Identification of a Novel Yersinia enterocolitica Strain from Bats in Association with a Bat Die-Off That Occurred in Georgia (Caucasus). Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8071000. [PMID: 32635480 PMCID: PMC7409352 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8071000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Yersinia entercolitica is a bacterial species within the genus Yersinia, mostly known as a human enteric pathogen, but also recognized as a zoonotic agent widespread in domestic pigs. Findings of this bacterium in wild animals are very limited. The current report presents results of the identification of cultures of Y. entercolitica from dead bats after a massive bat die-off in a cave in western Georgia. The growth of bacterial colonies morphologically suspected as Yersinia was observed from three intestine tissues of 11 bats belonging to the Miniopterus schreibersii species. These three isolates were identified as Y. enterocolitica based on the API29 assay. No growth of Brucella or Francisella bacteria was observed from tissues of dead bats. Full genomes (a size between 4.6–4.7 Mbp) of the Yersinia strains isolated from bats were analyzed. The phylogenetic sequence analyses of the genomes demonstrated that all strains were nearly identical and formed a distinct cluster with the closest similarity to the environmental isolate O:36/1A. The bat isolates represent low-pathogenicity Biotype 1A strains lacking the genes for the Ail, Yst-a, Ysa, and virulence plasmid pYV, while containing the genes for Inv, YstB, and MyfA. Further characterization of the novel strains cultured from bats can provide a clue for the determination of the pathogenic properties of those strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tata Imnadze
- Lugar Center for Public Health Research, 0184 Tbilisi, Georgia; (T.I.); (E.Z.); (L.M.); (N.A.); (K.S.); (E.K.); (M.Z.); (P.I.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Epidemiology Department, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 0179 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Ioseb Natradze
- Vertebrate Animals Research Group, Institute of Zoology, Ilia State University, 0162 Tbilisi, Georgia;
| | - Ekaterine Zhgenti
- Lugar Center for Public Health Research, 0184 Tbilisi, Georgia; (T.I.); (E.Z.); (L.M.); (N.A.); (K.S.); (E.K.); (M.Z.); (P.I.)
| | - Lile Malania
- Lugar Center for Public Health Research, 0184 Tbilisi, Georgia; (T.I.); (E.Z.); (L.M.); (N.A.); (K.S.); (E.K.); (M.Z.); (P.I.)
| | - Natalia Abazashvili
- Lugar Center for Public Health Research, 0184 Tbilisi, Georgia; (T.I.); (E.Z.); (L.M.); (N.A.); (K.S.); (E.K.); (M.Z.); (P.I.)
| | - Ketevan Sidamonidze
- Lugar Center for Public Health Research, 0184 Tbilisi, Georgia; (T.I.); (E.Z.); (L.M.); (N.A.); (K.S.); (E.K.); (M.Z.); (P.I.)
| | - Ekaterine Khmaladze
- Lugar Center for Public Health Research, 0184 Tbilisi, Georgia; (T.I.); (E.Z.); (L.M.); (N.A.); (K.S.); (E.K.); (M.Z.); (P.I.)
| | - Mariam Zakalashvili
- Lugar Center for Public Health Research, 0184 Tbilisi, Georgia; (T.I.); (E.Z.); (L.M.); (N.A.); (K.S.); (E.K.); (M.Z.); (P.I.)
| | - Paata Imnadze
- Lugar Center for Public Health Research, 0184 Tbilisi, Georgia; (T.I.); (E.Z.); (L.M.); (N.A.); (K.S.); (E.K.); (M.Z.); (P.I.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Epidemiology Department, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 0179 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Ryan J. Arner
- Ryan Arner Science Consulting LLC, Freeport, PA 16229, USA;
| | - Vladimir Motin
- Department of Pathology, University Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1019, USA;
| | - Michael Kosoy
- KB One Health LLC, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
- Correspondence:
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Sun DL, Gao YZ, Ge XY, Shi ZL, Zhou NY. Special Features of Bat Microbiota Differ From Those of Terrestrial Mammals. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1040. [PMID: 32582057 PMCID: PMC7284282 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Bats (order Chiroptera) are one of the most diverse and widely distributed group of mammals with a close relationship to humans. Over the past few decades, a number of studies have been performed on bat viruses; in contrast, bacterial pathogens carried by bats were largely neglected. As more bacterial pathogens are being identified from bats, the need to study their natural microbiota is becoming urgent. In the current study, fecal samples of four bat species from different locations of China were analyzed for their microbiota composition. Together with the results of others, we concluded that bat microbiota is most commonly dominated by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria; the strict anaerobic phylum Bacteroidetes, which is dominant in other terrestrial mammals, especially humans and mice, is relatively rare in bats. This phenomenon was interpreted as a result of a highly specified gastrointestinal tract in adaptation to the flying lifestyle of bats. Further comparative study implied that bat microbiota resemble those of the order Carnivora. To discover potential bacterial pathogens, a database was generated containing the 16S rRNA gene sequences of known bacterial pathogens. Potential bacterial pathogens belonging to 12 genera were detected such as Salmonella, Shigella, and Yersinia, among which some have been previously reported in bats. This study demonstrated high resolution and repeatability in detecting organisms of rare existence, and the results could be used as guidance for future bacterial pathogen isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Lei Sun
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi-Zhou Gao
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xing-Yi Ge
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Zheng-Li Shi
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Ning-Yi Zhou
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Skirmuntt EC, Escalera-Zamudio M, Teeling EC, Smith A, Katzourakis A. The Potential Role of Endogenous Viral Elements in the Evolution of Bats as Reservoirs for Zoonotic Viruses. Annu Rev Virol 2020; 7:103-119. [PMID: 32432980 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-virology-092818-015613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Despite a small genome size, bats have comparable diversity of retroviral and non-retroviral endogenous sequences to other mammals. These include Class I and Class II retroviral sequences, foamy viruses, and deltaretroviruses, as well as filovirus, bornavirus, and parvovirus endogenous viral elements. Some of these endogenous viruses are sufficiently preserved in bat genomes to be expressed, with potential effects for host biology. It is clear that the bat immune system differs when compared with other mammals, yet the role that virus-derived endogenous elements may have played in the evolution of bat immunity is poorly understood. In this review, we discuss some of the bat-specific immune mechanisms that may have resulted in a virus-tolerant phenotype and link these to the long-standing virus-host coevolution that may have allowed a large diversity of endogenous retroviruses and other endogenous viral elements to colonize bat genomes. We also consider the possible effects of endogenization in the evolution of the bat immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia C Skirmuntt
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, OX1 3PS Oxford, United Kingdom;
| | | | - Emma C Teeling
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Adrian Smith
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, OX1 3PS Oxford, United Kingdom;
| | - Aris Katzourakis
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, OX1 3PS Oxford, United Kingdom;
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Fischer H, Tschachler E, Eckhart L. Pangolins Lack IFIH1/MDA5, a Cytoplasmic RNA Sensor That Initiates Innate Immune Defense Upon Coronavirus Infection. Front Immunol 2020; 11:939. [PMID: 32574256 PMCID: PMC7225364 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Zoonotic infections are an imminent threat to human health. Pangolins were recently identified as carriers and intermediate hosts of coronaviruses. Previous research has shown that infection with coronaviruses activates an innate immune response upon sensing of viral RNA by interferon-induced with helicase C domain 1 (IFIH1), also known as MDA5. Here, we performed a comparative genomics study of RNA sensor genes in three species of pangolins. DDX58/RIG-I, a sensor of cytoplasmic viral RNA and toll-like receptors (TLR) 3, 7, and 8, which bind RNA in endosomes, are conserved in pangolins. By contrast, IFIH1 a sensor of intracellular double-stranded RNA, has been inactivated by mutations in pangolins. Likewise, Z-DNA-binding protein (ZBP1), which senses both Z-DNA and Z-RNA, has been lost during the evolution of pangolins. These results suggest that the innate immune response to viruses differs significantly between pangolins and other mammals, including humans. We put forward the hypothesis that loss of IFIH1 and ZBP1 provided an evolutionary advantage by reducing inflammation-induced damage to host tissues and thereby contributed to a switch from resistance to tolerance of viral infections in pangolins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heinz Fischer
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Erwin Tschachler
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Leopold Eckhart
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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36
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Abstract
Abstract Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, bats are being pointed as responsible for its origin, even without solid scientific evidence. In this opinion piece, we discuss the most updated information on bats and COVID-19 and argue that bats should not be blamed for a disease they are not responsible for. Bats should be seen not as dangerous animals but, instead, as sources of several scientific insights useful for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria João Ramos Pereira
- Sociedade Brasileira para o Estudo de Quirópteros, Brasil; Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
| | - Enrico Bernard
- Sociedade Brasileira para o Estudo de Quirópteros, Brasil; Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brasil
| | - Ludmilla M. S. Aguiar
- Sociedade Brasileira para o Estudo de Quirópteros, Brasil; Universidade de Brasília, Brasil
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