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Poulin R. Model worms: knowledge gains and risks associated with the use of model species in parasitological research. Parasitology 2023; 150:967-978. [PMID: 37853764 PMCID: PMC10941210 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023000963] [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: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Model parasite species, whose entire life cycle can be completed in the laboratory and maintained for multiple generations, have played a fundamental role in our understanding of host–parasite interactions. Yet, keeping parasites in laboratory conditions may expose them to unnatural evolutionary pressures, and using laboratory cultures for research is therefore not without limitations. Using 2 widely-used model helminth species, the cestode Hymenolepis diminuta and the nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus, I illustrate the caution needed when interpreting experimental results on model species. I first review more than 1200 experimental studies published on these species in the past 4 decades, to determine which research areas they have contributed to. This is followed by an examination of the institutional laboratory cultures that have provided the parasites used in these studies. Some of these have persisted for decades and accounted for a substantial proportion of published studies, whereas others have been short-lived. Using information provided by the curators of active cultures, I summarize data on their origins and maintenance conditions. Finally, I discuss how laboratory cultures may have been subject to the influence of evolutionary genetic processes, such as founder effects, genetic drift and inbreeding. I also address the possibility that serial passage through laboratory hosts across multiple generations has exerted artificial selection on several parasite traits, resulting in genetic and phenotypic divergence among laboratory cultures, and between these cultures and natural parasite populations. I conclude with recommendations for the continued usage of laboratory helminth cultures aimed at maximizing their important contribution to parasitological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Poulin
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
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2
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Kuśmirek W. Estimated Nucleotide Reconstruction Quality Symbols of Basecalling Tools for Oxford Nanopore Sequencing. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:6787. [PMID: 37571570 PMCID: PMC10422362 DOI: 10.3390/s23156787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Currently, one of the fastest-growing DNA sequencing technologies is nanopore sequencing. One of the key stages involved in processing sequencer data is the basecalling process, where the input sequence of currents measured on the nanopores of the sequencer reproduces the DNA sequences, called DNA reads. Many of the applications dedicated to basecalling, together with the DNA sequence, provide the estimated quality of the reconstruction of a given nucleotide (quality symbols are contained on every fourth line of the FASTQ file; each nucleotide in the FASTQ file corresponds to exactly one estimated nucleotide reconstruction quality symbol). Herein, we compare the estimated nucleotide reconstruction quality symbols (signs from every fourth line of the FASTQ file) reported by other basecallers. The conducted experiments consisted of basecalling the same raw datasets from the nanopore device by other basecallers and comparing the provided quality symbols, denoting the estimated quality of the nucleotide reconstruction. The results show that the estimated quality reported by different basecallers may vary, depending on the tool used, particularly in terms of range and distribution. Moreover, we mapped basecalled DNA reads to reference genomes and calculated matched and mismatched rates for groups of nucleotides with the same quality symbol. Finally, the presented paper shows that the estimated nucleotide reconstruction quality reported in the basecalling process is not used in any investigated tool for processing nanopore DNA reads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiktor Kuśmirek
- Institute of Computer Science, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-661 Warsaw, Poland
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3
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Loaiza JR, Bennett KL, Miller MJ, De León LF. Unraveling the genomic complexity of sylvatic mosquitoes in changing Neotropical environments. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2023; 81:102944. [PMID: 37099930 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.102944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Sylvatic New World mosquitoes (e.g. Old-growth Forest species) can transmit viruses among non-human primates. This could be a continuous source of viral cycling and spillover events from animals to humans, particularly in changing environments. However, most species of Neotropical sylvatic mosquitoes (genera Aedes, Haemagogus, and Sabethes), which include vector and non-vector species, currently lack genomic resources because there is no reliable and accurate approach for creating de novo reference genomes for these insects. This is a major knowledge gap in the biology of these mosquitoes, restricting our ability to predict and mitigate the emergence and spread of novel arboviruses in Neotropical regions. We discuss recent advances and potential solutions for generating hybrid de novo assemblies from vector and non-vector species using pools of consanguineous offspring. We also discussed research opportunities likely to emerge from these genomic resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose R Loaiza
- Centro de Biodiversidad y Descubrimiento de Drogas, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Ciudad del Saber, Clayton 0843-01103, Republic of Panama.
| | - Kelly L Bennett
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew J Miller
- RENECO International Wildlife Consultants LLC, Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Luis F De León
- Centro de Biodiversidad y Descubrimiento de Drogas, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Ciudad del Saber, Clayton 0843-01103, Republic of Panama; Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA
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4
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The Tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta as an Important Model Organism in the Experimental Parasitology of the 21st Century. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11121439. [PMID: 36558772 PMCID: PMC9784563 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11121439] [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: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta is a common parasite of the small intestine in rodents but it can also infect humans. Due to its characteristics and ease of maintenance in the laboratory, H. diminuta is also an important model species in studies of cestodiasis, including the search for new drugs, treatments, diagnostics and biochemical processes, as well as its host-parasite interrelationships. A great deal of attention has been devoted to the immune response caused by H. diminuta in the host, and several studies indicate that infection with H. diminuta can reduce the severity of concomitant disease. Here, we present a critical review of the experimental research conducted with the use of H. diminuta as a model organism for over more than two decades (in the 21st century). The present review evaluates the tapeworm H. diminuta as a model organism for studying the molecular biology, biochemistry and immunology aspects of parasitology, as well as certain clinical applications. It also systematizes the latest research on this species. Its findings may contribute to a better understanding of the biology of tapeworms and their adaptation to parasitism, including complex correlations between H. diminuta and invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. It places particular emphasis on its value for the further development of modern experimental parasitology.
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5
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Hautala K, Pursiainen J, Näreaho A, Nyman T, Varmanen P, Sukura A, Nielsen MK, Savijoki K. Label-free quantitative proteomics and immunoblotting identifies immunoreactive and other excretory-secretory (E/S) proteins of Anoplocephala perfoliata. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1045468. [PMID: 36466892 PMCID: PMC9709427 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1045468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Anoplocephala perfoliata is a common tapeworm in horses causing colic and even mortalities. Current diagnostic tests to detect A. perfoliata infections have their limitations and an improved method is needed. Immunoreactive excretory/secretory proteins (E/S proteome) of this parasite can provide promising candidates for diagnostic tests. We compared E/S proteins produced by small (length < 20 mm, width < 5 mm) and large (length 20 to 40 mm, width 5 to 10 mm) A. perfoliata worms in vitro by label-free quantitative proteomics using a database composed of related Hymenolepis diminuta, Echinococcus multilocularis/granulosus and Taenia aseatica proteins for protein identifications. Altogether, 509 E/S proteins were identified after incubating the worms in vitro for three and eight hours. The greatest E/S proteome changes suggested both worm size- and time-dependent changes in cytoskeleton remodeling, apoptosis, and production of antigens/immunogens. The E/S proteins collected at the three-hour time point represented the natural conditions better than those collected at the eight-hour time point, and thereby contained the most relevant diagnostic targets. Immunoblotting using antibodies from horses tested positive/negative for A. perfoliata indicated strongest antigenicity/immunogenicity with 13-, 30- and 100-kDa proteins, involving a thioredoxin, heat-shock chaperone 90 (Hsp90), dynein light chain component (DYNLL), tubulin-specific chaperone A (TBCA) and signaling pathway modulators (14-3-3 and Sj-Ts4). This is among the first studies identifying new diagnostic targets and A. perfoliata antigens eliciting a IgG-response in horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Hautala
- Veterinary Pathology and Parasitology, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jami Pursiainen
- Veterinary Pathology and Parasitology, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anu Näreaho
- Veterinary Pathology and Parasitology, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuula Nyman
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Immunology, University of Oslo and Rikshospitalet Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Pekka Varmanen
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Antti Sukura
- Veterinary Pathology and Parasitology, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Martin K. Nielsen
- Department of Veterinary Science, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Kirsi Savijoki
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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6
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Comparative genomic analysis of Echinococcus multilocularis with other tapeworms. Biologia (Bratisl) 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-022-01120-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Preza M, Van Bael S, Temmerman L, Guarnaschelli I, Castillo E, Koziol U. Global analysis of neuropeptides in cestodes identifies Attachin, a SIFamide homolog, as a stimulant of parasite motility and attachment. J Neurochem 2022; 162:467-482. [PMID: 35689626 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Many anthelmintics target the neuromuscular system, in particular by interfering with signaling mediated by classical neurotransmitters. Although peptidergic signaling has been proposed as a novel target for anthelmintics, current knowledge of the neuropeptide complement of many helminth groups is still limited, especially for parasitic flatworms (cestodes, trematodes, and monogeneans). In this work, we have characterized the neuropeptide complement of the model cestode Hymenolepis microstoma. Peptidomic characterization of adults of H. microstoma validated many of the neuropeptide precursor (npp) genes previously predicted in silico, and identified novel neuropeptides that are conserved in parasitic flatworms. Most neuropeptides from parasitic flatworms lack significant similarity to those from other animals, confirming the uniqueness of their peptidergic signaling. Analysis of gene expression of ten npp genes by in situ hybridization confirmed that all of them are expressed in the nervous system and identified cryptic features, including the first evidence of dorsoventral asymmetry, as well as a new population of peripheral peptidergic cells that appears to be conserved in the trematode Schistosoma mansoni. Finally, we characterized in greater detail Attachin, an SIFamide homolog. Although its expression is largely restricted to the longitudinal nerve cords and cerebral commissure in H. microstoma, it shows widespread localization in the larval nervous system of Echinococcus multilocularis and Mesocestoides corti. Exogenous addition of a peptide corresponding to the highly conserved C-terminus of Attachin stimulated motility and attachment of M. corti larvae. Altogether, this work provides a robust experimental foothold for the characterization of peptidergic signaling in parasitic flatworms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matías Preza
- Sección Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Sven Van Bael
- Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Liesbet Temmerman
- Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Inés Guarnaschelli
- Sección Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Estela Castillo
- Laboratorio de Biología Parasitaria, Instituto de Higiene, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Uriel Koziol
- Sección Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
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8
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Hai DM, Yen DT, Liem PT, Tam BM, Huong DTT, Hang BTB, Hieu DQ, Garigliany MM, Coppieters W, Kestemont P, Phuong NT, Farnir F. A High-Quality Genome Assembly of Striped Catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) Based on Highly Accurate Long-Read HiFi Sequencing Data. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13050923. [PMID: 35627308 PMCID: PMC9141817 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The HiFi sequencing technology yields highly accurate long-read data with accuracies greater than 99.9% that can be used to improve results for complex applications such as genome assembly. Our study presents a high-quality chromosome-scale genome assembly of striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus), a commercially important species cultured mainly in Vietnam, integrating HiFi reads and Hi-C data. A 788.4 Mb genome containing 381 scaffolds with an N50 length of 21.8 Mb has been obtained from HiFi reads. These scaffolds have been further ordered and clustered into 30 chromosome groups, ranging from 1.4 to 57.6 Mb, based on Hi-C data. The present updated assembly has a contig N50 of 14.7 Mb, representing a 245-fold and 4.2-fold improvement over the previous Illumina and Illumina-Nanopore-Hi-C based version, respectively. In addition, the proportion of repeat elements and BUSCO genes identified in our genome is remarkably higher than in the two previously released striped catfish genomes. These results highlight the power of using HiFi reads to assemble the highly repetitive regions and to improve the quality of genome assembly. The updated, high-quality genome assembled in this work will provide a valuable genomic resource for future population genetics, conservation biology and selective breeding studies of striped catfish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dao Minh Hai
- FARAH/Sustainable Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege (B43), 4000 Liege, Belgium;
- College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Can Tho University, Can Tho 900000, Vietnam; (D.T.Y.); (P.T.L.); (B.M.T.); (D.T.T.H.); (B.T.B.H.); (D.Q.H.); (N.T.P.)
| | - Duong Thuy Yen
- College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Can Tho University, Can Tho 900000, Vietnam; (D.T.Y.); (P.T.L.); (B.M.T.); (D.T.T.H.); (B.T.B.H.); (D.Q.H.); (N.T.P.)
| | - Pham Thanh Liem
- College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Can Tho University, Can Tho 900000, Vietnam; (D.T.Y.); (P.T.L.); (B.M.T.); (D.T.T.H.); (B.T.B.H.); (D.Q.H.); (N.T.P.)
| | - Bui Minh Tam
- College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Can Tho University, Can Tho 900000, Vietnam; (D.T.Y.); (P.T.L.); (B.M.T.); (D.T.T.H.); (B.T.B.H.); (D.Q.H.); (N.T.P.)
| | - Do Thi Thanh Huong
- College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Can Tho University, Can Tho 900000, Vietnam; (D.T.Y.); (P.T.L.); (B.M.T.); (D.T.T.H.); (B.T.B.H.); (D.Q.H.); (N.T.P.)
| | - Bui Thi Bich Hang
- College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Can Tho University, Can Tho 900000, Vietnam; (D.T.Y.); (P.T.L.); (B.M.T.); (D.T.T.H.); (B.T.B.H.); (D.Q.H.); (N.T.P.)
| | - Dang Quang Hieu
- College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Can Tho University, Can Tho 900000, Vietnam; (D.T.Y.); (P.T.L.); (B.M.T.); (D.T.T.H.); (B.T.B.H.); (D.Q.H.); (N.T.P.)
| | - Mutien-Marie Garigliany
- FARAH/Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege (B43), 4000 Liege, Belgium;
| | | | - Patrick Kestemont
- Research Unit in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Life, Earth & Environnment, University of Namur, rue de Bruxelles 61, 5000 Namur, Belgium;
| | - Nguyen Thanh Phuong
- College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Can Tho University, Can Tho 900000, Vietnam; (D.T.Y.); (P.T.L.); (B.M.T.); (D.T.T.H.); (B.T.B.H.); (D.Q.H.); (N.T.P.)
| | - Frédéric Farnir
- FARAH/Sustainable Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege (B43), 4000 Liege, Belgium;
- Correspondence:
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Bobes RJ, Estrada K, Rios-Valencia DG, Calderón-Gallegos A, de la Torre P, Carrero JC, Sanchez-Flores A, Laclette JP. The Genomes of Two Strains of Taenia crassiceps the Animal Model for the Study of Human Cysticercosis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:876839. [PMID: 35619649 PMCID: PMC9128525 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.876839] [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: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cysticercosis by Taenia solium is the major cause of neurological illness in countries of Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Americas. Publication of four cestode genomes (T. solium, Echinococcus multilocularis, E. granulosus and Hymenolepis microstoma) in the last decade, marked the advent of novel approaches on the study of the host-parasite molecular crosstalk for cestode parasites of importance for human and animal health. Taenia crassiceps is another cestode parasite, closely related to T. solium, which has been used in numerous studies as an animal model for human cysticercosis. Therefore, characterization of the T. crassiceps genome will also contribute to the understanding of the human infection. Here, we report the genome of T. crassiceps WFU strain, reconstructed to a noncontiguous finished resolution and performed a genomic and differential expression comparison analysis against ORF strain. Both strain genomes were sequenced using Oxford Nanopore (MinION) and Illumina technologies, achieving high quality assemblies of about 107 Mb for both strains. Dotplot comparison between WFU and ORF demonstrated that both genomes were extremely similar. Additionally, karyotyping results for both strains failed to demonstrate a difference in chromosome composition. Therefore, our results strongly support the concept that the absence of scolex in the ORF strain of T. crassiceps was not the result of a chromosomal loss as proposed elsewhere. Instead, it appears to be the result of subtle and extensive differences in the regulation of gene expression. Analysis of variants between the two strains identified 2,487 sites with changes distributed in 31 of 65 scaffolds. The differential expression analysis revealed that genes related to development and morphogenesis in the ORF strain might be involved in the lack of scolex formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raúl J. Bobes
- Biomedical Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Karel Estrada
- Biotechnology Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | | | | | - Patricia de la Torre
- Biomedical Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Julio C. Carrero
- Biomedical Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Alejandro Sanchez-Flores
- Biotechnology Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
- *Correspondence: Juan P. Laclette, ; Alejandro Sanchez-Flores,
| | - Juan P. Laclette
- Biomedical Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CDMX, Mexico
- *Correspondence: Juan P. Laclette, ; Alejandro Sanchez-Flores,
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10
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Rozario T, Collins JJ, Newmark PA. The good, the bad, and the ugly: From planarians to parasites. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 147:345-373. [PMID: 35337455 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2021.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Platyhelminthes can perhaps rightly be described as a phylum of the good, the bad, and the ugly: remarkable free-living worms that colonize land, river, and sea, which are often rife with color and can display extraordinary regenerative ability; parasitic worms like schistosomes that cause devastating disease and suffering; and monstrous tapeworms that are the stuff of nightmares. In this chapter, we will explore how our research expanded beyond free-living planarians to their gruesome parasitic cousins. We start with Schistosoma mansoni, which is not a new model; however, approaching these parasites from a developmental perspective required a reinvention that may hold generalizable lessons to basic biologists interested in pivoting to disease models. We then turn to our (re)establishment of the rat tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta, a once-favorite model that had been largely forgotten by the molecular biology revolution. Here we tell our stories in three, first-person narratives in order to convey personal views of our experiences. Welcome to the dark side.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Rozario
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.
| | - James J Collins
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States.
| | - Phillip A Newmark
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Morgridge Institute for Research, Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States.
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11
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Tkach VV. Presidential Address: Parasitology and Technology: A Perfect Symbiosis. J Parasitol 2021. [DOI: 10.1645/21-115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Vasyl V. Tkach
- Biology Department, University of North Dakota, 10 Cornell Street, Stop 9019, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58202-9019
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12
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Lightowlers MW, Gasser RB, Hemphill A, Romig T, Tamarozzi F, Deplazes P, Torgerson PR, Garcia HH, Kern P. Advances in the treatment, diagnosis, control and scientific understanding of taeniid cestode parasite infections over the past 50 years. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:1167-1192. [PMID: 34757089 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In the past 50 years, enormous progress has been made in the diagnosis, treatment and control of taeniid cestode infections/diseases and in the scientific understanding thereof. Most interest in this group of parasites stems from the serious diseases that they cause in humans. It is through this lens that we summarize here the most important breakthroughs that have made a difference to the treatment of human diseases caused by these parasites, reduction in transmission of the taeniid species associated with human disease, or understanding of the parasites' biology likely to impact diagnosis or treatment in the foreseeable future. Key topics discussed are the introduction of anti-cestode drugs, including benzimidazoles and praziquantel, and the development of new imaging modalities that have transformed the diagnosis and post-treatment monitoring of human echinococcoses and neurocysticercosis. The availability of new anti-cestode drugs for use in dogs and a detailed understanding of the transmission dynamics of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato have underpinned successful programs that have eliminated cystic echinococcosis in some areas of the world and greatly reduced the incidence of infection in others. Despite these successes, cystic and alveolar echinococcosis and neurocysticercosis continue to be prevalent in many parts of the world, requiring new or renewed efforts to prevent the associated taeniid infections. Major advances made in the development of practical vaccines against E. granulosus and Taenia solium will hopefully assist in this endeavour, as might the understanding of the parasites' biology that have come from an elucidation of the nuclear genomes of each of the most important taeniid species causing human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marshall W Lightowlers
- Department of Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia.
| | - Robin B Gasser
- Department of Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Andrew Hemphill
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Romig
- University of Hohenheim, Parasitology Unit, Emil-Wolff-Strasse 34, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Francesca Tamarozzi
- Department of Infectious Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, 37024 Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy
| | - Peter Deplazes
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse, and Medical Faculty, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Paul R Torgerson
- Section of Epidemiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hector H Garcia
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú; Cysticercosis Unit, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Neurológicas, Lima, Perú
| | - Peter Kern
- Ulm University Hospital, Division of Infectious Diseases, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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13
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Kamenetzky L, Maldonado LL, Cucher MA. Cestodes in the genomic era. Parasitol Res 2021; 121:1077-1089. [PMID: 34665308 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07346-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The first cestode genomes were obtained by an international consortium led by the Wellcome Sanger Institute that included representative institutions from countries where the sequenced parasites have been studied for decades, in part because they are etiological agents of endemic diseases (Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, Canada, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, USA, Japan, and China). After this, several complete genomes were obtained reaching 16 species to date. Cestode genomes have smaller relative size compared to other animals including free-living flatworms. Moreover, the features genome size and repeat content seem to differ in the two analyzed orders. Cyclophyllidean species have smaller genomes and with fewer repetitive content than Diphyllobothriidean species. On average, cestode genomes have 13,753 genes with 6 exons per gene and 41% GC content. More than 5,000 shared cestode proteins were accurately annotated by the integration of gene predictions and transcriptome evidence being more than 40% of these proteins of unknown function. Several gene losses and reduction of gene families were found and could be related to the extreme parasitic lifestyle of these species. The application of cutting-edge sequencing technology allowed the characterization of the terminal sequences of chromosomes that possess unique characteristics. Here, we review the current status of knowledge of complete cestode genomes and place it within a comparative genomics perspective. Multidisciplinary work together with the implementation of new technologies will provide valuable information that can certainly improve our chances to finally eradicate or at least control diseases caused by cestodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Kamenetzky
- iB3, Instituto de Biociencias, Departamento de Fisiología Y Biología Molecular Y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Biotecnología y Biología traslacional, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Lucas L Maldonado
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Institute of Research On Microbiology and Medical Parasitology (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET), University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcela A Cucher
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Institute of Research On Microbiology and Medical Parasitology (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET), University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Gavrielatos M, Kyriakidis K, Spandidos DA, Michalopoulos I. Benchmarking of next and third generation sequencing technologies and their associated algorithms for de novo genome assembly. Mol Med Rep 2021; 23:251. [PMID: 33537807 PMCID: PMC7893683 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.11890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome assemblers are computational tools for de novo genome assembly, based on a plenitude of primary sequencing data. The quality of genome assemblies is estimated by their contiguity and the occurrences of misassemblies (duplications, deletions, translocations or inversions). The rapid development of sequencing technologies has enabled the rise of novel de novo genome assembly strategies. The ultimate goal of such strategies is to utilise the features of each sequencing platform in order to address the existing weaknesses of each sequencing type and compose a complete and correct genome map. In the present study, the hybrid strategy, which is based on Illumina short paired‑end reads and Nanopore long reads, was benchmarked using MaSuRCA and Wengan assemblers. Moreover, the long‑read assembly strategy, which is based on Nanopore reads, was benchmarked using Canu or PacBio HiFi reads were benchmarked using Hifiasm and HiCanu. The assemblies were performed on a computational cluster with limited computational resources. Their outputs were evaluated in terms of accuracy and computational performance. PacBio HiFi assembly strategy outperforms the other ones, while Hi‑C scaffolding, which is based on chromatin 3D structure, is required in order to increase continuity, accuracy and completeness when large and complex genomes, such as the human one, are assembled. The use of Hi‑C data is also necessary while using the hybrid assembly strategy. The results revealed that HiFi sequencing enabled the rise of novel algorithms which require less genome coverage than that of the other strategies making the assembly a less computationally demanding task. Taken together, these developments may lead to the democratisation of genome assembly projects which are now approachable by smaller labs with limited technical and financial resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marios Gavrielatos
- Centre of Systems Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Kyriakidis
- School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Genomics and Epigenomics Translational Research (GENeTres), Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Demetrios A. Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Ioannis Michalopoulos
- Centre of Systems Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
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Li X, Jiang S, Wang X, Hui W, Jia B. iTRAQ-based comparative proteomic analysis in different developmental stages of Echinococcus granulosus. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 28:15. [PMID: 33666550 PMCID: PMC7934609 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2021012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cystic echinococcosis, caused by infection with the larval stage of the cestode Echinococcus granulosus, is a chronic zoonosis. The lifecycle of the E. granulosus parasite includes three consecutive stages that require specific gene regulation or protein expression to survive environmental shifts between definitive hosts and intermediate hosts. The aim of the present study is to screen and analyze the stage differential antigens to be considered for vaccine development against E. granulosus. By using the iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification) method, the differentially expressed proteins were selected from the three consecutive developmental stages of E. granulosus: oncosphere, adult tapeworms, and protoscolex. Through a bioinformatics analysis including Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG), Gene Ontology (GO), and pathway metabolic annotation, we identified some proteins of interest from each stage. The results showed that a large number of differentially expressed proteins (375: oncosphere vs. adult, 346: oncosphere vs. protoscolex, and 391: adult vs. protoscolex) were identified from the three main lifecycle stages. Analysis of the differential protein pathways showed that these differential proteins are mainly enriched in metabolic pathways, Huntington’s diseases, Alzheimer’s diseases, and ribosome metabolic pathways. Interestingly, among these differential proteins, expression levels of paramyosin, HSP60, HSP70, HSP90, cathepsin L1, cathepsin D, casein kinase, and calmodulin were significantly higher in the oncosphere than in the adult or protoscolex (p < 0.05). We hope our findings will help to identify potential targets for diagnosis or for therapeutic and prophylactic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shihezi University, Road Beisi, Shihezi 832003, Xinjiang, PR China - College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Road Beisi, Shihezi 832003, Xinjiang, PR China
| | - Song Jiang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Road Beisi, Shihezi 832003, Xinjiang, PR China
| | - Xuhai Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Road Beisi, Shihezi 832003, Xinjiang, PR China
| | - Wenqiao Hui
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Product Safety Engineering, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Road Nongkenan, Hefei 230031, Anhui, PR China
| | - Bin Jia
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Road Beisi, Shihezi 832003, Xinjiang, PR China
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Complete genome sequence of lovastatin producer Aspergillus terreus ATCC 20542 and evaluation of genomic diversity among A. terreus strains. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 105:1615-1627. [PMID: 33515286 PMCID: PMC7880949 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11133-0] [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: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Abstract In the present study, the complete genome of a filamentous fungus Aspergillus terreus ATCC 20542 was sequenced, assembled, and annotated. This strain is mainly recognized for being a model wild-type lovastatin producer and a parental strain of high-yielding industrial mutants. It is also a microorganism with a rich repertoire of secondary metabolites that has been a subject of numerous bioprocess-related studies. In terms of continuity, the genomic sequence provided in this work is of the highest quality among all the publicly available genomes of A. terreus strains. The comparative analysis revealed considerable diversity with regard to the catalog of biosynthetic gene clusters found in A. terreus. Even though the cluster of lovastatin biosynthesis was found to be well-conserved at the species level, several unique genes putatively associated with metabolic functions were detected in A. terreus ATCC 20542 that were not detected in other investigated genomes. The analysis was conducted also in the context of the primary metabolic pathways (sugar catabolism, biomass degradation potential, organic acid production), where the visible differences in gene copy numbers were detected. However, the species-level genomic diversity of A. terreus was more evident for secondary metabolism than for the well-conserved primary metabolic pathways. The newly sequenced genome of A. terreus ATCC 20542 was found to harbor several unique sequences, which can be regarded as interesting subjects for future experimental efforts on A. terreus metabolism and fungal biosynthetic capabilities. Key points • The high-quality genome of Aspergillus terreus ATCC 20542 has been assembled and annotated. • Comparative analysis with other sequenced Aspergillus terreus strains has revealed considerable diversity in biosynthetic gene repertoire, especially related to secondary metabolism. • The unique genomic features of A. terreus ATCC 20542 are discussed. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00253-021-11133-0.
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Preza M, Calvelo J, Langleib M, Hoffmann F, Castillo E, Koziol U, Iriarte A. Stage-specific transcriptomic analysis of the model cestode Hymenolepis microstoma. Genomics 2021; 113:620-632. [PMID: 33485950 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2021.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Most parasitic flatworms go through different life stages with important physiological and morphological changes. In this work, we used a transcriptomic approach to analyze the main life-stages of the model tapeworm Hymenolepis microstoma (eggs, cysticercoids, and adults). Our results showed massive transcriptomic changes in this life cycle, including key gene families that contribute substantially to the expression load in each stage. In particular, different members of the cestode-specific hydrophobic ligand-binding protein (HLBP) family are among the most highly expressed genes in each life stage. We also found the transcriptomic signature of major metabolic changes during the transition from cysticercoids to adult worms. Thus, this work contributes to uncovering the gene expression changes that accompany the development of this important cestode model species, and to the best of our knowledge represents the first transcriptomic study with robust replicates spanning all of the main life stages of a tapeworm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matías Preza
- Sección Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
| | - Javier Calvelo
- Sección Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay; Laboratorio Biología Computacional, Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Instituto de Higiene, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
| | - Mauricio Langleib
- Laboratorio Biología Computacional, Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Instituto de Higiene, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
| | - Federico Hoffmann
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, United States
| | - Estela Castillo
- Sección Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
| | - Uriel Koziol
- Sección Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay.
| | - Andrés Iriarte
- Laboratorio Biología Computacional, Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Instituto de Higiene, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay.
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Computational Genomics. Adv Bioinformatics 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-33-6191-1_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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First Draft Genome Assembly of the Malaysian Stingless Bee, Heterotrigona itama (Apidae, Meliponinae). DATA 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/data5040112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Malaysian stingless bee industry is hugely dependent on wild colonies. Nevertheless, the availability of new queens to establish new colonies is insufficient to meet the growing demand for hives in the industry. Heterotrigona itama is primarily utilized for honey production in the region and the major source of stingless bee colonies comes from the wild. To propagate new colonies domestically, a fundamental understanding of the biology of queen development, especially from the genomics aspect, is necessary. The whole genome was sequenced using a paired-end 150 strategy on the Illumina HiSeq X platform. The shotgun sequencing generated approximately 89 million raw pair-end reads with a total output of 13.37 Gb and a GC content of 37.31%. The genome size of the species was estimated to be approximately 272 Mb. Phylogenetic analysis showed H. itama are much more closely related to the bumble bee (Bombus spp.) than they are to the modern honey bee (Apis spp.). The genome data provided here are expected to contribute to a better understanding of the genetic aspect of queen differentiation as well as of important molecular pathways which are crucial for stingless bee biology, management and conservation.
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Fidor A, Grabski M, Gawor J, Gromadka R, Węgrzyn G, Mazur-Marzec H. Nostoc edaphicum CCNP1411 from the Baltic Sea-A New Producer of Nostocyclopeptides. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:E442. [PMID: 32858999 PMCID: PMC7551626 DOI: 10.3390/md18090442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Nostocyclopeptides (Ncps) constitute a small class of nonribosomal peptides, exclusively produced by cyanobacteria of the genus Nostoc. The peptides inhibit the organic anion transporters, OATP1B3 and OATP1B1, and prevent the transport of the toxic microcystins and nodularin into hepatocytes. So far, only three structural analogues, Ncp-A1, Ncp-A2 and Ncp-M1, and their linear forms were identified in Nostoc strains as naturally produced cyanometabolites. In the current work, the whole genome sequence of the new Ncps producer, N. edaphicum CCNP1411 from the Baltic Sea, has been determined. The genome consists of the circular chromosome (7,733,505 bps) and five circular plasmids (from 44.5 kb to 264.8 kb). The nostocyclopeptide biosynthetic gene cluster (located between positions 7,609,981-7,643,289 bps of the chromosome) has been identified and characterized in silico. The LC-MS/MS analyzes of N. edaphicum CCNP1411 cell extracts prepared in aqueous methanol revealed several products of the genes. Besides the known peptides, Ncp-A1 and Ncp-A2, six other compounds putatively characterized as new noctocyclopeptide analogues were detected. This includes Ncp-E1 and E2 and their linear forms (Ncp-E1-L and E2-L), a cyclic Ncp-E3 and a linear Ncp-E4-L. Regardless of the extraction conditions, the cell contents of the linear nostocyclopeptides were found to be higher than the cyclic ones, suggesting a slow rate of the macrocyclization process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Fidor
- Division of Marine Biotechnology, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Marszałka J. Piłsudskiego 46, PL-81378 Gdynia, Poland;
| | - Michał Grabski
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland; (M.G.); (G.W.)
| | - Jan Gawor
- DNA Sequencing and Oligonucleotide Synthesis Laboratory, Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; (J.G.); (R.G.)
| | - Robert Gromadka
- DNA Sequencing and Oligonucleotide Synthesis Laboratory, Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; (J.G.); (R.G.)
| | - Grzegorz Węgrzyn
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland; (M.G.); (G.W.)
| | - Hanna Mazur-Marzec
- Division of Marine Biotechnology, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Marszałka J. Piłsudskiego 46, PL-81378 Gdynia, Poland;
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