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Koprivnikar J, Thieltges DW, Johnson PTJ. Consumption of trematode parasite infectious stages: from conceptual synthesis to future research agenda. J Helminthol 2023; 97:e33. [PMID: 36971341 DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x23000111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Given their sheer cumulative biomass and ubiquitous presence, parasites are increasingly recognized as essential components of most food webs. Beyond their influence as consumers of host tissue, many parasites also have free-living infectious stages that may be ingested by non-host organisms, with implications for energy and nutrient transfer, as well as for pathogen transmission and infectious disease dynamics. This has been particularly well-documented for the cercaria free-living stage of digenean trematode parasites within the Phylum Platyhelminthes. Here, we aim to synthesize the current state of knowledge regarding cercariae consumption by examining: (a) approaches for studying cercariae consumption; (b) the range of consumers and trematode prey documented thus far; (c) factors influencing the likelihood of cercariae consumption; (d) consequences of cercariae consumption for individual predators (e.g. their viability as a food source); and (e) implications of cercariae consumption for entire communities and ecosystems (e.g. transmission, nutrient cycling and influences on other prey). We detected 121 unique consumer-by-cercaria combinations that spanned 60 species of consumer and 35 trematode species. Meaningful reductions in transmission were seen for 31 of 36 combinations that considered this; however, separate studies with the same cercaria and consumer sometimes showed different results. Along with addressing knowledge gaps and suggesting future research directions, we highlight how the conceptual and empirical approaches discussed here for consumption of cercariae are relevant for the infectious stages of other parasites and pathogens, illustrating the use of cercariae as a model system to help advance our knowledge regarding the general importance of parasite consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Koprivnikar
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M5B 2K3
| | - D W Thieltges
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, The Netherlands
| | - P T J Johnson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
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Prospective enzymes for omega-3 PUFA biosynthesis found in endoparasitic classes within the phylum Platyhelminthes. J Helminthol 2020; 94:e212. [DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x20000954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The free-living infectious stages of macroparasites, specifically, the cercariae of trematodes (flatworms), are likely to be significant (albeit underappreciated) vectors of nutritionally important polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to consumers within aquatic food webs, and other macroparasites could serve similar roles. In the context of de novo omega-3 (n-3) PUFA biosynthesis, it was thought that most animals lack the fatty acid (FA) desaturase enzymes that convert stearic acid (18:0) into ɑ-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3n-3), the main FA precursor for n-3 long-chain PUFA. Recently, novel sequences of these enzymes were recovered from 80 species from six invertebrate phyla, with experimental confirmation of gene function in five phyla. Given this wide distribution, and the unusual attributes of flatworm genomes, we conducted an additional search for genes for de novo n-3 PUFA in the phylum Platyhelminthes. Searches with experimentally confirmed sequences from Rotifera recovered nine relevant FA desaturase sequences from eight species in four genera in the two exclusively endoparasite classes (Trematoda and Cestoda). These results could indicate adaptations of these particular parasite species, or may reflect the uneven taxonomic coverage of sequence databases. Although additional genomic data and, particularly, experimental study of gene functionality are important future validation steps, our results indicate endoparasitic platyhelminths may have enzymes for de novo n-3 PUFA biosynthesis, thereby contributing to global PUFA production, but also representing a potential target for clinical antihelmintic applications.
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Parasite infectious stages provide essential fatty acids and lipid-rich resources to freshwater consumers. Oecologia 2019; 192:477-488. [PMID: 31834514 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04572-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Free-living parasite infectious stages, such as motile cercariae of trematodes (flatworms), can constitute substantial biomass within aquatic ecosystems and are frequently eaten by various consumers, potentially serving as an important source of nutrients and energy. However, quantitative data on their nutritional value (e.g., essential fatty acids [EFA]) are largely lacking. As EFA are leading indicators of nutritional quality and underpin aquatic ecosystem productivity, we performed fatty acid (FA) analysis on an aggregate of ~ 30,000 cercariae of the freshwater trematode, Ribeiroia ondatrae. Individual cercariae contained 15 ng of total FA, and considerable quantities of EFA, including eicosapentaenoic (EPA, at 0.79 ng cercaria-1) and docosahexaenoic (DHA, at 0.01 ng cercaria-1) acids. We estimated annual EFA production by R. ondatrae cercariae for a series of ponds in California to be 40.4-337.0 μg m-2 yr-1 for EPA and 0.7-6.2 μg m-2 yr-1 for DHA. To investigate viability of cercariae as prey, we also compared growth and FA profiles of dragonfly larvae (naiads of Leucorrhinia intacta) fed equivalent masses of either R. ondatrae or zooplankton (Daphnia spp.) for 5 weeks. Naiads raised on the two diets grew equally well, with no significant differences found in their EFA profiles. While zooplankton are widely recognized as a vital source of energy, and an important conduit for the movement of EFA between algae and higher trophic levels, we suggest a similar role for trematode cercariae by 'unlocking' EFA from the benthic environment, highlighting their potential importance as a nutrient source that supports animal health.
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The Schistosoma mansoni lipidome: Leads for immunomodulation. Anal Chim Acta 2018; 1037:107-118. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2017.11.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Revised: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 11/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Bohl HO, Ieong P, Lee JK, Lee T, Kankanala J, Shi K, Demir Ö, Kurahashi K, Amaro RE, Wang Z, Aihara H. The substrate-binding cap of the UDP-diacylglucosamine pyrophosphatase LpxH is highly flexible, enabling facile substrate binding and product release. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:7969-7981. [PMID: 29626094 PMCID: PMC5971466 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.002503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria are surrounded by a secondary membrane of which the outer leaflet is composed of the glycolipid lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which guards against hydrophobic toxins, including many antibiotics. Therefore, LPS synthesis in bacteria is an attractive target for antibiotic development. LpxH is a pyrophosphatase involved in LPS synthesis, and previous structures revealed that LpxH has a helical cap that binds its lipid substrates. Here, crystallography and hydrogen-deuterium exchange MS provided evidence for a highly flexible substrate-binding cap in LpxH. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations disclosed how the helices of the cap may open to allow substrate entry. The predicted opening mechanism was supported by activity assays of LpxH variants. Finally, we confirmed biochemically that LpxH is inhibited by a previously identified antibacterial compound, determined the potency of this inhibitor, and modeled its binding mode in the LpxH active site. In summary, our work provides evidence that the substrate-binding cap of LpxH is highly dynamic, thus allowing for facile substrate binding and product release between the capping helices. Our results also pave the way for the rational design of more potent LpxH inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather O Bohl
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455.
| | - Pek Ieong
- National Biomedical Computation Resource, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - John K Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Thomas Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303
| | - Jayakanth Kankanala
- Center for Drug Design, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Ke Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Özlem Demir
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Kayo Kurahashi
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Rommie E Amaro
- National Biomedical Computation Resource, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093; Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Zhengqiang Wang
- Center for Drug Design, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Hideki Aihara
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455.
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Bohl HO, Shi K, Lee JK, Aihara H. Crystal structure of lipid A disaccharide synthase LpxB from Escherichia coli. Nat Commun 2018; 9:377. [PMID: 29371662 PMCID: PMC5785501 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02712-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Most Gram-negative bacteria are surrounded by a glycolipid called lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which forms a barrier to hydrophobic toxins and, in pathogenic bacteria, is a virulence factor. During LPS biosynthesis, a membrane-associated glycosyltransferase (LpxB) forms a tetra-acylated disaccharide that is further acylated to form the membrane anchor moiety of LPS. Here we solve the structure of a soluble and catalytically competent LpxB by X-ray crystallography. The structure reveals that LpxB has a glycosyltransferase-B family fold but with a highly intertwined, C-terminally swapped dimer comprising four domains. We identify key catalytic residues with a product, UDP, bound in the active site, as well as clusters of hydrophobic residues that likely mediate productive membrane association or capture of lipidic substrates. These studies provide the basis for rational design of antibiotics targeting a crucial step in LPS biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather O Bohl
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Ke Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - John K Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, Redwood City, CA, 94063, USA
| | - Hideki Aihara
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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Zhang Y, Yang Y, Ren Q, Jiang H. Quantification of Soybean Phospholipids in Soybean Degummed Oil Residue by HPLC with Evaporative Light Scattering Detection. J LIQ CHROMATOGR R T 2007. [DOI: 10.1081/jlc-200054817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Zhang
- a National Laboratory of Secondary Resources Chemical Engineering , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yiwen Yang
- a National Laboratory of Secondary Resources Chemical Engineering , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Qilong Ren
- a National Laboratory of Secondary Resources Chemical Engineering , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Hailiang Jiang
- b Analysis and Measurement Center of Ningbo Institute of Technology , Zhejiang University , Ningbo, P.R. China
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Sherma J, Fried B. Thin Layer Chromatographic Analysis of Biological Samples. A Review. J LIQ CHROMATOGR R T 2007. [DOI: 10.1080/10826070500187491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Sherma
- a Department of Chemistry , Lafayette College , Easton, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Bernard Fried
- b Department of Biology , Lafayette College , Easton, Pennsylvania, USA
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Deng L, Xu X, Haraldsson GG, Tan T, Wang F. Enzymatic production of alkyl esters through alcoholysis: A critical evaluation of lipases and alcohols. J AM OIL CHEM SOC 2005. [DOI: 10.1007/s11746-005-1076-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Li Deng
- ; BioCentrum-DTU; Technical University of Denmark; Building 221, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
- ; Department of Biochemical Engineering; Beijing University of Chemical Technology; Beijing China
| | - Xuebing Xu
- ; BioCentrum-DTU; Technical University of Denmark; Building 221, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | | | - Tianwei Tan
- ; Department of Biochemical Engineering; Beijing University of Chemical Technology; Beijing China
| | - Fang Wang
- ; Department of Biochemical Engineering; Beijing University of Chemical Technology; Beijing China
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Sherma
- Department of Chemistry, Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania 18042, USA
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