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Vesala L, Basikhina Y, Tuomela T, Nurminen A, Siukola E, Vale PF, Salminen TS. Mitochondrial perturbation in immune cells enhances cell-mediated innate immunity in Drosophila. BMC Biol 2024; 22:60. [PMID: 38475850 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01858-5] [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: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mitochondria participate in various cellular processes including energy metabolism, apoptosis, autophagy, production of reactive oxygen species, stress responses, inflammation and immunity. However, the role of mitochondrial metabolism in immune cells and tissues shaping the innate immune responses are not yet fully understood. We investigated the effects of tissue-specific mitochondrial perturbation on the immune responses at the organismal level. Genes for oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes cI-cV were knocked down in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, targeting the two main immune tissues, the fat body and the immune cells (hemocytes). RESULTS While OXPHOS perturbation in the fat body was detrimental, hemocyte-specific perturbation led to an enhanced immunocompetence. This was accompanied by the formation of melanized hemocyte aggregates (melanotic nodules), a sign of activation of cell-mediated innate immunity. Furthermore, the hemocyte-specific OXPHOS perturbation induced immune activation of hemocytes, resulting in an infection-like hemocyte profile and an enhanced immune response against parasitoid wasp infection. In addition, OXPHOS perturbation in hemocytes resulted in mitochondrial membrane depolarization and upregulation of genes associated with the mitochondrial unfolded protein response. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we show that while the effects of mitochondrial perturbation on immune responses are highly tissue-specific, mild mitochondrial dysfunction can be beneficial in immune-challenged individuals and contributes to variation in infection outcomes among individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Vesala
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Yuliya Basikhina
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Tea Tuomela
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Anssi Nurminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Emilia Siukola
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Pedro F Vale
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tiina S Salminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
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2
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Dowling DK, Wolff JN. Evolutionary genetics of the mitochondrial genome: insights from Drosophila. Genetics 2023:7160843. [PMID: 37171259 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are key to energy conversion in virtually all eukaryotes. Intriguingly, despite billions of years of evolution inside the eukaryote, mitochondria have retained their own small set of genes involved in the regulation of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and protein translation. Although there was a long-standing assumption that the genetic variation found within the mitochondria would be selectively neutral, research over the past 3 decades has challenged this assumption. This research has provided novel insight into the genetic and evolutionary forces that shape mitochondrial evolution and broader implications for evolutionary ecological processes. Many of the seminal studies in this field, from the inception of the research field to current studies, have been conducted using Drosophila flies, thus establishing the species as a model system for studies in mitochondrial evolutionary biology. In this review, we comprehensively review these studies, from those focusing on genetic processes shaping evolution within the mitochondrial genome, to those examining the evolutionary implications of interactions between genes spanning mitochondrial and nuclear genomes, and to those investigating the dynamics of mitochondrial heteroplasmy. We synthesize the contribution of these studies to shaping our understanding of the evolutionary and ecological implications of mitochondrial genetic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian K Dowling
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Jonci N Wolff
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
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3
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Quevarec L, Réale D, Dufourcq-Sekatcheff E, Armant O, Adam-Guillermin C, Bonzom JM. Ionizing radiation affects the demography and the evolution of Caenorhabditis elegans populations. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 249:114353. [PMID: 36516628 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Ionizing radiation can reduce survival, reproduction and affect development, and lead to the extinction of populations if their evolutionary response is insufficient. However, demographic and evolutionary studies on the effects of ionizing radiation are still scarce. Using an experimental evolution approach, we analyzed population growth rate and associated change in life history traits across generations in Caenorhabditis elegans populations exposed to 0, 1.4, and 50.0 mGy.h-1 of ionizing radiation (gamma external irradiation). We found a higher population growth rate in the 1.4 mGy.h-1 treatment and a lower in the 50.0 mGy.h-1 treatment compared to the control. Realized fecundity was lower in both 1.4 and 50.0 mGy.h-1 than control treatment. High irradiation levels decreased brood size from self-fertilized hermaphrodites, specifically early brood size. Finally, high irradiation levels decreased hatching success compared to the control condition. In reciprocal-transplant experiments, we found that life in low irradiation conditions led to the evolution of higher hatching success and late brood size. These changes could provide better tolerance against ionizing radiation, investing more in self-maintenance than in reproduction. These evolutionary changes were with some costs of adaptation. This study shows that ionizing radiation has both demographic and evolutionary consequences on populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loïc Quevarec
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Cadarache 13115, Saint Paul Lez Durance, France.
| | - Denis Réale
- Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Dufourcq-Sekatcheff
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Cadarache 13115, Saint Paul Lez Durance, France
| | - Olivier Armant
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Cadarache 13115, Saint Paul Lez Durance, France
| | - Christelle Adam-Guillermin
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-SANTE/SDOS/LMDN, Cadarache 13115, Saint Paul Lez Durance, France
| | - Jean-Marc Bonzom
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Cadarache 13115, Saint Paul Lez Durance, France.
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4
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Anderson L, Camus MF, Monteith KM, Salminen TS, Vale PF. Variation in mitochondrial DNA affects locomotor activity and sleep in Drosophila melanogaster. Heredity (Edinb) 2022; 129:225-232. [PMID: 35764697 PMCID: PMC9519576 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-022-00554-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are organelles that produce cellular energy in the form of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation, and this primary function is conserved among many taxa. Locomotion is a trait that is highly reliant on metabolic function and expected to be greatly affected by disruptions to mitochondrial performance. To this end, we aimed to examine how activity and sleep vary between Drosophila melanogaster strains with different geographic origins, how these patterns are affected by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation, and how breaking up co-evolved mito-nuclear gene combinations affect the studied activity traits. Our results demonstrate that Drosophila strains from different locations differ in sleep and activity, and that females are generally more active than males. By comparing activity and sleep of mtDNA variants introgressed onto a common nuclear background in cytoplasmic hybrid (cybrid) strains, we were able to quantify the among-line variance attributable to mitochondrial DNA, and we establish that mtDNA variation affects both activity and sleep, in a sex-specific manner. Altogether our study highlights the important role that mitochondrial genome variation plays on organismal physiology and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Anderson
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - M Florencia Camus
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Katy M Monteith
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tiina S Salminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Pedro F Vale
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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5
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Locally adapted gut microbiomes mediate host stress tolerance. ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:2401-2414. [PMID: 33658622 PMCID: PMC8319338 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-00940-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
While evidence for the role of the microbiome in shaping host stress tolerance is becoming well-established, to what extent this depends on the interaction between the host and its local microbiome is less clear. Therefore, we investigated whether locally adapted gut microbiomes affect host stress tolerance. In the water flea Daphnia magna, we studied if the host performs better when receiving a microbiome from their source region than from another region when facing a stressful condition, more in particular exposure to the toxic cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa. Therefore, a reciprocal transplant experiment was performed in which recipient, germ-free D. magna, isolated from different ponds, received a donor microbiome from sympatric or allopatric D. magna that were pre-exposed to toxic cyanobacteria or not. We tested for effects on host life history traits and gut microbiome composition. Our data indicate that Daphnia interact with particular microbial strains mediating local adaptation in host stress tolerance. Most recipient D. magna individuals performed better when inoculated with sympatric than with allopatric microbiomes. This effect was most pronounced when the donors were pre-exposed to the toxic cyanobacteria, but this effect was also pond and genotype dependent. We discuss how this host fitness benefit is associated with microbiome diversity patterns.
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6
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Luckhart S, Riehle MA. Midgut Mitochondrial Function as a Gatekeeper for Malaria Parasite Infection and Development in the Mosquito Host. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:593159. [PMID: 33363053 PMCID: PMC7759495 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.593159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Across diverse organisms, various physiologies are profoundly regulated by mitochondrial function, which is defined by mitochondrial fusion, biogenesis, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), and mitophagy. Based on our data and significant published studies from Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster and mammals, we propose that midgut mitochondria control midgut health and the health of other tissues in vector mosquitoes. Specifically, we argue that trade-offs among resistance to infection, metabolism, lifespan, and reproduction in vector mosquitoes are fundamentally controlled both locally and systemically by midgut mitochondrial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Luckhart
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Michael A Riehle
- Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
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7
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Lecheta MC, Awde DN, O’Leary TS, Unfried LN, Jacobs NA, Whitlock MH, McCabe E, Powers B, Bora K, Waters JS, Axen HJ, Frietze S, Lockwood BL, Teets NM, Cahan SH. Integrating GWAS and Transcriptomics to Identify the Molecular Underpinnings of Thermal Stress Responses in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Genet 2020; 11:658. [PMID: 32655626 PMCID: PMC7324644 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Thermal tolerance of an organism depends on both the ability to dynamically adjust to a thermal stress and preparatory developmental processes that enhance thermal resistance. However, the extent to which standing genetic variation in thermal tolerance alleles influence dynamic stress responses vs. preparatory processes is unknown. Here, using the model species Drosophila melanogaster, we used a combination of Genome Wide Association mapping (GWAS) and transcriptomic profiling to characterize whether genes associated with thermal tolerance are primarily involved in dynamic stress responses or preparatory processes that influence physiological condition at the time of thermal stress. To test our hypotheses, we measured the critical thermal minimum (CTmin) and critical thermal maximum (CTmax) of 100 lines of the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) and used GWAS to identify loci that explain variation in thermal limits. We observed greater variation in lower thermal limits, with CTmin ranging from 1.81 to 8.60°C, while CTmax ranged from 38.74 to 40.64°C. We identified 151 and 99 distinct genes associated with CTmin and CTmax, respectively, and there was strong support that these genes are involved in both dynamic responses to thermal stress and preparatory processes that increase thermal resistance. Many of the genes identified by GWAS were involved in the direct transcriptional response to thermal stress (72/151 for cold; 59/99 for heat), and overall GWAS candidates were more likely to be differentially expressed than other genes. Further, several GWAS candidates were regulatory genes that may participate in the regulation of stress responses, and gene ontologies related to development and morphogenesis were enriched, suggesting many of these genes influence thermal tolerance through effects on development and physiological status. Overall, our results suggest that thermal tolerance alleles can influence both dynamic plastic responses to thermal stress and preparatory processes that improve thermal resistance. These results also have utility for directly comparing GWAS and transcriptomic approaches for identifying candidate genes associated with thermal tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melise C. Lecheta
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - David N. Awde
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Thomas S. O’Leary
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Laura N. Unfried
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Nicholas A. Jacobs
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Miles H. Whitlock
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Eleanor McCabe
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Beck Powers
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Katie Bora
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - James S. Waters
- Department of Biology, Providence College, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Heather J. Axen
- Department of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Salve Regina College, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Seth Frietze
- Department of Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Brent L. Lockwood
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Nicholas M. Teets
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Sara H. Cahan
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
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8
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Salminen TS, Vale PF. Drosophila as a Model System to Investigate the Effects of Mitochondrial Variation on Innate Immunity. Front Immunol 2020; 11:521. [PMID: 32269576 PMCID: PMC7109263 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding why the response to infection varies between individuals remains one of the major challenges in immunology and infection biology. A substantial proportion of this heterogeneity can be explained by individual genetic differences which result in variable immune responses, and there are many examples of polymorphisms in nuclear-encoded genes that alter immunocompetence. However, how immunity is affected by genetic polymorphism in an additional genome, inherited maternally inside mitochondria (mtDNA), has been relatively understudied. Mitochondria are increasingly recognized as important mediators of innate immune responses, not only because they are the main source of energy required for costly immune responses, but also because by-products of mitochondrial metabolism, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), may have direct microbicidal action. Yet, it is currently unclear how naturally occurring variation in mtDNA contributes to heterogeneity in infection outcomes. In this review article, we describe potential sources of variation in mitochondrial function that may arise due to mutations in vital nuclear and mitochondrial components of energy production or due to a disruption in mito-nuclear crosstalk. We then highlight how these changes in mitochondrial function can impact immune responses, focusing on their effects on ATP- and ROS-generating pathways, as well as immune signaling. Finally, we outline how being a powerful and genetically tractable model of infection, immunity and mitochondrial genetics makes the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster ideally suited to dissect mitochondrial effects on innate immune responses to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiina S. Salminen
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Pedro F. Vale
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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9
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Montooth KL, Dhawanjewar AS, Meiklejohn CD. Temperature-Sensitive Reproduction and the Physiological and Evolutionary Potential for Mother's Curse. Integr Comp Biol 2020; 59:890-899. [PMID: 31173136 PMCID: PMC6797906 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icz091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Strict maternal transmission of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is hypothesized to permit the accumulation of mitochondrial variants that are deleterious to males but not females, a phenomenon called mother’s curse. However, direct evidence that mtDNA mutations exhibit such sexually antagonistic fitness effects is sparse. Male-specific mutational effects can occur when the physiological requirements of the mitochondria differ between the sexes. Such male-specific effects could potentially occur if sex-specific cell types or tissues have energy requirements that are differentially impacted by mutations affecting energy metabolism. Here we summarize findings from a model mitochondrial–nuclear incompatibility in the fruit fly Drosophila that demonstrates sex-biased effects, but with deleterious effects that are generally larger in females. We present new results showing that the mitochondrial–nuclear incompatibility does negatively affect male fertility, but only when males are developed at high temperatures. The temperature-dependent male sterility can be partially rescued by diet, suggesting an energetic basis. Finally, we discuss fruitful paths forward in understanding the physiological scope for sex-specific effects of mitochondrial mutations in the context of the recent discovery that many aspects of metabolism are sexually dimorphic and downstream of sex-determination pathways in Drosophila. A key parameter of these models that remains to be quantified is the fraction of mitochondrial mutations with truly male-limited fitness effects across extrinsic and intrinsic environments. Given the energy demands of reproduction in females, only a small fraction of the mitochondrial mutational spectrum may have the potential to contribute to mother’s curse in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristi L Montooth
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1104 T Street, Lincoln, NE 68502, USA
| | - Abhilesh S Dhawanjewar
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1104 T Street, Lincoln, NE 68502, USA
| | - Colin D Meiklejohn
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1104 T Street, Lincoln, NE 68502, USA
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10
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Belmonte RL, Corbally MK, Duneau DF, Regan JC. Sexual Dimorphisms in Innate Immunity and Responses to Infection in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Immunol 2020; 10:3075. [PMID: 32076419 PMCID: PMC7006818 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.03075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The sexes show profound differences in responses to infection and the development of autoimmunity. Dimorphisms in immune responses are ubiquitous across taxa, from arthropods to vertebrates. Drosophila melanogaster shows strong sex dimorphisms in immune system responses at baseline, upon pathogenic challenge, and over aging. We have performed an exhaustive survey of peer-reviewed literature on Drosophila immunity, and present a database of publications indicating the sex(es) analyzed in each study. While we found a growing interest in the community in adult immunity and in reporting both sexes, the main body of work in this field uses only one sex, or does not stratify by sex. We synthesize evidence for sexually dimorphic responses to bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Dimorphisms may be mediated by distinct immune compartments, and we review work on sex differences in behavioral, epithelial, cellular, and systemic (fat body-mediated) immunity. Emerging work on sexually dimorphic aging of immune tissues, immune senescence, and inflammation are examined. We consider evolutionary drivers for sex differences in immune investment, highlight the features of Drosophila biology that make it particularly amenable to studies of immune dimorphisms, and discuss areas for future exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L. Belmonte
- Institute of Immunology & Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Mary-Kate Corbally
- Institute of Immunology & Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - David F. Duneau
- Laboratoire Evolution & Diversite Biologique, UMR5174 EDB, CNRS, Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Jennifer C. Regan
- Institute of Immunology & Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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11
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Natural infection by the protozoan Leptomonas wallacei impacts the morphology, physiology, reproduction, and lifespan of the insect Oncopeltus fasciatus. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17468. [PMID: 31767875 PMCID: PMC6877526 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53678-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomatids are protozoan parasites that infect thousands of globally dispersed hosts, potentially affecting their physiology. Several species of trypanosomatids are commonly found in phytophagous insects. Leptomonas wallacei is a gut-restricted insect trypanosomatid only retrieved from Oncopeltus fasciatus. The insects get infected by coprophagy and transovum transmission of L. wallacei cysts. The main goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of a natural infection by L. wallacei on the hemipteran insect O. fasciatus, by comparing infected and uninfected individuals in a controlled environment. The L. wallacei-infected individuals showed reduced lifespan and morphological alterations. Also, we demonstrated a higher infection burden in females than in males. The infection caused by L. wallacei reduced host reproductive fitness by negatively impacting egg load, oviposition, and eclosion, and promoting an increase in egg reabsorption. Moreover, we associated the egg reabsorption observed in infected females, with a decrease in the intersex gene expression. Finally, we suggest alterations in population dynamics induced by L. wallacei infection using a mathematical model. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that L. wallacei infection negatively affected the physiology of O. fasciatus, which suggests that L. wallacei potentially has a vast ecological impact on host population growth.
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12
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Chambers MC, Jacobson E, Khalil S, Lazzaro BP. Consequences of chronic bacterial infection in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224440. [PMID: 31648237 PMCID: PMC6812774 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Even when successfully surviving an infection, a host often fails to eliminate a pathogen completely and may sustain substantial pathogen burden for the remainder of its life. Using systemic bacterial infection in Drosophila melanogaster, we characterize chronic infection by three bacterial species from different genera - Providencia rettgeri, Serratia marcescens, and Enterococcus faecalis–following inoculation with a range of doses. To assess the consequences of these chronic infections, we determined the expression of antimicrobial peptide genes, survival of secondary infection, and starvation resistance after one week of infection. While higher infectious doses unsurprisingly lead to higher risk of death, they also result in higher chronic bacterial loads among the survivors for all three infections. All three chronic infections caused significantly elevated expression of antimicrobial peptide genes at one week post-infection and provided generalized protection again secondary bacterial infection. Only P. rettgeri infection significantly influenced resistance to starvation, with persistently infected flies dying more quickly under starvation conditions relative to controls. These results suggest that there is potentially a generalized mechanism of protection against secondary infection, but that other impacts on host physiology may depend on the specific pathogen. We propose that chronic infections in D. melanogaster could be a valuable tool for studying tolerance of infection, including impacts on host physiology and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moria Cairns Chambers
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Eliana Jacobson
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Sarah Khalil
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Brian P. Lazzaro
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
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13
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Hite JL, Pfenning AC, Cressler CE. Starving the Enemy? Feeding Behavior Shapes Host-Parasite Interactions. Trends Ecol Evol 2019; 35:68-80. [PMID: 31604593 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The loss of appetite that typically accompanies infection or mere exposure to parasites is traditionally considered a negative byproduct of infection, benefitting neither the host nor the parasite. Numerous medical and veterinary practices directly or indirectly subvert this 'illness-mediated anorexia'. However, the ecological factors that influence it, its effects on disease outcomes, and why it evolved remain poorly resolved. We explore how hosts use anorexia to defend against infection and how parasites manipulate anorexia to enhance transmission. Then, we use a coevolutionary model to illustrate how shifts in the magnitude of anorexia (e.g., via drugs) affect disease dynamics and virulence evolution. Anorexia could be exploited to improve disease management; we propose an interdisciplinary approach to minimize unintended consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Hite
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
| | - Alaina C Pfenning
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Clayton E Cressler
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
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14
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Long-lived Temnothorax ant queens switch from investment in immunity to antioxidant production with age. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7270. [PMID: 31086243 PMCID: PMC6514213 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43796-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Senescence is manifested by an increase in molecular damage and a deterioration of biological functions with age. In most organisms, body maintenance is traded-off with reproduction. This negative relationship between longevity and fecundity is also evident on the molecular level. Exempt from this negative trait association, social insect queens are both extremely long-lived and highly fecund. Here, we study changes in gene expression with age and fecundity in ant queens to understand the molecular basis of their long lifespan. We analyse tissue-specific gene expression in young founding queens and old fecund queens of the ant Temnothorax rugatulus. More genes altered their expression with age in the fat body than in the brain. Despite strong differences in ovary development, few fecundity genes were differentially expressed. Young founding queens invested in immunity (i.e. activation of Toll signalling pathway) and resistance against environmental and physiological stress (i.e. down-regulation of TOR pathway). Conversely, established older queens invested into anti-aging mechanisms through an overproduction of antioxidants (i.e. upregulation of catalase, superoxide dismutase). Finally, we identified candidate genes and pathways, potentially involved in the association between fertility and longevity in social insects and its proximate basis.
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Genetic Variation for Ontogenetic Shifts in Metabolism Underlies Physiological Homeostasis in Drosophila. Genetics 2019; 212:537-552. [PMID: 30975764 PMCID: PMC6553824 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Organismal physiology emerges from metabolic pathways and structures that can vary across development and among individuals. Matoo, Julick, and Montooth found significant variation, both genetic and ontogenetic, in mitochondrial physiology in wild-type and mitochondrial-nuclear... Organismal physiology emerges from metabolic pathways and subcellular structures like the mitochondria that can vary across development and among individuals. Here, we tested whether genetic variation at one level of physiology can be buffered at higher levels of biological organization during development by the inherent capacity for homeostasis in physiological systems. We found that the fundamental scaling relationship between mass and metabolic rate, as well as the oxidative capacity per mitochondria, changed significantly across development in the fruit fly Drosophila. However, mitochondrial respiration rate was maintained at similar levels across development. Furthermore, larvae clustered into two types—those that switched to aerobic, mitochondrial ATP production before the second instar, and those that relied on anaerobic, glycolytic production of ATP through the second instar. Despite genetic variation for the timing of this metabolic shift, metabolic rate in second-instar larvae was more robust to genetic variation than was the metabolic rate of other instars. We found that larvae with a mitochondrial-nuclear incompatibility that disrupts mitochondrial function had increased aerobic capacity and relied more on anaerobic ATP production throughout development relative to larvae from wild-type strains. By taking advantage of both ways of making ATP, larvae with this mitochondrial–nuclear incompatibility maintained mitochondrial respiratory capacity, but also had higher levels of whole-body reactive oxygen species and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, potentially as a physiological defense mechanism. Thus, genetic defects in core physiology can be buffered at the organismal level via physiological plasticity, and natural populations may harbor genetic variation for distinct metabolic strategies in development that generate similar organismal outcomes.
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Hood WR, Austad SN, Bize P, Jimenez AG, Montooth KL, Schulte PM, Scott GR, Sokolova I, Treberg JR, Salin K. The Mitochondrial Contribution to Animal Performance, Adaptation, and Life-History Variation. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 58:480-485. [PMID: 30239783 PMCID: PMC8502431 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals display tremendous variation in their rates of growth, reproductive output, and longevity. While the physiological and molecular mechanisms that underlie this variation remain poorly understood, the performance of the mitochondrion has emerged as a key player. Mitochondria not only impact the performance of eukaryotes via their capacity to produce ATP, but they also play a role in producing heat and reactive oxygen species and function as a major signaling hub for the cell. The papers included in this special issue emerged from a symposium titled "Inside the Black Box: The Mitochondrial Basis of Life-history Variation and Animal Performance." Based on studies of diverse animal taxa, three distinct themes emerged from these papers. (1) When linking mitochondrial function to components of fitness, it is crucial that mitochondrial assays are performed in conditions as close as the intracellular conditions experienced by the mitochondria in vivo. (2) Functional plasticity allows mitochondria to retain their performance, as well as that of their host, over a range of exogenous conditions, and selection on mitochondrial and nuclear-derived proteins can optimize the match between the environment and the bioenergetic capacity of the mitochondrion. Finally, (3) studies of wild and wild-derived animals suggest that mitochondria play a central role in animal performance and life history strategy. Taken as a whole, we hope that these papers will foster discussion and inspire new hypotheses and innovations that will further our understanding of the mitochondrial processes that underlie variation in life history traits and animal performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy R Hood
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, AL 36849, USA
| | - Steven N Austad
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170, USA
| | - Pierre Bize
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Ana Gabriela Jimenez
- Department of Biology, Colgate University, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346, USA
| | - Kristi L Montooth
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Patricia M Schulte
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4
| | - Graham R Scott
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4K1
| | - Inna Sokolova
- Department of Marine Biology, Institute for Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock 18055, Germany.,Department of the Maritime Systems, Interdisciplinary Faculty, University of Rostock, Rostock 18055, Germany
| | - Jason R Treberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2.,Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2.,Centre on Aging, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2
| | - Karine Salin
- Ifremer, Unité de Physiologie Fonctionnelle des Organismes Marins-LEMAR UMR 6530, Plouzané 29280, France
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Pichaud N, Bérubé R, Côté G, Belzile C, Dufresne F, Morrow G, Tanguay RM, Rand DM, Blier PU. Age Dependent Dysfunction of Mitochondrial and ROS Metabolism Induced by Mitonuclear Mismatch. Front Genet 2019; 10:130. [PMID: 30842791 PMCID: PMC6391849 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial and nuclear genomes have to coevolve to ensure the proper functioning of the different mitochondrial complexes that are assembled from peptides encoded by both genomes. Mismatch between these genomes is believed to be strongly selected against due to the consequent impairments of mitochondrial functions and induction of oxidative stress. Here, we used a Drosophila model harboring an incompatibility between a mitochondrial tRNAtyr and its nuclear-encoded mitochondrial tyrosine synthetase to assess the cellular mechanisms affected by this incompatibility and to test the relative contribution of mitonuclear interactions and aging on the expression of impaired phenotypes. Our results show that the mitochondrial tRNA mutation caused a decrease in mitochondrial oxygen consumption in the incompatible nuclear background but no effect with the compatible nuclear background. Mitochondrial DNA copy number increased in the incompatible genotype but that increase failed to rescue mitochondrial functions. The flies harboring mismatch between nuclear and mitochondrial genomes had almost three times the relative mtDNA copy number and fifty percent higher rate of hydrogen peroxide production compared to other genome combinations at 25 days of age. We also found that aging exacerbated the mitochondrial dysfunctions. Our results reveal the tight interactions linking mitonuclear mismatch to mitochondrial dysfunction, mitochondrial DNA regulation, ROS production and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Pichaud
- Laboratory of Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada
| | - Roxanne Bérubé
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Animale Intégrative, Département de Biologie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
| | - Geneviève Côté
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Animale Intégrative, Département de Biologie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
| | - Claude Belzile
- Institut des Sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
| | - France Dufresne
- Laboratoire d'Écologie Moléculaire, Département de Biologie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
| | - Geneviève Morrow
- Laboratoire de Génétique Cellulaire et Développementale, Département de Biologie Moléculaire, Biochimie Médicale et Pathologie, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Robert M Tanguay
- Laboratoire de Génétique Cellulaire et Développementale, Département de Biologie Moléculaire, Biochimie Médicale et Pathologie, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - David M Rand
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Pierre U Blier
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Animale Intégrative, Département de Biologie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
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