1
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Kaufholz F, Ulrich J, Hakeemi MS, Bucher G. Temporal control of RNAi reveals both robust and labile feedback loops in the segmentation clock of the red flour beetle. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2318229121. [PMID: 38865277 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318229121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals from all major clades have evolved a segmented trunk, reflected in the human spine or the insect segments. These units emerge during embryogenesis from a posterior segment addition zone (SAZ), where repetitive gene activity is regulated by a mechanism described by the clock and wavefront/speed gradient model. In the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, RNA interference (RNAi) has been used to continuously knock down the function of primary pair-rule genes (pPRGs), caudal or Wnt pathway components, which has led to the complete breakdown of segmentation. However, it has remained untested, if this breakdown was reversible by bringing the missing gene function back to the system. To fill this gap, we established a transgenic system in T. castaneum, which allows blocking an ongoing RNAi effect with temporal control by expressing a viral inhibitor of RNAi via heat shock. We show that the T. castaneum segmentation machinery was able to reestablish after RNAi targeting the pPRGs Tc-eve, Tc-odd, and Tc-runt was blocked. However, we observed no rescue after blocking RNAi targeting Wnt pathway components. We conclude that the insect segmentation system contains both robust feedback loops that can reestablish and labile feedback loops that break down irreversibly. This combination may reconcile conflicting needs of the system: Labile systems controlling initiation and maintenance of the SAZ ensure that only one SAZ is formed. Robust feedback loops confer developmental robustness toward external disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Kaufholz
- Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences, Göttingen 37077, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Developmental Genetics, University of Göttingen, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Julia Ulrich
- Department of Evolutionary Developmental Genetics, University of Göttingen, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Muhammad Salim Hakeemi
- Department of Evolutionary Developmental Genetics, University of Göttingen, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Gregor Bucher
- Department of Evolutionary Developmental Genetics, University of Göttingen, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Göttingen 37077, Germany
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2
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Imler JL, Cai H, Meignin C, Martins N. Evolutionary immunology to explore original antiviral strategies. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230068. [PMID: 38497262 PMCID: PMC10945398 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the past 25 years, the field of evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) has used genomics and genetics to gain insight on the developmental mechanisms underlying the evolution of morphological diversity of animals. Evo-devo exploits the key insight that conserved toolkits of development (e.g. Hox genes) are used in animals to produce genetic novelties that provide adaptation to a new environment. Like development, immunity is forged by interactions with the environment, namely the microbial world. Yet, when it comes to the study of immune defence mechanisms in invertebrates, interest primarily focuses on evolutionarily conserved molecules also present in humans. Here, focusing on antiviral immunity, we argue that immune genes not conserved in humans represent an unexplored resource for the discovery of new antiviral strategies. We review recent findings on the cGAS-STING pathway and explain how cyclic dinucleotides produced by cGAS-like receptors may be used to investigate the portfolio of antiviral genes in a broad range of species. This will set the stage for evo-immuno approaches, exploiting the investment in antiviral defences made by metazoans over hundreds of millions of years of evolution. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sculpting the microbiome: how host factors determine and respond to microbial colonization'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Luc Imler
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UPR9022, Strasbourg 67070, France
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, People's Republic of China
| | - Hua Cai
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, People's Republic of China
| | - Carine Meignin
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UPR9022, Strasbourg 67070, France
| | - Nelson Martins
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UPR9022, Strasbourg 67070, France
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3
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Liang W, Liu W, Xiong XP, Li JW, Li JL, Perera RJ, Zhou R. The circular RNA circATP8B(2) regulates ROS production and antiviral immunity in Drosophila. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113973. [PMID: 38507406 PMCID: PMC11081091 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
We identified and validated a collection of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in Drosophila melanogaster. We show that depletion of the pro-viral circRNA circATP8B(2), but not its linear siblings, compromises viral infection both in cultured Drosophila cells and in vivo. In addition, circATP8B(2) is enriched in the fly gut, and gut-specific depletion of circATP8B(2) attenuates viral replication in an oral infection model. Furthermore, circATP8B(2) depletion results in increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enhanced expression of dual oxidase (Duox), which produces ROS. Genetic and pharmacological manipulations of circATP8B(2)-depleted flies that reduce ROS levels rescue the viral replication defects elicited by circATP8B(2) depletion. Mechanistically, circATP8B(2) associates with Duox, and circATP8B(2)-Duox interaction is crucial for circATP8B(2)-mediated modulation of Duox activity. In addition, Gαq, a G protein subunit required for optimal Duox activity, acts downstream of circATP8B(2). We conclude that circATP8B(2) regulates antiviral defense by modulating Duox expression and Duox-dependent ROS production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weihong Liang
- Departments of Medicine, Biological Chemistry, & Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
| | - Wei Liu
- Departments of Medicine, Biological Chemistry, & Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
| | - Xiao-Peng Xiong
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jennifer W Li
- Department of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Jian-Liang Li
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Ranjan J Perera
- Departments of Medicine, Biological Chemistry, & Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA; Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Rui Zhou
- Departments of Medicine, Biological Chemistry, & Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA; Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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4
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Wang Z, Lin X, Shi W, Cao C. Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Alpha6 Contributes to Antiviral Immunity via IMD Pathway in Drosophila melanogaster. Viruses 2024; 16:562. [PMID: 38675904 PMCID: PMC11054842 DOI: 10.3390/v16040562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Currently, insecticides that target nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) are widely used. Studies on the sublethal effects of insecticides have found that they can affect the amount of virus in insects. The mechanism by which insecticides affect insect virus load remain unclear. Here, we show that nAChR targeting insecticide can affect viral replication through the immune deficiency (IMD) pathway. We demonstrate that a low dose of spinosad (6.8 ng/mL), acting as an antagonist to Drosophila melanogaster nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α6 (Dα6), significantly elevates Drosophila melanogaster sigmavirus (DMelSV) virus titers in adults of Drosophila melanogaster. Conversely, a high dose of spinosad (50 ng/mL), acting as an agonist to Dα6, substantially decreases viral load. This bidirectional regulation of virus levels is absent in Dα6-knockout flies, signifying the specificity of spinosad's action through Dα6. Furthermore, the knockdown of Dα6 results in decreased expression of genes in the IMD pathway, including dredd, imd, relish, and downstream antimicrobial peptide genes AttA and AttB, indicating a reduced innate immune response. Subsequent investigations reveal no significant difference in viral titers between relish mutant flies and Dα6-relish double mutants, suggesting that the IMD pathway's role in antiviral defense is dependent on Dα6. Collectively, our findings shed light on the intricate interplay between nAChR signaling and the IMD pathway in mediating antiviral immunity, highlighting the potential for nAChR-targeting compounds to inadvertently influence viral dynamics in insect hosts. This knowledge may inform the development of integrated pest management strategies that consider the broader ecological impact of insecticide use.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Wangpeng Shi
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (Z.W.); (X.L.)
| | - Chuan Cao
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (Z.W.); (X.L.)
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5
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Chen Y, De Schutter K. Biosafety aspects of RNAi-based pests control. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 38520331 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
While the overuse of classical chemical pesticides has had a detrimental impact on the environment and human health, the discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) offered the opportunity to develop new and sustainable approaches for pest management. RNAi is a naturally occurring regulation and defense mechanism that can be exploited to effectively protect crops by silencing key genes affecting the growth, development, behavior or fecundity of pests. However, as with all technologies, there is a range of potential risks and challenges associated with the application of RNAi, such as dsRNA stability, the potential for off-target effects, the safety of non-target organisms, and other application challenges. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in RNAi and in-depth discussion and analysis of these associated safety risks, is required to limit or mitigate potential adverse effects. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimeng Chen
- Molecular Entomology Lab, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kristof De Schutter
- Molecular Entomology Lab, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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6
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Romoli O, Henrion-Lacritick A, Blanc H, Frangeul L, Saleh MC. Limitations in harnessing oral RNA interference as an antiviral strategy in Aedes aegypti. iScience 2024; 27:109261. [PMID: 38433898 PMCID: PMC10907830 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti, are critical vectors for globally significant pathogenic viruses. This study examines the limitations of oral RNA interference (RNAi) as a strategy to disrupt viral transmission by Ae. aegypti. We hypothesized that double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) targeting the Zika virus (ZIKV) or chikungunya virus (CHIKV) genomes produced by engineered bacterial symbionts could trigger an antiviral response. Mosquitoes mono-colonized with Escherichia coli producing dsZIK or dsCHIK did not display reduced viral titers following exposure to virus-contaminated bloodmeals and failed to generate dsZIK- or dsCHIK-derived small interfering RNAs. To address potential limitations of bacterial dsRNA release, we explored dsRNA inoculation via feeding and injection. Although viral replication was impeded in mosquitoes injected with dsZIK or dsCHIK, no antiviral effect was observed in dsRNA-fed mosquitoes. These findings highlight complexities of implementing oral RNAi as an antiviral strategy in Ae. aegypti and warrant further exploration of local and systemic RNAi mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ottavia Romoli
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Viruses and RNAi Unit, F-75015 Paris, France
| | | | - Hervé Blanc
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Viruses and RNAi Unit, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Lionel Frangeul
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Viruses and RNAi Unit, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Maria-Carla Saleh
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, Viruses and RNAi Unit, F-75015 Paris, France
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7
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Hédelin L, Thiébaut A, Huang J, Li X, Lemoine A, Haas G, Meignin C, Cai H, Waterhouse RM, Martins N, Imler JL. Investigating the Evolution of Drosophila STING-Dependent Antiviral Innate Immunity by Multispecies Comparison of 2'3'-cGAMP Responses. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae032. [PMID: 38377349 PMCID: PMC10917227 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Viruses represent a major threat to all animals, which defend themselves through induction of a large set of virus-stimulated genes that collectively control the infection. In vertebrates, these genes include interferons that play a critical role in the amplification of the response to infection. Virus- and interferon-stimulated genes include restriction factors targeting the different steps of the viral replication cycle, in addition to molecules associated with inflammation and adaptive immunity. Predictably, antiviral genes evolve dynamically in response to viral pressure. As a result, each animal has a unique arsenal of antiviral genes. Here, we exploit the capacity to experimentally activate the evolutionarily conserved stimulator of IFN genes (STING) signaling pathway by injection of the cyclic dinucleotide 2'3'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate into flies to define the repertoire of STING-regulated genes in 10 Drosophila species, spanning 40 million years of evolution. Our data reveal a set of conserved STING-regulated factors, including STING itself, a cGAS-like-receptor, the restriction factor pastel, and the antiviral protein Vago, but also 2 key components of the antiviral RNA interference pathway, Dicer-2, and Argonaute2. In addition, we identify unknown species- or lineage-specific genes that have not been previously associated with resistance to viruses. Our data provide insight into the core antiviral response in Drosophila flies and pave the way for the characterization of previously unknown antiviral effectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léna Hédelin
- CNRS UPR9022, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Antonin Thiébaut
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jingxian Huang
- School of Basic Medical Science, Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- School of Basic Medical Science, Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Aurélie Lemoine
- CNRS UPR9022, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Gabrielle Haas
- CNRS UPR9022, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Carine Meignin
- CNRS UPR9022, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Hua Cai
- School of Basic Medical Science, Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Robert M Waterhouse
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nelson Martins
- CNRS UPR9022, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jean-Luc Imler
- CNRS UPR9022, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- School of Basic Medical Science, Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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8
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Ortolá B, Daròs JA. RNA Interference in Insects: From a Natural Mechanism of Gene Expression Regulation to a Biotechnological Crop Protection Promise. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:137. [PMID: 38534407 DOI: 10.3390/biology13030137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Insect pests rank among the major limiting factors in agricultural production worldwide. In addition to direct effect on crops, some phytophagous insects are efficient vectors for plant disease transmission. Large amounts of conventional insecticides are required to secure food production worldwide, with a high impact on the economy and environment, particularly when beneficial insects are also affected by chemicals that frequently lack the desired specificity. RNA interference (RNAi) is a natural mechanism gene expression regulation and protection against exogenous and endogenous genetic elements present in most eukaryotes, including insects. Molecules of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) or highly structured RNA are the substrates of cellular enzymes to produce several types of small RNAs (sRNAs), which play a crucial role in targeting sequences for transcriptional or post-transcriptional gene silencing. The relatively simple rules that underlie RNAi regulation, mainly based in Watson-Crick complementarity, have facilitated biotechnological applications based on these cellular mechanisms. This includes the promise of using engineered dsRNA molecules, either endogenously produced in crop plants or exogenously synthesized and applied onto crops, as a new generation of highly specific, sustainable, and environmentally friendly insecticides. Fueled on this expectation, this article reviews current knowledge about the RNAi pathways in insects, and some other applied questions such as production and delivery of recombinant RNA, which are critical to establish RNAi as a reliable technology for insect control in crop plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beltrán Ortolá
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - José-Antonio Daròs
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
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9
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Lezcano OM, Fuhrmann L, Ramakrishnan G, Beerenwinkel N, Huynen MA, van Rij RP. Parallel evolution and enhanced virulence upon in vivo passage of an RNA virus in Drosophila melanogaster. Virus Evol 2023; 9:vead074. [PMID: 38162315 PMCID: PMC10757409 DOI: 10.1093/ve/vead074] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Virus evolution is strongly affected by antagonistic co-evolution of virus and host. Host immunity positively selects for viruses that evade the immune response, which in turn may drive counter-adaptations in host immune genes. We investigated how host immune pressure shapes virus populations, using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and its natural pathogen Drosophila C virus (DCV), as a model. We performed an experimental evolution study in which DCV was serially passaged for ten generations in three fly genotypes differing in their antiviral RNAi response: wild-type flies and flies in which the endonuclease gene Dicer-2 was either overexpressed or inactivated. All evolved virus populations replicated more efficiently in vivo and were more virulent than the parental stock. The number of polymorphisms increased in all three host genotypes with passage number, which was most pronounced in Dicer-2 knockout flies. Mutational analysis showed strong parallel evolution, as mutations accumulated in a specific region of the VP3 capsid protein in every lineage in a host genotype-independent manner. The parental tyrosine at position ninety-five of VP3 was substituted with either one of five different amino acids in fourteen out of fifteen lineages. However, no consistent amino acid changes were observed in the viral RNAi suppressor gene 1A, nor elsewhere in the genome in any of the host backgrounds. Our study indicates that the RNAi response restricts the sequence space that can be explored by viral populations. Moreover, our study illustrates how evolution towards higher virulence can be a highly reproducible, yet unpredictable process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lara Fuhrmann
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Klingelbergstrasse 48, Basel 4056, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Quartier Sorge - Bâtiment Amphipôle, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Gayatri Ramakrishnan
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, Nijmegen 6500 HB, The Netherlands
| | - Niko Beerenwinkel
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Klingelbergstrasse 48, Basel 4056, Switzerland
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Quartier Sorge - Bâtiment Amphipôle, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, Nijmegen 6500 HB, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ronald P van Rij
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, Nijmegen 6500 HB, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, Nijmegen 6500 HB, The Netherlands
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10
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Tafesh-Edwards G, Eleftherianos I. The Drosophila melanogaster prophenoloxidase system participates in immunity against Zika virus infection. Eur J Immunol 2023; 53:e2350632. [PMID: 37793051 PMCID: PMC10841153 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202350632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster relies on an evolutionarily conserved innate immune system to protect itself from a wide range of pathogens, making it a convenient genetic model to study various human pathogenic viruses and host antiviral immunity. Here we explore for the first time the contribution of the Drosophila phenoloxidase (PO) system to host survival and defenses against Zika virus (ZIKV) infection by analyzing the role of mutations in the three prophenoloxidase (PPO) genes in female and male flies. We show that only PPO1 and PPO2 genes contribute to host survival and appear to be upregulated following ZIKV infection in Drosophila. Also, we present data suggesting that a complex regulatory system exists between Drosophila PPOs, potentially allowing for a sex-dependent compensation of PPOs by one another or other immune responses such as the Toll, Imd, and JAK/STAT pathways. Furthermore, we show that PPO1 and PPO2 are essential for melanization in the hemolymph and the wound site in flies upon ZIKV infection. Our results reveal an important role played by the melanization pathway in response to ZIKV infection, hence highlighting the importance of this pathway in insect host defense against viral pathogens and potential vector control strategies to alleviate ZIKV outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghada Tafesh-Edwards
- Infection and Innate Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Ioannis Eleftherianos
- Infection and Innate Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
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11
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Dong S, Dimopoulos G. Aedes aegypti Argonaute 2 controls arbovirus infection and host mortality. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5773. [PMID: 37723154 PMCID: PMC10507101 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41370-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Ae. aegypti mosquitoes transmit some of the most important human viral diseases that are responsible for a significant public health burden worldwide. The small interfering RNA (siRNA) pathway is considered the major antiviral defense system in insects. Here we show that siRNA pathway disruption by CRISPR/Cas9-based Ago2 knockout impaired the mosquitoes' ability to degrade arbovirus RNA leading to hyper-infection accompanied by cell lysis and tissue damage. Ago2 disruption impaired DNA repair mechanisms and the autophagy pathway by altering histone abundance. This compromised DNA repair and removal of damaged cellular organelles and dysfunctional aggregates promoted mosquito death. We also report that hyper-infection of Ago2 knockout mosquitoes stimulated a broad-spectrum antiviral immunity, including apoptosis, which may counteract infection. Taken together, our studies reveal novel roles for Ago2 in protecting mosquitoes from arbovirus infection and associated death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengzhang Dong
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205-2179, USA
| | - George Dimopoulos
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205-2179, USA.
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12
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Pan J, Qiu Q, Kumar D, Xu J, Tong X, Shen Z, Zhu M, Hu X, Gong C. Interaction between Bombyx mori Cytoplasmic Polyhedrosis Virus NSP8 and BmAgo2 Inhibits RNA Interference and Enhances Virus Proliferation. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0493822. [PMID: 37341621 PMCID: PMC10434170 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04938-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Some insect viruses encode suppressors of RNA interference (RNAi) to counteract the antiviral RNAi pathway. However, it is unknown whether Bombyx mori cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (BmCPV) encodes an RNAi suppressor. In this study, the presence of viral small interfering RNA (vsiRNA) in BmN cells infected with BmCPV was confirmed by small RNA sequencing. The Dual-Luciferase reporter test demonstrated that BmCPV infection may prevent firefly luciferase (Luc) gene silencing caused by particular short RNA. It was also established that the inhibition relied on the nonstructural protein NSP8, which suggests that NSP8 was a possible RNAi suppressor. In cultured BmN cells, the expressions of viral structural protein 1 (vp1) and NSP9 were triggered by overexpression of nsp8, suggesting that BmCPV proliferation was enhanced by NSP8. A pulldown assay was conducted with BmCPV genomic double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) labeled with biotin. The mass spectral detection of NSP8 in the pulldown complex suggests that NSP8 is capable of direct binding to BmCPV genomic dsRNA. The colocalization of NSP8 and B. mori Argonaute 2 (BmAgo2) was detected by an immunofluorescence assay, leading to the hypothesis that NSP8 interacts with BmAgo2. Coimmunoprecipitation further supported the present investigation. Moreover, vasa intronic protein, a component of RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), could be detected in the coprecipitation complex of NSP8 by mass spectrum analysis. NSP8 and the mRNA decapping protein (Dcp2) were also discovered to colocalize to processing bodies (P bodies) for RNAi-mediated gene silencing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These findings revealed that by interacting with BmAgo2 and suppressing RNAi, NSP8 promoted BmCPV growth. IMPORTANCE It has been reported that the RNAi pathway is inhibited by binding RNAi suppressors encoded by some insect-specific viruses belonging to Dicistroviridae, Nodaviridae, or Birnaviridae to dsRNAs to protect dsRNAs from being cut by Dicer-2. However, it is unknown whether BmCPV, belonging to Spinareoviridae, encodes an RNAi suppressor. In this study, we found that nonstructural protein NSP8 encoded by BmCPV inhibits small interfering RNA (siRNA)-induced RNAi and that NSP8, as an RNAi suppressor, can bind to viral dsRNAs and interact with BmAgo2. Moreover, vasa intronic protein, a component of RISC, was found to interact with NSP8. Heterologously expressed NSP8 and Dcp2 were colocalized to P bodies in yeast. These results indicated that NSP8 promoted BmCPV proliferation by binding itself to BmCPV genomic dsRNAs and interacting with BmAgo2 through suppression of siRNA-induced RNAi. Our findings deepen our understanding of the game between BmCPV and silkworm in regulating viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Pan
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qunnan Qiu
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dhiraj Kumar
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Zoology, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Jian Xu
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinyu Tong
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zeen Shen
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Min Zhu
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaolong Hu
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute, Agricultural Biotechnology and Ecological Research Institute, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Chengliang Gong
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute, Agricultural Biotechnology and Ecological Research Institute, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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13
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Liu S, Han Y, Li WX, Ding SW. Infection Defects of RNA and DNA Viruses Induced by Antiviral RNA Interference. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2023; 87:e0003522. [PMID: 37052496 PMCID: PMC10304667 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00035-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune recognition of viral genome-derived double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules and their subsequent processing into small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in plants, invertebrates, and mammals trigger specific antiviral immunity known as antiviral RNA interference (RNAi). Immune sensing of viral dsRNA is sequence-independent, and most regions of viral RNAs are targeted by virus-derived siRNAs which extensively overlap in sequence. Thus, the high mutation rates of viruses do not drive immune escape from antiviral RNAi, in contrast to other mechanisms involving specific virus recognition by host immune proteins such as antibodies and resistance (R) proteins in mammals and plants, respectively. Instead, viruses actively suppress antiviral RNAi at various key steps with a group of proteins known as viral suppressors of RNAi (VSRs). Some VSRs are so effective in virus counter-defense that potent inhibition of virus infection by antiviral RNAi is undetectable unless the cognate VSR is rendered nonexpressing or nonfunctional. Since viral proteins are often multifunctional, resistance phenotypes of antiviral RNAi are accurately defined by those infection defects of VSR-deletion mutant viruses that are efficiently rescued by host deficiency in antiviral RNAi. Here, we review and discuss in vivo infection defects of VSR-deficient RNA and DNA viruses resulting from the actions of host antiviral RNAi in model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Liu
- Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
- Center for Plant Cell Biology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Yanhong Han
- Vector-borne Virus Research Center, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Wan-Xiang Li
- Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
- Center for Plant Cell Biology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Shou-Wei Ding
- Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
- Center for Plant Cell Biology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
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14
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Airs PM, Kudrna KE, Lubinski B, Phanse Y, Bartholomay LC. A Comparative Analysis of RNAi Trigger Uptake and Distribution in Mosquito Vectors of Disease. INSECTS 2023; 14:556. [PMID: 37367372 DOI: 10.3390/insects14060556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
In mosquitoes, the utilization of RNAi for functional genetics is widespread, usually mediated through introduced double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) with sequence identity to a gene of interest. However, RNAi in mosquitoes is often hampered by inconsistencies in target gene knockdown between experimental setups. While the core RNAi pathway is known to function in most mosquito strains, the uptake and biodistribution of dsRNAs across different mosquito species and life stages have yet to be extensively explored as a source of variation in RNAi experiments. To better understand mosquito-RNAi dynamics, the biodistribution of a dsRNA to a heterologous gene, LacZ (iLacZ), was tracked following various routes of exposure in the larval and adult stages of Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae, and Culex pipiens. iLacZ was largely limited to the gut lumen when exposed per os, or to the cuticle when topically applied, but spread through the hemocoel when injected. Uptake of dsRNA was noted in a subset of cells including: hemocytes, pericardial cells of the dorsal vessel, ovarian follicles, and ganglia of the ventral nerve cord. These cell types are all known to undergo phagocytosis, pinocytosis, or both, and as such may actively take up RNAi triggers. In Ae. aegypti, iLacZ was detected for up to one week post exposure by Northern blotting, but uptake and degradation drastically differed across tissues. The results presented here reveal that the uptake of RNAi triggers is distinct and specific to the cell type in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M Airs
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Katherine E Kudrna
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Bailey Lubinski
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Yashdeep Phanse
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Lyric C Bartholomay
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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15
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Xia Y, Jiang M, Hu X, Wang Q, Qian C, Zhu B, Wei G, Wang L. A Protein Asteroid with PIN Domain in Silkworm Bombyx mori Is Involved in Anti-BmNPV Infection. INSECTS 2023; 14:550. [PMID: 37367365 DOI: 10.3390/insects14060550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Nuclease is a type of protein that degrades nucleic acids, which plays an important role in biological processes, including RNA interference efficiency and antiviral immunity. However, no evidence of a link between nuclease and Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) infection in silkworm B. mori has been found. In this study, a protein asteroid (BmAst) containing the PIN domain and XPG domain was identified in silkworm B. mori. BmAst gene was highest expressed in hemocytes and fat body of the 5th instar larvae, and high expression in the pupa stage. The transcriptional levels of the BmAst gene in 5th instar larvae were significantly induced by BmNPV or dsRNA. After knocking down BmAst gene expression by specific dsRNA, the proliferation of BmNPV in B. mori was increased significantly, whereas the survival rate of larvae was significantly lower when compared with the control. Our findings indicate that BmAst is involved in silkworm resistance to BmNPV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchen Xia
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Mouzhen Jiang
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Hu
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Qing Wang
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Cen Qian
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Baojian Zhu
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Guoqing Wei
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
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16
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Kwofie KD, Hernandez EP, Anisuzzaman, Kawada H, Koike Y, Sasaki S, Inoue T, Jimbo K, Mikami F, Ladzekpo D, Umemiya-Shirafuji R, Yamaji K, Tanaka T, Matsubayashi M, Alim MA, Dadzie SK, Iwanaga S, Tsuji N, Hatta T. RNA activation in ticks. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9341. [PMID: 37291173 PMCID: PMC10250327 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36523-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA activation (RNAa) is a burgeoning area of research in which double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) or small activating RNAs mediate the upregulation of specific genes by targeting the promoter sequence and/or AU-rich elements in the 3'- untranslated region (3'-UTR) of mRNA molecules. So far, studies on the phenomenon have been limited to mammals, plants, bacteria, Caenorhabditis elegans, and recently, Aedes aegypti. However, it is yet to be applied in other arthropods, including ticks, despite the ubiquitous presence of argonaute 2 protein, which is an indispensable requirement for the formation of RNA-induced transcriptional activation complex to enable a dsRNA-mediated gene activation. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time the possible presence of RNAa phenomenon in the tick vector, Haemaphysalis longicornis (Asian longhorned tick). We targeted the 3'-UTR of a novel endochitinase-like gene (HlemCHT) identified previously in H. longicornis eggs for dsRNA-mediated gene activation. Our results showed an increased gene expression in eggs of H. longicornis endochitinase-dsRNA-injected (dsHlemCHT) ticks on day-13 post-oviposition. Furthermore, we observed that eggs of dsHlemCHT ticks exhibited relatively early egg development and hatching, suggesting a dsRNA-mediated activation of the HlemCHT gene in the eggs. This is the first attempt to provide evidence of RNAa in ticks. Although further studies are required to elucidate the detailed mechanism by which RNAa occurs in ticks, the outcome of this study provides new opportunities for the use of RNAa as a gene overexpression tool in future studies on tick biology, to reduce the global burden of ticks and tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kofi Dadzie Kwofie
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Emmanuel Pacia Hernandez
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
- Department of Veterinary Paraclinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the Philippines at Los Baños, College, 4031, Laguna, Philippines
| | - Anisuzzaman
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, Bangladesh
| | - Hayato Kawada
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Yuki Koike
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Sana Sasaki
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Takahiro Inoue
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Kei Jimbo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Fusako Mikami
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Danielle Ladzekpo
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Environmental Parasitology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
| | - Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Kayoko Yamaji
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Center for Medical Entomology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Tanaka
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan
| | - Makoto Matsubayashi
- Department of Veterinary Immunology, Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Osaka Metropolitan University, Izumisano, Osaka, 598-8531, Japan
| | - Md Abdul Alim
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, Bangladesh
| | - Samuel Kweku Dadzie
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Shiroh Iwanaga
- Department of Molecular Protozoology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CIDER), Osaka University, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Naotoshi Tsuji
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Takeshi Hatta
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan.
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17
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Imrie RM, Walsh SK, Roberts KE, Lello J, Longdon B. Investigating the outcomes of virus coinfection within and across host species. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011044. [PMID: 37216391 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Interactions between coinfecting pathogens have the potential to alter the course of infection and can act as a source of phenotypic variation in susceptibility between hosts. This phenotypic variation may influence the evolution of host-pathogen interactions within host species and interfere with patterns in the outcomes of infection across host species. Here, we examine experimental coinfections of two Cripaviruses-Cricket Paralysis Virus (CrPV), and Drosophila C Virus (DCV)-across a panel of 25 Drosophila melanogaster inbred lines and 47 Drosophilidae host species. We find that interactions between these viruses alter viral loads across D. melanogaster genotypes, with a ~3 fold increase in the viral load of DCV and a ~2.5 fold decrease in CrPV in coinfection compared to single infection, but we find little evidence of a host genetic basis for these effects. Across host species, we find no evidence of systematic changes in susceptibility during coinfection, with no interaction between DCV and CrPV detected in the majority of host species. These results suggest that phenotypic variation in coinfection interactions within host species can occur independently of natural host genetic variation in susceptibility, and that patterns of susceptibility across host species to single infections can be robust to the added complexity of coinfection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M Imrie
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science, and Economy, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah K Walsh
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science, and Economy, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine E Roberts
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science, and Economy, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Joanne Lello
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Ben Longdon
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science, and Economy, Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
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18
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Cubillas C, Sandoval Del Prado LE, Goldacker S, Fujii C, Pinski AN, Zielke J, Wang D. The alg-1 Gene Is Necessary for Orsay Virus Replication in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Virol 2023; 97:e0006523. [PMID: 37017532 PMCID: PMC10134801 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00065-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The establishment of the Orsay virus-Caenorhabditis elegans infection model has enabled the identification of host factors essential for virus infection. Argonautes are RNA interacting proteins evolutionary conserved in the three domains of life that are key components of small RNA pathways. C. elegans encodes 27 argonautes or argonaute-like proteins. Here, we determined that mutation of the argonaute-like gene 1, alg-1, results in a greater than 10,000-fold reduction in Orsay viral RNA levels, which could be rescued by ectopic expression of alg-1. Mutation in ain-1, a known interactor of ALG-1 and component of the RNA-induced silencing complex, also resulted in a significant reduction in Orsay virus levels. Viral RNA replication from an endogenous transgene replicon system was impaired by the lack of ALG-1, suggesting that ALG-1 plays a role during the replication stage of the virus life cycle. Orsay virus RNA levels were unaffected by mutations in the ALG-1 RNase H-like motif that ablate the slicer activity of ALG-1. These findings demonstrate a novel function of ALG-1 in promoting Orsay virus replication in C. elegans. IMPORTANCE All viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that recruit the cellular machinery of the host they infect to support their own proliferation. We used Caenorhabditis elegans and its only known infecting virus, Orsay virus, to identify host proteins relevant for virus infection. We determined that ALG-1, a protein previously known to be important in influencing worm life span and the expression levels of thousands of genes, is required for Orsay virus infection of C. elegans. This is a new function attributed to ALG-1 that was not recognized before. In humans, it has been shown that AGO2, a close relative protein to ALG-1, is essential for hepatitis C virus replication. This demonstrates that through evolution from worms to humans, some proteins have maintained similar functions, and consequently, this suggests that studying virus infection in a simple worm model has the potential to provide novel insights into strategies used by viruses to proliferate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciro Cubillas
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Luis Enrique Sandoval Del Prado
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Sydney Goldacker
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Chika Fujii
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Amanda N. Pinski
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jon Zielke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - David Wang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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19
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Xiao Y, Liu TM, MacRae IJ. A tiny loop in the Argonaute PIWI domain tunes small RNA seed strength. EMBO Rep 2023:e55806. [PMID: 37082939 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202255806] [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: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Argonaute (AGO) proteins use microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) as guides to regulate gene expression in plants and animals. AGOs that use miRNAs in bilaterian animals recognize short (6-8 nt.) elements complementary to the miRNA seed region, enabling each miRNA to interact with hundreds of otherwise unrelated targets. By contrast, AGOs that use miRNAs in plants employ longer (> 13 nt.) recognition elements such that each miRNA silences a small number of physiologically related targets. Here, we show that this major functional distinction depends on a minor structural difference between plant and animal AGO proteins: a 9-amino acid loop in the PIWI domain. Swapping the PIWI loop from human Argonaute2 (HsAGO2) into Arabidopsis Argonaute10 (AtAGO10) increases seed strength, resulting in animal-like miRNA targeting. Conversely, swapping the plant PIWI loop into HsAGO2 reduces seed strength and accelerates the turnover of cleaved targets. The loop-swapped HsAGO2 silences targets more potently, with reduced miRNA-like targeting, than wild-type HsAGO2 in mammalian cells. Thus, tiny structural differences can tune the targeting properties of AGO proteins for distinct biological roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Xiao
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - TingYu M Liu
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ian J MacRae
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
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20
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Ding SW. Transgene Silencing, RNA Interference, and the Antiviral Defense Mechanism Directed by Small Interfering RNAs. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2023; 113:616-625. [PMID: 36441873 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-10-22-0358-ia] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
One important discovery in plant pathology over recent decades is the natural antiviral defense mechanism mediated by RNA interference (RNAi). In antiviral RNAi, virus infection triggers Dicer processing of virus-specific double-stranded RNA into small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Frequently, further amplified by host enzyme and cofactors, these virus-derived siRNAs direct specific virus clearance in an Argonaute protein-containing effector complex. The siRNAs derived from viruses and viroids accumulate to very high levels during infection. Because they overlap extensively in nucleotide sequence, this allows for deep sequencing and bioinformatics assembly of total small RNAs for rapid discovery and identification of viruses and viroids. Antiviral RNAi acts as the primary defense mechanism against both RNA and DNA viruses in plants, yet viruses still successfully infect plants. They do so because all currently recognized plant viruses combat the RNAi response by encoding at least one protein as a viral suppressor of RNAi (VSR) required for infection, even though plant viruses have small genome sizes with a limited coding capacity. This review article will recapitulate the key findings that have revealed the genetic pathway for the biogenesis and antiviral activity of viral siRNAs and the specific role of VSRs in infection by antiviral RNAi suppression. Moreover, early pioneering studies on transgene silencing, RNAi, and virus-plant/virus-virus interactions paved the road to the discovery of antiviral RNAi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shou-Wei Ding
- Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology and Center for Plant Cell Biology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA
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21
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Blair CD. A Brief History of the Discovery of RNA-Mediated Antiviral Immune Defenses in Vector Mosquitos. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2023; 87:e0019121. [PMID: 36511720 PMCID: PMC10029339 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00191-21] [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] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) persist in a natural cycle that includes infections of humans or other vertebrates and transmission between vertebrates by infected arthropods, most commonly mosquitos. Arboviruses can cause serious, sometimes fatal diseases in humans and other vertebrates but cause little pathology in their mosquito vectors. Knowledge of the interactions between mosquito vectors and the arboviruses that they transmit is an important facet of developing schemes to control transmission. Mosquito innate immune responses to virus infection modulate virus replication in the vector, and understanding the components and mechanisms of the immune response could lead to improved methods for interrupting the transmission cycle. The most important aspect of mosquito antiviral defense is the exogenous small interfering RNA (exo-siRNA) pathway, one arm of the RNA interference (RNAi) silencing response. Our research as well as that of many other groups over the past 25 years to define this pathway are reviewed here. A more recently recognized but less well-understood RNA-mediated mosquito defense against arbovirus infections, the PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway, is also described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol D Blair
- Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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22
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Viljakainen L, Fürst MA, Grasse AV, Jurvansuu J, Oh J, Tolonen L, Eder T, Rattei T, Cremer S. Antiviral immune response reveals host-specific virus infections in natural ant populations. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1119002. [PMID: 37007485 PMCID: PMC10060816 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1119002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hosts can carry many viruses in their bodies, but not all of them cause disease. We studied ants as a social host to determine both their overall viral repertoire and the subset of actively infecting viruses across natural populations of three subfamilies: the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile, Dolichoderinae), the invasive garden ant (Lasius neglectus, Formicinae) and the red ant (Myrmica rubra, Myrmicinae). We used a dual sequencing strategy to reconstruct complete virus genomes by RNA-seq and to simultaneously determine the small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) by small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq), which constitute the host antiviral RNAi immune response. This approach led to the discovery of 41 novel viruses in ants and revealed a host ant-specific RNAi response (21 vs. 22 nt siRNAs) in the different ant species. The efficiency of the RNAi response (sRNA/RNA read count ratio) depended on the virus and the respective ant species, but not its population. Overall, we found the highest virus abundance and diversity per population in Li. humile, followed by La. neglectus and M. rubra. Argentine ants also shared a high proportion of viruses between populations, whilst overlap was nearly absent in M. rubra. Only one of the 59 viruses was found to infect two of the ant species as hosts, revealing high host-specificity in active infections. In contrast, six viruses actively infected one ant species, but were found as contaminants only in the others. Disentangling spillover of disease-causing infection from non-infecting contamination across species is providing relevant information for disease ecology and ecosystem management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lumi Viljakainen
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- *Correspondence: Lumi Viljakainen,
| | - Matthias A. Fürst
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Anna V. Grasse
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Jaana Jurvansuu
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jinook Oh
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Lassi Tolonen
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Thomas Eder
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Computational System Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute for Medical Biochemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Rattei
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Computational System Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sylvia Cremer
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Klosterneuburg, Austria
- Sylvia Cremer,
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23
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Cross ST, Brehm AL, Dunham TJ, Rodgers CP, Keene AH, Borlee GI, Stenglein MD. Galbut Virus Infection Minimally Influences Drosophila melanogaster Fitness Traits in a Strain and Sex-Dependent Manner. Viruses 2023; 15:539. [PMID: 36851753 PMCID: PMC9965562 DOI: 10.3390/v15020539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Galbut virus (family Partitiviridae) infects Drosophila melanogaster and can be transmitted vertically from infected mothers or infected fathers with near perfect efficiency. This form of super-Mendelian inheritance should drive infection to 100% prevalence, and indeed, galbut virus is ubiquitous in wild D. melanogaster populations. However, on average, only about 60% of individual flies are infected. One possible explanation for this is that a subset of flies are resistant to infection. Although galbut virus-infected flies appear healthy, infection may be sufficiently costly to drive selection for resistant hosts, thereby decreasing overall prevalence. To test this hypothesis, we quantified a variety of fitness-related traits in galbut virus-infected flies from two lines from the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP). Galbut virus-infected flies had no difference in average lifespan and total offspring production compared to their uninfected counterparts. Galbut virus-infected DGRP-517 flies pupated and eclosed faster than their uninfected counterparts. Some galbut virus-infected flies exhibited altered sensitivity to viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens. The microbiome composition of flies was not measurably perturbed by galbut virus infection. Differences in phenotype attributable to galbut virus infection varied as a function of fly sex and DGRP strain, and differences attributable to infection status were dwarfed by larger differences attributable to strain and sex. Thus, galbut virus infection does produce measurable phenotypic changes, with changes being minor, offsetting, and possibly net-negative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun T. Cross
- Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Ali L. Brehm
- Center for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Tillie J. Dunham
- Center for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Case P. Rodgers
- Center for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Alexandra H. Keene
- Center for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Grace I. Borlee
- Center for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Mark D. Stenglein
- Center for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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24
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Sadasivan J, Vlok M, Wang X, Nayak A, Andino R, Jan E. Targeting Nup358/RanBP2 by a viral protein disrupts stress granule formation. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010598. [PMID: 36455064 PMCID: PMC9746944 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Viruses have evolved mechanisms to modulate cellular pathways to facilitate infection. One such pathway is the formation of stress granules (SG), which are ribonucleoprotein complexes that assemble during translation inhibition following cellular stress. Inhibition of SG assembly has been observed under numerous virus infections across species, suggesting a conserved fundamental viral strategy. However, the significance of SG modulation during virus infection is not fully understood. The 1A protein encoded by the model dicistrovirus, Cricket paralysis virus (CrPV), is a multifunctional protein that can bind to and degrade Ago-2 in an E3 ubiquitin ligase-dependent manner to block the antiviral RNA interference pathway and inhibit SG formation. Moreover, the R146 residue of 1A is necessary for SG inhibition and CrPV infection in both Drosophila S2 cells and adult flies. Here, we uncoupled CrPV-1A's functions and provide insight into its underlying mechanism for SG inhibition. CrPV-1A mediated inhibition of SGs requires the E3 ubiquitin-ligase binding domain and the R146 residue, but not the Ago-2 binding domain. Wild-type but not mutant CrPV-1A R146A localizes to the nuclear membrane which correlates with nuclear enrichment of poly(A)+ RNA. Transcriptome changes in CrPV-infected cells are dependent on the R146 residue. Finally, Nup358/RanBP2 is targeted and degraded in CrPV-infected cells in an R146-dependent manner and the depletion of Nup358 blocks SG formation. We propose that CrPV utilizes a multiprong strategy whereby the CrPV-1A protein interferes with a nuclear event that contributes to SG inhibition in order to promote infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jibin Sadasivan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marli Vlok
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Xinying Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Arabinda Nayak
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Raul Andino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Eric Jan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail:
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25
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Wang L, Tracy L, Su W, Yang F, Feng Y, Silverman N, Zhang ZZZ. Retrotransposon activation during Drosophila metamorphosis conditions adult antiviral responses. Nat Genet 2022; 54:1933-1945. [PMID: 36396707 PMCID: PMC9795486 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-022-01214-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Retrotransposons are one type of mobile genetic element that abundantly reside in the genomes of nearly all animals. Their uncontrolled activation is linked to sterility, cancer and other pathologies, thereby being largely considered detrimental. Here we report that, within a specific time window of development, retrotransposon activation can license the host's immune system for future antiviral responses. We found that the mdg4 (also known as Gypsy) retrotransposon selectively becomes active during metamorphosis at the Drosophila pupal stage. At this stage, mdg4 activation educates the host's innate immune system by inducing the systemic antiviral function of the nuclear factor-κB protein Relish in a dSTING-dependent manner. Consequently, adult flies with mdg4, Relish or dSTING silenced at the pupal stage are unable to clear exogenous viruses and succumb to viral infection. Altogether, our data reveal that hosts can establish a protective antiviral response that endows a long-term benefit in pathogen warfare due to the developmental activation of mobile genetic elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Lauren Tracy
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Weijia Su
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Fu Yang
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Yu Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Neal Silverman
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Z Z Zhao Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
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26
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Gartland S, Zeng B, Marr MT. The small RNA landscape is stable with age and resistant to loss of dFOXO signaling in Drosophila. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273590. [PMCID: PMC9668163 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging can be defined as the progressive loss of physiological homeostasis that leads to a decline in cellular and organismal function. In recent years, it has become clear that small RNA pathways play a role in aging and aging related phenotypes. Small RNA pathways regulate many important processes including development, cellular physiology, and innate immunity. The pathways illicit a form of posttranscriptional gene regulation that relies on small RNAs bound by the protein components of the RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISCs), which inhibit the expression of complementary RNAs. In Drosophila melanogaster, Argonaute 1 (Ago1) is the core RISC component in microRNA (miRNA) silencing, while Argonaute 2 (Ago2) is the core RISC component in small interfering RNA (siRNA) silencing. The expression of Ago1 and Ago2 is regulated by stress response transcription factor Forkhead box O (dFOXO) increasing siRNA silencing efficiency. dFOXO plays a role in multiple stress responses and regulates pathways important for longevity. Here we use a next-generation sequencing approach to determine the effects of aging on small RNA abundance and RISC loading in male and female Drosophila. In addition, we examine the impact of the loss of dFOXO on these processes. We find that the relative abundance of the majority of small RNAs does not change with age. Additionally, under normal growth conditions, the loss of dFOXO has little effect on the small RNA landscape. However, we observed that age affects loading into RISC for a small number of miRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siobhan Gartland
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Baosheng Zeng
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Michael T. Marr
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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27
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Xiong XP, Liang W, Liu W, Xu S, Li JL, Tito A, Situ J, Martinez D, Wu C, Perera RJ, Zhang S, Zhou R. The circular RNA Edis regulates neurodevelopment and innate immunity. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010429. [PMID: 36301822 PMCID: PMC9612488 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are widely expressed in eukaryotes. However, only a subset has been functionally characterized. We identify and validate a collection of circRNAs in Drosophila, and show that depletion of the brain-enriched circRNA Edis (circ_Ect4) causes hyperactivation of antibacterial innate immunity both in cultured cells and in vivo. Notably, Edis depleted flies display heightened resistance to bacterial infection and enhanced pathogen clearance. Conversely, ectopic Edis expression blocks innate immunity signaling. In addition, inactivation of Edis in vivo leads to impaired locomotor activity and shortened lifespan. Remarkably, these phenotypes can be recapitulated with neuron-specific depletion of Edis, accompanied by defective neurodevelopment. Furthermore, inactivation of Relish suppresses the innate immunity hyperactivation phenotype in the fly brain. Moreover, we provide evidence that Edis encodes a functional protein that associates with and compromises the processing and activation of the immune transcription factor Relish. Importantly, restoring Edis expression or ectopic expression of Edis-encoded protein suppresses both innate immunity and neurodevelopment phenotypes elicited by Edis depletion. Thus, our study establishes Edis as a key regulator of neurodevelopment and innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Peng Xiong
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program; NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Development, Aging and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Weihong Liang
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute. Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States of America
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States of America
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute. Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States of America
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States of America
| | - Shiyu Xu
- The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jian-Liang Li
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program; NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Antonio Tito
- The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Julia Situ
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program; NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Development, Aging and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Daniel Martinez
- Neuroscience Center of Excellence, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Chunlai Wu
- Neuroscience Center of Excellence, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Ranjan J. Perera
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program; NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute. Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States of America
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States of America
| | - Sheng Zhang
- The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Programs in Genetics & Epigenetics and Neuroscience, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Rui Zhou
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program; NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Development, Aging and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute. Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States of America
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States of America
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28
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Barillas-Mury C, Ribeiro JMC, Valenzuela JG. Understanding pathogen survival and transmission by arthropod vectors to prevent human disease. Science 2022; 377:eabc2757. [PMID: 36173836 DOI: 10.1126/science.abc2757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Many endemic poverty-associated diseases, such as malaria and leishmaniasis, are transmitted by arthropod vectors. Pathogens must interact with specific molecules in the vector gut, the microbiota, and the vector immune system to survive and be transmitted. The vertebrate host, in turn, is infected when the pathogen and vector-derived factors, such as salivary proteins, are delivered into the skin by a vector bite. Here, we review recent progress in our understanding of the biology of pathogen transmission from the human to the vector and back, from the vector to the host. We also highlight recent advances in the biology of vector-borne disease transmission, which have translated into additional strategies to prevent human disease by either reducing vector populations or by disrupting their ability to transmit pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Barillas-Mury
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - José M C Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Jesus G Valenzuela
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
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29
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Shen R, Zheng K, Zhou Y, Chi X, Pan H, Wu C, Yang Y, Zheng Y, Pan D, Liu B. A dRASSF-STRIPAK-Imd-JAK/STAT axis controls antiviral immune response in Drosophila. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111143. [PMID: 35905720 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Host antiviral immunity suffers strong pressure from rapidly evolving viruses. Identifying host antiviral immune mechanisms has profound implications for developing antiviral strategies. Here, we uncover an essential role for the tumor suppressor Ras-association domain family (RASSF) in Drosophila antiviral response. Loss of dRassf in fat body leads to increased vulnerability to viral infection and impaired Imd pathway activation accompanied by detrimental JAK/STAT signaling overactivation. Mechanistically, dRASSF protects TAK1, a key kinase of Imd pathway, from inhibition by the STRIPAK PP2A phosphatase complex. Activated Imd signaling then employs the effector Relish to interfere with the dimerization of JAK/STAT transmembrane receptor Domeless, therefore preventing excessive JAK/STAT signaling. Moreover, we find that RASSF and STRIPAK PP2A complex are also involved in antiviral response in human cell lines. Our study identifies an important role for RASSF in antiviral immunity and elucidates a dRASSF-STRIPAK-Imd-JAK/STAT signaling axis that ensures proper antiviral responses in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Kewei Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Xiaofeng Chi
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Huimin Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Chengfang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Yinan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Yonggang Zheng
- Department of Physiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Duojia Pan
- Department of Physiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
| | - Bo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China.
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30
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Santos D, Verdonckt TW, Mingels L, Van den Brande S, Geens B, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Kolliopoulou A, Swevers L, Wynant N, Vanden Broeck J. PIWI Proteins Play an Antiviral Role in Lepidopteran Cell Lines. Viruses 2022; 14:v14071442. [PMID: 35891422 PMCID: PMC9321812 DOI: 10.3390/v14071442] [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: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect antiviral immunity primarily relies on RNAi mechanisms. While a key role of small interfering (si)RNAs and AGO proteins has been well established in this regard, the situation for PIWI proteins and PIWI-interacting (pi)RNAs is not as clear. In the present study, we investigate whether PIWI proteins and viral piRNAs are involved in the immunity against single-stranded RNA viruses in lepidopteran cells, where two PIWIs are identified (Siwi and Ago3). Via loss- and gain-of-function studies in Bombyx mori BmN4 cells and in Trichoplusia ni High Five cells, we demonstrated an antiviral role of Siwi and Ago3. However, small RNA analysis suggests that viral piRNAs can be absent in these lepidopteran cells. Together with the current literature, our results support a functional diversification of PIWI proteins in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dulce Santos
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (T.-W.V.); (L.M.); (S.V.d.B.); (B.G.); (N.W.); (J.V.B.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Thomas-Wolf Verdonckt
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (T.-W.V.); (L.M.); (S.V.d.B.); (B.G.); (N.W.); (J.V.B.)
| | - Lina Mingels
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (T.-W.V.); (L.M.); (S.V.d.B.); (B.G.); (N.W.); (J.V.B.)
| | - Stijn Van den Brande
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (T.-W.V.); (L.M.); (S.V.d.B.); (B.G.); (N.W.); (J.V.B.)
| | - Bart Geens
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (T.-W.V.); (L.M.); (S.V.d.B.); (B.G.); (N.W.); (J.V.B.)
| | - Filip Van Nieuwerburgh
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Gent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Gent, Belgium;
| | - Anna Kolliopoulou
- Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Aghia Paraskevi Attikis, 153 10 Athens, Greece; (A.K.); (L.S.)
| | - Luc Swevers
- Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Aghia Paraskevi Attikis, 153 10 Athens, Greece; (A.K.); (L.S.)
| | - Niels Wynant
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (T.-W.V.); (L.M.); (S.V.d.B.); (B.G.); (N.W.); (J.V.B.)
| | - Jozef Vanden Broeck
- Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Division of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (T.-W.V.); (L.M.); (S.V.d.B.); (B.G.); (N.W.); (J.V.B.)
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31
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Córdova-García G, Esquivel CJ, Pérez-Staples D, Ruiz-May E, Herrera-Cruz M, Reyes-Hernández M, Abraham S, Aluja M, Sirot L. Characterization of reproductive proteins in the Mexican fruit fly points towards the evolution of novel functions. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212806. [PMID: 35765836 PMCID: PMC9240691 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Seminal fluid proteins (Sfps) modify female phenotypes and have wide-ranging evolutionary implications on fitness in many insects. However, in the Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens, a highly destructive agricultural pest, the functions of Sfps are still largely unknown. To gain insights into female phenotypes regulated by Sfps, we used nano-liquid chromatography mass spectrometry to conduct a proteomic analysis of the soluble proteins from reproductive organs of A. ludens. The proteins predicted to be transferred from males to females during copulation were 100 proteins from the accessory glands, 69 from the testes and 20 from the ejaculatory bulb, resulting in 141 unique proteins after accounting for redundancies from multiple tissues. These 141 included orthologues to Drosophila melanogaster proteins involved mainly in oogenesis, spermatogenesis, immune response, lifespan and fecundity. In particular, we found one protein associated with female olfactory response to repellent stimuli (Scribble), and two related to memory formation (aPKC and Shibire). Together, these results raise the possibility that A. ludens Sfps could play a role in regulating female olfactory responses and memory formation and could be indicative of novel evolutionary functions in this important agricultural pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Córdova-García
- INBIOTECA, Universidad Veracruzana, Av. de las Culturas Veracruzanas 101, Col. E. Zapata, Xalapa, CP 91090 Veracruz, México
| | | | - Diana Pérez-Staples
- INBIOTECA, Universidad Veracruzana, Av. de las Culturas Veracruzanas 101, Col. E. Zapata, Xalapa, CP 91090 Veracruz, México
| | - Eliel Ruiz-May
- Red de Manejo Biorracional de Plagas y Vectores, Clúster Científico y Tecnológico BioMimic®, Instituto de Ecología A.C. (INECOL), Antigua Carretera a Coatepec 351, Xalapa, Veracruz, México
| | - Mariana Herrera-Cruz
- Facultad de Medicina y Cirugía, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Ex-Hda de Aguilera S/N, C.P. 68020, Oaxaca, Oaxaca, México
| | - Martha Reyes-Hernández
- Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Av. Patria 1201, Col. Lomas del Valle, CP 45129 Zapopan, Jalisco, México
| | - Solana Abraham
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Ecoetológicas de Moscas de la Fruta y sus Enemigos Naturales (LIEMEN), PROIMI-Biotecnología, CONICET, Avenida Belgrano y Pasaje Caseros s/n, CP 4000 San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Martín Aluja
- Red de Manejo Biorracional de Plagas y Vectores, Clúster Científico y Tecnológico BioMimic®, Instituto de Ecología A.C. (INECOL), Antigua Carretera a Coatepec 351, Xalapa, Veracruz, México
| | - Laura Sirot
- Department of Biology, College of Wooster, 931 College Mall, Wooster, OH 44691, USA
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32
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de Faria IJS, Aguiar ERGR, Olmo RP, Alves da Silva J, Daeffler L, Carthew RW, Imler JL, Marques JT. Invading viral DNA triggers dsRNA synthesis by RNA polymerase II to activate antiviral RNA interference in Drosophila. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110976. [PMID: 35732126 PMCID: PMC10041815 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
dsRNA sensing triggers antiviral responses against RNA and DNA viruses in diverse eukaryotes. In Drosophila, Invertebrate iridescent virus 6 (IIV-6), a large DNA virus, triggers production of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) by the dsRNA sensor Dicer-2. Here, we show that host RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) bidirectionally transcribes specific AT-rich regions of the IIV-6 DNA genome to generate dsRNA. Both replicative and naked IIV-6 genomes trigger production of dsRNA in Drosophila cells, implying direct sensing of invading DNA. Loquacious-PD, a Dicer-2 co-factor essential for the biogenesis of endogenous siRNAs, is dispensable for processing of IIV-6-derived dsRNAs, which suggests that they are distinct. Consistent with this finding, inhibition of the RNAPII co-factor P-TEFb affects the synthesis of endogenous, but not virus-derived, dsRNA. Altogether, our results suggest that a non-canonical RNAPII complex recognizes invading viral DNA to synthesize virus-derived dsRNA, which activates the antiviral siRNA pathway in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaque J S de Faria
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U1257, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Eric R G R Aguiar
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Department of Biological Science (DCB), Center of Biotechnology and Genetics (CBG), Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), 45662-900 Ilhéus, Brazil
| | - Roenick P Olmo
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U1257, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Juliana Alves da Silva
- Department of Morphology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Laurent Daeffler
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U1257, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Richard W Carthew
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; NSF Simons Center for Quantitative Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Jean-Luc Imler
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U1257, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - João T Marques
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U1257, 67084 Strasbourg, France.
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33
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The Aedes aegypti siRNA pathway mediates broad-spectrum defense against human pathogenic viruses and modulates antibacterial and antifungal defenses. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001668. [PMID: 35679279 PMCID: PMC9182253 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The mosquito’s innate immune system defends against a variety of pathogens, and the conserved siRNA pathway plays a central role in the control of viral infections. Here, we show that transgenic overexpression of Dicer2 (Dcr2) or R2d2 resulted in an accumulation of 21-nucleotide viral sequences that was accompanied by a significant suppression of dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus (ZIKV), and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) replication, thus indicating the broad-spectrum antiviral response mediated by the siRNA pathway that can be applied for the development of novel arbovirus control strategies. Interestingly, overexpression of Dcr2 or R2d2 regulated the mRNA abundance of a variety of antimicrobial immune genes, pointing to additional functions of DCR2 and R2D2 as well as cross-talk between the siRNA pathway and other immune pathways. Accordingly, transgenic overexpression of Dcr2 or R2d2 resulted in a lesser proliferation of the midgut microbiota and increased resistance to bacterial and fungal infections. This study shows that transgenic overexpression of siRNA pathway factors in mosquitoes mediates a broad-spectrum antiviral action against human pathogenic viruses such as dengue, Zika and Chikungunya virus, with implications for novel arbovirus control strategies; the siRNA pathway also regulates antimicrobial immune responses against bacterial and fungal infections.
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34
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Nekkanti A, Chakraborty P, Ghosh A, Iquebal MA, Jaiswal S, Baranwal VK. Transcriptomic Changes of Bemisia tabaci Asia II 1 Induced by Chilli Leaf Curl Virus Trigger Infection and Circulation in Its Vector. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:890807. [PMID: 35572639 PMCID: PMC9096263 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.890807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a highly efficient vector in the spread of chilli leaf curl virus (ChiLCV, Begomovirus) which is a major constraint in the production of chilli in South Asia. Transcriptome analysis of B. tabaci post-6 h acquisition of ChiLCV showed differential expression of 80 (29 upregulated and 51 downregulated) genes. The maximum number of DEGs are categorized under the biological processes category followed by cellular components and molecular functions. KEGG analysis of DEGs showed that the genes are involved in the functions like metabolism, signaling pathways, cellular processes, and organismal systems. The expression of highly expressed 20 genes post-ChiLCV acquisition was validated in RT-qPCR. DEGs such as cytosolic carboxypeptidase 3, dual-specificity protein phosphatase 10, 15, dynein axonemal heavy chain 17, fasciclin 2, inhibin beta chain, replication factor A protein 1, and Tob1 were found enriched and favored the virus infection and circulation in B. tabaci. The present study provides an improved understanding of the networks of molecular interactions between B. tabaci and ChiLCV. The candidate genes of B. tabaci involved in ChiLCV transmission would be novel targets for the management of the B. tabaci-begomovirus complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarthi Nekkanti
- Advanced Centre for Plant Virology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India.,Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Prosenjit Chakraborty
- Advanced Centre for Plant Virology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Amalendu Ghosh
- Advanced Centre for Plant Virology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Mir Asif Iquebal
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Sarika Jaiswal
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Virendra Kumar Baranwal
- Advanced Centre for Plant Virology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
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35
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Innate immune pathways act synergistically to constrain RNA virus evolution in Drosophila melanogaster. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:565-578. [PMID: 35273366 PMCID: PMC7612704 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01697-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Host-pathogen interactions impose recurrent selective pressures that lead to constant adaptation and counter-adaptation in both competing species. Here, we sought to study this evolutionary arms-race and assessed the impact of the innate immune system on viral population diversity and evolution, using Drosophila melanogaster as model host and its natural pathogen Drosophila C virus (DCV). We isogenized eight fly genotypes generating animals defective for RNAi, Imd and Toll innate immune pathways as well as pathogen sensing and gut renewal pathways. Wild-type or mutant flies were then orally infected with DCV, and the virus was serially passaged ten times via reinfection in naïve flies. Viral population diversity was studied after each viral passage by high-throughput sequencing, and infection phenotypes were assessed at the beginning and at the end of the evolution experiment. We found that the absence of any of the various immune pathways studied increased viral genetic diversity while attenuating virulence. Strikingly, these effects were observed in a range of host factors described as having mainly antiviral or antibacterial functions. Together, our results indicate that the innate immune system as a whole, and not specific antiviral defense pathways in isolation, generally constrains viral diversity and evolution.
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36
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Zhang Y, Dai Y, Wang J, Xu Y, Li Z, Lu J, Xu Y, Zhong J, Ding SW, Li Y. Mouse circulating extracellular vesicles contain virus-derived siRNAs active in antiviral immunity. EMBO J 2022; 41:e109902. [PMID: 35343600 PMCID: PMC9156966 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021109902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Induction and suppression of antiviral RNA interference (RNAi) has been observed in mammals during infection with at least seven distinct RNA viruses, including some that are pathogenic in humans. However, while the cell-autonomous immune response mediated by antiviral RNAi is gradually being recognized, little is known about systemic antiviral RNAi in mammals. Furthermore, extracellular vesicles (EVs) also function in viral signal spreading and host immunity. Here, we show that upon antiviral RNAi activation, virus-derived small-interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs) from Nodamura virus (NoV), Sindbis virus (SINV), and Zika virus (ZIKV) enter the murine bloodstream via EVs for systemic circulation. vsiRNAs in the EVs are biologically active, since they confer RNA-RNA homology-dependent antiviral activity in both cultured cells and infant mice. Moreover, we demonstrate that vaccination with a live-attenuated virus, rendered deficient in RNAi suppression, induces production of stably maintained vsiRNAs and confers protective immunity against virus infection in mice. This suggests that vaccination with live-attenuated VSR (viral suppressor of RNAi)-deficient mutant viruses could be a new strategy to induce immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqiang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yunpeng Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaxin Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhe Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinfeng Lu
- Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Yongfen Xu
- Unit of Viral Hepatitis, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin Zhong
- Unit of Viral Hepatitis, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shou-Wei Ding
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Yang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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37
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Black JL, Clark MK, Sword GA. Physiological and transcriptional immune responses of a non-model arthropod to infection with different entomopathogenic groups. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263620. [PMID: 35134064 PMCID: PMC8824330 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect immune responses to multiple pathogen groups including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and entomopathogenic nematodes have traditionally been documented in model insects such as Drosophila melanogaster, or medically important insects such as Aedes aegypti. Despite their potential importance in understanding the efficacy of pathogens as biological control agents, these responses are infrequently studied in agriculturally important pests. Additionally, studies that investigate responses of a host species to different pathogen groups are uncommon, and typically focus on only a single time point during infection. As such, a robust understanding of immune system responses over the time of infection is often lacking in many pest species. This study was conducted to understand how 3rd instar larvae of the major insect pest Helicoverpa zea responded through the course of an infection by four different pathogenic groups: viruses, bacteria, fungi, and entomopathogenic nematodes; by sampling at three different times post-inoculation. Physiological immune responses were assessed at 4-, 24-, and 48-hours post-infection by measuring hemolymph phenoloxidase concentrations, hemolymph prophenoloxidase concentrations, hemocyte counts, and encapsulation ability. Transcriptional immune responses were measured at 24-, 48-, and 72-hours post-infection by quantifying the expression of PPO2, Argonaute-2, JNK, Dorsal, and Relish. This gene set covers the major known immune pathways: phenoloxidase cascade, siRNA, JNK pathway, Toll pathway, and IMD pathway. Our results indicate H. zea has an extreme immune response to Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria, a mild response to Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus, and little-to-no detectable response to either the fungus Beauveria bassiana or Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L. Black
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Mason K. Clark
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Gregory A. Sword
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
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38
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Zhao S, Chen G, Kong X, Chen N, Wu X. BmNPV p35 Reduces the Accumulation of Virus-Derived siRNAs and Hinders the Function of siRNAs to Facilitate Viral Infection. Front Immunol 2022; 13:845268. [PMID: 35251046 PMCID: PMC8895250 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.845268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Antiviral immunity involves various mechanisms and responses, including the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. During long-term coevolution, viruses have gained the ability to evade this defense by encoding viral suppressors of RNAi (VSRs). It was reported that p35 of baculovirus can inhibit cellular small interference RNA (siRNA) pathway; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying p35 as a VSR remain largely unclear. Here, we showed that p35 of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) reduces the accumulation of virus-derived siRNAs (vsiRNAs) mapped to a particular region in the viral genome, leading to an increased expression of the essential genes in this region, and revealed that p35 disrupts the function of siRNAs by preventing them from loading into Argonaute-2 (Ago2). This repressive effect on the cellular siRNA pathway enhances the replication of BmNPV. Thus, our findings illustrate for the first time the inhibitory mechanism of a baculovirus VSR and how this effect influences viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shudi Zhao
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guanping Chen
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangshuo Kong
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Nan Chen
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofeng Wu
- College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Bee Resource Utilization and Innovation of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaofeng Wu,
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Deng H, Xian D, Lian T, He M, Li J, Xu X, Guo Z, He J, Weng S. A Dicer2 from Scylla paramamosain activates JAK/STAT signaling pathway to restrain mud crab reovirus. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 127:104267. [PMID: 34626689 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2021.104267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A Dicer2 gene from Scylla paramamosain, named SpDicer2, was cloned and characterized. The full length of SpDicer2 mRNA contains a 121 bp 5'untranslated region (UTR), an open reading frame (ORF) of 4518 bp and a 3' UTR of 850 bp. The SpDicer2 protein contains seven characteristic Dicer domains and showed 34%-65% identity and 54%-79% similarity to other Dicer protein domains, respectively. The mRNA of SpDicer2 was high expressed in hemocytes, intestine and gill and low expressed in the eyestalk and muscle. Moreover, expression of SpDicer2 was significantly responsive to challenges by mud crab reovirus (MCRV), Poly(I:C), LPS, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. SpDicer2 was dispersedly presented in the cytoplasm except for a small amount in the nucleus. SpDicer2 could activate SpSTAT to translocate from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, and significantly increase the transcription activity of the wsv069 promoter, suggesting that SpDicer2 activated the JAK/STAT pathway. Furthermore, silencing of SpDicer2 in vivo increased the mortality of MCRV infected mud crab and the viral load in tissues and down-regulated the expression of multiple components of Toll, IMD and JAK-STAT pathways and almost all the examined immune effector genes. These results suggested that SpDicer2 could play an important role in defense against MCRV via activating the JAK/STAT signaling pathways in mud crab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengwei Deng
- State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol / School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), 519000, Zhuhai, PR China
| | - Danrong Xian
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China; State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Taixin Lian
- State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol / School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China
| | - Mingyu He
- State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol / School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China
| | - Jingjing Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol / School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China
| | - Xiaopeng Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol / School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), 519000, Zhuhai, PR China
| | - Zhixun Guo
- South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute (CAFS), Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Jianguo He
- State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol / School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), 519000, Zhuhai, PR China; State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Shaoping Weng
- State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol / School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), 519000, Zhuhai, PR China.
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40
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Böttcher R, Schmidts I, Nitschko V, Duric P, Förstemann K. RNA polymerase II is recruited to DNA double-strand breaks for dilncRNA transcription in Drosophila. RNA Biol 2021; 19:68-77. [PMID: 34965182 PMCID: PMC8786327 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2021.2014694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA double-strand breaks are among the most toxic lesions that can occur in a genome and their faithful repair is thus of great importance. Recent findings have uncovered local transcription that initiates at the break and forms a non-coding transcript, called damage-induced long non-coding RNA (dilncRNA), which helps to coordinate the DNA transactions necessary for repair. We provide nascent RNA sequencing-based evidence that RNA polymerase II transcribes the dilncRNA in Drosophila and that this is more efficient for DNA breaks in an intron-containing gene, consistent with the higher damage-induced siRNA levels downstream of an intron. The spliceosome thus stimulates recruitment of RNA polymerase II to the break, rather than merely promoting the annealing of sense and antisense RNA to form the siRNA precursor. In contrast, RNA polymerase III nascent RNA libraries did not contain reads corresponding to the cleaved loci and selective inhibition of RNA polymerase III did not reduce the yield of damage-induced siRNAs. Finally, the damage-induced siRNA density was unchanged downstream of a T8 sequence, which terminates RNA polymerase III transcription. We thus found no evidence for a participation of RNA polymerase III in dilncRNA transcription in cultured Drosophila cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romy Böttcher
- Department. Of Biochemistry and Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Ines Schmidts
- Department. Of Biochemistry and Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Volker Nitschko
- Department. Of Biochemistry and Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Petar Duric
- Department. Of Biochemistry and Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Klaus Förstemann
- Department. Of Biochemistry and Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany
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Segrist E, Dittmar M, Gold B, Cherry S. Orally acquired cyclic dinucleotides drive dSTING-dependent antiviral immunity in enterocytes. Cell Rep 2021; 37:110150. [PMID: 34965418 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Enteric pathogens overcome barrier immunity within the intestinal environment that includes the endogenous flora. The microbiota produces diverse ligands, and the full spectrum of microbial products that are sensed by the epithelium and prime protective immunity is unknown. Using Drosophila, we find that the gut presents a high barrier to infection, which is partially due to signals from the microbiota, as loss of the microbiota enhances oral viral infection. We report cyclic dinucleotide (CDN) feeding is sufficient to protect microbiota-deficient flies from enhanced oral infection, suggesting that bacterial-derived CDNs induce immunity. Mechanistically, we find CDN protection is dSTING- and dTBK1-dependent, leading to NF-kB-dependent gene expression. Furthermore, we identify the apical nucleoside transporter, CNT2, as required for oral CDN protection. Altogether, our studies define a role for bacterial products in priming immune defenses in the gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisha Segrist
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Mark Dittmar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Beth Gold
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sara Cherry
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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Transcriptome of the Maize Leafhopper ( Dalbulus maidis) and Its Transcriptional Response to Maize Rayado Fino Virus (MRFV), Which It Transmits in a Persistent, Propagative Manner. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0061221. [PMID: 34817206 PMCID: PMC8612151 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00612-21] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The corn leafhopper (Dalbulus maidis) is an important vector of maize rayado fino virus (MRFV), a positive-strand RNA (+ssRNA) marafivirus which it transmits in a persistent propagative manner. The interaction of D. maidis with MRFV, including infection of the insect and subsequent transmission to new plants, is not well understood at the molecular level. To examine the leafhopper-virus interaction, a D. maidis transcriptome was assembled and differences in transcript abundance between virus-exposed and naive D. maidis were examined at two time points (4 h and 7 days) post exposure to MRFV. The D. maidis transcriptome contained 56,116 transcripts generated from 1,727,369,026 100-nt paired-end reads from whole adult insects. The transcriptome of D. maidis shared highest identity and most orthologs with the leafhopper Graminella nigrifrons (65% of transcripts had matches with E values of <10-5) versus planthoppers Sogatella furcifera (with 23% of transcript matches below the E value cutoff) and Peregrinus maidis (with 21% transcript matches below the E value cutoff), as expected based on taxonomy. D. maidis expressed genes in the Toll, Imd, and Jak/Stat insect immune signaling pathways, RNA interference (RNAi) pathway genes, prophenoloxidase-activating system pathways, and immune recognition protein-encoding genes such as peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs), antimicrobial peptides, and other effectors. Statistical analysis (performed by R package DESeq2) identified 72 transcripts at 4 h and 67 at 7 days that were significantly responsive to MRFV exposure. Genes expected to be favorable for virus propagation, such as protein synthesis-related genes and genes encoding superoxide dismutase, were significantly upregulated after MRFV exposure. IMPORTANCE The transcriptome of the corn leafhopper, D. maidis, revealed conserved biochemical pathways for immunity and discovered transcripts responsive to MRFV-infected plants at two time points, providing a basis for functional identification of genes that either limit or promote the virus-vector interaction. Compared to other hopper species and the propagative plant viruses they transmit, D. maidis shared 15 responsive transcripts with S. furcifera (to southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus [SRBSDV]), one with G. nigrifrons (to maize fine streak virus [MFSV]), and one with P. maidis (to maize mosaic virus [MMV]), but no virus-responsive transcripts identified were shared among all four hopper vector species.
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Shah AU, Li Y, Ouyang W, Wang Z, Zuo J, Shi S, Yu Q, Lin J, Yang Q. From nasal to basal: single-cell sequencing of the bursa of Fabricius highlights the IBDV infection mechanism in chickens. Cell Biosci 2021; 11:212. [PMID: 34915931 PMCID: PMC8675306 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-021-00728-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chickens, important food animals and model organisms, are susceptible to many RNA viruses that invade via the nasal cavity. To determine the nasal entry site of the virus and clarify why avians are susceptible to RNA viruses, infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) was selected because it is a typical avian RNA virus that infects chickens mainly via the nasal route. RESULTS First, we found that IBDV infected the posterior part of the nasal cavity in chickens, which is rich in lymphoid tissue and allows the virus to be easily transferred to the blood. Via the blood circulation, IBDV infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and was transferred to the bursa of Fabricius to damage the IgM + B lymphocyte population. Subsequently, the single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) results suggested the more detailed response of different bursal cell populations (B cells, epithelial cells, dendritic cells, and fibroblasts) to IBDV. Regarding B cells, IBDV infection greatly decreased the IgM + B cell population but increased the IgA + B cell population in the bursal follicles. In contrast to B cells, bursal epithelial cells, especially basal cells, accumulated a large number of IBDV particles. Furthermore, we found that both innate RNA sensors and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) were highly expressed in the IBDV-infected groups, while dicer and ago2 expression was largely blocked by IBDV infection. This result suggests that dicer-related RNA interference (RNAi) might be an effective antiviral strategy for IBDV infection in avian. CONCLUSION Our study not only comprehensively elaborates on the transmission of airborne IBDV via the intranasal route and establishes the main target cell types for productive IBDV infection but also provides sufficient evidence to explain the cellular antiviral mechanism against IBDV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abid Ullah Shah
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wei gang 1, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, People's Republic of China.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wei gang 1, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuchen Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wei gang 1, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Ouyang
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biological Engineering and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing, 210014, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhisheng Wang
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology and Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinjiao Zuo
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wei gang 1, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Song Shi
- Shanghai OE Biotech. Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 201114, People's Republic of China
| | - Qinghua Yu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wei gang 1, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Lin
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wei gang 1, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qian Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wei gang 1, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, People's Republic of China
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Abstract
One of the first layers of protection that metazoans put in place to defend themselves against viruses rely on the use of proteins containing DExD/H-box helicase domains. These members of the duplex RNA–activated ATPase (DRA) family act as sensors of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules, a universal marker of viral infections. DRAs can be classified into 2 subgroups based on their mode of action: They can either act directly on the dsRNA, or they can trigger a signaling cascade. In the first group, the type III ribonuclease Dicer plays a key role to activate the antiviral RNA interference (RNAi) pathway by cleaving the viral dsRNA into small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). This represents the main innate antiviral immune mechanism in arthropods and nematodes. Even though Dicer is present and functional in mammals, the second group of DRAs, containing the RIG-I-like RNA helicases, appears to have functionally replaced RNAi and activate type I interferon (IFN) response upon dsRNA sensing. However, recent findings tend to blur the frontier between these 2 mechanisms, thereby highlighting the crucial and diverse roles played by RNA helicases in antiviral innate immunity. Here, we will review our current knowledge of the importance of these key proteins in viral infection, with a special focus on the interplay between the 2 main types of response that are activated by dsRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgane Baldaccini
- Université de Strasbourg, Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire du CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Sébastien Pfeffer
- Université de Strasbourg, Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire du CNRS, Strasbourg, France
- * E-mail:
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Parekh F, Daughenbaugh KF, Flenniken ML. Chemical Stimulants and Stressors Impact the Outcome of Virus Infection and Immune Gene Expression in Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera). Front Immunol 2021; 12:747848. [PMID: 34804032 PMCID: PMC8596368 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.747848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Western honey bees (Apis mellifera) are ecologically, agriculturally, and economically important plant pollinators. High average annual losses of honey bee colonies in the US have been partially attributed to agrochemical exposure and virus infections. To examine the potential negative synergistic impacts of agrochemical exposure and virus infection, as well as the potential promise of phytochemicals to ameliorate the impact of pathogenic infections on honey bees, we infected bees with a panel of viruses (i.e., Flock House virus, deformed wing virus, or Sindbis virus) and exposed to one of three chemical compounds. Specifically, honey bees were fed sucrose syrup containing: (1) thyme oil, a phytochemical and putative immune stimulant, (2) fumagillin, a beekeeper applied fungicide, or (3) clothianidin, a grower-applied insecticide. We determined that virus abundance was lower in honey bees fed 0.16 ppb thyme oil augmented sucrose syrup, compared to bees fed sucrose syrup alone. Parallel analysis of honey bee gene expression revealed that honey bees fed thyme oil augmented sucrose syrup had higher expression of key RNAi genes (argonaute-2 and dicer-like), antimicrobial peptide expressing genes (abaecin and hymenoptaecin), and vitellogenin, a putative honey bee health and age indicator, compared to bees fed only sucrose syrup. Virus abundance was higher in bees fed fumagillin (25 ppm or 75 ppm) or 1 ppb clothianidin containing sucrose syrup relative to levels in bees fed only sucrose syrup. Whereas, honey bees fed 10 ppb clothianidin had lower virus levels, likely because consuming a near lethal dose of insecticide made them poor hosts for virus infection. The negative impact of fumagillin and clothianidin on honey bee health was indicated by the lower expression of argonaute-2, dicer-like, abaecin, and hymenoptaecin, and vitellogenin. Together, these results indicate that chemical stimulants and stressors impact the outcome of virus infection and immune gene expression in honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenali Parekh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Katie F Daughenbaugh
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Michelle L Flenniken
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
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46
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Mousavi SR, Sajjadi MS, Khosravian F, Feizbakhshan S, Salmanizadeh S, Esfahani ZT, Beni FA, Arab A, Kazemi M, Shahzamani K, Sami R, Hosseinzadeh M, Salehi M, Lotfi H. Dysregulation of RNA interference components in COVID-19 patients. BMC Res Notes 2021; 14:401. [PMID: 34715923 PMCID: PMC8554738 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-021-05816-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the novel coronavirus causing severe respiratory illness (COVID-19). This virus was initially identified in Wuhan city, a populated area of the Hubei province in China, and still remains one of the major global health challenges. RNA interference (RNAi) is a mechanism of post-transcriptional gene silencing that plays a crucial role in innate viral defense mechanisms by inhibiting the virus replication as well as expression of various viral proteins. Dicer, Drosha, Ago2, and DGCR8 are essential components of the RNAi system, which is supposed to be dysregulated in COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to assess the expression level of the mentioned mRNAs in COVID-19patients compared to healthy individuals. RESULTS Our findings demonstrated that the expression of Dicer, Drosha, and Ago2 was statistically altered in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy subjects. Ultimately, the RNA interference mechanism as a crucial antiviral defense system was suggested to be dysregulated in COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyyed Reza Mousavi
- Cellular, Molecular and Genetics Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 8175954319, Isfahan, Iran
- Medical Genetics Research Center of Genome, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Maryam Sadat Sajjadi
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Alzahra University Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Farinaz Khosravian
- Cellular, Molecular and Genetics Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 8175954319, Isfahan, Iran
- Medical Genetics Research Center of Genome, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Sara Feizbakhshan
- Cellular, Molecular and Genetics Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 8175954319, Isfahan, Iran
- Medical Genetics Research Center of Genome, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Sharareh Salmanizadeh
- Cellular, Molecular and Genetics Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 8175954319, Isfahan, Iran
- Medical Genetics Research Center of Genome, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Zahra Taherian Esfahani
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Alzahra University Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Faeze Ahmadi Beni
- Cellular, Molecular and Genetics Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 8175954319, Isfahan, Iran
- Medical Genetics Research Center of Genome, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Ameneh Arab
- Noor Educational and Medical Center،Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Kazemi
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Kiana Shahzamani
- Isfahan Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research Center (lGHRC), Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Ramin Sami
- Department of Pulmonology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Majid Hosseinzadeh
- Craniofacial and Cleft Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mansoor Salehi
- Cellular, Molecular and Genetics Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 8175954319, Isfahan, Iran.
- Medical Genetics Research Center of Genome, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
| | - Hajie Lotfi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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47
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McMenamin AJ, Brutscher LM, Daughenbaugh KF, Flenniken ML. The Honey Bee Gene Bee Antiviral Protein-1 Is a Taxonomically Restricted Antiviral Immune Gene. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 1:749781. [PMID: 38468887 PMCID: PMC10926557 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2021.749781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Insects have evolved a wide range of strategies to combat invading pathogens, including viruses. Genes that encode proteins involved in immune responses often evolve under positive selection due to their co-evolution with pathogens. Insect antiviral defense includes the RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism, which is triggered by recognition of non-self, virally produced, double-stranded RNAs. Indeed, insect RNAi genes (e.g., dicer and argonaute-2) are under high selective pressure. Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are eusocial insects that respond to viral infections via both sequence specific RNAi and a non-sequence specific dsRNA triggered pathway, which is less well-characterized. A transcriptome-level study of virus-infected and/or dsRNA-treated honey bees revealed increased expression of a novel antiviral gene, GenBank: MF116383, and in vivo experiments confirmed its antiviral function. Due to in silico annotation and sequence similarity, MF116383 was originally annotated as a probable cyclin-dependent serine/threonine-protein kinase. In this study, we confirmed that MF116383 limits virus infection, and carried out further bioinformatic and phylogenetic analyses to better characterize this important gene-which we renamed bee antiviral protein-1 (bap1). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that bap1 is taxonomically restricted to Hymenoptera and Blatella germanica (the German cockroach) and that the majority of bap1 amino acids are evolving under neutral selection. This is in-line with the results from structural prediction tools that indicate Bap1 is a highly disordered protein, which likely has relaxed structural constraints. Assessment of honey bee gene expression using a weighted gene correlation network analysis revealed that bap1 expression was highly correlated with several immune genes-most notably argonaute-2. The coexpression of bap1 and argonaute-2 was confirmed in an independent dataset that accounted for the effect of virus abundance. Together, these data demonstrate that bap1 is a taxonomically restricted, rapidly evolving antiviral immune gene. Future work will determine the role of bap1 in limiting replication of other viruses and examine the signal cascade responsible for regulating the expression of bap1 and other honey bee antiviral defense genes, including coexpressed ago-2, and determine whether the virus limiting function of bap1 acts in parallel or in tandem with RNAi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J. McMenamin
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Laura M. Brutscher
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Katie F. Daughenbaugh
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Michelle L. Flenniken
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
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48
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Imrie RM, Roberts KE, Longdon B. Between virus correlations in the outcome of infection across host species: Evidence of virus by host species interactions. Evol Lett 2021; 5:472-483. [PMID: 34621534 PMCID: PMC8484721 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Virus host shifts are a major source of outbreaks and emerging infectious diseases, and predicting the outcome of novel host and virus interactions remains a key challenge for virus research. The evolutionary relationships between host species can explain variation in transmission rates, virulence, and virus community composition between hosts, but it is unclear if correlations exist between related viruses in infection traits across novel hosts. Here, we measure correlations in viral load of four Cripavirus isolates across experimental infections of 45 Drosophilidae host species. We find positive correlations between every pair of viruses tested, suggesting that some host clades show broad susceptibility and could act as reservoirs and donors for certain types of viruses. Additionally, we find evidence of virus by host species interactions, highlighting the importance of both host and virus traits in determining the outcome of virus host shifts. Of the four viruses tested here, those that were more closely related tended to be more strongly correlated, providing tentative evidence that virus evolutionary relatedness may be a useful proxy for determining the likelihood of novel virus emergence, which warrants further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M. Imrie
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynTR10 9FEUnited Kingdom
| | - Katherine E. Roberts
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynTR10 9FEUnited Kingdom
| | - Ben Longdon
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynTR10 9FEUnited Kingdom
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49
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Betting V, Joosten J, Halbach R, Thaler M, Miesen P, Van Rij RP. A piRNA-lncRNA regulatory network initiates responder and trailer piRNA formation during mosquito embryonic development. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 27:1155-1172. [PMID: 34210890 PMCID: PMC8456997 DOI: 10.1261/rna.078876.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
PIWI-interacting (pi)RNAs are small silencing RNAs that are crucial for the defense against transposable elements in germline tissues of animals. In Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the piRNA pathway also contributes to gene regulation in somatic tissues, illustrating additional roles for piRNAs and PIWI proteins besides transposon repression. Here, we identify a highly abundant endogenous piRNA (propiR1) that associates with both Piwi4 and Piwi5. PropiR1-mediated target silencing requires base-pairing in the seed region with supplemental base-pairing at the piRNA 3' end. Yet, propiR1 represses a limited set of targets, among which is the lncRNA AAEL027353 (lnc027353). Slicing of lnc027353 initiates production of responder and trailer piRNAs from the cleavage fragment. Expression of propiR1 commences early during embryonic development and mediates degradation of maternally provided lnc027353 Both propiR1 and its lncRNA target are conserved in the closely related Aedes albopictus mosquito, underscoring the importance of this regulatory network for mosquito development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Betting
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Joep Joosten
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rebecca Halbach
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Melissa Thaler
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Pascal Miesen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald P Van Rij
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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50
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Ullastres A, Merenciano M, González J. Regulatory regions in natural transposable element insertions drive interindividual differences in response to immune challenges in Drosophila. Genome Biol 2021; 22:265. [PMID: 34521452 PMCID: PMC8439047 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02471-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Variation in gene expression underlies interindividual variability in relevant traits including immune response. However, the genetic variation responsible for these gene expression changes remains largely unknown. Among the non-coding variants that could be relevant, transposable element insertions are promising candidates as they have been shown to be a rich and diverse source of cis-regulatory elements. Results In this work, we use a population genetics approach to identify transposable element insertions likely to increase the tolerance of Drosophila melanogaster to bacterial infection by affecting the expression of immune-related genes. We identify 12 insertions associated with allele-specific expression changes in immune-related genes. We experimentally validate three of these insertions including one likely to be acting as a silencer, one as an enhancer, and one with a dual role as enhancer and promoter. The direction in the change of gene expression associated with the presence of several of these insertions is consistent with an increased survival to infection. Indeed, for one of the insertions, we show that this is the case by analyzing both natural populations and CRISPR/Cas9 mutants in which the insertion is deleted from its native genomic context. Conclusions We show that transposable elements contribute to gene expression variation in response to infection in D. melanogaster and that this variation is likely to affect their survival capacity. Because the role of transposable elements as regulatory elements is not restricted to Drosophila, transposable elements are likely to play a role in immune response in other organisms as well. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13059-021-02471-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ullastres
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miriam Merenciano
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josefa González
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
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