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Khalaf A, Francis O, Blaxter ML. Genome evolution in intracellular parasites: Microsporidia and Apicomplexa. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2024:e13033. [PMID: 38785208 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.13033] [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: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Microsporidia and Apicomplexa are eukaryotic, single-celled, intracellular parasites with huge public health and economic importance. Typically, these parasites are studied separately, emphasizing their uniqueness and diversity. In this review, we explore the huge amount of genomic data that has recently become available for the two groups. We compare and contrast their genome evolution and discuss how their transitions to intracellular life may have shaped it. In particular, we explore genome reduction and compaction, genome expansion and ploidy, gene shuffling and rearrangements, and the evolution of centromeres and telomeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amjad Khalaf
- Tree of Life, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ore Francis
- Tree of Life, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
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2
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Sun C, Fang R, Salemi M, Prosperi M, Rife Magalis B. DeepDynaForecast: Phylogenetic-informed graph deep learning for epidemic transmission dynamic prediction. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1011351. [PMID: 38598563 PMCID: PMC11034642 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
In the midst of an outbreak or sustained epidemic, reliable prediction of transmission risks and patterns of spread is critical to inform public health programs. Projections of transmission growth or decline among specific risk groups can aid in optimizing interventions, particularly when resources are limited. Phylogenetic trees have been widely used in the detection of transmission chains and high-risk populations. Moreover, tree topology and the incorporation of population parameters (phylodynamics) can be useful in reconstructing the evolutionary dynamics of an epidemic across space and time among individuals. We now demonstrate the utility of phylodynamic trees for transmission modeling and forecasting, developing a phylogeny-based deep learning system, referred to as DeepDynaForecast. Our approach leverages a primal-dual graph learning structure with shortcut multi-layer aggregation, which is suited for the early identification and prediction of transmission dynamics in emerging high-risk groups. We demonstrate the accuracy of DeepDynaForecast using simulated outbreak data and the utility of the learned model using empirical, large-scale data from the human immunodeficiency virus epidemic in Florida between 2012 and 2020. Our framework is available as open-source software (MIT license) at github.com/lab-smile/DeepDynaForcast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoyue Sun
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Ruogu Fang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Marco Salemi
- Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Mattia Prosperi
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Brittany Rife Magalis
- Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
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3
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Cepeda AS, Mello B, Pacheco MA, Luo Z, Sullivan SA, Carlton JM, Escalante AA. The Genome of Plasmodium gonderi: Insights into the Evolution of Human Malaria Parasites. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae027. [PMID: 38376987 PMCID: PMC10901558 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae027] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium species causing malaria in humans are not monophyletic, sharing common ancestors with nonhuman primate parasites. Plasmodium gonderi is one of the few known Plasmodium species infecting African old-world monkeys that are not found in apes. This study reports a de novo assembled P. gonderi genome with complete chromosomes. The P. gonderi genome shares codon usage, syntenic blocks, and other characteristics with the human parasites Plasmodium ovale s.l. and Plasmodium malariae, also of African origin, and the human parasite Plasmodium vivax and species found in nonhuman primates from Southeast Asia. Using phylogenetically aware methods, newly identified syntenic blocks were found enriched with conserved metabolic genes. Regions outside those blocks harbored genes encoding proteins involved in the vertebrate host-Plasmodium relationship undergoing faster evolution. Such genome architecture may have facilitated colonizing vertebrate hosts. Phylogenomic analyses estimated the common ancestor between P. vivax and an African ape parasite P. vivax-like, within the Asian nonhuman primates parasites clade. Time estimates incorporating P. gonderi placed the P. vivax and P. vivax-like common ancestor in the late Pleistocene, a time of active migration of hominids between Africa and Asia. Thus, phylogenomic and time-tree analyses are consistent with an Asian origin for P. vivax and an introduction of P. vivax-like into Africa. Unlike other studies, time estimates for the clade with Plasmodium falciparum, the most lethal human malaria parasite, coincide with their host species radiation, African hominids. Overall, the newly assembled genome presented here has the quality to support comparative genomic investigations in Plasmodium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axl S Cepeda
- Biology Department/Institute of Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (iGEM), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122-1801, USA
| | - Beatriz Mello
- Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - M Andreína Pacheco
- Biology Department/Institute of Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (iGEM), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122-1801, USA
| | - Zunping Luo
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Steven A Sullivan
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Jane M Carlton
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Ananias A Escalante
- Biology Department/Institute of Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (iGEM), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122-1801, USA
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Musa S. Mitochondrial genome amplification of avian haemosporidian parasites from single-infected wildlife samples using a novel nested PCR approach. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:2967-2975. [PMID: 37787788 PMCID: PMC10667411 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07986-1] [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: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Haemosporidian parasites that infect birds (Apicomplexa: Haemosporida) are blood parasites that require an invertebrate host (vector) and a vertebrate host for their lifecycle and cause malaria-like diseases. This group of parasites has provided valuable insights into host specificity, virulence, and parasite dispersal. Additionally, they have played a significant role in reshaping our understanding of the evolutionary history of apicomplexans. In order to accurately identify species and to address phylogenetic questions such as the timing of the haemosporidian radiation, the use of a sufficiently large genetic data set is crucial. However, acquiring this genetic data poses significant challenges. In this research, a sensitive nested PCR assay was developed. This assay allows for the easy amplification of complete mitochondrial genomes of haemosporidian parasites in birds, even during the chronic stage of infection. The effectiveness of this new nested PCR assay was evaluated using blood and tissue samples of birds with verified single parasite infections from previous studies. The approach involves amplifying four overlapping fragments of the mitochondrial genome and requires DNA extracts from single-infected samples. This method successfully amplified the complete mitochondrial genomes of 24 distinct haemosporidian parasite lineages found in various bird species. This data is invaluable for conducting phylogenetic analyses and accurately defining species. Furthermore, this study proposes the existence of at least 15 new haemosporidian parasite species based on the genetic information obtained. Data regarding pGRW04, previously categorized as Plasmodium relictum like pSGS1 and pGRW11, indicates that the pGRW04 lineage is actually a separate, hidden Plasmodium species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandrine Musa
- University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Str. 34, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany.
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Valkiūnas G, Iezhova TA. Insights into the Biology of Leucocytozoon Species (Haemosporida, Leucocytozoidae): Why Is There Slow Research Progress on Agents of Leucocytozoonosis? Microorganisms 2023; 11:1251. [PMID: 37317225 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Blood parasites of the genus Leucocytozoon (Leucocytozoidae) only inhabit birds and represent a readily distinct evolutionary branch of the haemosporidians (Haemosporida, Apicomplexa). Some species cause pathology and even severe leucocytozoonosis in avian hosts, including poultry. The diversity of Leucocytozoon pathogens is remarkable, with over 1400 genetic lineages detected, most of which, however, have not been identified to the species level. At most, approximately 45 morphologically distinct species of Leucocytozoon have been described, but only a few have associated molecular data. This is unfortunate because basic information about named and morphologically recognized Leucocytozoon species is essential for a better understanding of phylogenetically closely related leucocytozoids that are known only by DNA sequence. Despite much research on haemosporidian parasites during the past 30 years, there has not been much progress in taxonomy, vectors, patterns of transmission, pathogenicity, and other aspects of the biology of these cosmopolitan bird pathogens. This study reviewed the available basic information on avian Leucocytozoon species, with particular attention to some obstacles that prevent progress to better understanding the biology of leucocytozoids. Major gaps in current Leucocytozoon species research are discussed, and possible approaches are suggested to resolve some issues that have limited practical parasitological studies of these pathogens.
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Wang J, Chen K, Ren Q, Zhang S, Yang J, Wang Y, Nian Y, Li X, Liu G, Luo J, Yin H, Guan G. Comparative genomics reveals unique features of two Babesia motasi subspecies: Babesia motasi lintanensis and Babesia motasi hebeiensis. Int J Parasitol 2023; 53:265-283. [PMID: 37004737 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2023.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Parasites of the Babesia genus are prevalent worldwide and infect a wide diversity of domestic animals and humans. Herein, using Oxford Nanopore Technology and Illumina sequencing technologies, we sequenced two Babesia sub-species, Babesia motasi lintanensis and Babesia motasi hebeiensis. We identified 3,815 one-to-one ortholog genes that are specific to ovine Babesia spp. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that the two B. motasi subspecies form a distinct clade from other Piroplasma spp. Consistent with their phylogenetic position, comparative genomic analysis reveals that these two ovine Babesia spp. share higher colinearity with Babesia bovis than with Babesia microti. Concerning the speciation date, B. m. lintanensis split from B. m. hebeiensis approximately 17 million years ago. Genes correlated to transcription, translation, protein modification and degradation, as well as differential/specialized gene family expansions in these two subspecies may favor adaptation to vertebrate and tick hosts. The close relationship between B. m. lintanensis and B. m. hebeiensis is underlined by a high degree of genomic synteny. Compositions of most invasion, virulence, development, and gene transcript regulation-related multigene families, including spherical body protein, variant erythrocyte surface antigen, glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchored proteins, and transcription factor Apetala 2 genes, is largely conserved, but in contrast to this conserved situation, we observe major differences in species-specific genes that may be involved in multiple functions in parasite biology. For the first time in Babesia spp., we find abundant fragments of long terminal repeat-retrotransposons in these two species. We provide fundamental information to characterize the genomes of B. m. lintanensis and B. m. hebeiensis, providing insights into the evolution of B. motasi group parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinming Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China.
| | - Kai Chen
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
| | - Qiaoyun Ren
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China.
| | - Shangdi Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Jifei Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China.
| | - Yanbo Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Yueli Nian
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Xiaoyun Li
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China.
| | - Guangyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China.
| | - Jianxun Luo
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China.
| | - Hong Yin
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
| | - Guiquan Guan
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China.
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Ferreira FC, Videvall E, Seidl CM, Wagner NE, Kilpatrick AM, Fleischer RC, Fonseca DM. Transcriptional response of individual Hawaiian Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes to the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum. Malar J 2022; 21:249. [PMID: 36038897 PMCID: PMC9422152 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04271-x] [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: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium parasites that cause bird malaria occur in all continents except Antarctica and are primarily transmitted by mosquitoes in the genus Culex. Culex quinquefasciatus, the mosquito vector of avian malaria in Hawaiʻi, became established in the islands in the 1820s. While the deadly effects of malaria on endemic bird species have been documented for many decades, vector-parasite interactions in avian malaria systems are relatively understudied. Methods To evaluate the gene expression response of mosquitoes exposed to a Plasmodium infection intensity known to occur naturally in Hawaiʻi, offspring of wild-collected Hawaiian Cx. quinquefasciatus were fed on a domestic canary infected with a fresh isolate of Plasmodium relictum GRW4 from a wild-caught Hawaiian honeycreeper. Control mosquitoes were fed on an uninfected canary. Transcriptomes of five infected and three uninfected individual mosquitoes were sequenced at each of three stages of the parasite life cycle: 24 h post feeding (hpf) during ookinete invasion; 5 days post feeding (dpf) when oocysts are developing; 10 dpf when sporozoites are released and invade the salivary glands. Results Differential gene expression analyses showed that during ookinete invasion (24 hpf), genes related to oxidoreductase activity and galactose catabolism had lower expression levels in infected mosquitoes compared to controls. Oocyst development (5 dpf) was associated with reduced expression of a gene with a predicted innate immune function. At 10 dpf, infected mosquitoes had reduced expression levels of a serine protease inhibitor, and further studies should assess its role as a Plasmodium agonist in C. quinquefasciatus. Overall, the differential gene expression response of Hawaiian Culex exposed to a Plasmodium infection intensity known to occur naturally in Hawaiʻi was low, but more pronounced during ookinete invasion. Conclusions This is the first analysis of the transcriptional responses of vectors to malaria parasites in non-mammalian systems. Interestingly, few similarities were found between the response of Culex infected with a bird Plasmodium and those reported in Anopheles infected with human Plasmodium. The relatively small transcriptional changes observed in mosquito genes related to immune response and nutrient metabolism support conclusions of low fitness costs often documented in experimental challenges of Culex with avian Plasmodium. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-022-04271-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco C Ferreira
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA. .,Center for Vector Biology, Entomology Department, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
| | - Elin Videvall
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Christa M Seidl
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Nicole E Wagner
- Center for Vector Biology, Entomology Department, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - A Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Robert C Fleischer
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Dina M Fonseca
- Center for Vector Biology, Entomology Department, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
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Ellis VA, Kalbskopf V, Ciloglu A, Duc M, Huang X, Inci A, Bensch S, Hellgren O, Palinauskas V. Genomic sequence capture of Plasmodium relictum in experimentally infected birds. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:267. [PMID: 35906670 PMCID: PMC9336033 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05373-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Sequencing parasite genomes in the presence of host DNA is challenging. Sequence capture can overcome this problem by using RNA probes that hybridize with the parasite DNA and then are removed from solution, thus isolating the parasite DNA for efficient sequencing. Methods Here we describe a set of sequence capture probes designed to target 1035 genes (c. 2.5 Mbp) of the globally distributed avian haemosporidian parasite, Plasmodium relictum. Previous sequence capture studies of avian haemosporidians from the genus Haemoproteus have shown that sequencing success depends on parasitemia, with low-intensity, chronic infections (typical of most infected birds in the wild) often being difficult to sequence. We evaluate the relationship between parasitemia and sequencing success using birds experimentally infected with P. relictum and kept under laboratory conditions. Results We confirm the dependence of sequencing success on parasitemia. Sequencing success was low for birds with low levels of parasitemia (< 1% infected red blood cells) and high for birds with higher levels of parasitemia. Plasmodium relictum is composed of multiple lineages defined by their mitochondrial DNA haplotype including three that are widespread (SGS1, GRW11, and GRW4); the probes successfully isolated DNA from all three. Furthermore, we used data from 25 genes to describe both among- and within-lineage genetic variation. For example, two samples of SGS1 isolated from different host species differed by 11 substitutions across those 25 genes. Conclusions The sequence capture approach we describe will allow for the generation of genomic data that will contribute to our understanding of the population genetic structure and evolutionary history of P. relictum, an extreme host generalist and widespread parasite. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05373-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo A Ellis
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University, S-22362, Lund, Sweden.,Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Victor Kalbskopf
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University, S-22362, Lund, Sweden
| | - Arif Ciloglu
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University, S-22362, Lund, Sweden.,Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38280, Kayseri, Turkey.,Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, 38280, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Mélanie Duc
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University, S-22362, Lund, Sweden.,Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Xi Huang
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University, S-22362, Lund, Sweden.,MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Abdullah Inci
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38280, Kayseri, Turkey.,Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, 38280, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University, S-22362, Lund, Sweden
| | - Olof Hellgren
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University, S-22362, Lund, Sweden.
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Kent RS, Briggs EM, Colon BL, Alvarez C, Silva Pereira S, De Niz M. Paving the Way: Contributions of Big Data to Apicomplexan and Kinetoplastid Research. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:900878. [PMID: 35734575 PMCID: PMC9207352 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.900878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the age of big data an important question is how to ensure we make the most out of the resources we generate. In this review, we discuss the major methods used in Apicomplexan and Kinetoplastid research to produce big datasets and advance our understanding of Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium, Trypanosoma and Leishmania biology. We debate the benefits and limitations of the current technologies, and propose future advancements that may be key to improving our use of these techniques. Finally, we consider the difficulties the field faces when trying to make the most of the abundance of data that has already been, and will continue to be, generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn S. Kent
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Emma M. Briggs
- Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Beatrice L. Colon
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Catalina Alvarez
- de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sara Silva Pereira
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mariana De Niz
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- *Correspondence: Mariana De Niz,
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Aunin E, Berriman M, Reid AJ. Characterising genome architectures using genome decomposition analysis. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:398. [PMID: 35610562 PMCID: PMC9131526 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08616-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome architecture describes how genes and other features are arranged in genomes. These arrangements reflect the evolutionary pressures on genomes and underlie biological processes such as chromosomal segregation and the regulation of gene expression. We present a new tool called Genome Decomposition Analysis (GDA) that characterises genome architectures and acts as an accessible approach for discovering hidden features of a genome assembly. With the imminent deluge of high-quality genome assemblies from projects such as the Darwin Tree of Life and the Earth BioGenome Project, GDA has been designed to facilitate their exploration and the discovery of novel genome biology. We highlight the effectiveness of our approach in characterising the genome architectures of single-celled eukaryotic parasites from the phylum Apicomplexa and show that it scales well to large genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eerik Aunin
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Matthew Berriman
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, G12 8TA, Glasgow, UK
| | - Adam James Reid
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK.
- Wellcome/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, CB2 1QN, Cambridge, UK.
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11
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Mobilome of Apicomplexa Parasites. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13050887. [PMID: 35627271 PMCID: PMC9141347 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic elements found in the majority of eukaryotic genomes. Genomic studies of protozoan parasites from the phylum Apicomplexa have only reported a handful of TEs in some species and a complete absence in others. Here, we studied sixty-four Apicomplexa genomes available in public databases, using a ‘de novo’ approach to build candidate TE models and multiple strategies from known TE sequence databases, pattern recognition of TEs, and protein domain databases, to identify possible TEs. We offer an insight into the distribution and the type of TEs that are present in these genomes, aiming to shed some light on the process of gains and losses of TEs in this phylum. We found that TEs comprise a very small portion in these genomes compared to other organisms, and in many cases, there are no apparent traces of TEs. We were able to build and classify 151 models from the TE consensus sequences obtained with RepeatModeler, 96 LTR TEs with LTRpred, and 44 LINE TEs with MGEScan. We found LTR Gypsy-like TEs in Eimeria, Gregarines, Haemoproteus, and Plasmodium genera. Additionally, we described LINE-like TEs in some species from the genera Babesia and Theileria. Finally, we confirmed the absence of TEs in the genus Cryptosporidium. Interestingly, Apicomplexa seem to be devoid of Class II transposons.
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Escalante AA, Cepeda AS, Pacheco MA. Why Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum are so different? A tale of two clades and their species diversities. Malar J 2022; 21:139. [PMID: 35505356 PMCID: PMC9066883 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04130-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The global malaria burden sometimes obscures that the genus Plasmodium comprises diverse clades with lineages that independently gave origin to the extant human parasites. Indeed, the differences between the human malaria parasites were highlighted in the classical taxonomy by dividing them into two subgenera, the subgenus Plasmodium, which included all the human parasites but Plasmodium falciparum that was placed in its separate subgenus, Laverania. Here, the evolution of Plasmodium in primates will be discussed in terms of their species diversity and some of their distinct phenotypes, putative molecular adaptations, and host–parasite biocenosis. Thus, in addition to a current phylogeny using genome-level data, some specific molecular features will be discussed as examples of how these parasites have diverged. The two subgenera of malaria parasites found in primates, Plasmodium and Laverania, reflect extant monophyletic groups that originated in Africa. However, the subgenus Plasmodium involves species in Southeast Asia that were likely the result of adaptive radiation. Such events led to the Plasmodium vivax lineage. Although the Laverania species, including P. falciparum, has been considered to share “avian characteristics,” molecular traits that were likely in the common ancestor of primate and avian parasites are sometimes kept in the Plasmodium subgenus while being lost in Laverania. Assessing how molecular traits in the primate malaria clades originated is a fundamental science problem that will likely provide new targets for interventions. However, given that the genus Plasmodium is paraphyletic (some descendant groups are in other genera), understanding the evolution of malaria parasites will benefit from studying “non-Plasmodium” Haemosporida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananias A Escalante
- Biology Department/Institute of Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine [iGEM], Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122-1801, USA.
| | - Axl S Cepeda
- Biology Department/Institute of Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine [iGEM], Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122-1801, USA
| | - M Andreína Pacheco
- Biology Department/Institute of Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine [iGEM], Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122-1801, USA
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Simwela NV, Waters AP. Current status of experimental models for the study of malaria. Parasitology 2022; 149:1-22. [PMID: 35357277 PMCID: PMC9378029 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182021002134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Infection by malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.) remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, especially in tropical regions of the world. Despite the availability of malaria control tools such as integrated vector management and effective therapeutics, these measures have been continuously undermined by the emergence of vector resistance to insecticides or parasite resistance to frontline antimalarial drugs. Whilst the recent pilot implementation of the RTS,S malaria vaccine is indeed a remarkable feat, highly effective vaccines against malaria remain elusive. The barriers to effective vaccines result from the complexity of both the malaria parasite lifecycle and the parasite as an organism itself with consequent major gaps in our understanding of their biology. Historically and due to the practical and ethical difficulties of working with human malaria infections, research into malaria parasite biology has been extensively facilitated by animal models. Animals have been used to study disease pathogenesis, host immune responses and their (dys)regulation and further disease processes such as transmission. Moreover, animal models remain at the forefront of pre-clinical evaluations of antimalarial drugs (drug efficacy, mode of action, mode of resistance) and vaccines. In this review, we discuss commonly used animal models of malaria, the parasite species used and their advantages and limitations which hinder their extrapolation to actual human disease. We also place into this context the most recent developments such as organoid technologies and humanized mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson V. Simwela
- Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Andrew P. Waters
- Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Chahine Z, Le Roch KG. Decrypting the complexity of the human malaria parasite biology through systems biology approaches. FRONTIERS IN SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2022; 2:940321. [PMID: 37200864 PMCID: PMC10191146 DOI: 10.3389/fsysb.2022.940321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is a unicellular protozoan responsible for over half a million deaths annually. With a complex life cycle alternating between human and invertebrate hosts, this apicomplexan is notoriously adept at evading host immune responses and developing resistance to all clinically administered treatments. Advances in omics-based technologies, increased sensitivity of sequencing platforms and enhanced CRISPR based gene editing tools, have given researchers access to more in-depth and untapped information about this enigmatic micro-organism, a feat thought to be infeasible in the past decade. Here we discuss some of the most important scientific achievements made over the past few years with a focus on novel technologies and platforms that set the stage for subsequent discoveries. We also describe some of the systems-based methods applied to uncover gaps of knowledge left through single-omics applications with the hope that we will soon be able to overcome the spread of this life-threatening disease.
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Hou N, Li S, Jiang N, Piao X, Ma Y, Liu S, Chen Q. Merozoite Proteins Discovered by qRT-PCR-Based Transcriptome Screening of Plasmodium falciparum. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:777955. [PMID: 34956931 PMCID: PMC8696357 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.777955] [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: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of malaria vaccines and medicines depends on the discovery of novel malaria protein targets, but the functions of more than 40% of P. falciparum genes remain unknown. Asexual parasites are the critical stage that leads to serious clinical symptoms and that can be modulated by malaria treatments and vaccines. To identify critical genes involved in the development of Plasmodium parasites within erythrocytes, the expression profile of more than 5,000 genes distributed across the 14 chromosomes of the PF3D7 strain during its six critical developmental stages (merozoite, early-ring, late-ring, early trophozoite, late-trophozoite, and middle-schizont) was evaluated. Hence, a qRT-PCR-based transcriptome of the erythrocytic developmental process of P. falciparum was revealed. Weighted gene coexpression network analyses revealed that a large number of genes are upregulated during the merozoite release process. Further gene ontology analysis revealed that a cluster of genes is associated with merozoite and may be apical complex components. Among these genes, 135 were comprised within chromosome 14, and 80% of them were previously unknown in functions. Western blot and immunofluorescence assays using newly developed corresponding antibodies showed that some of these newly discovered proteins are highly expressed in merozoites. Further invasion inhibition assays revealed that specific antibodies against several novel merozoite proteins can interfere with parasite invasion. Taken together, our study provides a developmental transcriptome of the asexual parasites of P. falciparum and identifies a group of previously unknown merozoite proteins that may play important roles in the process of merozoite invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Hou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shanshan Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.,The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Xianyu Piao
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Ma
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shuai Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qijun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.,The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, China
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Evolutionary insights into the microneme-secreted, chitinase-containing high molecular weight protein complexes involved in Plasmodium invasion of the mosquito midgut. Infect Immun 2021; 90:e0031421. [PMID: 34606368 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00314-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
While general mechanisms by which Plasmodium ookinetes invade the mosquito midgut have been studied, details remain to be understood regarding the interface of the ookinete, specifically its barriers to invasion, such as the proteolytic milieu, the chitin-containing, protein cross-linked peritrophic matrix, and the midgut epithelium. Here we review knowledge of Plasmodium chitinases and the mechanisms by which they mediate the ookinete crossing the peritrophic matrix. The integration of new genomic insights into previous findings advances our understanding of Plasmodium evolution. Recently obtained Plasmodium spp. genomic data enable identification of the conserved residues in the experimentally demonstrated hetero-multimeric, high molecular weight complex comprised of a short chitinase covalently linked to binding partners, von Willebrand factor A domain-related protein (WARP) and secreted ookinete adhesive protein (SOAP). Artificial intelligence-based high-resolution structural modeling using the DeepMind AlphaFold algorithm yielded highly informative 3D structures and insights into how short chitinases, WARP, and SOAP may interact at the atomic level to form the ookinete-secreted peritrophic matrix invasion complex. Elucidating the significance of the divergence of ookinete-secreted micronemal proteins among Plasmodium species could lead to a better understanding of ookinete invasion machinery and the co-evolution of Plasmodium-mosquito interactions.
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Gutierrez-Liberato GA, Lotta-Arévalo IA, González LP, Vargas-Ramírez M, Rodríguez-Fandiño O, Cepeda AS, Ortiz-Moreno ML, Matta NE. The genetic and morphological diversity of Haemogregarina infecting turtles in Colombia: Are mitochondrial markers useful as barcodes for these parasites? INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2021; 95:105040. [PMID: 34403833 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Adeleorinid parasites commonly infect turtles and tortoises in nature. Currently, our knowledge about such parasites is extremely poor. Their characterization is based on morphological and molecular approaches using the 18S rDNA molecular marker. However, there is a limitation with the 18S rDNA due to its slow rate of evolution. For that reason, the goals of this study were to 1) design primers for new molecular mitochondrial markers to improve the phylogenetic reconstructions of adeleorinid parasites and 2) to determine the morphological and genetic diversity of Haemogregarina infecting turtles and tortoises in Colombia. Turtles from 16 species representing six families were examined for the presence of haemoparasites. We analyzed 457 samples using PCR, and 203 of them were also analyzed by microscopy. Using a mitochondrial genome of Haemogregarina sequenced in this study, we designed primers to amplify fragments of the cytochrome oxidase I (coxI), cytochrome oxidase III (coxIII), and cytochrome b (cytb) mitochondrial markers in adeleorinid parasites. Lineages obtained from nuclear and mitochondrial molecular markers clustered according to the turtle lineages from which they were isolated. It is noteworthy that we found different evolutionary lineages within the same morphotype, which may indicate heteroplasmy and/or cryptic diversity in Haemogregarina. Due to this situation, we could not make a species delimitation, even when integrating the different lines of evidence we had in this study. However, the primers presented here are useful for diagnosis and, moreover, according to the available information, all three genes retain phylogenetic signals; thereby fragments amplified can be used in reconstructing evolutionary relationships. This effort contributes to the knowledge of the diversity of these parasites infecting continental turtles from Colombia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germán A Gutierrez-Liberato
- Departamento de Salud pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, PO 11321, Bogotá, Colombia; Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, PO 11321, Bogotá, Colombia.
| | - Ingrid A Lotta-Arévalo
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, PO 11321, Bogotá, Colombia.
| | - Leydy P González
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, PO 11321, Bogotá, Colombia.
| | - Mario Vargas-Ramírez
- Instituto de genética, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, PO 11321, Bogotá, Colombia; Estación Biológica Tropical Roberto Franco, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia.
| | - Oscar Rodríguez-Fandiño
- Dirección de investigación, Fundación Universitaria Internacional del Trópico Americano Unitrópico, Yopal, Casanare, Colombia.
| | - Axl S Cepeda
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, PO 11321, Bogotá, Colombia; Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (iGEM), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Martha Lucia Ortiz-Moreno
- Departamento de Biología y Química, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Universidad de los Llanos-UNILLANOS, Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia.
| | - Nubia E Matta
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, PO 11321, Bogotá, Colombia.
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Abstract
African apes harbor at least twelve Plasmodium species, some of which have been a source of human infection. It is now well established that Plasmodium falciparum emerged following the transmission of a gorilla parasite, perhaps within the last 10,000 years, while Plasmodium vivax emerged earlier from a parasite lineage that infected humans and apes in Africa before the Duffy-negative mutation eliminated the parasite from humans there. Compared to their ape relatives, both human parasites have greatly reduced genetic diversity and an excess of nonsynonymous mutations, consistent with severe genetic bottlenecks followed by rapid population expansion. A putative new Plasmodium species widespread in chimpanzees, gorillas, and bonobos places the origin of Plasmodium malariae in Africa. Here, we review what is known about the origins and evolutionary history of all human-infective Plasmodium species, the time and circumstances of their emergence, and the diversity, host specificity, and zoonotic potential of their ape counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M Sharp
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, United Kingdom
| | - Lindsey J Plenderleith
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, United Kingdom
| | - Beatrice H Hahn
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA;
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Assessment of Associations between Malaria Parasites and Avian Hosts-A Combination of Classic System and Modern Molecular Approach. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10070636. [PMID: 34356491 PMCID: PMC8301060 DOI: 10.3390/biology10070636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Throughout history, frequent outbreaks of diseases in humans have occurred following transmission from animals. While some diseases can jump between birds and mammals, others are stuck to closely related species. Understanding the mechanisms of host–parasite associations will enable us to predict the outbreaks of diseases and will therefore be important to society and ecological health. For decades, scientists have attempted to reveal how host–parasite associations are formed and persist. The key is to assess the ability of the parasite to infect and reproduce within the host without killing the host. Related studies have faced numerous challenges, but technical advances are providing solutions and are gradually broadening our understanding. In this review, I use bird malaria and related blood parasites as a model system and summarize the important advances in techniques and perspectives and how they provide new approaches for understanding the evolution of host–parasite associations to further predict disease outbreaks. Abstract Avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites are responsible for fitness loss and mortality in susceptible bird species. This group of globally distributed parasites has long been used as a classical system for investigating host–parasite associations. The association between a parasite and its hosts can be assessed by the prevalence in the host population and infection intensity in a host individual, which, respectively, reflect the ability of the parasite to infect the host and reproduce within the host. However, the latter has long been poorly investigated due to numerous challenges, such as lack of general molecular markers and limited sensitivity of traditional methods, especially when analysing naturally infected birds. The recent development of genetic databases, together with novel molecular methodologies, has shed light on this long-standing problem. Real-time quantitative PCR has enabled more accurate quantification of avian haemosporidian parasites, and digital droplet PCR further improved experimental sensitivity and repeatability of quantification. In recent decades, parallel studies have been carried out all over the world, providing great opportunities for exploring the adaptation of haemosporidian parasites to different hosts and the variations across time and space, and further investigating the coevolutionary history between parasites and their hosts. I hereby review the most important milestones in diagnosis techniques of avian haemosporidian parasites and illustrate how they provide new insights for understanding host–parasite associations.
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20
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Broichhagen J, Kilian N. Chemical Biology Tools To Investigate Malaria Parasites. Chembiochem 2021; 22:2219-2236. [PMID: 33570245 PMCID: PMC8360121 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Parasitic diseases like malaria tropica have been shaping human evolution and history since the beginning of mankind. After infection, the response of the human host ranges from asymptomatic to severe and may culminate in death. Therefore, proper examination of the parasite's biology is pivotal to deciphering unique molecular, biochemical and cell biological processes, which in turn ensure the identification of treatment strategies, such as potent drug targets and vaccine candidates. However, implementing molecular biology methods for genetic manipulation proves to be difficult for many parasite model organisms. The development of fast and straightforward applicable alternatives, for instance small-molecule probes from the field of chemical biology, is essential. In this review, we will recapitulate the highlights of previous molecular and chemical biology approaches that have already created insight and understanding of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. We discuss current developments from the field of chemical biology and explore how their application could advance research into this parasite in the future. We anticipate that the described approaches will help to close knowledge gaps in the biology of P. falciparum and we hope that researchers will be inspired to use these methods to gain knowledge - with the aim of ending this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Broichhagen
- Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP)Robert-Roessle-Strasse 1013125BerlinGermany
| | - Nicole Kilian
- Centre for Infectious DiseasesParasitologyHeidelberg University HospitalIm Neuenheimer Feld 32469120HeidelbergGermany
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Carrillo Bilbao GA, Navarro JC, Garigliany MM, Martin-Solano S, Minda E, Benítez-Ortiz W, Saegerman C. Molecular Identification of Plasmodium falciparum from Captive Non-Human Primates in the Western Amazon Ecuador. Pathogens 2021; 10:791. [PMID: 34206700 PMCID: PMC8308908 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10070791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Malaria is a disease caused by hemoparasites of the Plasmodium genus. Non-human primates (NHP) are hosts of Plasmodium sp. around the world. Several studies have demonstrated that Plasmodium sp. emerged from Africa. However, little information is currently available about Plasmodium falciparum in the neotropical NHP and even less in Ecuador. Indeed, the objective of our study was to identify by molecular phylogenetic analyses the Plasmodium species associated with NHP from the Western Amazon region of Ecuador, and to design a molecular taxonomy protocol to use in the NHP disease ecology. Methods: We extracted DNA from faecal samples (n = 26) from nine species of captive (n = 19) and free-ranging (n = 7) NHP, collected from 2011 to 2019 in the Western Amazon region of Ecuador. Results: Using a pan-Plasmodium PCR, we obtained one positive sample from an adult female Leontocebus lagonotus. A maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis showed that this sequence unequivocally clustered with Plasmodium falciparum. Conclusions: The identification of Plasmodium sp. in NHP of the Ecuadorian Amazon would be essential to identify their role as potential zoonotic reservoirs, and it is also important to identify their origin in wildlife and their transmission in captive NHP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Alberto Carrillo Bilbao
- Instituto de Salud Pública y Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito 170521, Ecuador; (G.A.C.B.); (S.M.-S.); (E.M.); (W.B.-O.)
- Research Unit of Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Applied to Veterinary Sciences (UREAR-ULg), Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal and Health (FARAH) Center, Department of Infections and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Juan-Carlos Navarro
- Grupo de Investigación en Enfermedades Emergentes, Ecoepidemiología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Internacional SEK, Quito 170107, Ecuador;
| | - Mutien-Marie Garigliany
- Department of Pathology, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal and Health (FARAH) Center, Liège University, B-4000 Liège, Belgium;
- Department of Animal Pathology, Liège University, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Sarah Martin-Solano
- Instituto de Salud Pública y Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito 170521, Ecuador; (G.A.C.B.); (S.M.-S.); (E.M.); (W.B.-O.)
- Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Humana (GISAH), Carrera Ingeniería en Biotecnología, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida y la Agricultura, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas—ESPE, Sangolquí 171103, Ecuador
| | - Elizabeth Minda
- Instituto de Salud Pública y Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito 170521, Ecuador; (G.A.C.B.); (S.M.-S.); (E.M.); (W.B.-O.)
| | - Washington Benítez-Ortiz
- Instituto de Salud Pública y Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito 170521, Ecuador; (G.A.C.B.); (S.M.-S.); (E.M.); (W.B.-O.)
| | - Claude Saegerman
- Research Unit of Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Applied to Veterinary Sciences (UREAR-ULg), Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal and Health (FARAH) Center, Department of Infections and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
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Cortés GT, Beltran MMG, Gómez-Alegría CJ, Wiser MF. Identification of a protein unique to the genus Plasmodium that contains a WD40 repeat domain and extensive low-complexity sequence. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:2617-2629. [PMID: 34142223 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07190-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Proteins containing WD40 domains play important roles in the formation of multiprotein complexes. Little is known about WD40 proteins in the malaria parasite. This report contains the initial description of a WD40 protein that is unique to the genus Plasmodium and possibly closely related genera. The N-terminal portion of this protein consists of seven WD40 repeats that are highly conserved in all Plasmodium species. Following the N-terminal region is a central region that is conserved within the major Plasmodium clades, such as parasites of great apes, monkeys, rodents, and birds, but partially conserved across all Plasmodium species. This central region contains extensive low-complexity sequence and is predicted to have a disordered structure. Proteins with disordered structure generally function in molecular interactions. The C-terminal region is semi-conserved across all Plasmodium species and has no notable features. This WD40 repeat protein likely functions in some aspect of parasite biology that is unique to Plasmodium and this uniqueness makes the protein a possible target for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gladys T Cortés
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Grupo Biologia Celular, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Martha Margarita Gonzalez Beltran
- Ex alumna de la Maestría en Ciencias-Bioquímica, Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Grupo UNIMOL, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Claudio J Gómez-Alegría
- Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Grupo UNIMOL, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Mark F Wiser
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 2301, New Orleans, LA, 70112-2824, USA.
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Hellgren O, Kelbskopf V, Ellis VA, Ciloglu A, Duc M, Huang X, Lopes RJ, Mata VA, Aghayan SA, Inci A, Drovetski SV. Low MSP-1 haplotype diversity in the West Palearctic population of the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum. Malar J 2021; 20:265. [PMID: 34118950 PMCID: PMC8199812 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03799-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although avian Plasmodium species are widespread and common across the globe, limited data exist on how genetically variable their populations are. Here, the hypothesis that the avian blood parasite Plasmodium relictum exhibits very low genetic diversity in its Western Palearctic transmission area (from Morocco to Sweden in the north and Transcaucasia in the east) was tested. Methods The genetic diversity of Plasmodium relictum was investigated by sequencing a portion (block 14) of the fast-evolving merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1) gene in 75 different P. relictum infections from 36 host species. Furthermore, the full-length MSP1 sequences representing the common block 14 allele was sequenced in order to investigate if additional variation could be found outside block 14. Results The majority (72 of 75) of the sequenced infections shared the same MSP1 allele. This common allele has previously been found to be the dominant allele transmitted in Europe. Conclusion The results corroborate earlier findings derived from a limited dataset that the globally transmitted malaria parasite P. relictum exhibits very low genetic diversity in its Western Palearctic transmission area. This is likely the result of a recent introduction event or a selective sweep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olof Hellgren
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | | | - Vincenzo A Ellis
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Arif Ciloglu
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.,Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Mélanie Duc
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Xi Huang
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Ricardo J Lopes
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação Em Biodiversidade E Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade Do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Vanessa A Mata
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação Em Biodiversidade E Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade Do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Sargis A Aghayan
- Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian, Yerevan, 0025, Republic of Armenia
| | - Abdullah Inci
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.,Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Sergei V Drovetski
- US Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Research Center at Patuxent Research Refuge, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
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24
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Pegoraro M, Weedall GD. Malaria in the 'Omics Era'. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12060843. [PMID: 34070769 PMCID: PMC8228830 DOI: 10.3390/genes12060843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomics has revolutionised the study of the biology of parasitic diseases. The first Eukaryotic parasite to have its genome sequenced was the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Since then, Plasmodium genomics has continued to lead the way in the study of the genome biology of parasites, both in breadth—the number of Plasmodium species’ genomes sequenced—and in depth—massive-scale genome re-sequencing of several key species. Here, we review some of the insights into the biology, evolution and population genetics of Plasmodium gained from genome sequencing, and look at potential new avenues in the future genome-scale study of its biology.
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25
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Sekar V, Rivero A, Pigeault R, Gandon S, Drews A, Ahren D, Hellgren O. Gene regulation of the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum, during the different stages within the mosquito vector. Genomics 2021; 113:2327-2337. [PMID: 34023365 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2021.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum is one of the most widespread species of avian malaria. As in the case of its human counterparts, bird Plasmodium undergoes a complex life cycle infecting two hosts: the arthropod vector and the vertebrate host. In this study, we examined transcriptomes of P. relictum (SGS1) during crucial timepoints within its vector, Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus. Differential gene-expression analyses identified genes linked to the parasites life-stages at: i) a few minutes after the blood meal is ingested, ii) during peak oocyst production phase, iii) during peak sporozoite phase and iv) during the late-stages of the infection. A large amount of genes coding for functions linked to host-immune invasion and multifunctional genes was active throughout the infection cycle. One gene associated with a conserved Plasmodium membrane protein with unknown function was upregulated throughout the parasite development in the vector, suggesting an important role in the successful completion of the sporogonic cycle. Gene expression analysis further identified genes, with unknown functions to be significantly differentially expressed during the infection in the vector as well as upregulation of reticulocyte-binding proteins, which raises the possibility of the multifunctionality of these RBPs. We establish the existence of highly stage-specific pathways being overexpressed during the infection. This first study of gene-expression of a non-human Plasmodium species in its vector provides a comprehensive insight into the molecular mechanisms of the common avian malaria parasite P. relictum and provides essential information on the evolutionary diversity in gene regulation of the Plasmodium's vector stages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ana Rivero
- MIVEGEC (CNRS - Université de Montpellier - IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France; CREES (Centre de Recherche en Ecologie et Evolution de la Santé), 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Romain Pigeault
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sweden; Department of Ecology and Evolution, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sylvain Gandon
- CEFE (CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry - EPHE - IRD), Montpellier, France
| | - Anna Drews
- MEMEG, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Dag Ahren
- National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden (NBIS), SciLifeLab, Department of Biology, Lund, Sweden
| | - Olof Hellgren
- MEMEG, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sweden.
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26
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Chagas CRF, Harl J, Valkiūnas G. Co-infections of Plasmodium relictum lineages pSGS1 and pGRW04 are readily distinguishable by broadly used PCR-based protocols, with remarks on global distribution of these malaria parasites. Acta Trop 2021; 217:105860. [PMID: 33587942 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.105860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium relictum is the most common generalist avian malaria parasite, which was reported in over 300 bird species of different orders, particularly often in passerines. This malaria infection is often severe in non-accustomed avian hosts. Currently, five distinct cytochrome b gene lineages have been assigned to P. relictum, with the lineages pSGS1 and pGRW04 being the most common. Based on molecular screenings, the transmission of these two parasite lineages might occur in sympatry, particularly often in sub-Saharan Africa, but they also have been reported to have different areas of transmission globally, with the lineages pSGS1 and pGRW04 being of low (if at all) transmission in huge regions of Americas and Europe, respectively. It remains unclear why these lineages are more often reported in some geographical areas, even though their susceptible vertebrate hosts and vectors are present globally. Co-infections of malaria parasites and other haemosporidians belonging to different species and subgenera are prevalent and even predominate in many bird populations, however, PCR-based protocols using commonly used primers often do not read such co-infections. Because information about the sensitivity of these protocols to read co-infections of the lineages pSGS1 and pGRW04 is absent, this study aimed to unravel this issue experimentally. Blood samples of birds experimentally infected with the single parasite lineages pSGS1 and pGRW04 were used to prepare various combinations of mixes, which were tested by two PCR-based protocols, which have been often used in current avian malaria research. Single infections of the same lineages were used as controls. Careful examination of the sequence electropherograms showed the presence of clear double peaks on polymorphic sites, indicating co-infections. This experiment shows that the broadly used PCR-based protocols can readily distinguish co-infections of these parasite lineages. In other words, the available information about patterns of the geographical distribution of the P. relictum lineages pSGS1 and pGRW04 likely mirrors the existing epidemiological situation but is not a result of the bias due to preferable DNA amplification of one of these lineages during their possible co-infections. This calls for further ecological research aiming determination of factors associated with the transmission of the lineages pSGS1 and pGRW04 in different regions of the globe.
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27
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Videvall E, Paxton KL, Campana MG, Cassin‐Sackett L, Atkinson CT, Fleischer RC. Transcriptome assembly and differential gene expression of the invasive avian malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum in Hawai'i. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:4935-4944. [PMID: 33976860 PMCID: PMC8093664 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum (lineage GRW4) was introduced less than a century ago to the native avifauna of Hawai'i, where it has since caused major declines of endemic bird populations. One of the native bird species that is frequently infected with GRW4 is the Hawai'i 'amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens). To achieve a better understanding of the transcriptional activities of this virulent parasite, we performed a controlled challenge experiment of 15 'amakihi that were infected with GRW4. Blood samples containing malaria parasites were collected at two time points (intermediate and peak infection stages) from host individuals that were either experimentally infected by mosquitoes or inoculated with infected blood. We then used RNA sequencing to assemble a high-quality blood transcriptome of P. relictum GRW4, allowing us to quantify parasite expression levels inside individual birds. We found few significant differences (one to two transcripts) in GRW4 expression levels between host infection stages and between inoculation methods. However, 36 transcripts showed differential expression levels among all host individuals, indicating a potential presence of host-specific gene regulation across hosts. To reduce the extinction risk of the remaining native bird species in Hawai'i, genetic resources of the local Plasmodium lineage are needed to enable further molecular characterization of this parasite. Our newly built Hawaiian GRW4 transcriptome assembly, together with analyses of the parasite's transcriptional activities inside the blood of Hawai'i 'amakihi, can provide us with important knowledge on how to combat this deadly avian disease in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elin Videvall
- Center for Conservation GenomicsSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteNational Zoological ParkWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Kristina L. Paxton
- Center for Conservation GenomicsSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteNational Zoological ParkWashingtonDCUSA
- Present address:
Hawai‘i Cooperative Studies UnitUniversity of Hawai'i at HiloHawai‘i National ParkHIUSA
| | - Michael G. Campana
- Center for Conservation GenomicsSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteNational Zoological ParkWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Loren Cassin‐Sackett
- Center for Conservation GenomicsSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteNational Zoological ParkWashingtonDCUSA
- Department of BiologyUniversity of LouisianaLafayetteLAUSA
| | - Carter T. Atkinson
- U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystems Research CenterKilauea Field StationHawai‘i National ParkHIUSA
| | - Robert C. Fleischer
- Center for Conservation GenomicsSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteNational Zoological ParkWashingtonDCUSA
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28
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Cepeda AS, Andreína Pacheco M, Escalante AA, Alzate JF, Matta NE. The apicoplast of Haemoproteus columbae: A comparative study of this organelle genome in Haemosporida. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2021; 161:107185. [PMID: 33932614 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Apicomplexa is a phylum of parasitic protozoa; among them are the order Haemosporida, vector-borne parasites that include those that cause malaria (genus Plasmodium). Most Apicomplexa species have a non-photosynthetic plastid or apicoplast. Given its unique metabolic pathways, this organelle is considered a target for malaria therapeutics. Regardless of its importance, there is a paucity of complete apicoplast genome data hindering comparative studies. Here, the Haemoproteus (Haemoproteus) columbae apicoplast genome (lineage HAECOL1) was obtained using next-generation sequencing. This genome was included in a comparative analysis with other plastids. This 29.8 kb circular genome shares the same structure found in Plasmodium parasites. It is A + T rich (87.7%), comparable but at the higher end of A + T content observed in Plasmodium species (85.5-87.2%). As expected, considering its high A + T content, the synonymous codon usage (RSCU) and the effective number of codons (ENc) showed a moderate codon bias. Several apicoplast genes have a phylogenetic signal. However, unlike mitochondrial genes, single-gene phylogenies have low support in haemosporidian clades that diverged recently. The H. columbae apicoplast genome suggests that the apicoplast function may be conserved across Haemosporida. This parasite could be a model to study this organelle in a non-mammalian system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axl S Cepeda
- Departamento de Biología, Grupo de Investigación Caracterización Genética e Inmunología, Sede Bogotá-Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia; Department of Biology, Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (iGEM), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
| | - M Andreína Pacheco
- Department of Biology, Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (iGEM), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ananías A Escalante
- Department of Biology, Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (iGEM), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Juan F Alzate
- Centro Nacional de Secuenciación Genómica - CNSG, SIU, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Nubia E Matta
- Departamento de Biología, Grupo de Investigación Caracterización Genética e Inmunología, Sede Bogotá-Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
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29
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Garcia-Longoria L, Muriel J, Magallanes S, Villa-Galarce ZH, Ricopa L, Inga-Díaz WG, Fong E, Vecco D, Guerra-SaldaÑa C, Salas-Rengifo T, Flores-Saavedra W, Espinoza K, Mendoza C, SaldaÑa B, González-Blázquez M, Gonzales-Pinedo H, Luján-Vega C, Del Águila CA, Vilca-Herrera Y, Pineda CA, Reategui C, Cárdenas-Callirgos JM, Iannacone JA, Mendoza JL, Sehgal RNM, Marzal A. Diversity and host assemblage of avian haemosporidians in different terrestrial ecoregions of Peru. Curr Zool 2021; 68:27-40. [PMID: 35169627 PMCID: PMC8836326 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Characterizing the diversity and structure of host–parasite communities is crucial to understanding their eco-evolutionary dynamics. Malaria and related haemosporidian parasites are responsible for fitness loss and mortality in bird species worldwide. However, despite exhibiting the greatest ornithological biodiversity, avian haemosporidians from Neotropical regions are quite unexplored. Here, we analyze the genetic diversity of bird haemosporidian parasites (Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) in 1,336 individuals belonging to 206 bird species to explore for differences in diversity of parasite lineages and bird species across 5 well-differentiated Peruvian ecoregions. We detected 70 different haemosporidian lineages infecting 74 bird species. We showed that 25 out of the 70 haplotypes had not been previously recorded. Moreover, we also identified 81 new host–parasite interactions representing new host records for these haemosporidian parasites. Our outcomes revealed that the effective diversity (as well as the richness, abundance, and Shannon–Weaver index) for both birds and parasite lineages was higher in Amazon basin ecoregions. Furthermore, we also showed that ecoregions with greater diversity of bird species also had high parasite richness, hence suggesting that host community is crucial in explaining parasite richness. Generalist parasites were found in ecoregions with lower bird diversity, implying that the abundance and richness of hosts may shape the exploitation strategy followed by haemosporidian parasites. These outcomes reveal that Neotropical region is a major reservoir of unidentified haemosporidian lineages. Further studies analyzing host distribution and specificity of these parasites in the tropics will provide important knowledge about phylogenetic relationships, phylogeography, and patterns of evolution and distribution of haemosporidian parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luz Garcia-Longoria
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz E-506071, Spain
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, SE-22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - Jaime Muriel
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología—IPE (CSIC), Avda. Nuestra Señora de la Victoria 16, Jaca 22700, Spain
| | - Sergio Magallanes
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz E-506071, Spain
| | - Zaira Hellen Villa-Galarce
- DIRESA, Dirección Regional de Salud, Loreto 16001, Peru
- Departamento Académico de Microbiología y Parasitología. Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Iquitos 16001, Peru
| | - Leonila Ricopa
- Departamento Académico de Microbiología y Parasitología. Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Iquitos 16001, Peru
| | | | - Esteban Fong
- EverGreen Institute—San Rafael, Distrito de Indiana, Loreto 16200, Peru
- Observatorio de Aves Loreto (LBO), Distrito de San Juan, Loreto 16008, Peru
| | - Daniel Vecco
- Centro Urku de Estudios Amazónicos, Tarapoto 22200, Peru
| | | | | | - Wendy Flores-Saavedra
- Sanidad Animal—Facultad de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima 15012, Peru
| | - Kathya Espinoza
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Cient쥩ca del Sur, Lima 15067, Peru
| | - Carlos Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Análisis Clínico Moraleslab SAC, Morales, San Martín 22201, Peru
| | - Blanca SaldaÑa
- Laboratorio de Análisis Clínico Moraleslab SAC, Morales, San Martín 22201, Peru
| | - Manuel González-Blázquez
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz E-506071, Spain
| | | | - Charlene Luján-Vega
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, DA 95616, USA
| | | | - Yessica Vilca-Herrera
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima 15081, Perú
| | - Carlos Alberto Pineda
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Hermilio Valdizan, Huánuco, 10160, Peru
| | - Carmen Reategui
- Departamento Académico de Microbiología y Parasitología. Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Iquitos 16001, Peru
| | | | - José Alberto Iannacone
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Biodiversidad Animal, Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal, El Agustino, Lima 15007, Peru
- Laboratorio de Invertebrados, Universidad Ricardo Palma—Santiago de Surco, Lima 15537, Peru
| | - Jorge Luis Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Biodiversidad Animal, Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal, El Agustino, Lima 15007, Peru
| | - Ravinder N M Sehgal
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Alfonso Marzal
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz E-506071, Spain
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Oberstaller J, Otto TD, Rayner JC, Adams JH. Essential Genes of the Parasitic Apicomplexa. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:304-316. [PMID: 33419671 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Genome-scale mutagenesis screens for genes essential for apicomplexan parasite survival have been completed in three species: Plasmodium falciparum, the major human malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei, a model rodent malaria parasite, and the more distantly related Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis. These three species share 2606 single-copy orthologs, 1500 of which have essentiality data in all three screens. In this review, we explore the overlap between these datasets to define the core essential genes of the phylum Apicomplexa. We further discuss the implications of these groundbreaking studies for understanding apicomplexan parasite biology, and we identify promising areas of focus for developing new pan-apicomplexan parasite interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Oberstaller
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases and USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 404, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Thomas D Otto
- Centre of Immunobiology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Julian C Rayner
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, The Keith Peters Building, Hills Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB2 0XY, UK
| | - John H Adams
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases and USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 404, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
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31
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Thorel M, Chavatte JM, Landau I, Lemberger K, Leclerc A. First case of Plasmodium relictum lineage pGRW11 infection in a captive-bred common eider (Somateria Mollissima) in Europe. VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY- REGIONAL STUDIES AND REPORTS 2020; 23:100529. [PMID: 33678383 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2020.100529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A 4-year-old, female common Eider (Somateria mollissima) was presented for mild lethargy with no previous medical history. Numerous intraerythrocytic, round-shaped inclusions were visualized on blood smears, later morphologically identified as Plasmodium relictum parasites. Despite oral doxycycline treatment, clinical condition declined 48 h later. Supportive care was initiated, but the bird died rapidly. Necropsy revealed acute, internal hemorrhages (lungs, air sacs) and subcutaneous, diffuse cervical hematoma, associated with resuscitation attempts. Marked, multicentric amyloidosis (kidney, liver, spleen) was the main histological finding. Molecular analysis identified lineage pGRW11 of P. relictum. This is the first reported case of P. relictum lineage pGRW11 infection in a common Eider. This report describes the clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and associated pathological findings of infection by P. relictum lineage pGRW11 in a common Eider.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Thorel
- ZooParc de Beauval & Beauval Nature, 41110 Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, France.
| | - Jean-Marc Chavatte
- UMR 7245 MCAM MNHN CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 61 rue Buffon, CP52, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France; Malaria Reference Centre - National Public Health Laboratory, National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Health, Level 13, 16 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, 308422, Singapore
| | - Irène Landau
- UMR 7245 MCAM MNHN CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 61 rue Buffon, CP52, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
| | - Karin Lemberger
- Vet Diagnostics, 3 Avenue de la Victoire, 69260 Charbonnières-les-Bains, France
| | - Antoine Leclerc
- ZooParc de Beauval & Beauval Nature, 41110 Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, France
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32
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Su XZ, Zhang C, Joy DA. Host-Malaria Parasite Interactions and Impacts on Mutual Evolution. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:587933. [PMID: 33194831 PMCID: PMC7652737 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.587933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is the most deadly parasitic disease, affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Malaria parasites have been associated with their hosts for millions of years. During the long history of host-parasite co-evolution, both parasites and hosts have applied pressure on each other through complex host-parasite molecular interactions. Whereas the hosts activate various immune mechanisms to remove parasites during an infection, the parasites attempt to evade host immunity by diversifying their genome and switching expression of targets of the host immune system. Human intervention to control the disease such as antimalarial drugs and vaccination can greatly alter parasite population dynamics and evolution, particularly the massive applications of antimalarial drugs in recent human history. Vaccination is likely the best method to prevent the disease; however, a partially protective vaccine may have unwanted consequences that require further investigation. Studies of host-parasite interactions and co-evolution will provide important information for designing safe and effective vaccines and for preventing drug resistance. In this essay, we will discuss some interesting molecules involved in host-parasite interactions, including important parasite antigens. We also discuss subjects relevant to drug and vaccine development and some approaches for studying host-parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Zhuan Su
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Cui Zhang
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Deirdre A Joy
- Parasitology and International Programs Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Pacheco MA, Ceríaco LMP, Matta NE, Vargas-Ramírez M, Bauer AM, Escalante AA. A phylogenetic study of Haemocystidium parasites and other Haemosporida using complete mitochondrial genome sequences. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 85:104576. [PMID: 33002605 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Haemosporida are diverse vector-borne parasites associated with terrestrial vertebrates. Driven by the interest in species causing malaria (genus Plasmodium), the diversity of avian and mammalian haemosporidian species has been extensively studied, relying mostly on mitochondrial genes, particularly cytochrome b. However, parasites from reptiles have been neglected in biodiversity surveys. Reptilian haemosporidian parasites include Haemocystidium, a genus that shares morphological features with Plasmodium and Haemoproteus. Here, the first complete Haemocystidium mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genomes are studied. In particular, three mtDNA genomes from Haemocystidium spp. sampled in Africa, Oceania, and South America, are described. The Haemocystidium mtDNA genomes showed a high A + T content and a gene organization, including an extreme fragmentation of the rRNAs, found in other Haemosporida. These Haemocystidium mtDNA genomes were incorporated in phylogenetic and molecular clock analyses together with a representative sample of haemosporidian parasites from birds, mammals, and reptiles. The recovered phylogeny supported Haemocystidium as a monophyletic group apart from Plasmodium and other Haemosporida. Both the phylogenetic and molecular clock analyses yielded results consistent with a scenario in which haemosporidian parasites radiated with modern birds. Haemocystidium, like mammalian parasite clades, seems to originate from host switches by avian Haemosporida that allowed for the colonization of new vertebrate hosts. This hypothesis can be tested by investigating additional parasite species from all vertebrate hosts, particularly from reptiles. The mtDNA genomes reported here provide baseline data that can be used to scale up studies in haemosporidian parasites of reptiles using barcode approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Andreína Pacheco
- Biology Department/Institute of Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (iGEM), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122-1801, USA
| | - Luis M P Ceríaco
- Museu de História Natural e da Ciência da Universidade do Porto, Praça de Gomes Teixeira, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal; Departamento de Zoologia e Antropología (Museu Bocage), Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua da Escola Politécnica, 58, 1269-102 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Nubia E Matta
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá, Carrera 30 No 45-03, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Mario Vargas-Ramírez
- Instituto de Genética, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá, Carrera 30 No 45-03, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Aaron M Bauer
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085-1699, USA
| | - Ananias A Escalante
- Biology Department/Institute of Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (iGEM), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122-1801, USA.
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Genomic and transcriptomic evidence for descent from Plasmodium and loss of blood schizogony in Hepatocystis parasites from naturally infected red colobus monkeys. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008717. [PMID: 32745123 PMCID: PMC7425995 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocystis is a genus of single-celled parasites infecting, amongst other hosts, monkeys, bats and squirrels. Although thought to have descended from malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.), Hepatocystis spp. are thought not to undergo replication in the blood–the part of the Plasmodium life cycle which causes the symptoms of malaria. Furthermore, Hepatocystis is transmitted by biting midges, not mosquitoes. Comparative genomics of Hepatocystis and Plasmodium species therefore presents an opportunity to better understand some of the most important aspects of malaria parasite biology. We were able to generate a draft genome for Hepatocystis sp. using DNA sequencing reads from the blood of a naturally infected red colobus monkey. We provide robust phylogenetic support for Hepatocystis sp. as a sister group to Plasmodium parasites infecting rodents. We show transcriptomic support for a lack of replication in the blood and genomic support for a complete loss of a family of genes involved in red blood cell invasion. Our analyses highlight the rapid evolution of genes involved in parasite vector stages, revealing genes that may be critical for interactions between malaria parasites and mosquitoes. Hepatocystis parasites are single-celled organisms, closely related to the Plasmodium species which cause malaria. But Hepatocystis are distinct–unlike Plasmodium they are thought not to replicate in the blood and cause little or no disease in their mammalian hosts. They are transmitted from one host to the next, not by mosquitoes, but by biting midges. In this study we generated a genome sequence for Hepatocystis–the first time this data has ever been produced and analysed for this species. We compared genome sequences of Hepatocystis and Plasmodium, confirming that Hepatocystis is descended from Plasmodium. We strengthened support for the absence of replication in the blood and, in line with this finding, discovered that genes involved in interaction with red blood cells have been lost in Hepatocystis. Our analyses revealed rapid evolution of genes which are active when the parasite is in the insect vector, highlighting those which might be important for understanding interaction between malaria parasites and mosquitoes. Hepatocystis has a fascinating evolutionary story and is a powerful comparator for understanding malaria parasite biology.
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Klug D, Goellner S, Kehrer J, Sattler J, Strauss L, Singer M, Lu C, Springer TA, Frischknecht F. Evolutionarily distant I domains can functionally replace the essential ligand-binding domain of Plasmodium TRAP. eLife 2020; 9:57572. [PMID: 32648541 PMCID: PMC7351488 DOI: 10.7554/elife.57572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Inserted (I) domains function as ligand-binding domains in adhesins that support cell adhesion and migration in many eukaryotic phyla. These adhesins include integrin αβ heterodimers in metazoans and single subunit transmembrane proteins in apicomplexans such as TRAP in Plasmodium and MIC2 in Toxoplasma. Here we show that the I domain of TRAP is essential for sporozoite gliding motility, mosquito salivary gland invasion and mouse infection. Its replacement with the I domain from Toxoplasma MIC2 fully restores tissue invasion and parasite transmission, while replacement with the aX I domain from human integrins still partially restores liver infection. Mutations around the ligand binding site allowed salivary gland invasion but led to inefficient transmission to the rodent host. These results suggest that apicomplexan parasites appropriated polyspecific I domains in part for their ability to engage with multiple ligands and to provide traction for emigration into diverse organs in distant phyla. Malaria is an infectious disease caused by single-celled parasites known as Plasmodium. Humans and other animals with backbones – such as birds, reptiles and rodents – can become hosts for these parasites if an infected female mosquito feeds on their blood. Likewise, healthy mosquitoes can in turn become infected with Plasmodium if they feed on the blood of an infected animal. To complete their life cycle, Plasmodium parasites within a mosquito must become spore-like cells called sporozoites. These sporozoites are highly mobile and can get into the mosquitoes’ salivary glands, meaning they can be passed on to a new host when the insect feeds. During a mosquito bite the sporozoites are spat into the skin of the potential host, where they then need to migrate rapidly to enter the bloodstream. Once in the blood, the sporozoites can then get into liver cells and begin a new infection. One protein called TRAP, which is found on the surface of the sporozoites, is important for their migration and the infection of the salivary glands or liver. Yet it was not known how this happens at the level of the individual proteins involved. Klug et al. have now tested how a part of the TRAP protein, called the I domain, contributes to the infection process. In the experiments, the I domain of TRAP was deleted which showed that the sporozoites need this domain to be able to move around and get into the host tissues. Without the I domain the sporozoites were stuck and could not successfully infect either the mosquitoes, the livers of mice, or human liver cells grown in the laboratory. Klug et al. then replaced the Plasmodium I domain of TRAP with the I domain from a distantly related parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, which causes a condition known as toxoplasmosis. The I domain from Toxoplasma allowed the Plasmodium parasites to infect the host tissues again. This observation was unexpected because Toxoplasma and Plasmodium parasites have evolved separately over the last 800 million years and Toxoplasma does not infect insects. These findings suggest that the I domain of TRAP evolved to bind several other proteins in different tissues and hosts. Future studies will investigate which other parasite proteins TRAP works with to guide sporozoites to the salivary glands or liver. Knowledge of how these proteins act together may lead to new approaches for treating or preventing malaria. For example, some treatments could stop sporozoites from entering liver cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Klug
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany.,Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UPR9022, INSERM U963, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France
| | - Sarah Goellner
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jessica Kehrer
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julia Sattler
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Léanne Strauss
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mirko Singer
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany.,Experimental Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Chafen Lu
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, and Departments of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Timothy A Springer
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, and Departments of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
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Videvall E, Palinauskas V, Valkiūnas G, Hellgren O. Host Transcriptional Responses to High- and Low-Virulent Avian Malaria Parasites. Am Nat 2020; 195:1070-1084. [DOI: 10.1086/708530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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37
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Wang B, Liang X, Gleason ML, Hsiang T, Zhang R, Sun G. A chromosome-scale assembly of the smallest Dothideomycete genome reveals a unique genome compaction mechanism in filamentous fungi. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:321. [PMID: 32326892 PMCID: PMC7181583 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-6732-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The wide variation in the size of fungal genomes is well known, but the reasons for this size variation are less certain. Here, we present a chromosome-scale assembly of ectophytic Peltaster fructicola, a surface-dwelling extremophile, based on long-read DNA sequencing technology, to assess possible mechanisms associated with genome compaction. Results At 18.99 million bases (Mb), P. fructicola possesses one of the smallest known genomes sequence among filamentous fungi. The genome is highly compact relative to other fungi, with substantial reductions in repeat content, ribosomal DNA copies, tRNA gene quantity, and intron sizes, as well as intergenic lengths and the size of gene families. Transposons take up just 0.05% of the entire genome, and no full-length transposon was found. We concluded that reduced genome sizes in filamentous fungi such as P. fructicola, Taphrina deformans and Pneumocystis jirovecii occurred through reduction in ribosomal DNA copy number and reduced intron sizes. These dual mechanisms contrast with genome reduction in the yeast fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae, whose small and compact genome is associated solely with intron loss. Conclusions Our results reveal a unique genomic compaction architecture of filamentous fungi inhabiting plant surfaces, and broaden the understanding of the mechanisms associated with compaction of fungal genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi Province, China.,MOE Key Laboratory for Intelligent Networks & Network Security, Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Xiaofei Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi Province, China.
| | - Mark L Gleason
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Tom Hsiang
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Rong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Guangyu Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi Province, China.
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38
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Evolutionary ecology, taxonomy, and systematics of avian malaria and related parasites. Acta Trop 2020; 204:105364. [PMID: 32007445 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Haemosporidian parasites of the genera Plasmodium, Leucocytozoon, and Haemoproteus are one of the most prevalent and widely studied groups of parasites infecting birds. Plasmodium is the most well-known haemosporidian as the avian parasite Plasmodium relictum was the original transmission model for human malaria and was also responsible for catastrophic effects on native avifauna when introduced to Hawaii. The past two decades have seen a dramatic increase in research on avian haemosporidian parasites as a model system to understand evolutionary and ecological parasite-host relationships. Despite haemosporidians being one the best studied groups of avian parasites their specialization among avian hosts and variation in prevalence amongst regions and host taxa are not fully understood. In this review we focus on describing the current phylogenetic and morphological diversity of haemosporidian parasites, their specificity among avian and vector hosts, and identifying the determinants of haemosporidian prevalence among avian species. We also discuss how these parasites might spread across regions due to global climate change and the importance of avian migratory behavior in parasite dispersion and subsequent diversification.
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Garcia-Longoria L, Palinauskas V, Ilgūnas M, Valkiūnas G, Hellgren O. Differential gene expression of Plasmodium homocircumflexum (lineage pCOLL4) across two experimentally infected passerine bird species. Genomics 2020; 112:2857-2865. [PMID: 32234432 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium parasites are present in a wide range of host species, some of which tend to be more susceptible than others, potentially as an outcome of evolved tolerance or resistance. Common starlings seem to cope with malaria infection while common crossbills are more susceptible to the same infections. That raises the question if the parasites rely on the same molecular mechanisms regardless of host species or do Plasmodium parasites change gene-expressions in accordance to the environment different hosts might provide? We used RNA-sequencing from starlings and crossbills, experimentally infected with Plasmodium homocircumflexum (lineage pCOLL4). The assembled transcriptome contained a total of 26,733 contigs. Parasite expression patterns differed between bird species. Parasites had higher expression of cell-invasion genes when infecting crossbills compared to starlings whereas in starlings genes related to apoptosis or/and oxidative stress showed higher expression levels. This article reveals how a Plasmodium parasite might adjust its expression and gene function depending on the host species infected.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Garcia-Longoria
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Universidad de Extremadura, E-506071 Badajoz, Spain.
| | | | - M Ilgūnas
- Nature Research Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | - O Hellgren
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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40
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Gage HL, Merrick CJ. Conserved associations between G-quadruplex-forming DNA motifs and virulence gene families in malaria parasites. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:236. [PMID: 32183702 PMCID: PMC7077173 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-6625-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Plasmodium genus of malaria parasites encodes several families of antigen-encoding genes. These genes tend to be hyper-variable, highly recombinogenic and variantly expressed. The best-characterized family is the var genes, exclusively found in the Laveranian subgenus of malaria parasites infecting humans and great apes. Var genes encode major virulence factors involved in immune evasion and the maintenance of chronic infections. In the human parasite P. falciparum, var gene recombination and diversification appear to be promoted by G-quadruplex (G4) DNA motifs, which are strongly associated with var genes in P. falciparum. Here, we investigated how this association might have evolved across Plasmodium species – both Laverania and also more distantly related species which lack vars but encode other, more ancient variant gene families. Results The association between var genes and G4-forming motifs was conserved across Laverania, spanning ~ 1 million years of evolutionary time, with suggestive evidence for evolution of the association occurring within this subgenus. In rodent malaria species, G4-forming motifs were somewhat associated with pir genes, but this was not conserved in the Laverania, nor did we find a strong association of these motifs with any gene family in a second outgroup of avian malaria parasites. Secondly, we compared two different G4 prediction algorithms in their performance on extremely A/T-rich Plasmodium genomes, and also compared these predictions with experimental data from G4-seq, a DNA sequencing method for identifying G4-forming motifs. We found a surprising lack of concordance between the two algorithms and also between the algorithms and G4-seq data. Conclusions G4-forming motifs are uniquely strongly associated with Plasmodium var genes, suggesting a particular role for G4s in recombination and diversification of these genes. Secondly, in the A/T-rich genomes of Plasmodium species, the choice of prediction algorithm may be particularly influential when studying G4s in these important protozoan pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter L Gage
- Department of Pathology, Cambridge University, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK
| | - Catherine J Merrick
- Department of Pathology, Cambridge University, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK.
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41
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González A, Hall MN, Lin SC, Hardie DG. AMPK and TOR: The Yin and Yang of Cellular Nutrient Sensing and Growth Control. Cell Metab 2020; 31:472-492. [PMID: 32130880 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2020.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 369] [Impact Index Per Article: 92.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) and TOR (target-of-rapamycin) pathways are interlinked, opposing signaling pathways involved in sensing availability of nutrients and energy and regulation of cell growth. AMPK (Yin, or the "dark side") is switched on by lack of energy or nutrients and inhibits cell growth, while TOR (Yang, or the "bright side") is switched on by nutrient availability and promotes cell growth. Genes encoding the AMPK and TOR complexes are found in almost all eukaryotes, suggesting that these pathways arose very early during eukaryotic evolution. During the development of multicellularity, an additional tier of cell-extrinsic growth control arose that is mediated by growth factors, but these often act by modulating nutrient uptake so that AMPK and TOR remain the underlying regulators of cellular growth control. In this review, we discuss the evolution, structure, and regulation of the AMPK and TOR pathways and the complex mechanisms by which they interact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asier González
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, CH4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael N Hall
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, CH4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sheng-Cai Lin
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102 Fujian, China
| | - D Grahame Hardie
- Division of Cell Signalling & Immunology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, Scotland, UK.
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Galen SC, Borner J, Williamson JL, Witt CC, Perkins SL. Metatranscriptomics yields new genomic resources and sensitive detection of infections for diverse blood parasites. Mol Ecol Resour 2019; 20:14-28. [PMID: 31507097 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Metatranscriptomics is a powerful method for studying the composition and function of complex microbial communities. The application of metatranscriptomics to multispecies parasite infections is of particular interest, as research on parasite evolution and diversification has been hampered by technical challenges to genome-scale DNA sequencing. In particular, blood parasites of vertebrates are abundant and diverse although they often occur at low infection intensities and exist as multispecies infections, rendering the isolation of genomic sequence data challenging. Here, we use birds and their diverse haemosporidian parasites to illustrate the potential for metatranscriptome sequencing to generate large quantities of genome-wide sequence data from multiple blood parasite species simultaneously. We used RNA-sequencing of 24 blood samples from songbirds in North America to show that metatranscriptomes can yield large proportions of haemosporidian protein-coding gene repertoires even when infections are of low intensity (<0.1% red blood cells infected) and consist of multiple parasite taxa. By bioinformatically separating host and parasite transcripts and assigning them to the haemosporidian genus of origin, we found that transcriptomes detected ~23% more total parasite infections across all samples than were identified using microscopy and DNA barcoding. For single-species infections, we obtained data for >1,300 loci from samples with as low as 0.03% parasitaemia, with the number of loci increasing with infection intensity. In total, we provide data for 1,502 single-copy orthologous loci from a phylogenetically diverse set of 33 haemosporidian mitochondrial lineages. The metatranscriptomic approach described here has the potential to accelerate ecological and evolutionary research on haemosporidians and other diverse parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer C Galen
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA.,Richard Gilder Graduate School, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
| | - Janus Borner
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA.,Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jessie L Williamson
- Department of Biology, Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Christopher C Witt
- Department of Biology, Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Susan L Perkins
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
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Bukauskaitė D, Chagas CRF, Bernotienė R, Žiegytė R, Ilgūnas M, Iezhova T, Valkiūnas G. A new methodology for sporogony research of avian haemoproteids in laboratory-reared Culicoides spp., with a description of the complete sporogonic development of Haemoproteus pastoris. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:582. [PMID: 31829271 PMCID: PMC6907249 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3832-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Haemosporidian parasites of the genus Haemoproteus (Haemoproteidae) are widespread and cause haemoproteosis in birds and therefore, their diversity, ecology and evolutionary biology have become subjects of intensive research. However, the vectors and transmission patterns of haemoproteids as well as the epidemiology of haemoproteosis remain insufficiently investigated. Several species of Culicoides (Ceratopogonidae) support complete sporogony of haemoproteids belonging to the subgenus Parahaemoproteus. However, experimental research with these fragile insects is difficult to design in the field, particularly because their abundance markedly depends on seasonality. This is an obstacle for continuous sampling of sufficient numbers of naturally infected or experimentally exposed midges from wildlife. We developed simple methodology for accessing sporogonic development of haemoproteids in laboratory-reared Culicoides nubeculosus. This study aimed to describe the mosaic of methods constituting this methodology, which was applied for investigation of the sporogonic development of Haemoproteus (Parahaemoproteus) pastoris, a widespread parasite of the common starling Sturnus vulgaris. METHODS The methodology consists of the following main stages: (i) laboratory rearing of C. nubeculosus from the egg stage to adult insects; (ii) selection of naturally infected birds, the donors of mature gametocytes to expose biting midges; (iii) experimental exposure of insects and their laboratory maintenance; and (iv) dissection of exposed insects. Biting midges were exposed to H. pastoris (cytochrome b lineage hLAMPUR01) detected in one naturally infected common starling. Engorged insects were dissected at intervals in order to follow sporogony. Microscopic examination and PCR-based methods were used to identify the sporogonic stages and to confirm the presence of the parasite lineage in infected insects, respectively. RESULTS Culicoides nubeculosus females were successfully reared and exposed to H. pastoris, which completed sporogonic development 7-9 days post-infection when sporozoites were observed in the salivary glands. CONCLUSIONS The new methodology is easy to use and non-harmful for birds, providing opportunities to access the sporogonic stages of Parahaemoproteus parasites, which might be used in a broad range of parasitology and genetic studies. Culicoides nubeculosus is an excellent experimental vector of subgenus Parahaemoproteus and is recommended for various experimental studies aiming investigation of sporogony of these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rasa Bernotienė
- Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius 21, Lithuania
| | - Rita Žiegytė
- Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius 21, Lithuania
| | - Mikas Ilgūnas
- Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius 21, Lithuania
| | - Tatjana Iezhova
- Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius 21, Lithuania
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Weinberg J, Field JT, Ilgūnas M, Bukauskaitė D, Iezhova T, Valkiūnas G, Sehgal RNM. De novo transcriptome assembly and preliminary analyses of two avian malaria parasites, Plasmodium delichoni and Plasmodium homocircumflexum. Genomics 2019; 111:1815-1823. [PMID: 30553810 PMCID: PMC6565518 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Revised: 11/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Parasites of the genus Plasmodium infect a wide array of hosts, causing malaria in all major groups of terrestrial vertebrates including primates, reptiles, and birds. Molecular mechanisms explaining why some Plasmodium species are virulent, while other closely related malaria pathogens are relatively benign in the same hosts, remain unclear. Here, we present the RNA sequencing and subsequent transcriptome assembly of two avian Plasmodium parasites which can eventually be used to better understand the genetic mechanisms underlying Plasmodium species pathogenicity in an avian host. Plasmodium homocircumflexum, a cryptic, pathogenic species that often causes mortality and Plasmodium delichoni, a newly described, relatively benign malaria parasite that does not kill its hosts, were used to experimentally infect two Eurasian siskins (Carduelis spinus). RNA extractions were performed and RNA sequencing was completed using high throughput Illumina sequencing. Using established bioinformatics pipelines, the sequencing data from both species were used to generate transcriptomes using published Plasmodium species genomes as a scaffold. The finalized transcriptome of P. homocircumflexum contained 21,612 total contigs while that of P. delichoni contained 12,048 contigs. We were able to identify many genes implicated in erythrocyte invasion actively expressed in both P. homocircumflexum and P. delichoni, including the well described vaccine candidates Apical Membrane Antigen-1 (AMA-1) and Merozoite Surface Protein 1 (MSP1). This work acts as a stepping stone to increase available data on avian Plasmodium parasites, thus enabling future research into the evolution of pathogenicity in malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Weinberg
- Dept. of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA.
| | - Jasper Toscani Field
- Dept. of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Mikas Ilgūnas
- Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, LT-08412 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | - Tatjana Iezhova
- Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, LT-08412 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | - Ravinder N M Sehgal
- Dept. of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
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Howick VM, Russell AJC, Andrews T, Heaton H, Reid AJ, Natarajan K, Butungi H, Metcalf T, Verzier LH, Rayner JC, Berriman M, Herren JK, Billker O, Hemberg M, Talman AM, Lawniczak MKN. The Malaria Cell Atlas: Single parasite transcriptomes across the complete Plasmodium life cycle. Science 2019; 365:eaaw2619. [PMID: 31439762 PMCID: PMC7056351 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw2619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Malaria parasites adopt a remarkable variety of morphological life stages as they transition through multiple mammalian host and mosquito vector environments. We profiled the single-cell transcriptomes of thousands of individual parasites, deriving the first high-resolution transcriptional atlas of the entire Plasmodium berghei life cycle. We then used our atlas to precisely define developmental stages of single cells from three different human malaria parasite species, including parasites isolated directly from infected individuals. The Malaria Cell Atlas provides both a comprehensive view of gene usage in a eukaryotic parasite and an open-access reference dataset for the study of malaria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia M Howick
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Andrew J C Russell
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Tallulah Andrews
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Haynes Heaton
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Adam J Reid
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Kedar Natarajan
- Danish Institute of Advanced Study (D-IAS), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Hellen Butungi
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
- Wits Research Institute for Malaria, MRC Collaborating Centre for Multi-disciplinary Research on Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Tom Metcalf
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Lisa H Verzier
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Julian C Rayner
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Matthew Berriman
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Jeremy K Herren
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
- Wits Research Institute for Malaria, MRC Collaborating Centre for Multi-disciplinary Research on Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Oliver Billker
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Martin Hemberg
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Arthur M Talman
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
- MIVEGEC, IRD, CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Mara K N Lawniczak
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
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Plasmodium Genomics and Genetics: New Insights into Malaria Pathogenesis, Drug Resistance, Epidemiology, and Evolution. Clin Microbiol Rev 2019; 32:32/4/e00019-19. [PMID: 31366610 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00019-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Protozoan Plasmodium parasites are the causative agents of malaria, a deadly disease that continues to afflict hundreds of millions of people every year. Infections with malaria parasites can be asymptomatic, with mild or severe symptoms, or fatal, depending on many factors such as parasite virulence and host immune status. Malaria can be treated with various drugs, with artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) being the first-line choice. Recent advances in genetics and genomics of malaria parasites have contributed greatly to our understanding of parasite population dynamics, transmission, drug responses, and pathogenesis. However, knowledge gaps in parasite biology and host-parasite interactions still remain. Parasites resistant to multiple antimalarial drugs have emerged, while advanced clinical trials have shown partial efficacy for one available vaccine. Here we discuss genetic and genomic studies of Plasmodium biology, host-parasite interactions, population structures, mosquito infectivity, antigenic variation, and targets for treatment and immunization. Knowledge from these studies will advance our understanding of malaria pathogenesis, epidemiology, and evolution and will support work to discover and develop new medicines and vaccines.
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Ngotho P, Soares AB, Hentzschel F, Achcar F, Bertuccini L, Marti M. Revisiting gametocyte biology in malaria parasites. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2019; 43:401-414. [PMID: 31220244 PMCID: PMC6606849 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuz010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Gametocytes are the only form of the malaria parasite that is transmissible to the mosquito vector. They are present at low levels in blood circulation and significant knowledge gaps exist in their biology. Recent reductions in the global malaria burden have brought the possibility of elimination and eradication, with renewed focus on malaria transmission biology as a basis for interventions. This review discusses recent insights into gametocyte biology in the major human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum and related species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Ngotho
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, 120 University Road, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Alexandra Blancke Soares
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, 120 University Road, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Franziska Hentzschel
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, 120 University Road, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Fiona Achcar
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, 120 University Road, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Lucia Bertuccini
- Core Facilities, Microscopy Area, Instituto Superiore di Sanita, Via Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Matthias Marti
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, 120 University Road, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK.,Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston 02115, MA, USA
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Flying into the future: avian haemosporidians and the advancement of understanding host–parasite systems. Parasitology 2019; 146:1487-1489. [DOI: 10.1017/s003118201900057x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Böhme U, Otto TD, Sanders M, Newbold CI, Berriman M. Progression of the canonical reference malaria parasite genome from 2002-2019. Wellcome Open Res 2019; 4:58. [PMID: 31080894 PMCID: PMC6484455 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15194.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Here we describe the ways in which the sequence and annotation of the
Plasmodium falciparum reference genome has changed since its publication in 2002. As the malaria species responsible for the most deaths worldwide, the richness of annotation and accuracy of the sequence are important resources for the
P. falciparum research community as well as the basis for interpreting the genomes of subsequently sequenced species. At the time of publication in 2002 over 60% of predicted genes had unknown functions. As of March 2019, this number has been significantly decreased to 33%. The reduction is due to the inclusion of genes that were subsequently characterised experimentally and genes with significant similarity to others with known functions. In addition, the structural annotation of genes has been significantly refined; 27% of gene structures have been changed since 2002, comprising changes in exon-intron boundaries, addition or deletion of exons and the addition or deletion of genes. The sequence has also undergone significant improvements. In addition to the correction of a large number of single-base and insertion or deletion errors, a major miss-assembly between the subtelomeres of chromosome 7 and 8 has been corrected. As the number of sequenced isolates continues to grow rapidly, a single reference genome will not be an adequate basis for interpreting intra-species sequence diversity. We therefore describe in this publication a population reference genome of
P. falciparum, called Pfref1. This reference will enable the community to map to regions that are not present in the current assembly.
P. falciparum 3D7 will continue to be maintained, with ongoing curation ensuring continual improvements in annotation quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Böhme
- Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Thomas D Otto
- Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK.,Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Mandy Sanders
- Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Chris I Newbold
- Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK.,Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Matthew Berriman
- Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
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