1
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De Hoest-Thompson C, Marugan-Hernandez V, Dessens JT. Plasmodium LCCL domain-containing modular proteins have their origins in the ancestral alveolate. Open Biol 2024; 14:230451. [PMID: 38862023 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.230451] [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: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium species encode a unique set of six modular proteins named LCCL lectin domain adhesive-like proteins (LAPs) that operate as a complex and that are essential for malaria parasite transmission from mosquito to vertebrate. LAPs possess complex architectures obtained through unique assemblies of conserved domains associated with lipid, protein and carbohydrate interactions, including the name-defining LCCL domain. Here, we assessed the prevalence of Plasmodium LAP orthologues across eukaryotic life. Our findings show orthologous conservation in all apicomplexans, with lineage-specific repertoires acquired through differential lap gene loss and duplication. Besides Apicomplexa, LAPs are found in their closest relatives: the photosynthetic chromerids, which encode the broadest repertoire including a novel membrane-bound LCCL protein. LAPs are notably absent from other alveolate lineages (dinoflagellates, perkinsids and ciliates), but are encoded by predatory colponemids, a sister group to the alveolates. These results reveal that the LAPs are much older than previously thought and pre-date not only the Apicomplexa but the Alveolata altogether.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Johannes T Dessens
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine , London WC1E 7HT, UK
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2
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Keeling PJ, Mtawali M, Trznadel M, Livingston SJ, Wakeman KC. Parallel functional reduction in the mitochondria of apicomplexan parasites. Eur J Protistol 2024; 94:126065. [PMID: 38492251 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2024.126065] [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: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Extreme functional reduction of mitochondria has taken place in parallel in many distantly related lineages of eukaryotes, leading to a number of recurring metabolic states with variously lost electron transport chain (ETC) complexes, loss of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and/or loss of the mitochondrial genome. The resulting mitochondria-related organelles (MROs) are generally structurally reduced and in the most extreme cases barely recognizable features of the cell with no role in energy metabolism whatsoever (e.g., mitosomes, which generally only make iron-sulfur clusters). Recently, a wide diversity of MROs were discovered to be hiding in plain sight: in gregarine apicomplexans. This diverse group of invertebrate parasites has been known and observed for centuries, but until recent applications of culture-free genomics, their mitochondria were unremarkable. The genomics, however, showed that mitochondrial function has reduced in parallel in multiple gregarine lineages to several different endpoints, including the most reduced mitosomes. Here we review this remarkable case of parallel evolution of MROs, and some of the interesting questions this work raises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick J Keeling
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 3156-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver V6T 1Z4, BC, Canada.
| | - Mahara Mtawali
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 3156-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver V6T 1Z4, BC, Canada
| | - Morelia Trznadel
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 3156-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver V6T 1Z4, BC, Canada
| | - Samuel J Livingston
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 3156-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver V6T 1Z4, BC, Canada
| | - Kevin C Wakeman
- Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Hokkaido, Japan
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3
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Na I, Campos C, Lax G, Kwong WK, Keeling PJ. Phylogenomics reveals Adeleorina are an ancient and distinct subgroup of Apicomplexa. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2024; 195:108060. [PMID: 38485105 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108060] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Apicomplexans are a diverse phylum of unicellular eukaryotes that share obligate relationships with terrestrial and aquatic animal hosts. Many well-studied apicomplexans are responsible for several deadly zoonotic and human diseases, most notably malaria caused by Plasmodium. Interest in the evolutionary origin of apicomplexans has also spurred recent work on other more deeply-branching lineages, especially gregarines and sister groups like squirmids and chrompodellids. But a full picture of apicomplexan evolution is still lacking several lineages, and one major, diverse lineage that is notably absent is the adeleorinids. Adeleorina apicomplexans comprises hundreds of described species that infect invertebrate and vertebrate hosts across the globe. Although historically considered coccidians, phylogenetic trees based on limited data have shown conflicting branch positions for this subgroup, leaving this question unresolved. Phylogenomic trees and large-scale analyses comparing cellular functions and metabolism between major subgroups of apicomplexans have not incorporated Adeleorina because only a handful of molecular markers and a couple organellar genomes are available, ultimately excluding this group from contributing to our understanding of apicomplexan evolution and biology. To address this gap, we have generated complete genomes from mitochondria and plastids, as well as multiple deep-coverage single-cell transcriptomes of nuclear genes from two Adeleorina species, Klossia helicina and Legerella nova, and inferred a 206-protein phylogenomic tree of Apicomplexa. We observed distinct structures reported in species descriptions as remnant host structures surrounding adeleorinid oocysts. Klossia helicina and L. nova branched, as expected, with monoxenous adeleorinids within the Adeleorina and their mitochondrial and plastid genomes exhibited similarity to published organellar adeleorinid genomes. We show with a phylogeneomic tree and subsequent phylogenomic analyses that Adeleorina are not closely related to any of the currently sampled apicomplexan subgroups, and instead fall as a sister to a large clade encompassing Coccidia, Protococcidia, Hematozoa, and Nephromycida, collectively. This resolves Adeleorina as a key independently-branching group, separate from coccidians, on the tree of Apicomplexa, which now has all known major lineages sampled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ina Na
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Claudia Campos
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, 6, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Gordon Lax
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Waldan K Kwong
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, 6, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Patrick J Keeling
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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4
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Harada R, Hirakawa Y, Yabuki A, Kim E, Yazaki E, Kamikawa R, Nakano K, Eliáš M, Inagaki Y. Encyclopedia of Family A DNA Polymerases Localized in Organelles: Evolutionary Contribution of Bacteria Including the Proto-Mitochondrion. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae014. [PMID: 38271287 PMCID: PMC10877234 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae014] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA polymerases synthesize DNA from deoxyribonucleotides in a semiconservative manner and serve as the core of DNA replication and repair machinery. In eukaryotic cells, there are 2 genome-containing organelles, mitochondria, and plastids, which were derived from an alphaproteobacterium and a cyanobacterium, respectively. Except for rare cases of genome-lacking mitochondria and plastids, both organelles must be served by nucleus-encoded DNA polymerases that localize and work in them to maintain their genomes. The evolution of organellar DNA polymerases has yet to be fully understood because of 2 unsettled issues. First, the diversity of organellar DNA polymerases has not been elucidated in the full spectrum of eukaryotes. Second, it is unclear when the DNA polymerases that were used originally in the endosymbiotic bacteria giving rise to mitochondria and plastids were discarded, as the organellar DNA polymerases known to date show no phylogenetic affinity to those of the extant alphaproteobacteria or cyanobacteria. In this study, we identified from diverse eukaryotes 134 family A DNA polymerase sequences, which were classified into 10 novel types, and explored their evolutionary origins. The subcellular localizations of selected DNA polymerases were further examined experimentally. The results presented here suggest that the diversity of organellar DNA polymerases has been shaped by multiple transfers of the PolI gene from phylogenetically broad bacteria, and their occurrence in eukaryotes was additionally impacted by secondary plastid endosymbioses. Finally, we propose that the last eukaryotic common ancestor may have possessed 2 mitochondrial DNA polymerases, POP, and a candidate of the direct descendant of the proto-mitochondrial DNA polymerase I, rdxPolA, identified in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Harada
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Hirakawa
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Akinori Yabuki
- Deep-Sea Biodiversity Research Group, Research Institute for Global Change (RIGC), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Eunsoo Kim
- Division of EcoScience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
| | - Euki Yazaki
- Research Center for Advanced Analysis, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Japan
- Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences program (iTHEMS), RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Ryoma Kamikawa
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kentaro Nakano
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Marek Eliáš
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Yuji Inagaki
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Center for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
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5
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Rotterová J, Pánek T, Salomaki ED, Kotyk M, Táborský P, Kolísko M, Čepička I. Single cell transcriptomics reveals UAR codon reassignment in Palmarella salina (Metopida, Armophorea) and confirms Armophorida belongs to APM clade. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2024; 191:107991. [PMID: 38092322 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobes have emerged in several major lineages of ciliates, but the number of independent transitions to anaerobiosis among ciliates is unknown. The APM clade (Armophorea, Muranotrichea, Parablepharismea) represents the largest clade of obligate anaerobes among ciliates and contains free-living marine and freshwater representatives as well as gut endobionts of animals. The evolution of APM group has only recently started getting attention, and our knowledge on its phylogeny and genetics is still limited to a fraction of taxa. While ciliates portray a wide array of alternatives to the standard genetic code across numerous classes, the APM ciliates were considered to be the largest group using exclusively standard nuclear genetic code. In this study, we present a pan-ciliate phylogenomic analysis with emphasis on the APM clade, bringing the first phylogenomic analysis of the family Tropidoatractidae (Armophorea) and confirming the position of Armophorida within Armophorea. We include five newly sequenced single cell transcriptomes from marine, freshwater, and endobiotic APM ciliates - Palmarella salina, Anteclevelandella constricta, Nyctotherus sp., Caenomorpha medusula, and Thigmothrix strigosa. We report the first discovery of an alternative nuclear genetic code among APM ciliates, used by Palmarella salina (Tropidoatractidae, Armophorea), but not by its close relative, Tropidoatractus sp., and provide a comparative analysis of stop codon identity and frequency indicating the precedency to the UAG codon loss/reassignment over the UAA codon reassignment in the specific ancestor of Palmarella. Comparative genomic and proteomic studies of this group may help explain the constraints that underlie UAR stop-to-sense reassignment, the most frequent type of alternative nuclear genetic code, not only in ciliates, but eukaryotes in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johana Rotterová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 128 00, Czech Republic; Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez, Mayagüez, PR, USA.
| | - Tomáš Pánek
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Eric D Salomaki
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice 370 05, Czech Republic; Center for Computational Biology of Human Disease and Center for Computation and Visualization, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Michael Kotyk
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Táborský
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Kolísko
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Čepička
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 128 00, Czech Republic.
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6
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Xu R, Beatty WL, Greigert V, Witola WH, Sibley LD. Multiple pathways for glucose phosphate transport and utilization support growth of Cryptosporidium parvum. Nat Commun 2024; 15:380. [PMID: 38191884 PMCID: PMC10774378 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44696-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidium parvum is an obligate intracellular parasite with a highly reduced mitochondrion that lacks the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the ability to generate ATP, making the parasite reliant on glycolysis. Genetic ablation experiments demonstrated that neither of the two putative glucose transporters CpGT1 and CpGT2 were essential for growth. Surprisingly, hexokinase was also dispensable for parasite growth while the downstream enzyme aldolase was required, suggesting the parasite has an alternative way of obtaining phosphorylated hexose. Complementation studies in E. coli support a role for direct transport of glucose-6-phosphate from the host cell by the parasite transporters CpGT1 and CpGT2, thus bypassing a requirement for hexokinase. Additionally, the parasite obtains phosphorylated glucose from amylopectin stores that are released by the action of the essential enzyme glycogen phosphorylase. Collectively, these findings reveal that C. parvum relies on multiple pathways to obtain phosphorylated glucose both for glycolysis and to restore carbohydrate reserves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Xu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Wandy L Beatty
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Valentin Greigert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - William H Witola
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - L David Sibley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
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7
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Jäkel T, Raisch L, Richter S, Wirth M, Birenbaum D, Ginting S, Khoprasert Y, Mackenstedt U, Wassermann M. Morphological and molecular phylogenetic characterization of Sarcocystis kani sp. nov. and other novel, closely related Sarcocystis spp. infecting small mammals and colubrid snakes in Asia. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 22:184-198. [PMID: 37915771 PMCID: PMC10615900 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.10.005] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the morphology and phylogenetic relationships of novel and previously recognized Sarcocystis spp. infecting small mammals and colubrid snakes in Asia. The nuclear 18S rRNA and mitochondrial cox1 of Sarcocystis sp.1 from mangrove snakes (Boiga dendrophila) in Thailand and Sarcocystis sp.2 from a ricefield rat (Rattus argentiventer) in Sumatra were partially sequenced. Sporocysts of Sarcocystis sp.1 induced development of sarcocysts in experimentally infected rats, which showed a unique ultrastructure that was observed previously by S.P. Kan in rats from Malaysia; therefore, we describe this species as Sarcocystis kani sp. nov. Its integration into the 18S rRNA phylogeny of Sarcocystis spp. cycling between small mammals and colubrid snakes helped clarify relationships among the so-called S. zuoi-complex of molecularly cryptic species: Sarcocystis kani sp. nov., S. sp.2, S. attenuati, S. scandentiborneensis, and S. zuoi were all included in this clade. Tree topology was resolved into dichotomies congruent with the morphological disparities between the taxa. However, cox1 gene sequencing (including newly sequenced S. singaporensis and S. zamani) revealed that Sarcocystis kani, S. attenuati, and S. scandentiborneensis were identical suggesting a recent, common ancestry. To identify other distinctive features, lineage-specific molecular patterns within both genes were examined revealing that all 18S rRNA sequences of the S. zuoi - complex possess a unique, 7-nt long motif in helix 38 of domain V7 that was different in S. clethrionomyelaphis which branched off basally from the complex. Three-dimensional homology modelling of COX1 protein structure identified amino acid substitutions within the barcode area specific for the S. zuoi-complex and substantial divergence in structurally important amino acids between Sarcocystis species of snakes as definitive hosts and other lineages of the Sarcocystidae. We discuss the utility of selected genes for species delimitation of the Sarcocystis spp. under investigation, which probably evolved during recent radiations of their intermediate and definitive hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Jäkel
- University of Hohenheim, Institute of Biology, Department of Parasitology, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Agriculture, Plant Protection Research and Development Office, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Lisa Raisch
- University of Hohenheim, Institute of Biology, Department of Parasitology, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sarah Richter
- University of Hohenheim, Institute of Biology, Department of Parasitology, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Mareike Wirth
- University of Hohenheim, Institute of Biology, Department of Parasitology, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Damaris Birenbaum
- University of Hohenheim, Institute of Biology, Department of Parasitology, Stuttgart, Germany
| | | | - Yuvaluk Khoprasert
- Department of Agriculture, Plant Protection Research and Development Office, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Ute Mackenstedt
- University of Hohenheim, Institute of Biology, Department of Parasitology, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Marion Wassermann
- University of Hohenheim, Institute of Biology, Department of Parasitology, Stuttgart, Germany
- University of Hohenheim, Center of Biodiversity and Integrative Taxonomy, Stuttgart, Germany
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8
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Schwarz D, Lourido S. The multifaceted roles of Myb domain-containing proteins in apicomplexan parasites. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 76:102395. [PMID: 37866202 PMCID: PMC10872578 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites are a large and diverse clade of protists responsible for significant diseases of humans and animals. Central to the ability of these parasites to colonize their host and evade immune responses is an expanded repertoire of gene-expression programs that requires the coordinated action of complex transcriptional networks. DNA-binding proteins and chromatin regulators are essential orchestrators of apicomplexan gene expression that often act in concert. Although apicomplexan genomes encode various families of putative DNA-binding proteins, most remain functionally and mechanistically unexplored. This review highlights the versatile role of myeloblastosis (Myb) domain-containing proteins in apicomplexan parasites as transcription factors and chromatin regulators. We explore the diversity of Myb domain structure and use phylogenetic analysis to identify common features across the phylum. This provides a framework to discuss functional heterogeneity and regulation of Myb domain-containing proteins particularly emphasizing their role in parasite differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Schwarz
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Sebastian Lourido
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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9
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Brabec J, Salomaki ED, Kolísko M, Scholz T, Kuchta R. The evolution of endoparasitism and complex life cycles in parasitic platyhelminths. Curr Biol 2023; 33:4269-4275.e3. [PMID: 37729914 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Within flatworms, the vast majority of parasitism is innate to Neodermata, the most derived and diversified group of the phylum Platyhelminthes.1,2 The four major lineages of Neodermata maintain various combinations of life strategies.3 They include both externally (ecto-) and internally feeding (endo-) parasites. Some lineages complete their life cycles directly by infecting a single host, whereas others succeed only through serial infections of multiple hosts of various vertebrate and invertebrate groups. Food sources and modes of digestion add further combinatorial layers to the often incompletely understood mosaic of neodermatan life histories. Their evolutionary trajectories have remained molecularly unresolved because of conflicting evolutionary inferences and a lack of genomic data.4 Here, we generated transcriptomes for nine early branching neodermatan representatives and performed detailed phylogenomic analyses to address these critical gaps. Polyopisthocotylea, mostly hematophagous ectoparasites, form a group with the mostly hematophagous but endoparasitic trematodes (Trematoda), rather than sharing a common ancestor with Monopisthocotylea, ectoparasitic epithelial feeders. Phylogenetic placement of the highly specialized endoparasitic Cestoda alters depending on the model. Regardless of this uncertainty, this study brings an unconventional perspective on the evolution of platyhelminth parasitism, rejecting a common origin for the endoparasitic lifestyle intrinsic to cestodes and trematodes. Instead, our data indicate that complex life cycles and invasion of vertebrates' gut lumen, the hallmark features of these parasites, evolved independently within Neodermata. We propose the demise of the traditionally recognized class Monogenea and the promotion of its two subclasses to the class level as Monopisthocotyla new class and Polyopisthocotyla new class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Brabec
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice 37005, Czech Republic.
| | - Eric D Salomaki
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice 37005, Czech Republic; Center for Computational Biology of Human Disease and Center for Computation and Visualization, Brown University, 180 George St, Providence, RI 02906, USA
| | - Martin Kolísko
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Scholz
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Kuchta
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice 37005, Czech Republic
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10
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Funkhouser-Jones LJ, Xu R, Wilke G, Fu Y, Schriefer LA, Makimaa H, Rodgers R, Kennedy EA, VanDussen KL, Stappenbeck TS, Baldridge MT, Sibley LD. Microbiota-produced indole metabolites disrupt mitochondrial function and inhibit Cryptosporidium parvum growth. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112680. [PMID: 37384526 PMCID: PMC10530208 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis is a leading cause of life-threatening diarrhea in young children in resource-poor settings. To explore microbial influences on susceptibility, we screened 85 microbiota-associated metabolites for their effects on Cryptosporidium parvum growth in vitro. We identify eight inhibitory metabolites in three main classes: secondary bile salts/acids, a vitamin B6 precursor, and indoles. Growth restriction of C. parvum by indoles does not depend on the host aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway. Instead, treatment impairs host mitochondrial function and reduces total cellular ATP, as well as directly reducing the membrane potential in the parasite mitosome, a degenerate mitochondria. Oral administration of indoles, or reconstitution of the gut microbiota with indole-producing bacteria, delays life cycle progression of the parasite in vitro and reduces the severity of C. parvum infection in mice. Collectively, these findings indicate that microbiota metabolites impair mitochondrial function and contribute to colonization resistance to Cryptosporidium infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa J Funkhouser-Jones
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rui Xu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Georgia Wilke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yong Fu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lawrence A Schriefer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Heyde Makimaa
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rachel Rodgers
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Kennedy
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kelli L VanDussen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Thaddeus S Stappenbeck
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Megan T Baldridge
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - L David Sibley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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11
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Xie J, Tan B, Zhang Y. A Large-Scale Study into Protist-Animal Interactions Based on Public Genomic Data Using DNA Barcodes. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2243. [PMID: 37508021 PMCID: PMC10376638 DOI: 10.3390/ani13142243] [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: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
With the birth of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, genomic data in public databases have increased exponentially. Unfortunately, exogenous contamination or intracellular parasite sequences in assemblies could confuse genomic analysis. Meanwhile, they can provide a valuable resource for studies of host-microbe interactions. Here, we used a strategy based on DNA barcodes to scan protistan contamination in the GenBank WGS/TSA database. The results showed a total of 13,952 metazoan/animal assemblies in GenBank, where 17,036 contigs were found to be protistan contaminants in 1507 assemblies (10.8%), with even higher contamination rates in taxa of Cnidaria (150/281), Crustacea (237/480), and Mollusca (107/410). Taxonomic analysis of the protists derived from these contigs showed variations in abundance and evenness of protistan contamination across different metazoan taxa, reflecting host preferences of Apicomplexa, Ciliophora, Oomycota and Symbiodiniaceae for mammals and birds, Crustacea, insects, and Cnidaria, respectively. Finally, mitochondrial proteins COX1 and CYTB were predicted from these contigs, and the phylogenetic analysis corroborated the protistan origination and heterogeneous distribution of the contaminated contigs. Overall, in this study, we conducted a large-scale scan of protistan contaminant in genomic resources, and the protistan sequences detected will help uncover the protist diversity and relationships of these picoeukaryotes with Metazoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiazheng Xie
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 400065, China
| | - Bowen Tan
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 400065, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing 400065, China
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12
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Tremp AZ, Saeed S, Dessens JT. NAD(P) transhydrogenase isoform distribution provides insight into apicomplexan evolution. Front Ecol Evol 2023; 11:fevo.2023.1216385. [PMID: 37581102 PMCID: PMC7614955 DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1216385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane-located NAD(P) transhydrogenase (NTH) catalyses reversible hydride ion transfer between NAD(H) and NADP(H), simultaneously translocating a proton across the membrane. The enzyme is structurally conserved across prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In heterotrophic bacteria NTH proteins reside in the cytoplasmic membrane, whereas in animals they localise in the mitochondrial inner membrane. Eukaryotic NTH proteins exists in two distinct configurations (isoforms) and have non-mitochondrial functions in unicellular eukaryotes like Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria. In this study, we carried out a systematic analysis of nth genes across eukaryotic life to determine its prevalence and distribution of isoforms. The results reveal that NTH is found across all major lineages, but that some organisms, notably plants, lack nth genes altogether. Isoform distribution and phylogenetic analysis reveals different nth gene loss scenarios in apicomplexan lineages, which sheds new light on the evolution of the Piroplasmida and Eimeriidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Z. Tremp
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Sadia Saeed
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes T. Dessens
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
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13
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Xu R, Beatty WL, Greigert V, Witola WH, Sibley LD. Multiple pathways for glucose phosphate transport and utilization support growth of Cryptosporidium parvum. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.27.546703. [PMID: 37425855 PMCID: PMC10327089 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.27.546703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Cryptosporidium parvum is an obligate intracellular parasite with a highly reduced mitochondrion that lacks the TCA cycle and the ability to generate ATP, making the parasite reliant on glycolysis. Genetic ablation experiments demonstrated that neither of the two putative glucose transporters CpGT1 and CpGT2 were essential for growth. Surprisingly, hexokinase was also dispensable for parasite growth while the downstream enzyme aldolase was required, suggesting the parasite has an alternative way of obtaining phosphorylated hexose. Complementation studies in E. coli support a role for direct transport of glucose-6-phosphate from the host cell by the parasite transporters CpGT1 and CpGT2, thus bypassing a requirement for hexokinase. Additionally, the parasite obtains phosphorylated glucose from amylopectin stores that are released by the action of the essential enzyme glycogen phosphorylase. Collectively, these findings reveal that C. parvum relies on multiple pathways to obtain phosphorylated glucose both for glycolysis and to restore carbohydrate reserves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Xu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Wandy L. Beatty
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Valentin Greigert
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - William H. Witola
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
| | - L. David Sibley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
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14
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Funkhouser-Jones LJ, Xu R, Wilke G, Fu Y, Shriefer LA, Makimaa H, Rodgers R, Kennedy EA, VanDussen KL, Stappenbeck TS, Baldridge MT, Sibley LD. Microbiota produced indole metabolites disrupt host cell mitochondrial energy production and inhibit Cryptosporidium parvum growth. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.25.542157. [PMID: 37292732 PMCID: PMC10245909 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.25.542157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis is a leading cause of life-threatening diarrhea in young children in resource-poor settings. Susceptibility rapidly declines with age, associated with changes in the microbiota. To explore microbial influences on susceptibility, we screened 85 microbiota- associated metabolites enriched in the adult gut for their effects on C. parvum growth in vitro. We identified eight inhibitory metabolites in three main classes: secondary bile salts/acids, a vitamin B 6 precursor, and indoles. Growth restriction of C. parvum by indoles did not depend on the host aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway. Instead, treatment impaired host mitochondrial function and reduced total cellular ATP, as well as directly reduced the membrane potential in the parasite mitosome, a degenerate mitochondria. Oral administration of indoles, or reconstitution of the gut microbiota with indole producing bacteria, delayed life cycle progression of the parasite in vitro and reduced severity of C. parvum infection in mice. Collectively, these findings indicate that microbiota metabolites contribute to colonization resistance to Cryptosporidium infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa J. Funkhouser-Jones
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rui Xu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Georgia Wilke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yong Fu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lawrence A. Shriefer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Heyde Makimaa
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rachel Rodgers
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Kennedy
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kelli L. VanDussen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Thaddeus S. Stappenbeck
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Megan T. Baldridge
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - L. David Sibley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
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15
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Morrissette N, Abbaali I, Ramakrishnan C, Hehl AB. The Tubulin Superfamily in Apicomplexan Parasites. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11030706. [PMID: 36985278 PMCID: PMC10056924 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11030706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubules and specialized microtubule-containing structures are assembled from tubulins, an ancient superfamily of essential eukaryotic proteins. Here, we use bioinformatic approaches to analyze features of tubulins in organisms from the phylum Apicomplexa. Apicomplexans are protozoan parasites that cause a variety of human and animal infectious diseases. Individual species harbor one to four genes each for α- and β-tubulin isotypes. These may specify highly similar proteins, suggesting functional redundancy, or exhibit key differences, consistent with specialized roles. Some, but not all apicomplexans harbor genes for δ- and ε-tubulins, which are found in organisms that construct appendage-containing basal bodies. Critical roles for apicomplexan δ- and ε-tubulin are likely to be limited to microgametes, consistent with a restricted requirement for flagella in a single developmental stage. Sequence divergence or the loss of δ- and ε-tubulin genes in other apicomplexans appears to be associated with diminished requirements for centrioles, basal bodies, and axonemes. Finally, because spindle microtubules and flagellar structures have been proposed as targets for anti-parasitic therapies and transmission-blocking strategies, we discuss these ideas in the context of tubulin-based structures and tubulin superfamily properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Morrissette
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-949-824-9243
| | - Izra Abbaali
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Chandra Ramakrishnan
- Institute for Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Adrian B. Hehl
- Institute for Parasitology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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16
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Onuț-Brännström I, Stairs CW, Campos KIA, Thorén MH, Ettema TJG, Keeling PJ, Bass D, Burki F. A Mitosome With Distinct Metabolism in the Uncultured Protist Parasite Paramikrocytos canceri (Rhizaria, Ascetosporea). Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:7039708. [PMID: 36790104 PMCID: PMC9998036 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Ascetosporea are endoparasites of marine invertebrates that include economically important pathogens of aquaculture species. Owing to their often-minuscule cell sizes, strict intracellular lifestyle, lack of cultured representatives and minimal availability of molecular data, these unicellular parasites remain poorly studied. Here, we sequenced and assembled the genome and transcriptome of Paramikrocytos canceri, an endoparasite isolated from the European edible crab Cancer pagurus. Using bioinformatic predictions, we show that P. canceri likely possesses a mitochondrion-related organelle (MRO) with highly reduced metabolism, resembling the mitosomes of other parasites but with key differences. Like other mitosomes, this MRO is predicted to have reduced metabolic capacity and lack an organellar genome and function in iron-sulfur cluster (ISC) pathway-mediated Fe-S cluster biosynthesis. However, the MRO in P. canceri is uniquely predicted to produce ATP via a partial glycolytic pathway and synthesize phospholipids de novo through the CDP-DAG pathway. Heterologous gene expression confirmed that proteins from the ISC and CDP-DAG pathways retain mitochondrial targeting sequences that are recognized by yeast mitochondria. This represents a unique combination of metabolic pathways in an MRO, including the first reported case of a mitosome-like organelle able to synthesize phospholipids de novo. Some of these phospholipids, such as phosphatidylserine, are vital in other protist endoparasites that invade their host through apoptotic mimicry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioana Onuț-Brännström
- Department of Organismal Biology, Program in Systematic Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Courtney W Stairs
- Microbiology Research Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Markus Hiltunen Thorén
- Department of Organismal Biology, Program in Systematic Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Thijs J G Ettema
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Patrick J Keeling
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - David Bass
- International Centre of Excellence for Aquatic Animal Health, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Weymouth, United Kingdom.,Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.,Sustainable Aquaculture Futures, Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Fabien Burki
- Department of Organismal Biology, Program in Systematic Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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17
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Multilocus Sequence Typing as a Useful Tool for the Study of the Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Cryptosporidium Spp. FOLIA VETERINARIA 2023. [DOI: 10.2478/fv-2023-0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
One of the most important aquatic parasites in industrialized countries, Cryptosporidium spp., is a major cause of diarrheal disease in humans and animals worldwide. The contingent evolution of cryptosporidia with hosts, host adaptation, and geographic variation contributed to the creation of species subtypes, thereby shaping their population genetic structures. Multilocus typing tools for population genetic characterizations of transmission dynamics and delineation of mechanisms for the emergence of virulent subtypes have played an important role in improving our understanding of the transmission of this parasite. However, to better understand the significance of different subtypes with clinical disease manifestations and transmission risks, a large number of samples and preferably from different geographical areas need to be analyzed. This review provides an analysis of genetic variation through multilocus sequence typing, provides an overview of subtypes, typing gene markers for Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium hominis, Cryptosporidium muris and Cryptosporidium andersoni genotypes and an overview of the hosts of these parasites.
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18
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Mathur V, Salomaki ED, Wakeman KC, Na I, Kwong WK, Kolisko M, Keeling PJ. Reconstruction of Plastid Proteomes of Apicomplexans and Close Relatives Reveals the Major Evolutionary Outcomes of Cryptic Plastids. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:6969433. [PMID: 36610734 PMCID: PMC9847631 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexans and related lineages comprise many obligate symbionts of animals; some of which cause notorious diseases such as malaria. They evolved from photosynthetic ancestors and transitioned into a symbiotic lifestyle several times, giving rise to species with diverse non-photosynthetic plastids. Here, we sought to reconstruct the evolution of the cryptic plastids in the apicomplexans, chrompodellids, and squirmids (ACS clade) by generating five new single-cell transcriptomes from understudied gregarine lineages, constructing a robust phylogenomic tree incorporating all ACS clade sequencing datasets available, and using these to examine in detail, the evolutionary distribution of all 162 proteins recently shown to be in the apicoplast by spatial proteomics in Toxoplasma. This expanded homology-based reconstruction of plastid proteins found in the ACS clade confirms earlier work showing convergence in the overall metabolic pathways retained once photosynthesis is lost, but also reveals differences in the degrees of plastid reduction in specific lineages. We show that the loss of the plastid genome is common and unexpectedly find many lineage- and species-specific plastid proteins, suggesting the presence of evolutionary innovations and neofunctionalizations that may confer new functional and metabolic capabilities that are yet to be discovered in these enigmatic organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric D Salomaki
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Kevin C Wakeman
- Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Ina Na
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 3156-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver V6T 1Z4, BC, Canada
| | - Waldan K Kwong
- Present address: Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC) Rua da Quinta Grande, 6, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Martin Kolisko
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Patrick J Keeling
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 3156-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver V6T 1Z4, BC, Canada
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19
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Reduced mitochondria provide an essential function for the cytosolic methionine cycle. Curr Biol 2022; 32:5057-5068.e5. [PMID: 36347252 PMCID: PMC9746703 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The loss of mitochondria in oxymonad protists has been associated with the redirection of the essential Fe-S cluster assembly to the cytosol. Yet as our knowledge of diverse free-living protists broadens, the list of functions of their mitochondrial-related organelles (MROs) expands. We revealed another such function in the closest oxymonad relative, Paratrimastix pyriformis, after we solved the proteome of its MRO with high accuracy, using localization of organelle proteins by isotope tagging (LOPIT). The newly assigned enzymes connect to the glycine cleavage system (GCS) and produce folate derivatives with one-carbon units and formate. These are likely to be used by the cytosolic methionine cycle involved in S-adenosyl methionine recycling. The data provide consistency with the presence of the GCS in MROs of free-living species and its absence in most endobionts, which typically lose the methionine cycle and, in the case of oxymonads, the mitochondria.
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20
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Boisard J, Duvernois-Berthet E, Duval L, Schrével J, Guillou L, Labat A, Le Panse S, Prensier G, Ponger L, Florent I. Marine gregarine genomes reveal the breadth of apicomplexan diversity with a partially conserved glideosome machinery. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:485. [PMID: 35780080 PMCID: PMC9250747 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08700-8] [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: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Our current view of the evolutionary history, coding and adaptive capacities of Apicomplexa, protozoan parasites of a wide range of metazoan, is currently strongly biased toward species infecting humans, as data on early diverging apicomplexan lineages infecting invertebrates is extremely limited. Here, we characterized the genome of the marine eugregarine Porospora gigantea, intestinal parasite of Lobsters, remarkable for the macroscopic size of its vegetative feeding forms (trophozoites) and its gliding speed, the fastest so far recorded for Apicomplexa. Two highly syntenic genomes named A and B were assembled. Similar in size (~ 9 Mb) and coding capacity (~ 5300 genes), A and B genomes are 10.8% divergent at the nucleotide level, corresponding to 16-38 My in divergent time. Orthogroup analysis across 25 (proto)Apicomplexa species, including Gregarina niphandrodes, showed that A and B are highly divergent from all other known apicomplexan species, revealing an unexpected breadth of diversity. Phylogenetically these two species branch sisters to Cephaloidophoroidea, and thus expand the known crustacean gregarine superfamily. The genomes were mined for genes encoding proteins necessary for gliding, a key feature of apicomplexans parasites, currently studied through the molecular model called glideosome. Sequence analysis shows that actin-related proteins and regulatory factors are strongly conserved within apicomplexans. In contrast, the predicted protein sequences of core glideosome proteins and adhesion proteins are highly variable among apicomplexan lineages, especially in gregarines. These results confirm the importance of studying gregarines to widen our biological and evolutionary view of apicomplexan species diversity, and to deepen our understanding of the molecular bases of key functions such as gliding, well known to allow access to the intracellular parasitic lifestyle in Apicomplexa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Boisard
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France. .,Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Structure et instabilité des génomes (STRING UMR 7196 CNRS/INSERM U1154), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, INSERM, CP 26, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France. .,Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Evelyne Duvernois-Berthet
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation (PhyMA UMR 7221 CNRS), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, CP 32, 7 rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Linda Duval
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France
| | - Joseph Schrével
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France
| | - Laure Guillou
- CNRS, UMR7144 Adaptation et Diversité en Milieu Marin, Ecology of Marine Plankton (ECOMAP), Station Biologique de Roscoff SBR, Sorbonne Université, 29680, Roscoff, France
| | - Amandine Labat
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Le Panse
- Plateforme d'Imagerie Merimage, FR2424, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Station Biologique de Roscoff, 29680, Roscoff, France
| | - Gérard Prensier
- Cell biology and Electron Microscopy Laboratory, François Rabelais University, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 3223 Cedex, Tours, BP, France
| | - Loïc Ponger
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Structure et instabilité des génomes (STRING UMR 7196 CNRS/INSERM U1154), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, INSERM, CP 26, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France.
| | - Isabelle Florent
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France.
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21
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Bessette E, Williams B. Protists in the Insect Rearing Industry: Benign Passengers or Potential Risk? INSECTS 2022; 13:482. [PMID: 35621816 PMCID: PMC9144225 DOI: 10.3390/insects13050482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
As the insects for food and feed industry grows, a new understanding of the industrially reared insect microbiome is needed to better comprehend the role that it plays in both maintaining insect health and generating disease. While many microbiome projects focus on bacteria, fungi or viruses, protists (including microsporidia) can also make up an important part of these assemblages. Past experiences with intensive invertebrate rearing indicate that these parasites, whilst often benign, can rapidly sweep through populations, causing extensive damage. Here, we review the diversity of microsporidia and protist species that are found in reared insect hosts and describe the current understanding of their host spectra, life cycles and the nature of their interactions with hosts. Major entomopathogenic parasite groups with the potential to infect insects currently being reared for food and feed include the Amoebozoa, Apicomplexa, Ciliates, Chlorophyta, Euglenozoa, Ichtyosporea and Microsporidia. However, key gaps exist in the understanding of how many of these entomopathogens affect host biology. In addition, for many of them, there are very limited or even no molecular data, preventing the implementation of molecular detection methods. There is now a pressing need to develop and use novel molecular tools, coupled with standard molecular diagnostic methods, to help unlock their biology and predict the effects of these poorly studied protist parasites in intensive insect rearing systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edouard Bessette
- Living Systems Institute, Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK;
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1871 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bryony Williams
- Living Systems Institute, Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK;
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22
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Berná L, Rego N, Francia ME. The Elusive Mitochondrial Genomes of Apicomplexa: Where Are We Now? Front Microbiol 2021; 12:751775. [PMID: 34721355 PMCID: PMC8554336 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.751775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are vital organelles of eukaryotic cells, participating in key metabolic pathways such as cellular respiration, thermogenesis, maintenance of cellular redox potential, calcium homeostasis, cell signaling, and cell death. The phylum Apicomplexa is entirely composed of obligate intracellular parasites, causing a plethora of severe diseases in humans, wild and domestic animals. These pathogens include the causative agents of malaria, cryptosporidiosis, neosporosis, East Coast fever and toxoplasmosis, among others. The mitochondria in Apicomplexa has been put forward as a promising source of undiscovered drug targets, and it has been validated as the target of atovaquone, a drug currently used in the clinic to counter malaria. Apicomplexans present a single tubular mitochondria that varies widely both in structure and in genomic content across the phylum. The organelle is characterized by massive gene migrations to the nucleus, sequence rearrangements and drastic functional reductions in some species. Recent third generation sequencing studies have reignited an interest for elucidating the extensive diversity displayed by the mitochondrial genomes of apicomplexans and their intriguing genomic features. The underlying mechanisms of gene transcription and translation are also ill-understood. In this review, we present the state of the art on mitochondrial genome structure, composition and organization in the apicomplexan phylum revisiting topological and biochemical information gathered through classical techniques. We contextualize this in light of the genomic insight gained by second and, more recently, third generation sequencing technologies. We discuss the mitochondrial genomic and mechanistic features found in evolutionarily related alveolates, and discuss the common and distinct origins of the apicomplexan mitochondria peculiarities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Berná
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Molecular Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Bioinformatics Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Sección Biomatemática-Laboratorio de Genómica Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Natalia Rego
- Bioinformatics Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - María E Francia
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Departamento de Parasitología y Micología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Ryan UM, Feng Y, Fayer R, Xiao L. Taxonomy and molecular epidemiology of Cryptosporidium and Giardia - a 50 year perspective (1971-2021). Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:1099-1119. [PMID: 34715087 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The protozoan parasites Cryptosporidium and Giardia are significant causes of diarrhoea worldwide and are responsible for numerous waterborne and foodborne outbreaks of diseases. Over the last 50 years, the development of improved detection and typing tools has facilitated the expanding range of named species. Currently at least 44 Cryptosporidium spp. and >120 genotypes, and nine Giardia spp., are recognised. Many of these Cryptosporidium genotypes will likely be described as species in the future. The phylogenetic placement of Cryptosporidium at the genus level is still unclear and further research is required to better understand its evolutionary origins. Zoonotic transmission has long been known to play an important role in the epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis, and the development and application of next generation sequencing tools is providing evidence for this. Comparative whole genome sequencing is also providing key information on the genetic mechanisms for host specificity and human infectivity, and will enable One Health management of these zoonotic parasites in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Una M Ryan
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Yaoyu Feng
- Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ronald Fayer
- Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, BARC-East, Building 173, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Lihua Xiao
- Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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PhyloFisher: A phylogenomic package for resolving eukaryotic relationships. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001365. [PMID: 34358228 PMCID: PMC8345874 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Phylogenomic analyses of hundreds of protein-coding genes aimed at resolving phylogenetic relationships is now a common practice. However, no software currently exists that includes tools for dataset construction and subsequent analysis with diverse validation strategies to assess robustness. Furthermore, there are no publicly available high-quality curated databases designed to assess deep (>100 million years) relationships in the tree of eukaryotes. To address these issues, we developed an easy-to-use software package, PhyloFisher (https://github.com/TheBrownLab/PhyloFisher), written in Python 3. PhyloFisher includes a manually curated database of 240 protein-coding genes from 304 eukaryotic taxa covering known eukaryotic diversity, a novel tool for ortholog selection, and utilities that will perform diverse analyses required by state-of-the-art phylogenomic investigations. Through phylogenetic reconstructions of the tree of eukaryotes and of the Saccharomycetaceae clade of budding yeasts, we demonstrate the utility of the PhyloFisher workflow and the provided starting database to address phylogenetic questions across a large range of evolutionary time points for diverse groups of organisms. We also demonstrate that undetected paralogy can remain in phylogenomic "single-copy orthogroup" datasets constructed using widely accepted methods such as all vs. all BLAST searches followed by Markov Cluster Algorithm (MCL) clustering and application of automated tree pruning algorithms. Finally, we show how the PhyloFisher workflow helps detect inadvertent paralog inclusions, allowing the user to make more informed decisions regarding orthology assignments, leading to a more accurate final dataset.
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Nutrient Acquisition and Attachment Strategies in Basal Lineages: A Tough Nut to Crack in the Evolutionary Puzzle of Apicomplexa. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9071430. [PMID: 34361866 PMCID: PMC8303630 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9071430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexa are unicellular eukaryotes that parasitise a wide spectrum of invertebrates and vertebrates, including humans. In their hosts, they occupy a variety of niches, from extracellular cavities (intestine, coelom) to epicellular and intracellular locations, depending on the species and/or developmental stages. During their evolution, Apicomplexa thus developed an exceptionally wide range of unique features to reach these diversified parasitic niches and to survive there, at least long enough to ensure their own transmission or that of their progeny. This review summarises the current state of knowledge on the attachment/invasive and nutrient uptake strategies displayed by apicomplexan parasites, focusing on trophozoite stages of their so far poorly studied basal representatives, which mostly parasitise invertebrate hosts. We describe their most important morphofunctional features, and where applicable, discuss existing major similarities and/or differences in the corresponding mechanisms, incomparably better described at the molecular level in the more advanced Apicomplexa species, of medical and veterinary significance, which mainly occupy intracellular niches in vertebrate hosts.
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