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Da Lage JL, Fontenelle A, Filée J, Merle M, Béranger JM, Almeida CE, Folly Ramos E, Harry M. Evidence that hematophagous triatomine bugs may eat plants in the wild. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 165:104059. [PMID: 38101706 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.104059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Blood feeding is a secondary adaptation in hematophagous bugs. Many proteins are secreted in the saliva that are devoted to coping with the host's defense and to process the blood meal. Digestive enzymes that are no longer required for a blood meal would be expected to be eventually lost. Yet, in many strictly hematophagous arthropods, α-amylase genes, which encode the enzymes that digest starch from plants, are still present and transcribed, including in the kissing bug Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) and its related species, which transmit the Chagas disease. We hypothesized that retaining α-amylase could be advantageous if the bugs occasionally consume plant tissues. We first checked that the α-amylase protein of Rhodnius robustus retains normal amylolytic activity. Then we surveyed hundreds of gut DNA extracts from the sylvatic R. robustus to detect traces of plants. We found plant DNA in 8% of the samples, mainly identified as Attalea palm trees, where R. robustus are usually found. We suggest that although of secondary importance in the blood-sucking bugs, α-amylase may be needed during occasional plant feeding and thus has been retained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Luc Da Lage
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR 9191 Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Alice Fontenelle
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR 9191 Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Jonathan Filée
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR 9191 Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Marie Merle
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR 9191 Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Jean-Michel Béranger
- Département Systématique and Evolution, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France; IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Carlos Eduardo Almeida
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Elaine Folly Ramos
- Departamento de Engenharia e Meio Ambiente - DEMA, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Myriam Harry
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR 9191 Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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Zhang Q, Zhou Q, Han S, Li Y, Wang Y, He H. The genome of sheep ked (Melophagus ovinus) reveals potential mechanisms underlying reproduction and narrower ecological niches. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:54. [PMID: 36717784 PMCID: PMC9887928 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09155-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Melophagus ovinus is considered to be of great veterinary health significance. However, little is known about the information on genetic mechanisms of the specific biological characteristics and novel methods for controlling M. ovinus. RESULTS In total, the de novo genome assembly of M. ovinus was 188.421 Mb in size (330 scaffolds, N50 Length: 10.666 Mb), with a mean GC content of 27.74%. A total of 13,372 protein-coding genes were functionally annotated. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the diversification of M. ovinus and Glossina fuscipes took place 72.76 Mya within the Late Cretaceous. Gene family expansion and contraction analysis revealed that M. ovinus has 65 rapidly-evolving families (26 expansion and 39 contractions) mainly involved DNA metabolic activity, transposases activity, odorant receptor 59a/67d-like, IMD domain-containing protein, and cuticle protein, etc. The universal and tightly conserved list of milk protein orthologues has been assembled from the genome of M. ovinus. Contractions and losses of sensory receptors and vision-associated Rhodopsin genes were significant in M. ovinus, which indicate that the M. ovinus has narrower ecological niches. CONCLUSIONS We sequenced, assembled, and annotated the whole genome sequence of M. ovinus, and launches into the preliminary genetic mechanisms analysis of the adaptive evolution characteristics of M. ovinus. These resources will provide insights to understand the biological underpinnings of this parasite and the disease control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxun Zhang
- grid.458458.00000 0004 1792 6416National Research Center for Wildlife-Borne Diseases, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China ,grid.418265.c0000 0004 0403 1840Beijing Milu Ecological Research Center, Beijing, 100076 China
| | - Qingsong Zhou
- grid.458458.00000 0004 1792 6416Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Shuyi Han
- grid.458458.00000 0004 1792 6416National Research Center for Wildlife-Borne Diseases, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Ying Li
- grid.262246.60000 0004 1765 430XState Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, 810016 China
| | - Ye Wang
- grid.458458.00000 0004 1792 6416National Research Center for Wildlife-Borne Diseases, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Hongxuan He
- grid.458458.00000 0004 1792 6416National Research Center for Wildlife-Borne Diseases, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
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Annotations of novel antennae-expressed genes in male Glossina morsitans morsitans tsetse flies. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273543. [PMID: 36037171 PMCID: PMC9423656 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273543] [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: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tsetse flies use antennal expressed genes to navigate their environment. While most canonical genes associated with chemoreception are annotated, potential gaps with important antennal genes are uncharacterized in Glossina morsitans morsitans. We generated antennae-specific transcriptomes from adult male G. m. morsitans flies fed/unfed on bloodmeal and/or exposed to an attractant (ε-nonalactone), a repellant (δ-nonalactone) or paraffin diluent. Using bioinformatics approach, we mapped raw reads onto G. m. morsitans gene-set from VectorBase and collected un-mapped reads (constituting the gaps in annotation). We de novo assembled these reads (un-mapped) into transcript and identified corresponding genes of the transcripts in G. m. morsitans gene-set and protein homologs in UniProt protein database to further annotate the gaps. We predicted potential protein-coding gene regions associated with these transcripts in G. m. morsitans genome, annotated/curated these genes and identified their putative annotated orthologs/homologs in Drosophila melanogaster, Musca domestica or Anopheles gambiae genomes. We finally evaluated differential expression of the novel genes in relation to odor exposures relative to no-odor control (unfed flies). About 45.21% of the sequenced reads had no corresponding transcripts within G. m. morsitans gene-set, corresponding to the gap in existing annotation of the tsetse fly genome. The total reads assembled into 72,428 unique transcripts, most (74.43%) of which had no corresponding genes in the UniProt database. We annotated/curated 592 genes from these transcripts, among which 202 were novel while 390 were improvements of existing genes in the G. m. morsitans genome. Among the novel genes, 94 had orthologs in D. melanogaster, M. domestica or An. gambiae while 88 had homologs in UniProt. These orthologs were putatively associated with oxidative regulation, protein synthesis, transcriptional and/or translational regulation, detoxification and metal ion binding, thus providing insight into their specific roles in antennal physiological processes in male G. m. morsitans. A novel gene (GMOY014237.R1396) was differentially expressed in response to the attractant. We thus established significant gaps in G. m. morsitans genome annotation and identified novel male antennae-expressed genes in the genome, among which > 53% (108) are potentially G. m. morsitans specific.
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Giraldo-Calderón GI, Harb OS, Kelly SA, Rund SS, Roos DS, McDowell MA. VectorBase.org updates: bioinformatic resources for invertebrate vectors of human pathogens and related organisms. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 50:100860. [PMID: 34864248 PMCID: PMC9133010 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2021.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
VectorBase (VectorBase.org) is part of the VEuPathDB Bioinformatics Resource Center, providing free online access to multi-omics and population biology data, focusing on arthropod vectors and invertebrates of importance to human health. VectorBase includes genomics and functional genomics data from bed bugs, biting midges, body lice, kissing bugs, mites, mosquitoes, sand flies, ticks, tsetse flies, stable flies, house flies, fruit flies, and a snail intermediate host. Tools include the Search Strategy system and MapVEu, enabling users to interrogate and visualize diverse 'omics and population-level data using a graphical interface (no programming experience required). Users can also analyze their own private data, such as transcriptomic sequences, exploring their results in the context of other publicly-available information in the database. Help Desk: help@vectorbase.org.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria I Giraldo-Calderón
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; Dept. Ciencias Biológicas & Dept. Ciencias Básicas Médicas, Universidad Icesi, Calle 18 No 122-135, Cali, Colombia
| | - Omar S Harb
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, PA, USA
| | - Sarah A Kelly
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Samuel Sc Rund
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - David S Roos
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, PA, USA
| | - Mary Ann McDowell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
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Mireji PO, Mang’era CM, Bwana BK, Hassanali A. Perspectives on Odor-Based Control of Tsetse Flies in Africa. Front Physiol 2022; 13:831618. [PMID: 35250633 PMCID: PMC8896535 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.831618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tsetse-transmitted trypanosomiases are among the most neglected tropical diseases in sub-Sahara Africa. Although all tsetse species are susceptible to trypanosome infections, their differential attraction/feeding preferences for different wildlife, domestic animals, and/or humans constitute critical determinants of trypanosomes species they predominantly transmit. Artificial bait technologies, based on long-range tsetse olfactory responses to natural cues emitted by preferred hosts and blends of synthetic versions that mimic these cues, have successfully been applied in attractant-odor-based (“pull” tactic) reduction of field populations of some tsetse species. Olfactory attribute associated with active avoidance of tsetse-refractory non-hosts has similarly been exploited in design of repellent-odor-based (“push” tactic) protection of livestock. These tactics have opened possibility of spatially strategic deployment of the two sets of odor baits in “push-pull” tactics. Possibility of developing blends with enhanced attraction and repellence compared with those associated with savannah tsetse fly hosts and non-hosts, respectively, have been explored, where structure activity and blends of different components generated two novel blends. The studies evaluated structure activity and blends of different components. One based on attractive constituents associated with buffalo (Syncerus caffer) comprised of ε-nonalactone, nonanoic acid, 2-nonanone (in 1:3:2 proportion) delivered together with acetone, which showed significantly better attractancy on savannah tsetse fly than the standard blend comprised of 3-propylphenol, octenol, p-cresol, and acetone (POCA). The other blend comprised of δ-nonalactone, heptanoic acid, 4-methylguaiacol and geranylacetone (in 6:4:2:1 proportion) was significantly more repellent than previously characterized blend based on tsetse fly refractory waterbuck (Kobus defassa) constituents (δ-octalactone, pentanoic acid, guaiacol and geranylacetone). So far, no effective attractants or repellents of riverine tsetse fly species have been characterized. Optimized attractant and repellent blends for savannah tsetse flies lay down useful groundwork for future development of the “push-pull” deployment tactic for area-wide control of tsetse flies. Better understanding of the physiological, cellular, and molecular basis of response in the tsetse fly to odors can potentially augment the current tsetse fly-control interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul O. Mireji
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Kikuyu, Kenya
- *Correspondence: Paul O. Mireji,
| | - Clarence M. Mang’era
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Egerton University, Njoro, Kenya
| | - Billiah K. Bwana
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Kikuyu, Kenya
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Embu, Embu, Kenya
- Billiah K. Bwana,
| | - Ahmed Hassanali
- Department of Chemistry, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
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Gakii C, Bwana BK, Mugambi GG, Mukoya E, Mireji PO, Rimiru R. In silico-driven analysis of the Glossina morsitans morsitans antennae transcriptome in response to repellent or attractant compounds. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11691. [PMID: 34249514 PMCID: PMC8255069 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High-throughput sequencing generates large volumes of biological data that must be interpreted to make meaningful inference on the biological function. Problems arise due to the large number of characteristics p (dimensions) that describe each record [n] in the database. Feature selection using a subset of variables extracted from the large datasets is one of the approaches towards solving this problem. METHODOLOGY In this study we analyzed the transcriptome of Glossina morsitans morsitans (Tsetsefly) antennae after exposure to either a repellant (δ-nonalactone) or an attractant (ε-nonalactone). We identified 308 genes that were upregulated or downregulated due to exposure to a repellant (δ-nonalactone) or an attractant (ε-nonalactone) respectively. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis was used to cluster the genes into 12 modules and filter unconnected genes. Discretized and association rule mining was used to find association between genes thereby predicting the putative function of unannotated genes. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Among the significantly expressed chemosensory genes (FDR < 0.05) in response to Ɛ-nonalactone were gustatory receptors (GrIA and Gr28b), ionotrophic receptors (Ir41a and Ir75a), odorant binding proteins (Obp99b, Obp99d, Obp59a and Obp28a) and the odorant receptor (Or67d). Several non-chemosensory genes with no assigned function in the NCBI database were co-expressed with the chemosensory genes. Exposure to a repellent (δ-nonalactone) did not show any significant change between the treatment and control samples. We generated a coexpression network with 276 edges and 130 nodes. Genes CAH3, Ahcy, Ir64a, Or67c, Ir8a and Or67a had node degree values above 11 and therefore could be regarded as the top hub genes in the network. Association rule mining showed a relation between various genes based on their appearance in the same itemsets as consequent and antecedent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Consolata Gakii
- Department of Mathematics, Computing and Information Technology, University of Embu, Embu, Eastern, Kenya
- School of Computing and Information Technology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Grace Gathoni Mugambi
- School of Computing and Information Technology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Esther Mukoya
- School of Computing and Information Technology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Paul O. Mireji
- Biotechnology Research Center, Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization, Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Richard Rimiru
- School of Computing and Information Technology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
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