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MicroRNAs Contribute to Host Response to Coxiella burnetii. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0019922. [PMID: 36537791 PMCID: PMC9872603 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00199-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small noncoding RNAs, are critical to gene regulation in eukaryotes. They are involved in modulating a variety of physiological processes, including the host response to intracellular infections. Little is known about miRNA functions during infection by Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of human Q fever. This bacterial pathogen establishes a large replicative vacuole within macrophages by manipulating host processes such as apoptosis and autophagy. We investigated miRNA expression in C. burnetii-infected macrophages and identified several miRNAs that were down- or upregulated during infection. We further explored the functions of miR-143-3p, an miRNA whose expression is downregulated in macrophages infected with C. burnetii, and show that increasing the abundance of this miRNA in human cells results in increased apoptosis and reduced autophagy-conditions that are unfavorable to C. burnetii intracellular growth. In sum, this study demonstrates that C. burnetii infection elicits a robust miRNA-based host response, and because miR-143-3p promotes apoptosis and inhibits autophagy, downregulation of miR-143-3p expression during C. burnetii infection likely benefits the pathogen.
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Guzman RM, Howard ZP, Liu Z, Oliveira RD, Massa AT, Omsland A, White SN, Goodman AG. Natural genetic variation in Drosophila melanogaster reveals genes associated with Coxiella burnetii infection. Genetics 2021; 217:6117219. [PMID: 33789347 PMCID: PMC8045698 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab005] [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: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The gram-negative bacterium Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of Query (Q) fever in humans and coxiellosis in livestock. Host genetics are associated with C. burnetii pathogenesis both in humans and animals; however, it remains unknown if specific genes are associated with severity of infection. We employed the Drosophila Genetics Reference Panel to perform a genome-wide association study to identify host genetic variants that affect host survival to C. burnetii infection. The genome-wide association study identified 64 unique variants (P < 10−5) associated with 25 candidate genes. We examined the role each candidate gene contributes to host survival during C. burnetii infection using flies carrying a null mutation or RNAi knockdown of each candidate. We validated 15 of the 25 candidate genes using at least one method. This is the first report establishing involvement of many of these genes or their homologs with C. burnetii susceptibility in any system. Among the validated genes, FER and tara play roles in the JAK/STAT, JNK, and decapentaplegic/TGF-β signaling pathways which are components of known innate immune responses to C. burnetii infection. CG42673 and DIP-ε play roles in bacterial infection and synaptic signaling but have no previous association with C. burnetii pathogenesis. Furthermore, since the mammalian ortholog of CG13404 (PLGRKT) is an important regulator of macrophage function, CG13404 could play a role in host susceptibility to C. burnetii through hemocyte regulation. These insights provide a foundation for further investigation regarding the genetics of C. burnetii susceptibility across a wide variety of hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa M Guzman
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Zachary P Howard
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Ziying Liu
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Ryan D Oliveira
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Alisha T Massa
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Anders Omsland
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Stephen N White
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.,USDA-ARS Animal Disease Research, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.,Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Alan G Goodman
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.,Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
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Young J, Kima PE. The Leishmania Parasitophorous Vacuole Membrane at the Parasite-Host Interface. THE YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2019; 92:511-521. [PMID: 31543712 PMCID: PMC6747952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The Leishmania parasitophorous vacuole membrane (LPVM) sits at the interface of the parasite and its host. Evidence shows that molecules from the endocytic pathway as well as molecules from the secretory pathway are localized in the LPV and displayed on LPVM. In the review, we discuss our current understanding of the composition of the LPVM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter E. Kima
- To whom all correspondence should be addressed: Peter E. Kima, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL;
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Raghavan R. A repeat motif on a Coxiella effector protein facilitates apoptosis inhibition. Virulence 2016; 7:369-71. [PMID: 26949987 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2016.1156834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Raghavan
- a Department of Biology and Center for Life in Extreme Environments , Portland State University , Portland , OR , USA
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