1
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Seabaugh JA, Anderson DM. Pathogenicity and virulence of Yersinia. Virulence 2024; 15:2316439. [PMID: 38389313 PMCID: PMC10896167 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2024.2316439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The genus Yersinia includes human, animal, insect, and plant pathogens as well as many symbionts and harmless bacteria. Within this genus are Yersinia enterocolitica and the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis complex, with four human pathogenic species that are highly related at the genomic level including the causative agent of plague, Yersinia pestis. Extensive laboratory, field work, and clinical research have been conducted to understand the underlying pathogenesis and zoonotic transmission of these pathogens. There are presently more than 500 whole genome sequences from which an evolutionary footprint can be developed that details shared and unique virulence properties. Whereas the virulence of Y. pestis now seems in apparent homoeostasis within its flea transmission cycle, substantial evolutionary changes that affect transmission and disease severity continue to ndergo apparent selective pressure within the other Yersiniae that cause intestinal diseases. In this review, we will summarize the present understanding of the virulence and pathogenesis of Yersinia, highlighting shared mechanisms of virulence and the differences that determine the infection niche and disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarett A. Seabaugh
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA
| | - Deborah M. Anderson
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA
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2
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Pauling CD, Beerntsen BT, Song Q, Anderson DM. Transovarial transmission of Yersinia pestis in its flea vector Xenopsylla cheopis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7266. [PMID: 39179552 PMCID: PMC11343890 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51668-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is endemic in certain regions due to a stable transmission cycle between rodents and their associated fleas. In addition, fleas are believed to serve as reservoirs that can occasionally cause enzootic plague cycles and explosive epizootic outbreaks that increase human exposure. However, transmission by fleas is inefficient and associated with a shortened lifespan of the flea and rodent hosts, indicating that there remain significant gaps in our understanding of the vector-animal cycle of Y. pestis. Here, we show that laboratory-reared, infected fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis) can transmit viable Y. pestis from adults to eggs, and the bacteria can be passed through all subsequent life stages of the flea. Thus, our data raise the possibility that transovarial transmission in fleas might contribute to the persistence of Y. pestis in the environment without detectable plague activity in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra D Pauling
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- Department of Biological and Clinical Sciences, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO, USA
| | - Brenda T Beerntsen
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Qisheng Song
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Deborah M Anderson
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
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3
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Grasso G, Bianciotto V, Marmeisse R. Paleomicrobiology: Tracking the past microbial life from single species to entire microbial communities. Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14390. [PMID: 38227345 PMCID: PMC10832523 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
By deciphering information encoded in degraded ancient DNA extracted from up to million-years-old samples, molecular paleomicrobiology enables to objectively retrace the temporal evolution of microbial species and communities. Assembly of full-length genomes of ancient pathogen lineages allows not only to follow historical epidemics in space and time but also to identify the acquisition of genetic features that represent landmarks in the evolution of the host-microbe interaction. Analysis of microbial community DNA extracted from essentially human paleo-artefacts (paleofeces, dental calculi) evaluates the relative contribution of diet, lifestyle and geography on the taxonomic and functional diversity of these guilds in which have been identified species that may have gone extinct in today's human microbiome. As for non-host-associated environmental samples, such as stratified sediment cores, analysis of their DNA illustrates how and at which pace microbial communities are affected by local or widespread environmental disturbance. Description of pre-disturbance microbial diversity patterns can aid in evaluating the relevance and effectiveness of remediation policies. We finally discuss how recent achievements in paleomicrobiology could contribute to microbial biotechnology in the fields of medical microbiology and food science to trace the domestication of microorganisms used in food processing or to illustrate the historic evolution of food processing microbial consortia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Grasso
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei SistemiUniversità degli Studi of TurinTurinItaly
- Institut Systématique Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB: UMR7205 CNRS‐MNHN‐Sorbonne Université‐EPHE‐UA)¸ Muséum National d'Histoire NaturelleParisFrance
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), SSNational Research Council (CNR)TurinItaly
| | - Valeria Bianciotto
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), SSNational Research Council (CNR)TurinItaly
| | - Roland Marmeisse
- Institut Systématique Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB: UMR7205 CNRS‐MNHN‐Sorbonne Université‐EPHE‐UA)¸ Muséum National d'Histoire NaturelleParisFrance
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), SSNational Research Council (CNR)TurinItaly
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4
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Xiao L, Jin J, Song K, Qian X, Wu Y, Sun Z, Xiong Z, Li Y, Zhao Y, Shen L, Cui Y, Yao W, Cui Y, Song Y. Regulatory Functions of PurR in Yersinia pestis: Orchestrating Diverse Biological Activities. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2801. [PMID: 38004812 PMCID: PMC10673613 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11112801] [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: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The bacterium Yersinia pestis has developed various strategies to sense and respond to the complex stresses encountered during its transmission and pathogenic processes. PurR is a common transcriptional regulator of purine biosynthesis among microorganisms, and it modulates the transcription level of the pur operon to suppress the production of hypoxanthine nucleotide (IMP). This study aims to understand the functions and regulatory mechanisms of purR in Y. pestis. Firstly, we constructed a purR knockout mutant of Y. pestis strain 201 and compared certain phenotypes of the null mutant (201-ΔpurR) and the wild-type strain (201-WT). The results show that deleting purR has no significant impact on the biofilm formation, growth rate, or viability of Y. pestis under different stress conditions (heat and cold shock, high salinity, and hyperosmotic pressure). Although the cytotoxicity of the purR knockout mutant on HeLa and 293 cells is reduced, the animal-challenging test found no difference of the virulence in mice between 201-ΔpurR and 201-WT. Furthermore, RNA-seq and EMSA analyses demonstrate that PurR binds to the promoter regions of at least 15 genes in Y. pestis strain 201, primarily involved in purine biosynthesis, along with others not previously observed in other bacteria. Additionally, RNA-seq results suggest the presence of 11 potential operons, including a newly identified co-transcriptional T6SS cluster. Thus, aside from its role as a regulator of purine biosynthesis, purR in Y. pestis may have additional regulatory functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liting Xiao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; (L.X.); (X.Q.)
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (J.J.); (Y.W.); (Z.S.); (Z.X.); (Y.L.); (Y.Z.); (L.S.); (Y.C.); (W.Y.)
| | - Junyan Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (J.J.); (Y.W.); (Z.S.); (Z.X.); (Y.L.); (Y.Z.); (L.S.); (Y.C.); (W.Y.)
| | - Kai Song
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (J.J.); (Y.W.); (Z.S.); (Z.X.); (Y.L.); (Y.Z.); (L.S.); (Y.C.); (W.Y.)
| | - Xiuwei Qian
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; (L.X.); (X.Q.)
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (J.J.); (Y.W.); (Z.S.); (Z.X.); (Y.L.); (Y.Z.); (L.S.); (Y.C.); (W.Y.)
| | - Yarong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (J.J.); (Y.W.); (Z.S.); (Z.X.); (Y.L.); (Y.Z.); (L.S.); (Y.C.); (W.Y.)
| | - Zhulin Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (J.J.); (Y.W.); (Z.S.); (Z.X.); (Y.L.); (Y.Z.); (L.S.); (Y.C.); (W.Y.)
| | - Ziyao Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (J.J.); (Y.W.); (Z.S.); (Z.X.); (Y.L.); (Y.Z.); (L.S.); (Y.C.); (W.Y.)
| | - Yanbing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (J.J.); (Y.W.); (Z.S.); (Z.X.); (Y.L.); (Y.Z.); (L.S.); (Y.C.); (W.Y.)
| | - Yanting Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (J.J.); (Y.W.); (Z.S.); (Z.X.); (Y.L.); (Y.Z.); (L.S.); (Y.C.); (W.Y.)
| | - Leiming Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (J.J.); (Y.W.); (Z.S.); (Z.X.); (Y.L.); (Y.Z.); (L.S.); (Y.C.); (W.Y.)
| | - Yiming Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (J.J.); (Y.W.); (Z.S.); (Z.X.); (Y.L.); (Y.Z.); (L.S.); (Y.C.); (W.Y.)
| | - Wenwu Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (J.J.); (Y.W.); (Z.S.); (Z.X.); (Y.L.); (Y.Z.); (L.S.); (Y.C.); (W.Y.)
| | - Yujun Cui
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; (L.X.); (X.Q.)
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (J.J.); (Y.W.); (Z.S.); (Z.X.); (Y.L.); (Y.Z.); (L.S.); (Y.C.); (W.Y.)
| | - Yajun Song
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; (L.X.); (X.Q.)
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; (J.J.); (Y.W.); (Z.S.); (Z.X.); (Y.L.); (Y.Z.); (L.S.); (Y.C.); (W.Y.)
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5
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Anderson D, Pauling C, Beerntsen B, Song Q. Transovarial transmission of Yersinia pestis in its flea vector, Xenopsylla cheopis. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3397969. [PMID: 37961723 PMCID: PMC10635300 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3397969/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of bubonic plague, a deadly flea-borne disease responsible for three historic pandemics. Today annual cases of human disease occur worldwide following exposure to Y. pestis infected fleas that can be found within the rodent population where plague activity cycles between epizootic outbreaks and extended periods of apparent quiescence. Flea transmission of Y. pestis is most efficient in "blocked" fleas that are unable to feed, whereas mammalian transmission to fleas requires a susceptible host with end-stage high titer bacteremia. These facts suggest alternative mechanisms of transmission must exist to support the persistence of Y. pestis between epizootic outbreaks. In this work, we addressed whether vertical transmission could be a mechanism for persistent low-infection across generations of fleas. We demonstrate that Y. pestis infection of the Oriental rat flea, Xenopyslla cheopis, spreads to the reproductive tissues and is found in eggs produced by infected adult fleas. We further show that vertical transmission of Y. pestis from eggs to adults results in midgut colonization indicating a strong probability that it can reenter the sylvatic plague cycle.
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6
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Verdier M, Chesnais Q, Pirolles E, Blanc S, Drucker M. The cauliflower mosaic virus transmission helper protein P2 modifies directly the probing behavior of the aphid vector Myzus persicae to facilitate transmission. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011161. [PMID: 36745680 PMCID: PMC9934384 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that plant viruses manipulate their hosts and vectors in ways that increase transmission. However, to date only few viral components underlying these phenomena have been identified. Here we show that cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) protein P2 modifies the feeding behavior of its aphid vector. P2 is necessary for CaMV transmission because it mediates binding of virus particles to the aphid mouthparts. We compared aphid feeding behavior on plants infected with the wild-type CaMV strain Cabb B-JI or with a deletion mutant strain, Cabb B-JIΔP2, which does not produce P2. Only aphids probing Cabb B-JI infected plants doubled the number of test punctures during the first contact with the plant, indicating a role of P2. Membrane feeding assays with purified P2 and virus particles confirmed that these viral products alone are sufficient to cause the changes in aphid probing. The behavior modifications were not observed on plants infected with a CaMV mutant expressing P2Rev5, unable to bind to the mouthparts. These results are in favor of a virus manipulation, where attachment of P2 to a specific region in the aphid stylets-the acrostyle-exercises a direct effect on vector behavior at a crucial moment, the first vector contact with the infected plant, which is essential for virus acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Verdier
- SVQV UMR 1131 INRAE Centre Grand Est–Colmar, Université Strasbourg, Colmar, France
| | - Quentin Chesnais
- SVQV UMR 1131 INRAE Centre Grand Est–Colmar, Université Strasbourg, Colmar, France,* E-mail: (QC); (MD)
| | - Elodie Pirolles
- PHIM, INRAE Centre Occitanie–Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, Université Montpellier, Institut Agro, Montferrier-sur-Lez, France
| | - Stéphane Blanc
- PHIM, INRAE Centre Occitanie–Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, Université Montpellier, Institut Agro, Montferrier-sur-Lez, France
| | - Martin Drucker
- SVQV UMR 1131 INRAE Centre Grand Est–Colmar, Université Strasbourg, Colmar, France,* E-mail: (QC); (MD)
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7
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Guéneau V, Plateau-Gonthier J, Arnaud L, Piard JC, Castex M, Briandet R. Positive biofilms to guide surface microbial ecology in livestock buildings. Biofilm 2022; 4:100075. [PMID: 35494622 PMCID: PMC9039864 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2022.100075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The increase in human consumption of animal proteins implies changes in the management of meat production. This is followed by increasingly restrictive regulations on antimicrobial products such as chemical biocides and antibiotics, used in particular to control pathogens that can spread zoonotic diseases. Aligned with the One Health concept, alternative biological solutions are under development and are starting to be used in animal production. Beneficial bacteria able to form positive biofilms and guide surface microbial ecology to limit microbial pathogen settlement are promising tools that could complement existing biosecurity practices to maintain the hygiene of livestock buildings. Although the benefits of positive biofilms have already been documented, the associated fundamental mechanisms and the rationale of the microbial composition of these new products are still sparce. This review provides an overview of the envisioned modes of action of positive biofilms used on livestock building surfaces and the resulting criteria for the selection of the appropriate microorganisms for this specific application. Limits and advantages of this biosecurity approach are discussed as well as the impact of such practices along the food chain, from farm to fork.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virgile Guéneau
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Lallemand SAS, 31702, Blagnac, France
| | | | | | - Jean-Christophe Piard
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | | | - Romain Briandet
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
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8
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Laukaitis HJ, Cooper TT, Suwanbongkot C, Verhoeve VI, Kurtti TJ, Munderloh UG, Macaluso KR. Transposon mutagenesis of Rickettsia felis sca1 confers a distinct phenotype during flea infection. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1011045. [PMID: 36542675 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Since its recognition in 1994 as the causative agent of human flea-borne spotted fever, Rickettsia felis, has been detected worldwide in over 40 different arthropod species. The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is a well-described biological vector of R. felis. Unique to insect-borne rickettsiae, R. felis can employ multiple routes of infection including inoculation via salivary secretions and potentially infectious flea feces into the skin of vertebrate hosts. Yet, little is known of the molecular interactions governing flea infection and subsequent transmission of R. felis. While the obligate intracellular nature of rickettsiae has hampered the function of large-scale mutagenesis strategies, studies have shown the efficiency of mariner-based transposon systems in Rickettsiales. Thus, this study aimed to assess R. felis genetic mutants in a flea transmission model to elucidate genes involved in vector infection. A Himar1 transposase was used to generate R. felis transformants, in which subsequent genome sequencing revealed a transposon insertion near the 3' end of sca1. Alterations in sca1 expression resulted in unique infection phenotypes. While the R. felis sca1::tn mutant portrayed enhanced growth kinetics compared to R. felis wild-type during in vitro culture, rickettsial loads were significantly reduced during flea infection. As a consequence of decreased rickettsial loads within infected donor fleas, R. felis sca1::tn exhibited limited transmission potential. Thus, the use of a biologically relevant model provides evidence of a defective phenotype associated with R. felis sca1::tn during flea infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna J Laukaitis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Mobile, Alabama, United States of America.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Triston T Cooper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Mobile, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Chanakan Suwanbongkot
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Mobile, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Victoria I Verhoeve
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Timothy J Kurtti
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Ulrike G Munderloh
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Kevin R Macaluso
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Mobile, Alabama, United States of America
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Konyshev IV, Ivanov SA, Kopylov PH, Anisimov AP, Dentovskaya SV, Byvalov AA. The Role of Yersinia pestis Antigens in Adhesion to J774 Macrophages: Optical Trapping Study. APPL BIOCHEM MICRO+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s0003683822040081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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10
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Neumann GU, Skourtanioti E, Burri M, Nelson EA, Michel M, Hiss AN, McGeorge PJP, Betancourt PP, Spyrou MA, Krause J, Stockhammer PW. Ancient Yersinia pestis and Salmonella enterica genomes from Bronze Age Crete. Curr Biol 2022; 32:3641-3649.e8. [PMID: 35882233 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.06.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
During the late 3rd millennium BCE, the Eastern Mediterranean and Near East witnessed societal changes in many regions, which are usually explained with a combination of social and climatic factors.1-4 However, recent archaeogenetic research forces us to rethink models regarding the role of infectious diseases in past societal trajectories.5 The plague bacterium Yersinia pestis, which was involved in some of the most destructive historical pandemics,5-8 circulated across Eurasia at least from the onset of the 3rd millennium BCE,9-13 but the challenging preservation of ancient DNA in warmer climates has restricted the identification of Y.pestis from this period to temperate climatic regions. As such, evidence from culturally prominent regions such as the Eastern Mediterranean is currently lacking. Here, we present genetic evidence for the presence of Y. pestis and Salmonella enterica, the causative agent of typhoid/enteric fever, from this period of transformation in Crete, detected at the cave site Hagios Charalambos. We reconstructed one Y. pestis genome that forms part of a now-extinct lineage of Y. pestis strains from the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age that were likely not yet adapted for transmission via fleas. Furthermore, we reconstructed two ancient S. enterica genomes from the Para C lineage, which cluster with contemporary strains that were likely not yet fully host adapted to humans. The occurrence of these two virulent pathogens at the end of the Early Minoan period in Crete emphasizes the necessity to re-introduce infectious diseases as an additional factor possibly contributing to the transformation of early complex societies in the Aegean and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunnar U Neumann
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany; Max Planck-Harvard Research Center for the Archaeoscience of the Ancient Mediterranean (MHAAM), Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Eirini Skourtanioti
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany; Max Planck-Harvard Research Center for the Archaeoscience of the Ancient Mediterranean (MHAAM), Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marta Burri
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany; Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, 6204 Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Elizabeth A Nelson
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany; Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut, 354 Mansfield Road, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Megan Michel
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany; Max Planck-Harvard Research Center for the Archaeoscience of the Ancient Mediterranean (MHAAM), Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 10 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Alina N Hiss
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | | | - Philip P Betancourt
- Department of Art History and Archaeology, Temple University, 2001 N. 13(th) St., Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Maria A Spyrou
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany; Institute for Archaeological Sciences, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Hölderlinstr. 12, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Johannes Krause
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany; Max Planck-Harvard Research Center for the Archaeoscience of the Ancient Mediterranean (MHAAM), Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Philipp W Stockhammer
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany; Max Planck-Harvard Research Center for the Archaeoscience of the Ancient Mediterranean (MHAAM), Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Institute for Pre- and Protohistoric Archaeology and Archaeology of the Roman Provinces, Ludwig Maximilian University, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, 80799 München, Germany.
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11
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Eads DA, Biggins DE, Wimsatt J, Eisen RJ, Hinnebusch BJ, Matchett MR, Goldberg AR, Livieri TM, Hacker GM, Novak MG, Buttke DE, Grassel SM, Hughes JP, Atiku LA. Exploring and Mitigating Plague for One Health Purposes. CURRENT TROPICAL MEDICINE REPORTS 2022; 9:169-184. [PMID: 39210935 PMCID: PMC11358858 DOI: 10.1007/s40475-022-00265-6] [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] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review In 2020, the Appropriations Committee for the U.S. House of Representatives directed the CDC to develop a national One Health framework to combat zoonotic diseases, including sylvatic plague, which is caused by the flea-borne bacterium Yersinia pestis. This review builds upon that multisectoral objective. We aim to increase awareness of Y. pestis and to highlight examples of plague mitigation for One Health purposes (i.e., to achieve optimal health outcomes for people, animals, plants, and their shared environment). We draw primarily upon examples from the USA, but also discuss research from Madagascar and Uganda where relevant, as Y. pestis has emerged as a zoonotic threat in those foci. Recent Findings Historically, the bulk of plague research has been directed at the disease in humans. This is not surprising, given that Y. pestis is a scourge of human history. Nevertheless, the ecology of Y. pestis is inextricably linked to other mammals and fleas under natural conditions. Accumulating evidence demonstrates Y. pestis is an unrelenting threat to multiple ecosystems, where the bacterium is capable of significantly reducing native species abundance and diversity while altering competitive and trophic relationships, food web connections, and nutrient cycles. In doing so, Y. pestis transforms ecosystems, causing "shifting baselines syndrome" in humans, where there is a gradual shift in the accepted norms for the condition of the natural environment. Eradication of Y. pestis in nature is difficult to impossible, but effective mitigation is achievable; we discuss flea vector control and One Health implications in this context. Summary There is an acute need to rapidly expand research on Y. pestis, across multiple host and flea species and varied ecosystems of the Western US and abroad, for human and environmental health purposes. The fate of many wildlife species hangs in the balance, and the implications for humans are profound in some regions. Collaborative multisectoral research is needed to define the scope of the problem in each epidemiological context and to identify, refine, and implement appropriate and effective mitigation practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A. Eads
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, 2150 Centre Avenue Building C, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - Dean E. Biggins
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, 2150 Centre Avenue Building C, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - Jeffrey Wimsatt
- Department of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Rebecca J. Eisen
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - B. Joseph Hinnebusch
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Marc R. Matchett
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, Lewistown, MT, USA
| | | | | | - Gregory M. Hacker
- Vector-Borne Disease Section, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Mark G. Novak
- Vector-Borne Disease Section, California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Danielle E. Buttke
- National Park Service Biological Resources Division and Office of Public Health, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - John P. Hughes
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center, Carr, CO, USA
| | - Linda A. Atiku
- Plague Unit, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
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Swietnicki W. Secretory System Components as Potential Prophylactic Targets for Bacterial Pathogens. Biomolecules 2021; 11:892. [PMID: 34203937 PMCID: PMC8232601 DOI: 10.3390/biom11060892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial secretory systems are essential for virulence in human pathogens. The systems have become a target of alternative antibacterial strategies based on small molecules and antibodies. Strategies to use components of the systems to design prophylactics have been less publicized despite vaccines being the preferred solution to dealing with bacterial infections. In the current review, strategies to design vaccines against selected pathogens are presented and connected to the biology of the system. The examples are given for Y. pestis, S. enterica, B. anthracis, S. flexneri, and other human pathogens, and discussed in terms of effectiveness and long-term protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wieslaw Swietnicki
- Department of Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. R. Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland
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