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Jin MK, Zhang Q, Xu N, Zhang Z, Guo HQ, Li J, Ding K, Sun X, Yang XR, Zhu D, Su X, Qian H, Zhu YG. Lipid Metabolites as Potential Regulators of the Antibiotic Resistome in Tetramorium caespitum. Environ Sci Technol 2024; 58:4476-4486. [PMID: 38382547 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are ancient but have become a modern critical threat to health. Gut microbiota, a dynamic reservoir for ARGs, transfer resistance between individuals. Surveillance of the antibiotic resistome in the gut during different host growth phases is critical to understanding the dynamics of the resistome in this ecosystem. Herein, we disentangled the ARG profiles and the dynamic mechanism of ARGs in the egg and adult phases of Tetramorium caespitum. Experimental results showed a remarkable difference in both gut microbiota and gut resistome with the development of T. caespitum. Meta-based metagenomic results of gut microbiota indicated the generalizability of gut antibiotic resistome dynamics during host development. By using Raman spectroscopy and metabolomics, the metabolic phenotype and metabolites indicated that the biotic phase significantly changed lipid metabolism as T. caespitum aged. Lipid metabolites were demonstrated as the main factor driving the enrichment of ARGs in T. caespitum. Cuminaldehyde, the antibacterial lipid metabolite that displayed a remarkable increase in the adult phase, was demonstrated to strongly induce ARG abundance. Our findings show that the gut resistome is host developmental stage-dependent and likely modulated by metabolites, offering novel insights into possible steps to reduce ARG dissemination in the soil food chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Kang Jin
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, China
| | - Nuohan Xu
- College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, China
| | - Zhenyan Zhang
- College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, China
| | - Hong-Qin Guo
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Jian Li
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Kai Ding
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Xin Sun
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Xiao-Ru Yang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Dong Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Su
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Haifeng Qian
- College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, China
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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Grundmann CO, Guzman J, Vilcinskas A, Pupo MT. The insect microbiome is a vast source of bioactive small molecules. Nat Prod Rep 2024. [PMID: 38411238 DOI: 10.1039/d3np00054k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Covering: September 1964 to June 2023Bacteria and fungi living in symbiosis with insects have been studied over the last sixty years and found to be important sources of bioactive natural products. Not only classic producers of secondary metabolites such as Streptomyces and other members of the phylum Actinobacteria but also numerous bacteria from the phyla Proteobacteria and Firmicutes and an impressive array of fungi (usually pathogenic) serve as the source of a structurally diverse number of small molecules with important biological activities including antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antiparasitic and specific enzyme inhibitors. The insect niche is often the exclusive provider of microbes producing unique types of biologically active compounds such as gerumycins, pederin, dinactin, and formicamycins. However, numerous insects still have not been described taxonomically, and in most cases, the study of their microbiota is completely unexplored. In this review, we present a comprehensive survey of 553 natural products produced by microorganisms isolated from insects by collating and classifying all the data according to the type of compound (rather than the insect or microbial source). The analysis of the correlations among the metadata related to insects, microbial partners, and their produced compounds provides valuable insights into the intricate dynamics between insects and their symbionts as well as the impact of their metabolites on these relationships. Herein, we focus on the chemical structure, biosynthesis, and biological activities of the most relevant compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Juan Guzman
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Mônica Tallarico Pupo
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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de Oliveira KB, Goes AC, Silva AD, Vieira PC, Rodrigues A. Fungal Cultivars of Higher Attine Ants Promote Escovopsis Chemotropism. Curr Microbiol 2023; 81:37. [PMID: 38063979 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03552-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
In varied environments, microorganisms search for partners or nutritional resources using chemical signals. Microbes are drawn (chemotaxis) or grow directionally (chemotropism) towards the chemical source, enabling them to establish and maintain symbiosis. The hypocrealean fungi Escovopsis enhance their growth towards the basidiomycete fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus, which is cultivated by leaf-cutting attine ants for food. Although directional growth is well documented in this symbiosis, it is unclear whether non-volatile or volatile organic compounds participate in the interaction between cultivar and Escovopsis, and which specific chemical compounds might attract and induce chemotropism. In this study, we examined the growth responses of Escovopsis isolates to non-volatile and volatile organic compounds produced by fungal cultivars of higher attine ants. We also isolated and identified molecules released by the ant-cultivar and assessed the chemotropism of Escovopsis towards them. Our results indicate that the growth of Escovopsis is stimulated in the presence of both non-volatile and volatile compounds from fungal cultivars. We also identified three isomeric diketopiperazines molecules from crude extracts of the ant cultivar, suggesting that these might play a role in Escovopsis chemotropism. Our findings provide insights into the complex chemical interactions that govern the association between Escovopsis and fungal cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina B de Oliveira
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - Aryel C Goes
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Airton D Silva
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Paulo C Vieira
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Andre Rodrigues
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil.
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Suresh PS, Kumari S, Sahal D, Sharma U. Innate functions of natural products: A promising path for the identification of novel therapeutics. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 260:115748. [PMID: 37666044 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
In the course of evolution, living organisms have become well equipped with diverse natural products that serve important functions, including defence from biotic and abiotic stress, growth regulation, reproduction, metabolism, and epigenetic regulation. It seems to be the organism's ecological niche that influences the natural product's structural and functional diversity. Indeed, natural products constitute the nuts and bolts of molecular co-evolution and ecological relationships among different life forms. Since natural products in the form of specialized secondary metabolites exhibit biological functions via interactions with specific target proteins, they can provide a simultaneous glimpse of both new therapeutics and therapeutic targets in humans as well. In this review, we have discussed the innate role of natural products in the ecosystem and how this intrinsic role provides a futuristic opportunity to identify new drugs and therapeutic targets rapidly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patil Shivprasad Suresh
- C-H Activation & Phytochemistry Lab, Chemical Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, 176061, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Surekha Kumari
- C-H Activation & Phytochemistry Lab, Chemical Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, 176061, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Dinkar Sahal
- Malaria Drug Discovery Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Upendra Sharma
- C-H Activation & Phytochemistry Lab, Chemical Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, 176061, Himachal Pradesh, India.
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5
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Montoya Q, Martiarena M, Rodrigues A. Taxonomy and systematics of the fungus-growing ant associate Escovopsis ( Hypocreaceae). Stud Mycol 2023; 106:349-397. [PMID: 38298572 PMCID: PMC10825746 DOI: 10.3114/sim.2023.106.06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Escovopsis is a symbiont of fungus-growing ant colonies. Unstandardised taxonomy prevented the evaluation of the morphological diversity of Escovopsis for more than a century. The aim of this study is to create a standardised taxonomic framework to assess the morphological and phylogenetic diversity of Escovopsis. Therefore, to set the foundation for Escovopsis taxonomy and allow interspecific comparisons within the genus, we redescribe the ex-type cultures of Escovopsis aspergilloides, E. clavata, E. lentecrescens, E. microspora, E. moelleri, E. multiformis, and E. weberi. Thus, based on the parameters adopted in this study combined with phylogenetic analyses using five molecular markers, we synonymize E. microspora with E. weberi, and introduce 13 new species isolated from attine nests collected in Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama: E. breviramosa, E. chlamydosporosa, E. diminuta, E. elongatistipitata, E. gracilis, E. maculosa, E. papillata, E. peniculiformis, E. phialicopiosa, E. pseudocylindrica, E. rectangula, E. rosisimilis, and E. spicaticlavata. Our results revealed a great interspecific morphological diversity throughout Escovopsis. Notwithstanding, colony growth rates at different temperatures, as well as vesicle shape, appear to be the most outstanding features distinguishing species in the genus. This study fills an important gap in the systematics of Escovopsis that will allow future researchers to unravel the genetic and morphological diversity and species diversification of these attine ant symbionts. Taxonomic novelties: New species: Escovopsis breviramosa Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. chlamydosporosa Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. diminuta Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. elongatistipitata Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. gracilis Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. maculosa Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. papillata Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. peniculiformis Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. phialicopiosa Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. pseudocylindrica Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. rectangula Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. rosisimilis Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues, E. spicaticlavata Q.V. Montoya, M.J.S. Martiarena & A. Rodrigues. Citation: Montoya QV, Martiarena MJS, Rodrigues A (2023). Taxonomy and systematics of the fungus-growing ant associate Escovopsis (Hypocreaceae). Studies in Mycology 106: 349-397. doi: 10.3114/sim.2023.106.06.
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Affiliation(s)
- Q.V Montoya
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - M.J.S. Martiarena
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - A. Rodrigues
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
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6
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Fladerer JP, Grollitsch S, Bucar F. Three cuticular amides in the tripartite symbiosis of leafcutter ants. Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 2023; 114:1-13. [PMID: 37518892 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) play various roles in insects' chemical ecology. As leafcutter ants live in a specific symbiosis with fungi, they harvest and with different bacteria, some of these CHCs might be associated with a mutualistic function within this symbiosis. To obtain a more precise picture in that respect we compared the CHC profiles of the leafcutter ants, Atta sexdens, Atta cephalotes, and Acromyrmex octospinosus inhabited by mutualistic bacteria with the profiles of Polyrhachis dives and Messor aciculatus by GC-EI-MS analysis and 28 other ant species by data from the literature. We were able to identify three alkyl amides (hexadecanamide, hexadecenamide, and tetradecanamide), occurring only in the CHC profiles of leafcutter ants inhabited by symbiotic bacteria. Our results lead to the conclusion that those alkyl amides could have a function in the tripartite symbiosis of leafcutter ants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Franz Bucar
- Karl-Franzens-Universitat Graz Pharmacognosy, Graz, Austria
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7
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Kyle KE, Puckett SP, Caraballo-Rodríguez AM, Rivera-Chávez J, Samples RM, Earp CE, Raja HA, Pearce CJ, Ernst M, van der Hooft JJJ, Adams ME, Oberlies NH, Dorrestein PC, Klassen JL, Balunas MJ. Trachymyrmex septentrionalis ants promote fungus garden hygiene using Trichoderma-derived metabolite cues. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219373120. [PMID: 37319116 PMCID: PMC10288546 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219373120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungus-growing ants depend on a fungal mutualist that can fall prey to fungal pathogens. This mutualist is cultivated by these ants in structures called fungus gardens. Ants exhibit weeding behaviors that keep their fungus gardens healthy by physically removing compromised pieces. However, how ants detect diseases of their fungus gardens is unknown. Here, we applied the logic of Koch's postulates using environmental fungal community gene sequencing, fungal isolation, and laboratory infection experiments to establish that Trichoderma spp. can act as previously unrecognized pathogens of Trachymyrmex septentrionalis fungus gardens. Our environmental data showed that Trichoderma are the most abundant noncultivar fungi in wild T. septentrionalis fungus gardens. We further determined that metabolites produced by Trichoderma induce an ant weeding response that mirrors their response to live Trichoderma. Combining ant behavioral experiments with bioactivity-guided fractionation and statistical prioritization of metabolites in Trichoderma extracts demonstrated that T. septentrionalis ants weed in response to peptaibols, a specific class of secondary metabolites known to be produced by Trichoderma fungi. Similar assays conducted using purified peptaibols, including the two previously undescribed peptaibols trichokindins VIII and IX, suggested that weeding is likely induced by peptaibols as a class rather than by a single peptaibol metabolite. In addition to their presence in laboratory experiments, we detected peptaibols in wild fungus gardens. Our combination of environmental data and laboratory infection experiments strongly support that peptaibols act as chemical cues of Trichoderma pathogenesis in T. septentrionalis fungus gardens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E. Kyle
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT06269
| | - Sara P. Puckett
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269
| | - Andrés Mauricio Caraballo-Rodríguez
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA92093-0657
| | - José Rivera-Chávez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC27402
- Department of Natural Products, Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Mexico City, 04510, Mexico
| | - Robert M. Samples
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT06269
| | - Cody E. Earp
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC27402
| | - Huzefa A. Raja
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC27402
| | | | - Madeleine Ernst
- Department of Congenital Disorders, Section for Clinical Mass Spectrometry, Danish Center for Neonatal Screening, Statens Serum Institut, 2300Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Justin J. J. van der Hooft
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University & Research, 6708PBWageningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
| | - Madison E. Adams
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT06269
| | - Nicholas H. Oberlies
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC27402
| | - Pieter C. Dorrestein
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA92093-0657
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA92093-0657
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA92093-0657
| | - Jonathan L. Klassen
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT06269
| | - Marcy J. Balunas
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
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Atta H, Alzahaby N, Hamdy NM, Emam SH, Sonousi A, Ziko L. New trends in synthetic drugs and natural products targeting 20S proteasomes in cancers. Bioorg Chem 2023; 133:106427. [PMID: 36841046 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is a global health challenge that remains to be a field of extensive research aiming to find new anticancer therapeutics. The 20S proteasome complex is one of the targets of anticancerdrugs, as it is correlated with several cancer types. Herein, we aim to discuss the 20S proteasome subunits and investigatethe currently studied proteasome inhibitors targeting the catalytically active proteasome subunits. In this review, we summarize the proteindegradation mechanism of the 20S proteasome complex and compareit with the 26S proteasome complex. Afterwards, the localization of the 20S proteasome is summarized as well as its use as a diagnosticandprognostic marker. The FDA-approved proteasome inhibitors (PIs) under clinical trials are summarized and their current limited use in solid tumors is also reviewed in addition to the expression of theβ5 subunit in differentcell lines. The review discusses in-silico analysis of the active subunit of the 20S proteasome complex. For development of new proteasome inhibitor drugs, the natural products inhibiting the 20S proteasome are summarized, as well as novel methodologies and challenges for the natural product discovery and current information about the biosynthetic gene clusters encoding them. We herein briefly summarize some resistancemechanismsto the proteasomeinhibitors. Additionally, we focus on the three main classes of proteasome inhibitors: 1] boronic acid, 2] beta-lactone and 3] epoxide inhibitor classes, as well as other PI classes, and their IC50 values and their structure-activity relationship (SAR). Lastly,we summarize several future prospects of developing new proteasome inhibitors towards the treatment of tumors, especially solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hind Atta
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire Hosted By Global Academic Foundation, Egypt
| | - Nouran Alzahaby
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Abassia 11566, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Nadia M Hamdy
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Abassia 11566, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Soha H Emam
- Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt
| | - Amr Sonousi
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire Hosted By Global Academic Foundation, Egypt; Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt
| | - Laila Ziko
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire Hosted By Global Academic Foundation, Egypt; Biology Department, School of Sciences and Engineering, American University in Cairo, Egypt.
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Teodoro TBP, Carolino AT, Queiroz RRS, Oliveira PB, Moreira DDO, Silva GA, Samuels RI. Production of Escovopsis weberi (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) Mycelial Pellets and Their Effects on Leaf-Cutting Ant Fungal Gardens. Pathogens 2023; 12. [PMID: 36839602 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The maintenance of the symbiosis between leaf-cutting ants and their mutualistic fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus Singer (Moller) is vital for the survival of both species. The specialist fungal parasite Escovopsis weberi Muchovej & Della Lucia is a threat to this symbiosis, causing severe damage to the fungal garden. Mycelial pellets are resistant fungal structures that can be produced under laboratory conditions. These structures were studied for use in biological pest control, but the production of mycelial pellets has not previously been documented in Escovopsis. One of the aims of this study was to induce Escovopsis weberi to produce mycelial pellets and investigate the potential of these pellets for the control of leaf-cutting ants. We compared the pathogenicity of Escovopsis weberi mycelial pellets and conidia against mini-colonies of Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus Forel when applied in the form of baits. Worker ants were able to distinguish mycelial pellets from conidia, as baits with mycelial pellets were more attractive to workers than those with conidia, causing a greater negative impact on colony health. All types of baits containing Escovopsis weberi influenced the foraging activity but only treatments with viable fungal propagules resulted in an increase in the quantity of waste material, with a significant negative impact on the fungal garden biomass. The results provided novel information regarding Escovopsis recognition by worker ants and differences between conidia and mycelial pellet dynamics in leaf-cutting ant colonies, with new perspectives for the biological control of these important pests.
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de Mattos-Shipley KMJ, Simpson TJ. The 'emodin family' of fungal natural products-amalgamating a century of research with recent genomics-based advances. Nat Prod Rep 2023; 40:174-201. [PMID: 36222427 PMCID: PMC9890505 DOI: 10.1039/d2np00040g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Covering: up to 2022A very large group of biosynthetically linked fungal secondary metabolites are formed via the key intermediate emodin and its corresponding anthrone. The group includes anthraquinones such as chrysophanol and cladofulvin, the grisandienes geodin and trypacidin, the diphenyl ether pestheic acid, benzophenones such as monodictyphenone and various xanthones including the prenylated shamixanthones, the agnestins and dimeric xanthones such as the ergochromes, cryptosporioptides and neosartorin. Such compounds exhibit a wide range of bioactivities and as such have been utilised in traditional medicine for centuries, as well as garnering more recent interest from the pharmaceutical sector. Additional interest comes from industries such as textiles and cosmetics due to their use as natural colourants. A variety of biosynthetic routes and mechanisms have been proposed for this family of compounds, being altered and updated as new biosynthetic methods develop and new results emerge. After nearly 100 years of such research, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of what is currently known about the biosynthesis of this important family, amalgamating the early chemical and biosynthetic studies with the more recent genetics-based advances and comparative bioinformatics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas J Simpson
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK
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11
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Gotting K, May DS, Sosa-Calvo J, Khadempour L, Francoeur CB, Berasategui A, Thairu MW, Sandstrom S, Carlson CM, Chevrette MG, Pupo MT, Bugni TS, Schultz TR, Johnston JS, Gerardo NM, Currie CR. Genomic diversification of the specialized parasite of the fungus-growing ant symbiosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2213096119. [PMID: 36508678 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2213096119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungi shape the diversity of life. Characterizing the evolution of fungi is critical to understanding symbiotic associations across kingdoms. In this study, we investigate the genomic and metabolomic diversity of the genus Escovopsis, a specialized parasite of fungus-growing ant gardens. Based on 25 high-quality draft genomes, we show that Escovopsis forms a monophyletic group arising from a mycoparasitic fungal ancestor 61.82 million years ago (Mya). Across the evolutionary history of fungus-growing ants, the dates of origin of most clades of Escovopsis correspond to the dates of origin of the fungus-growing ants whose gardens they parasitize. We reveal that genome reduction, determined by both genomic sequencing and flow cytometry, is a consistent feature across the genus Escovopsis, largely occurring in coding regions, specifically in the form of gene loss and reductions in copy numbers of genes. All functional gene categories have reduced copy numbers, but resistance and virulence genes maintain functional diversity. Biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) contribute to phylogenetic differences among Escovopsis spp., and sister taxa in the Hypocreaceae. The phylogenetic patterns of co-diversification among BGCs are similarly exhibited across mass spectrometry analyses of the metabolomes of Escovopsis and their sister taxa. Taken together, our results indicate that Escovopsis spp. evolved unique genomic repertoires to specialize on the fungus-growing ant-microbe symbiosis.
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12
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Choudhary M, Kumar V, Naik B, Verma A, Saris PEJ, Kumar V, Gupta S. Antifungal metabolites, their novel sources, and targets to combat drug resistance. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1061603. [PMID: 36532457 PMCID: PMC9755354 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1061603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Excessive antibiotic prescriptions as well as their misuse in agriculture are the main causes of antimicrobial resistance which poses a growing threat to public health. It necessitates the search for novel chemicals to combat drug resistance. Since ancient times, naturally occurring medicines have been employed and the enormous variety of bioactive chemicals found in nature has long served as an inspiration for researchers looking for possible therapeutics. Secondary metabolites from microorganisms, particularly those from actinomycetes, have made it incredibly easy to find new molecules. Different actinomycetes species account for more than 70% of naturally generated antibiotics currently used in medicine, and they also produce a variety of secondary metabolites, including pigments, enzymes, and anti-inflammatory compounds. They continue to be a crucial source of fresh chemical diversity and a crucial component of drug discovery. This review summarizes some uncommon sources of antifungal metabolites and highlights the importance of further research on these unusual habitats as a source of novel antimicrobial molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megha Choudhary
- Himalayan School of Biosciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, India
| | - Vijay Kumar
- Himalayan School of Biosciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, India
| | - Bindu Naik
- Department of Life Sciences (Food Technology & Nutrition), Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun, India
| | - Ankit Verma
- Himalayan School of Biosciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, India
| | - Per Erik Joakim Saris
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Vivek Kumar
- Himalayan School of Biosciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, India
| | - Sanjay Gupta
- Himalayan School of Biosciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, India
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13
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Toopaang W, Bunnak W, Srisuksam C, Wattananukit W, Tanticharoen M, Yang YL, Amnuaykanjanasin A. Microbial polyketides and their roles in insect virulence: from genomics to biological functions. Nat Prod Rep 2022; 39:2008-2029. [PMID: 35822627 DOI: 10.1039/d1np00058f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Covering: May 1966 up to January 2022Entomopathogenic microorganisms have potential for biological control of insect pests. Their main secondary metabolites include polyketides, nonribosomal peptides, and polyketide-nonribosomal peptide (PK-NRP) hybrids. Among these secondary metabolites, polyketides have mainly been studied for structural identification, pathway engineering, and for their contributions to medicine. However, little is known about the function of polyketides in insect virulence. This review focuses on the role of bacterial and fungal polyketides, as well as PK-NRP hybrids in insect infection and killing. We also discuss gene distribution and evolutional relationships among different microbial species. Further, the role of microbial polyketides and the hybrids in modulating insect-microbial symbiosis is also explored. Understanding the mechanisms of polyketides in insect pathogenesis, how compounds moderate the host-fungus interaction, and the distribution of PKS genes across different fungi and bacteria will facilitate the discovery and development of novel polyketide-derived bio-insecticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wachiraporn Toopaang
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, 113 Thailand Science Park, Phahonyothin Rd., Khlong Nueng, Amphoe Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand. .,Molecular and Biological Agricultural Sciences, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan.,Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
| | - Warapon Bunnak
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, 113 Thailand Science Park, Phahonyothin Rd., Khlong Nueng, Amphoe Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand.
| | - Chettida Srisuksam
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, 113 Thailand Science Park, Phahonyothin Rd., Khlong Nueng, Amphoe Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand.
| | - Wilawan Wattananukit
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, 113 Thailand Science Park, Phahonyothin Rd., Khlong Nueng, Amphoe Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand.
| | - Morakot Tanticharoen
- School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
| | - Yu-Liang Yang
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan. .,Biotechnology Center in Southern Taiwan, Academia Sinica, Tainan 711010, Taiwan
| | - Alongkorn Amnuaykanjanasin
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, 113 Thailand Science Park, Phahonyothin Rd., Khlong Nueng, Amphoe Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand.
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14
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Coolen S, van der Molen MR, Welte CU. The secret life of insect-associated microbes and how they shape insect-plant interactions. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2022; 98:6643329. [PMID: 35830517 PMCID: PMC9409087 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects are associated with a plethora of different microbes of which we are only starting to understand their role in shaping insect–plant interactions. Besides directly benefitting from symbiotic microbial metabolism, insects obtain and transmit microbes within their environment, making them ideal vectors and potential beneficiaries of plant diseases and microbes that alter plant defenses. To prevent damage, plants elicit stress-specific defenses to ward off insects and their microbiota. However, both insects and microbes harbor a wealth of adaptations that allow them to circumvent effective plant defense activation. In the past decades, it has become apparent that the enormous diversity and metabolic potential of insect-associated microbes may play a far more important role in shaping insect–plant interactions than previously anticipated. The latter may have implications for the development of sustainable pest control strategies. Therefore, this review sheds light on the current knowledge on multitrophic insect–microbe–plant interactions in a rapidly expanding field of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Coolen
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Magda Rogowska- van der Molen
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelia U Welte
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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15
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Feeney MA, Newitt JT, Addington E, Algora-Gallardo L, Allan C, Balis L, Birke AS, Castaño-Espriu L, Charkoudian LK, Devine R, Gayrard D, Hamilton J, Hennrich O, Hoskisson PA, Keith-Baker M, Klein JG, Kruasuwan W, Mark DR, Mast Y, McHugh RE, McLean TC, Mohit E, Munnoch JT, Murray J, Noble K, Otani H, Parra J, Pereira CF, Perry L, Pintor-Escobar L, Pritchard L, Prudence SMM, Russell AH, Schniete JK, Seipke RF, Sélem-Mojica N, Undabarrena A, Vind K, van Wezel GP, Wilkinson B, Worsley SF, Duncan KR, Fernández-Martínez LT, Hutchings MI. ActinoBase: tools and protocols for researchers working on Streptomyces and other filamentous actinobacteria. Microb Genom 2022; 8. [PMID: 35775972 PMCID: PMC9455695 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Actinobacteria is an ancient phylum of Gram-positive bacteria with a characteristic high GC content to their DNA. The ActinoBase Wiki is focused on the filamentous actinobacteria, such as Streptomyces species, and the techniques and growth conditions used to study them. These organisms are studied because of their complex developmental life cycles and diverse specialised metabolism which produces many of the antibiotics currently used in the clinic. ActinoBase is a community effort that provides valuable and freely accessible resources, including protocols and practical information about filamentous actinobacteria. It is aimed at enabling knowledge exchange between members of the international research community working with these fascinating bacteria. ActinoBase is an anchor platform that underpins worldwide efforts to understand the ecology, biology and metabolic potential of these organisms. There are two key differences that set ActinoBase apart from other Wiki-based platforms: [1] ActinoBase is specifically aimed at researchers working on filamentous actinobacteria and is tailored to help users overcome challenges working with these bacteria and [2] it provides a freely accessible resource with global networking opportunities for researchers with a broad range of experience in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Anne Feeney
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Jake Terry Newitt
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Emily Addington
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Lis Algora-Gallardo
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Craig Allan
- Swansea University Institute of Life Science, College of Medicine, Swansea, Wales, UK
| | - Lucas Balis
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Anna S Birke
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Laia Castaño-Espriu
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | | | - Rebecca Devine
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Damien Gayrard
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Jacob Hamilton
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Oliver Hennrich
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Paul A Hoskisson
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Molly Keith-Baker
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | | | - Worarat Kruasuwan
- Division of Bioinformatics and Data Management for Research, Research Group and Research Network Division, Research Department, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - David R Mark
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Yvonne Mast
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Rebecca E McHugh
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Thomas C McLean
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Elmira Mohit
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - John T Munnoch
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Jordan Murray
- Department of Physics, SUPA, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK
| | - Katie Noble
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Hiroshi Otani
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.,Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jonathan Parra
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Camila F Pereira
- Department of Insect Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Louisa Perry
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | | | - Leighton Pritchard
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Samuel M M Prudence
- School of Biological and Behavioral Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | | | - Jana K Schniete
- Biology Department, Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, L39 4QP, UK
| | - Ryan F Seipke
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.,Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Nelly Sélem-Mojica
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Centro de Ciencias Matemáticas, en Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
| | - Agustina Undabarrena
- Departamento de Química & Centro de Biotecnología Daniel Alkalay Lowitt, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular y Biotecnología Ambiental, Valparaíso, 2340000, Chile
| | - Kristiina Vind
- Host-Microbe Interactomics Group, Wageningen University, 6708 WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gilles P van Wezel
- Microbial Biotechnology, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Rapenburg, The Netherlands
| | - Barrie Wilkinson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Sarah F Worsley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Katherine R Duncan
- University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | | | - Matthew I Hutchings
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
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16
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Hansen KA, Kim RR, Lawton ES, Tran J, Lewis SK, Deol AS, Van Arnam EB. Bacterial Associates of a Desert Specialist Fungus-Growing Ant Antagonize Competitors with a Nocamycin Analog. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:1824-1830. [PMID: 35730734 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Fungus-growing ants are defended by antibiotic-producing bacterial symbionts in the genus Pseudonocardia. Nutrients provisioned by the ants support these symbionts but also invite colonization and competition from other bacteria. As an arena for chemically mediated bacterial competition, this niche offers a window into ecological antibiotic function with well-defined competing organisms. From multiple colonies of the desert specialist ant Trachymyrmex smithi, we isolated Amycolatopsis bacteria that inhibit the growth of Pseudonocardia symbionts under laboratory conditions. Using bioassay-guided fractionation, we discovered a novel analog of the antibiotic nocamycin that is responsible for this antagonism. We identified the biosynthetic gene cluster for this antibiotic, which has a suite of oxidative enzymes consistent with this molecule's more extensive oxidative tailoring relative to similar tetramic acid antibiotics. High genetic similarity to globally distributed soil Amycolatopsis isolates suggest that this ant-derived Amycolatopsis strain may be an opportunistic soil strain whose antibiotic production allows for competition in this specialized niche. This nocamycin analog adds to the catalog of novel bioactive molecules isolated from bacterial associates of fungus-growing ants, and its activity against ant symbionts represents, to our knowledge, the first putative ecological function for the widely distributed enoyl tetramic acid family of antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A Hansen
- Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Rose R Kim
- Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Elisabeth S Lawton
- Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Janet Tran
- Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Stephanie K Lewis
- Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Arjan S Deol
- Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Ethan B Van Arnam
- Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
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17
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Darrington M, Leftwich PT, Holmes NA, Friend LA, Clarke NVE, Worsley SF, Margaritopolous JT, Hogenhout SA, Hutchings MI, Chapman T. Characterisation of the symbionts in the Mediterranean fruit fly gut. Microb Genom 2022; 8. [PMID: 35446250 PMCID: PMC9453069 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Symbioses between bacteria and their insect hosts can range from loose associations through to obligate interdependence. While fundamental evolutionary insights have been gained from the in-depth study of obligate mutualisms, there is increasing interest in the evolutionary potential of flexible symbiotic associations between hosts and their gut microbiomes. Understanding relationships between microbes and hosts also offers the potential for exploitation for insect control. Here, we investigate the gut microbiome of a global agricultural pest, the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata). We used 16S rRNA profiling to compare the gut microbiomes of laboratory and wild strains raised on different diets and from flies collected from various natural plant hosts. The results showed that medfly guts harbour a simple microbiome that is primarily determined by the larval diet. However, regardless of the laboratory diet or natural plant host on which flies were raised, Klebsiella spp. dominated medfly microbiomes and were resistant to removal by antibiotic treatment. We sequenced the genome of the dominant putative Klebsiella spp. (‘Medkleb’) isolated from the gut of the Toliman wild-type strain. Genome-wide ANI analysis placed Medkleb within the K. oxytoca / michiganensis group. Species level taxonomy for Medkleb was resolved using a mutli-locus phylogenetic approach - and molecular, sequence and phenotypic analyses all supported its identity as K. michiganensis. Medkleb has a genome size (5825435 bp) which is 1.6 standard deviations smaller than the mean genome size of free-living Klebsiella spp. Medkleb also lacks some genes involved in environmental sensing. Moreover, the Medkleb genome contains at least two recently acquired unique genomic islands as well as genes that encode pectinolytic enzymes capable of degrading plant cell walls. This may be advantageous given that the medfly diet includes unripe fruits containing high proportions of pectin. The results suggest that the medfly harbours a commensal gut bacterium that may have developed a mutualistic association with its host and provide nutritional benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike Darrington
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Philip T Leftwich
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Neil A Holmes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.,Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Lucy A Friend
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Naomi V E Clarke
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Sarah F Worsley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - John T Margaritopolous
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Industrial and Fodder Crops, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-DEMETER, Volos, Greece
| | - Saskia A Hogenhout
- Department of Crop Genetics, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7UH, Norwich, UK
| | - Matthew I Hutchings
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.,Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Tracey Chapman
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
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18
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Mahdi LK, Miyauchi S, Uhlmann C, Garrido-Oter R, Langen G, Wawra S, Niu Y, Guan R, Robertson-Albertyn S, Bulgarelli D, Parker JE, Zuccaro A. The fungal root endophyte Serendipita vermifera displays inter-kingdom synergistic beneficial effects with the microbiota in Arabidopsis thaliana and barley. ISME J 2022; 16:876-889. [PMID: 34686763 PMCID: PMC8857181 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01138-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Plant root-associated bacteria can confer protection against pathogen infection. By contrast, the beneficial effects of root endophytic fungi and their synergistic interactions with bacteria remain poorly defined. We demonstrate that the combined action of a fungal root endophyte from a widespread taxon with core bacterial microbiota members provides synergistic protection against an aggressive soil-borne pathogen in Arabidopsis thaliana and barley. We additionally reveal early inter-kingdom growth promotion benefits which are host and microbiota composition dependent. Using RNA-sequencing, we show that these beneficial activities are not associated with extensive host transcriptional reprogramming but rather with the modulation of expression of microbial effectors and carbohydrate-active enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa K. Mahdi
- grid.6190.e0000 0000 8580 3777University of Cologne, Institute for Plant Sciences, Cologne, Germany
| | - Shingo Miyauchi
- grid.6190.e0000 0000 8580 3777University of Cologne, Institute for Plant Sciences, Cologne, Germany ,grid.419498.90000 0001 0660 6765Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Department of Plant Microbe Interactions, Cologne, Germany
| | - Charles Uhlmann
- grid.419498.90000 0001 0660 6765Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Department of Plant Microbe Interactions, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ruben Garrido-Oter
- grid.419498.90000 0001 0660 6765Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Department of Plant Microbe Interactions, Cologne, Germany ,grid.503026.2Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Cologne, Germany
| | - Gregor Langen
- grid.6190.e0000 0000 8580 3777University of Cologne, Institute for Plant Sciences, Cologne, Germany
| | - Stephan Wawra
- grid.6190.e0000 0000 8580 3777University of Cologne, Institute for Plant Sciences, Cologne, Germany ,grid.503026.2Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Cologne, Germany
| | - Yulong Niu
- grid.6190.e0000 0000 8580 3777University of Cologne, Institute for Plant Sciences, Cologne, Germany ,grid.419498.90000 0001 0660 6765Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Department of Plant Microbe Interactions, Cologne, Germany
| | - Rui Guan
- grid.419498.90000 0001 0660 6765Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Department of Plant Microbe Interactions, Cologne, Germany
| | - Senga Robertson-Albertyn
- grid.8241.f0000 0004 0397 2876University of Dundee, Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Dundee, UK
| | - Davide Bulgarelli
- grid.8241.f0000 0004 0397 2876University of Dundee, Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Dundee, UK
| | - Jane E. Parker
- grid.419498.90000 0001 0660 6765Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Department of Plant Microbe Interactions, Cologne, Germany ,grid.503026.2Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Cologne, Germany
| | - Alga Zuccaro
- grid.6190.e0000 0000 8580 3777University of Cologne, Institute for Plant Sciences, Cologne, Germany ,grid.503026.2Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Cologne, Germany
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19
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Abstract
Covering: September 1972 to December 2020Explorations of complex symbioses have often elucidated a plethora of previously undescribed chemical compounds that may serve ecological functions in signalling, communication or defence. A case in point is the subfamily of termites that cultivate a fungus as their primary food source and maintain complex bacterial communities, from which a series of novel compound discoveries have been made. Here, we summarise the origins and types of 375 compounds that have been discovered from the symbiosis over the past four decades and discuss the potential for synergistic actions between compounds within the complex chemical mixtures in which they exist. We go on to highlight how vastly underexplored the diversity and geographic distribution of the symbiosis is, which leaves ample potential for natural product discovery of compounds of both ecological and medical importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Schmidt
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Sara Kildgaard
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Huijuan Guo
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology e.V., Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Christine Beemelmanns
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology e.V., Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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20
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Harris MB, Lesani M, Liu Z, McCall LI. Molecular networking in infectious disease models. Methods Enzymol 2022; 663:341-375. [PMID: 35168796 PMCID: PMC10040239 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2021.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Small molecule metabolites are the product of many enzymatic reactions. Metabolomics thus opens a window into enzyme activity and function, integrating effects at the post-translational, proteome, transcriptome and genome level. In addition, small molecules can themselves regulate enzyme activity, expression and function both via substrate availability mechanisms and through allosteric regulation. Metabolites are therefore at the nexus of infectious diseases, regulating nutrient availability to the pathogen, immune responses, tropism, and host disease tolerance and resilience. Analysis of metabolomics data is however complex, particularly in terms of metabolite annotation. An emerging valuable approach to extend metabolite annotations beyond existing compound libraries and to identify infection-induced chemical changes is molecular networking. In this chapter, we discuss the applications of molecular networking in the context of infectious diseases specifically, with a focus on considerations relevant to these biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan B Harris
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States; Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Mahbobeh Lesani
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States; Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Zongyuan Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States; Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States; Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States; Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States.
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21
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Zhai YJ, Huo GM, Wei J, Lin LB, Zhang Q, Li JN, Chen X, Han WB, Gao JM. Structures and absolute configurations of butenolide derivatives from the isopod-associated fungus Pidoplitchkoviella terricola. Phytochemistry 2022; 193:112981. [PMID: 34653910 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2021.112981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In this research, twenty aromatic and branched aliphatic polyketides, including seven previously undescribed butenolide derivatives, piterriones A-G and one known analogue, along with twelve known altenusin derivatives, were isolated from the isopod-associated fungus Pidoplitchkoviella terricola. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of NMR (1D and 2D) and mass spectrometry data, and their absolute configurations were determined by Mosher's method, microscale derivatization, and comparison of their specific rotations and ECD spectra. Dihydroaltenuene B exhibited mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 38.33 ± 1.59 μM, which was comparable to that of the positive control, kojic acid (IC50 = 39.72 ± 1.34 μM). A molecular-docking study disclosed the hydrogen bonding interactions between the 3-OH and 4'-OH of dihydroaltenuene B and the His244, Met280 and Gly281 residues of tyrosinase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Jie Zhai
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Guang-Ming Huo
- Institute of Medicinal Fungi, School of Food Science, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210017, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Wei
- College of Biology Pharmacy & Food Engineering, Shangluo University, Shangluo, 726000, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Bin Lin
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jian-Nan Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wen-Bo Han
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Jin-Ming Gao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, 3 Taicheng Road, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China.
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22
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Batista KOM, Silva DV, Nascimento VL, de Souza DJ. Effects of Trichoderma strigosellum in Eucalyptus urophylla Development and Leaf-Cutting Ant Behavior. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 8:15. [PMID: 35049955 DOI: 10.3390/jof8010015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal endophytes can protect plants against herbivory and be used to control leaf-cutting ants. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the potential of endophytic colonization of Eucalyptus urophylla by three filamentous fungal species and their influence on the plant development and foraging behavior of Atta sexdens. The study design was completely randomized and comprised a factorial scheme of 4 × 3, three antagonistic fungal species (Escovopsis sp., Metarhizium anisopliae, and Trichoderma strigosellum) of the leaf-cutting ant, and one control and three inoculation methods (conidial suspension via foliar spray [FS] and soil drench [SD] inoculation, and seedlings inoculated with mycelium [SWM]). The SWM method allowed T. strigosellum to colonize all plant organs, and these plants exhibited higher height, leaf number, shoot dry mass, and total dry mass than the ones subjected to the other inoculation methods. The SWM method increased the plant height than the control plants and those inoculated with Escovopsis sp. and M. anisopliae. Trichoderma strigosellum, previously isolated from soil, colonized E. urophylla plants and positively influenced their development, as demonstrated by the SWM method. Trichoderma strigosellum promoted the increase in E. urophylla height compared with when the FS and SD methods were used (by 19.62% and 18.52%, respectively). Our results reveal that A. sexdens workers preferentially began cutting the leaves from plants not previously colonized by T. strigosellum. This behavior can be explained by modifications in the phenotypic traits of the eucalyptus leaves.
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23
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Christopher Y, Aguilar C, Gálvez D, Wcislo WT, Gerardo NM, Fernández-Marín H. Interactions among Escovopsis, Antagonistic Microfungi Associated with the Fungus-Growing Ant Symbiosis. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:1007. [PMID: 34946990 DOI: 10.3390/jof7121007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungi in the genus Escovopsis (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) are prevalent associates of the complex symbiosis between fungus-growing ants (Tribe Attini), the ants' cultivated basidiomycete fungi and a consortium of both beneficial and harmful microbes found within the ants' garden communities. Some Escovopsis spp. have been shown to attack the ants' cultivated fungi, and co-infections by multiple Escovopsis spp. are common in gardens in nature. Yet, little is known about how Escovopsis strains impact each other. Since microbe-microbe interactions play a central role in microbial ecology and evolution, we conducted experiments to assay the types of interactions that govern Escovopsis-Escovopsis relationships. We isolated Escovopsis strains from the gardens of 10 attine ant genera representing basal (lower) and derived groups in the attine ant phylogeny. We conducted in vitro experiments to determine the outcome of both intraclonal and interclonal Escovopsis confrontations. When paired with self (intraclonal interactions), Escovopsis isolated from lower attine colonies exhibited antagonistic (inhibitory) responses, while strains isolated from derived attine colonies exhibited neutral or mutualistic interactions, leading to a clear phylogenetic pattern of interaction outcome. Interclonal interactions were more varied, exhibiting less phylogenetic signal. These results can serve as the basis for future studies on the costs and benefits of Escovopsis coinfection, and on the genetic and chemical mechanisms that regulate the compatibility and incompatibility observed here.
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24
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Jarmusch SA, van der Hooft JJJ, Dorrestein PC, Jarmusch AK. Advancements in capturing and mining mass spectrometry data are transforming natural products research. Nat Prod Rep 2021; 38:2066-2082. [PMID: 34612288 PMCID: PMC8667781 DOI: 10.1039/d1np00040c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Covering: 2016 up to 2021Mass spectrometry (MS) is an essential technology in natural products research with MS fragmentation (MS/MS) approaches becoming a key tool. Recent advancements in MS yield dense metabolomics datasets which have been, conventionally, used by individual labs for individual projects; however, a shift is brewing. The movement towards open MS data (and other structural characterization data) and accessible data mining tools is emerging in natural products research. Over the past 5 years, this movement has rapidly expanded and evolved with no slowdown in sight; the capabilities of today vastly exceed those of 5 years ago. Herein, we address the analysis of individual datasets, a situation we are calling the '2021 status quo', and the emergent framework to systematically capture sample information (metadata) and perform repository-scale analyses. We evaluate public data deposition, discuss the challenges of working in the repository scale, highlight the challenges of metadata capture and provide illustrative examples of the power of utilizing repository data and the tools that enable it. We conclude that the advancements in MS data collection must be met with advancements in how we utilize data; therefore, we argue that open data and data mining is the next evolution in obtaining the maximum potential in natural products research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A Jarmusch
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads 221, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
| | | | - Pieter C Dorrestein
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0751, USA
| | - Alan K Jarmusch
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0751, USA
- Immunity, Inflammation, and Disease Laboratory, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
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25
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Worsley SF, Innocent TM, Holmes NA, Al-Bassam MM, Schiøtt M, Wilkinson B, Murrell JC, Boomsma JJ, Yu DW, Hutchings MI. Competition-based screening helps to secure the evolutionary stability of a defensive microbiome. BMC Biol 2021; 19:205. [PMID: 34526023 PMCID: PMC8444595 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01142-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cuticular microbiomes of Acromyrmex leaf-cutting ants pose a conundrum in microbiome biology because they are freely colonisable, and yet the prevalence of the vertically transmitted bacteria Pseudonocardia, which contributes to the control of Escovopsis fungus garden disease, is never compromised by the secondary acquisition of other bacterial strains. Game theory suggests that competition-based screening can allow the selective recruitment of antibiotic-producing bacteria from the environment, by providing abundant resources to foment interference competition between bacterial species and by using Pseudonocardia to bias the outcome of competition in favour of antibiotic producers. RESULTS Here, we use RNA-stable isotope probing (RNA-SIP) to confirm that Acromyrmex ants can maintain a range of microbial symbionts on their cuticle by supplying public resources. We then used RNA sequencing, bioassays, and competition experiments to show that vertically transmitted Pseudonocardia strains produce antibacterials that differentially reduce the growth rates of other microbes, ultimately biassing the bacterial competition to allow the selective establishment of secondary antibiotic-producing strains while excluding non-antibiotic-producing strains that would parasitise the symbiosis. CONCLUSIONS Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that competition-based screening is a plausible mechanism for maintaining the integrity of the co-adapted mutualism between the leaf-cutting ant farming symbiosis and its defensive microbiome. Our results have broader implications for explaining the stability of other complex symbioses involving horizontal acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah F Worsley
- School of Biological Sciences, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Tabitha M Innocent
- Centre for Social Evolution, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Neil A Holmes
- School of Biological Sciences, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Mahmoud M Al-Bassam
- School of Biological Sciences, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Morten Schiøtt
- Centre for Social Evolution, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Barrie Wilkinson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - J Colin Murrell
- School of Environmental Sciences, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Jacobus J Boomsma
- Centre for Social Evolution, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Douglas W Yu
- School of Biological Sciences, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK.
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China.
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China.
| | - Matthew I Hutchings
- School of Biological Sciences, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK.
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7UH, UK.
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26
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Montoya QV, Martiarena MJS, Bizarria R, Gerardo NM, Rodrigues A. Fungi inhabiting attine ant colonies: reassessment of the genus Escovopsis and description of Luteomyces and Sympodiorosea gens. nov. IMA Fungus 2021; 12:23. [PMID: 34429165 PMCID: PMC8383443 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-021-00078-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Escovopsis is a diverse group of fungi, which are considered specialized parasites of the fungal cultivars of fungus-growing ants. The lack of a suitable taxonomic framework and phylogenetic inconsistencies have long hampered Escovopsis research. The aim of this study is to reassess the genus Escovopsis using a taxonomic approach and a comprehensive multilocus phylogenetic analysis, in order to set the basis of the genus systematics and the stage for future Escovopsis research. Our results support the separation of Escovopsis into three distinct genera. In light of this, we redefine Escovopsis as a monophyletic clade whose main feature is to form terminal vesicles on conidiophores. Consequently, E. kreiselii and E. trichodermoides were recombined into two new genera, Sympodiorosea and Luteomyces, as S. kreiselii and L. trichodermoides, respectively. This study expands our understanding of the systematics of Escovopsis and related genera, thereby facilitating future research on the evolutionary history, taxonomic diversity, and ecological roles of these inhabitants of the attine ant colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quimi Vidaurre Montoya
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Avenida 24-A, n. 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, SP, 13.506-900, Brazil. .,Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil.
| | - Maria Jesus Sutta Martiarena
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Avenida 24-A, n. 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, SP, 13.506-900, Brazil.,Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - Rodolfo Bizarria
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Avenida 24-A, n. 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, SP, 13.506-900, Brazil.,Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - Nicole Marie Gerardo
- Department of Biology, O. Wayne Rollins Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Andre Rodrigues
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Avenida 24-A, n. 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, SP, 13.506-900, Brazil. .,Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil.
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27
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Dhodary B, Spiteller D. Ammonia Production by Streptomyces Symbionts of Acromyrmex Leaf-Cutting Ants Strongly Inhibits the Fungal Pathogen Escovopsis. Microorganisms 2021; 9:1622. [PMID: 34442700 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Leaf-cutting ants live in mutualistic symbiosis with their garden fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus that can be attacked by the specialized pathogenic fungus Escovopsis. Actinomyces symbionts from Acromyrmex leaf-cutting ants contribute to protect L. gongylophorus against pathogens. The symbiont Streptomyces sp. Av25_4 exhibited strong activity against Escovopsis weberi in co-cultivation assays. Experiments physically separating E. weberi and Streptomyces sp. Av25_4 allowing only exchange of volatiles revealed that Streptomyces sp. Av25_4 produces a volatile antifungal. Volatile compounds from Streptomyces sp. Av25_4 were collected by closed loop stripping. Analysis by NMR revealed that Streptomyces sp. Av25_4 overproduces ammonia (up to 8 mM) which completely inhibited the growth of E. weberi due to its strong basic pH. Additionally, other symbionts from different Acromyrmex ants inhibited E. weberi by production of ammonia. The waste of ca. one third of Acomyrmex and Atta leaf-cutting ant colonies was strongly basic due to ammonia (up to ca. 8 mM) suggesting its role in nest hygiene. Not only complex and metabolically costly secondary metabolites, such as polyketides, but simple ammonia released by symbionts of leaf-cutting ants can contribute to control the growth of Escovopsis that is sensitive to ammonia in contrast to the garden fungus L. gongylophorus.
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28
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Jiménez-Gómez I, Barcoto MO, Montoya QV, Goes AC, Monteiro LSVE, Bueno OC, Rodrigues A. Host Susceptibility Modulates Escovopsis Pathogenic Potential in the Fungiculture of Higher Attine Ants. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:673444. [PMID: 34194409 PMCID: PMC8238408 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.673444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Health and disease emerge from intricate interactions between genotypes, phenotypes, and environmental features. The outcomes of such interactions are context-dependent, existing as a dynamic continuum ranging from benefits to damage. In host-microbial interactions, both the host and environmental conditions modulate the pathogenic potential of a microorganism. Microbial interactions are the core of the agricultural systems of ants in the subtribe Attina, which cultivate basidiomycete fungi for food. The fungiculture environment harbors a diverse microbial community, including fungi in the genus Escovopsis that has been studied as damage-causing agent. Here, we consider the ant colony as a host and investigate to what extent its health impacts the dynamics and outcomes of host-Escovopsis interactions. We found that different ant fungal cultivars vary in susceptibility to the same Escovopsis strains in plate-assays interactions. In subcolony-Escovopsis interactions, while healthy subcolonies gradually recover from infection with different concentrations of Escovopsis conidia, insecticide-treated subcolonies evidenced traits of infection and died within 7 days. The opportunistic nature of Escovopsis infections indicates that diseases in attine fungiculture are a consequence of host susceptibility, rather than the effect of a single microbial agent. By addressing the host susceptibility as a major modulator of Escovopsis pathogenesis, our findings expand the understanding of disease dynamics within attine colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Jiménez-Gómez
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil.,Centro de Investigación en Dinámica Celular, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Mariana O Barcoto
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Quimi V Montoya
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Aryel C Goes
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Lana S V E Monteiro
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Odair C Bueno
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Andre Rodrigues
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
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29
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Li J, Sang M, Jiang Y, Wei J, Shen Y, Huang Q, Li Y, Ni J. Polyene-Producing Streptomyces spp. From the Fungus-Growing Termite Macrotermes barneyi Exhibit High Inhibitory Activity Against the Antagonistic Fungus Xylaria. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:649962. [PMID: 33868208 PMCID: PMC8047067 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.649962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungus-growing termites are engaged in a tripartite mutualism with intestinal microbes and a monocultivar (Termitomyces sp.) in the fungus garden. The termites are often plagued by entomopathogen (Metarhizium anisopliae) and fungus garden is always threatened by competitors (Xylaria spp.). Here, we aim to understand the defensive role of intestinal microbes, the actinomycetes which were isolated from the gut of Macrotermes barneyi. We obtained 44 antifungal isolates, which showed moderate to strong inhibition to Xylaria sp. HPLC analysis indicated that different types of polyenes (tetraene, pentene, and heptaene) existed in the metabolites of 10 strong antifungal Streptomyces strains. Two pentene macrolides (pentamycin and 1′14-dihydroxyisochainin) were firstly purified from Streptomyces strain HF10, both exhibiting higher activity against Xylaria sp. and M. anisopliae than cultivar Termitomyces. Subsequently, tetraene and heptaene related gene disruption assay showed that the mutant strains lost the ability to produce corresponding polyenes, and they also had significantly decreased activities against Xylaria sp. and M. anisopliae compared to that of wild type strains. These results indicate that polyene-producing Streptomyces from the guts of M. barneyi have strong inhibition to competitor fungus and polyenes contribute to inhibitory effects on Xylaria sp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Microbial Technology Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Moli Sang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Microbial Technology Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yutong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Microbial Technology Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jianhua Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Microbial Technology Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yulong Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Microbial Technology Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Qihong Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Microbial Technology Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yaoyao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Microbial Technology Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jinfeng Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Microbial Technology Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
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30
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Hernandez A, Nguyen LT, Dhakal R, Murphy BT. The need to innovate sample collection and library generation in microbial drug discovery: a focus on academia. Nat Prod Rep 2021; 38:292-300. [PMID: 32706349 PMCID: PMC7855266 DOI: 10.1039/d0np00029a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The question of whether culturable microorganisms will continue to be a viable source of new drug leads is inherently married to the strategies used to collect samples from the environment, the methods used to cultivate microorganisms from these samples, and the processes used to create microbial libraries. An academic microbial natural products (NP) drug discovery program with the latest innovative chromatographic and spectroscopic technology, high-throughput capacity, and bioassays will remain at the mercy of the quality of its microorganism source library. This viewpoint will discuss limitations of sample collection and microbial strain library generation practices. Additionally, it will offer suggestions to innovate these areas, particularly through the targeted cultivation of several understudied bacterial phyla and the untargeted use of mass spectrometry and bioinformatics to generate diverse microbial libraries. Such innovations have potential to impact downstream therapeutic discovery, and make its front end more informed, efficient, and less reliant on serendipity. This viewpoint is not intended to be a comprehensive review of contributing literature and was written with a focus on bacteria. Strategies to discover NPs from microbial libraries, including a variety of genomics and "OSMAC" style approaches, are considered downstream of sample collection and library creation, and thus are out of the scope of this viewpoint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Hernandez
- Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Biomolecular Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
| | - Linh T Nguyen
- Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Biomolecular Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA. and Institute of Marine Biochemistry, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Nghiado, Caugiay, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Radhika Dhakal
- Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Biomolecular Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
| | - Brian T Murphy
- Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Biomolecular Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
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31
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Valencia-Giraldo SM, Niño-Castro A, López-Peña A, Trejos-Vidal D, Correa-Bueno O, Montoya-Lerma J. Immunity and survival response of Atta cephalotes (Hymenoptera: Myrmicinae) workers to Metarhizium anisopliae infection: Potential role of their associated microbiota. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247545. [PMID: 33626077 PMCID: PMC7904218 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Leaf-cutting ants of the genera Atta and Acromyrmex are at constant risk of epizootics due to their dense living conditions and frequent social interactions between genetically related individuals. To help mitigate the risk of epizootics, these ants display individual and collective immune responses, including associations with symbiotic bacteria that can enhance their resistance to pathogenic infections. For example, Acromyrmex spp. harbor actinobacteria that control infection by Escovopsis in their fungal gardens. Although Atta spp. do not maintain symbiosis with protective actinobacteria, the evidence suggests that these insects are colonized by bacterial microbiota that may play a role in their defense against pathogens. The potential role of the bacterial microbiome of Atta workers in enhancing host immunity remains unexplored. We evaluated multiple parameters of the individual immunity of Atta cephalotes (Linnaeus, 1758) workers, including hemocyte count, encapsulation response, and the antimicrobial activity of the hemolymph in the presence or absence of bacterial microbiota. Experiments were performed on ants reared under standard conditions as well as on ants previously exposed to the entomopathogenic fungus Metharrizium anisopliae. Furthermore, the effects of the presence/absence of bacteria on the survival of workers exposed to M. anisopliae were evaluated. The bacterial microbiota associated with A. cephalotes workers does not modulate the number of hemocytes under control conditions or under conditions of exposure to the fungal pathogen. In addition, infection by M. anisopliae, but not microbiota, increases the encapsulation response. Similarly, the exposure of workers to this fungus led to increased hemolymph antimicrobial activity. Conversely, the removal of bacterial microbiota did not have a significant impact on the survival of workers with M. anisopliae. Our results suggest that the bacterial microbiota associated with the cuticle of A. cephalotes workers does not play a role as a modulator of innate immunity, either at baseline or after exposure to the entomopathogen M. anisopliae. Further, upon infection, workers rely on mechanisms of humoral immunity to respond to this threat. Overall, our findings indicate that the bacterial microbiota associated with A. cephalotes workers does not play a defensive role.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Niño-Castro
- Department of Biology, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
- * E-mail: (SMVG); (ANC)
| | - Andrea López-Peña
- Department of Biology, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
| | - Danna Trejos-Vidal
- Department of Biology, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
| | - Odair Correa-Bueno
- Center for the Study of Social Insects (CEIS), São Paulo State University (UNESP), Campus Rio Claro, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - James Montoya-Lerma
- Department of Biology, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
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Abstract
Herein is a report on the molecular exchange occurring between multilateral symbiosis partners-a tit-for-tat exchange that led to the characterization of two new metabolites, conocandin B (fungal-derived) and dentigerumycin F (bacterial-derived). The structures were determined by NMR, mass spectrometry, genomic analysis, and chemical derivatizations. Conocandin B exhibits antimicrobial activity against both the bacterial symbionts of fungus-growing ant and human pathogenic strains by selectively inhibiting FabH, thus disrupting fatty acid biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munhyung Bae
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Emily Mevers
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Gleb Pishchany
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Sarah G Whaley
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Charles O Rock
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - David R Andes
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, United States
| | - Cameron R Currie
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Monica T Pupo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14040-903, Brazil
| | - Jon Clardy
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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33
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Kett S, Pathak A, Turillazzi S, Cavalieri D, Marvasi M. Antifungals, arthropods and antifungal resistance prevention: lessons from ecological interactions. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202716. [PMID: 33529557 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Arthropods can produce a wide range of antifungal compounds, including specialist proteins, cuticular products, venoms and haemolymphs. In spite of this, many arthropod taxa, particularly eusocial insects, make use of additional antifungal compounds derived from their mutualistic association with microbes. Because multiple taxa have evolved such mutualisms, it must be assumed that, under certain ecological circumstances, natural selection has favoured them over those relying upon endogenous antifungal compound production. Further, such associations have been shown to persist versus specific pathogenic fungal antagonists for more than 50 million years, suggesting that compounds employed have retained efficacy in spite of the pathogens' capacity to develop resistance. We provide a brief overview of antifungal compounds in the arthropods' armoury, proposing a conceptual model to suggest why their use remains so successful. Fundamental concepts embedded within such a model may suggest strategies by which to reduce the rise of antifungal resistance within the clinical milieu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Kett
- Department of Natural Sciences, Middlesex University London, London, UK
| | - Ayush Pathak
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stefano Turillazzi
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy.,Insect Pharma Entomotherapy S.r.l, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Duccio Cavalieri
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Marvasi
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
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Devine R, McDonald HP, Qin Z, Arnold CJ, Noble K, Chandra G, Wilkinson B, Hutchings MI. Re-wiring the regulation of the formicamycin biosynthetic gene cluster to enable the development of promising antibacterial compounds. Cell Chem Biol 2021; 28:515-523.e5. [PMID: 33440167 PMCID: PMC8062789 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2020.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The formicamycins are promising antibiotics first identified in Streptomyces formicae KY5, which produces the compounds at low levels. Here, we show that by understanding the regulation of the for biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC), we can rewire the BGC to increase production levels. The for BGC consists of 24 genes expressed on nine transcripts. The MarR regulator ForJ represses expression of seven transcripts encoding the major biosynthetic genes as well as the ForGF two-component system that initiates biosynthesis. We show that overexpression of forGF in a ΔforJ background increases formicamycin production 10-fold compared with the wild-type. De-repression, by deleting forJ, also switches on biosynthesis in liquid culture and induces the production of additional, previously unreported formicamycin congeners. Furthermore, combining de-repression with mutations in biosynthetic genes leads to biosynthesis of additional bioactive precursors. Formicamycin biosynthesis requires 24 genes expressed on nine transcripts Deleting the MarR regulator ForJ increases formicamycin biosynthesis De-repressing formicamycin biosynthesis induces production in liquid culture Re-wiring regulation and biosynthesis results in the production of new congeners
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Devine
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
| | - Hannah P McDonald
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Zhiwei Qin
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Corinne J Arnold
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Katie Noble
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Govind Chandra
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Barrie Wilkinson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
| | - Matthew I Hutchings
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
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Batey SFD, Greco C, Hutchings MI, Wilkinson B. Chemical warfare between fungus-growing ants and their pathogens. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2020; 59:172-181. [PMID: 32949983 PMCID: PMC7763482 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2020.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Fungus-growing attine ants are under constant threat from fungal pathogens such as the specialized mycoparasite Escovopsis, which uses combined physical and chemical attack strategies to prey on the fungal gardens of the ants. In defence, some species assemble protective microbiomes on their exoskeletons that contain antimicrobial-producing Actinobacteria. Underlying this network of mutualistic and antagonistic interactions are an array of chemical signals. Escovopsis weberi produces the shearinine terpene-indole alkaloids, which affect ant behaviour, diketopiperazines to combat defensive bacteria, and other small molecules that inhibit the fungal cultivar. Pseudonocardia and Streptomyces mutualist bacteria produce depsipeptide and polyene macrolide antifungals active against Escovopsis spp. The ant nest metabolome is further complicated by competition between defensive bacteria, which produce antibacterials active against even closely related species. Specialist fungal pathogens attack the nests of fungus-growing ants. Ants form mutualistic relationships with defensive actinomycete bacteria. Specialised metabolites underpin these mutualistic and antagonistic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sibyl F D Batey
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Claudio Greco
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew I Hutchings
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, United Kingdom; School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TU, United Kingdom.
| | - Barrie Wilkinson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, United Kingdom.
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Abstract
Interactions among microbes are key drivers of evolutionary progress and constantly shape ecological niches. Microorganisms rely on chemical communication to interact with each other and surrounding organisms. They synthesize natural products as signaling molecules, antibiotics, or modulators of cellular processes that may be applied in agriculture and medicine. Whereas major insight has been gained into the principles of intraspecies interaction, much less is known about the molecular basis of interspecies interplay. In this review, we summarize recent progress in the understanding of chemically mediated bacterial-fungal interrelations. We discuss pairwise interactions among defined species and systems involving additional organisms as well as complex interactions among microbial communities encountered in the soil or defined as microbiota of higher organisms. Finally, we give examples of how the growing understanding of microbial interactions has contributed to drug discovery and hypothesize what may be future directions in studying and engineering microbiota for agricultural or medicinal purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirstin Scherlach
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Hertweck
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, 07745 Jena, Germany
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07745 Jena, Germany
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37
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Venice F, Davolos D, Spina F, Poli A, Prigione VP, Varese GC, Ghignone S. Genome Sequence of Trichoderma lixii MUT3171, A Promising Strain for Mycoremediation of PAH-Contaminated Sites. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1258. [PMID: 32825267 PMCID: PMC7570066 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Mono- and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread and recalcitrant pollutants that threaten both environmental and human health. By exploiting the powerful enzymatic machinery of fungi, mycoremediation in contaminated sites aims at removing a wide range of pollutants in a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly manner. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques are powerful tools for understanding the molecular basis of biotransformation of PAHs by selected fungal strains, allowing genome mining to identify genetic features of biotechnological value. Trichoderma lixii MUT3171, isolated from a historically PAH-contaminated soil in Italy, can grow on phenanthrene, as a sole carbon source. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of T. lixii MUT3171 obtained with high-throughput sequencing method. The genome of T. lixii MUT3171 was compared with other 14 Trichoderma genomes, highlighting both shared and unique features that can shed a light on the biotransformation of PAHs. Moreover, the genes potentially involved in the production of important biosurfactants and bioactive molecules have been investigated. The gene repertoire of T. lixii MUT3171 indicates a high degrading potential and provides hints on putative survival strategies in a polluted environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Venice
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP)-SS Turin-National Research Council (CNR), Viale Mattioli 25, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Domenico Davolos
- Department of Technological Innovations and Safety of Plants, Products and Anthropic Settlements (DIT), INAIL, Research Area, Via R. Ferruzzi 38/40, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Spina
- Department of Life Sciences and System Biology, University of Turin, Viale Mattioli 25, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Anna Poli
- Department of Life Sciences and System Biology, University of Turin, Viale Mattioli 25, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Valeria Paola Prigione
- Department of Life Sciences and System Biology, University of Turin, Viale Mattioli 25, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Giovanna Cristina Varese
- Department of Life Sciences and System Biology, University of Turin, Viale Mattioli 25, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Stefano Ghignone
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP)-SS Turin-National Research Council (CNR), Viale Mattioli 25, 10125 Turin, Italy
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38
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Elizalde L, Arbetman M, Arnan X, Eggleton P, Leal IR, Lescano MN, Saez A, Werenkraut V, Pirk GI. The ecosystem services provided by social insects: traits, management tools and knowledge gaps. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:1418-1441. [PMID: 32525288 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Social insects, i.e. ants, bees, wasps and termites, are key components of ecological communities, and are important ecosystem services (ESs) providers. Here, we review the literature in order to (i) analyse the particular traits of social insects that make them good suppliers of ESs; (ii) compile and assess management strategies that improve the services provided by social insects; and (iii) detect gaps in our knowledge about the services that social insects provide. Social insects provide at least 10 ESs; however, many of them are poorly understood or valued. Relevant traits of social insects include high biomass and numerical abundance, a diversity of mutualistic associations, the ability to build important biogenic structures, versatile production of chemical defences, the simultaneous delivery of several ESs, the presence of castes and division of labour, efficient communication and cooperation, the capacity to store food, and a long lifespan. All these characteristics enhance social insects as ES providers, highlighting their potential, constancy and efficiency as suppliers of these services. In turn, many of these traits make social insects stress tolerant and easy to manage, so increasing the ESs they provide. We emphasise the need for a conservation approach to the management of the services, as well as the potential use of social insects to help restore habitats degraded by human activities. In addition, we stress the need to evaluate both services and disservices in an integrated way, because some species of social insects are among the most problematic invasive species and native pests. Finally, we propose two areas of research that will lead to a greater and more efficient use of social insects as ES providers, and to a greater appreciation of them by producers and decision-makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Elizalde
- LIHo - Laboratorio Ecotono, INIBIOMA-CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Pasaje Gutiérrez 1125, Bariloche, 8400, Argentina
| | - Marina Arbetman
- Ecopol, INIBIOMA-CONICET - Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Pasaje Gutiérrez 1125, Bariloche, 8400, Argentina
| | - Xavier Arnan
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalunya, Barcelona, E-08193, Spain
| | - Paul Eggleton
- Life Sciences Department, The Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, U.K
| | - Inara R Leal
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235 - Cidade Universitária, Recife, 50670-901, Brazil
| | - María Natalia Lescano
- LIHo - Laboratorio Ecotono, INIBIOMA-CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Pasaje Gutiérrez 1125, Bariloche, 8400, Argentina
| | - Agustín Saez
- Ecopol, INIBIOMA-CONICET - Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Pasaje Gutiérrez 1125, Bariloche, 8400, Argentina
| | - Victoria Werenkraut
- LIHo - Laboratorio Ecotono, INIBIOMA-CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Pasaje Gutiérrez 1125, Bariloche, 8400, Argentina
| | - Gabriela I Pirk
- LIHo - Laboratorio Ecotono, INIBIOMA-CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Pasaje Gutiérrez 1125, Bariloche, 8400, Argentina
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40
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van Bergeijk DA, Terlouw BR, Medema MH, van Wezel GP. Ecology and genomics of Actinobacteria: new concepts for natural product discovery. Nat Rev Microbiol 2020; 18:546-558. [DOI: 10.1038/s41579-020-0379-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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41
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Goes AC, Barcoto MO, Kooij PW, Bueno OC, Rodrigues A. How Do Leaf-Cutting Ants Recognize Antagonistic Microbes in Their Fungal Crops? Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
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42
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Vikeli E, Widdick DA, Batey SFD, Heine D, Holmes NA, Bibb MJ, Martins DJ, Pierce NE, Hutchings MI, Wilkinson B. In Situ Activation and Heterologous Production of a Cryptic Lantibiotic from an African Plant Ant-Derived Saccharopolyspora Species. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:e01876-19. [PMID: 31732571 DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01876-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery of novel antibiotics to tackle the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance is impeded by difficulties in accessing the full biosynthetic potential of microorganisms. The development of new tools to unlock the biosynthesis of cryptic bacterial natural products will greatly increase the repertoire of natural product scaffolds. Here, we report a strategy for the ectopic expression of pathway-specific positive regulators that can be rapidly applied to activate the biosynthesis of cryptic lanthipeptide biosynthetic gene clusters. This allowed the discovery of a new lanthipeptide antibiotic directly from the native host and via heterologous expression. Most clinical antibiotics are derived from actinomycete natural products discovered at least 60 years ago. However, the repeated rediscovery of known compounds led the pharmaceutical industry to largely discard microbial natural products (NPs) as a source of new chemical diversity. Recent advances in genome sequencing have revealed that these organisms have the potential to make many more NPs than previously thought. Approaches to unlock NP biosynthesis by genetic manipulation of strains, by the application of chemical genetics, or by microbial cocultivation have resulted in the identification of new antibacterial compounds. Concomitantly, intensive exploration of coevolved ecological niches, such as insect-microbe defensive symbioses, has revealed these to be a rich source of chemical novelty. Here, we report the new lanthipeptide antibiotic kyamicin, which was generated through the activation of a cryptic biosynthetic gene cluster identified by genome mining Saccharopolyspora species found in the obligate domatium-dwelling ant Tetraponera penzigi of the ant plant Vachellia drepanolobium. Transcriptional activation of this silent gene cluster was achieved by ectopic expression of a pathway-specific activator under the control of a constitutive promoter. Subsequently, a heterologous production platform was developed which enabled the purification of kyamicin for structural characterization and bioactivity determination. This strategy was also successful for the production of lantibiotics from other genera, paving the way for a synthetic heterologous expression platform for the discovery of lanthipeptides that are not detected under laboratory conditions or that are new to nature. IMPORTANCE The discovery of novel antibiotics to tackle the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance is impeded by difficulties in accessing the full biosynthetic potential of microorganisms. The development of new tools to unlock the biosynthesis of cryptic bacterial natural products will greatly increase the repertoire of natural product scaffolds. Here, we report a strategy for the ectopic expression of pathway-specific positive regulators that can be rapidly applied to activate the biosynthesis of cryptic lanthipeptide biosynthetic gene clusters. This allowed the discovery of a new lanthipeptide antibiotic directly from the native host and via heterologous expression.
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Costa JH, Wassano CI, Angolini CFF, Scherlach K, Hertweck C, Pacheco Fill T. Antifungal potential of secondary metabolites involved in the interaction between citrus pathogens. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18647. [PMID: 31819142 PMCID: PMC6901458 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55204-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous postharvest diseases have been reported that cause substantial losses of citrus fruits worldwide. Penicillium digitatum is responsible for up to 90% of production losses, and represent a problem for worldwide economy. In order to control phytopathogens, chemical fungicides have been extensively used. Yet, the use of some artificial fungicides cause concerns about environmental risks and fungal resistance. Therefore, studies focusing on new approaches, such as the use of natural products, are getting attention. Co-culture strategy can be applied to discover new bioactive compounds and to understand microbial ecology. Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI) was used to screen for potential antifungal metabolites involved in the interaction between Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium citrinum. MSI revealed a chemical warfare between the fungi: two tetrapeptides, deoxycitrinadin A, citrinadin A, chrysogenamide A and tryptoquialanines are produced in the fungi confrontation zone. Antimicrobial assays confirmed the antifungal activity of the investigated metabolites. Also, tryptoquialanines inhibited sporulation of P. citrinum. The fungal metabolites reported here were never described as antimicrobials until this date, demonstrating that co-cultures involving phytopathogens that compete for the same host is a positive strategy to discover new antifungal agents. However, the use of these natural products on the environment, as a safer strategy, needs further investigation. This paper aimed to contribute to the protection of agriculture, considering health and ecological risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Henrique Costa
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, CP 6154, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Kirstin Scherlach
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Hertweck
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.,Chair of Natural Product Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Taícia Pacheco Fill
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, CP 6154, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
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Abstract
The first antibiotic, salvarsan, was deployed in 1910. In just over 100 years antibiotics have drastically changed modern medicine and extended the average human lifespan by 23 years. The discovery of penicillin in 1928 started the golden age of natural product antibiotic discovery that peaked in the mid-1950s. Since then, a gradual decline in antibiotic discovery and development and the evolution of drug resistance in many human pathogens has led to the current antimicrobial resistance crisis. Here we give an overview of the history of antibiotic discovery, the major classes of antibiotics and where they come from. We argue that the future of antibiotic discovery looks bright as new technologies such as genome mining and editing are deployed to discover new natural products with diverse bioactivities. We also report on the current state of antibiotic development, with 45 drugs currently going through the clinical trials pipeline, including several new classes with novel modes of action that are in phase 3 clinical trials. Overall, there are promising signs for antibiotic discovery, but changes in financial models are required to translate scientific advances into clinically approved antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew I Hutchings
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Andrew W Truman
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
| | - Barrie Wilkinson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
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45
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Pathak A, Kett S, Marvasi M. Resisting Antimicrobial Resistance: Lessons from Fungus Farming Ants. Trends Ecol Evol 2019; 34:974-6. [PMID: 31564381 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Attine ants use antimicrobials produced by commensal bacteria to inhibit parasites on their fungal gardens. However, in this agricultural system, antimicrobial use does not lead to overwhelming resistance, as is typical in clinical settings. Mixtures of continually evolving antimicrobial variants could support these dynamics.
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Bodawatta KH, Poulsen M, Bos N. Foraging Macrotermes natalensis Fungus-Growing Termites Avoid a Mycopathogen but Not an Entomopathogen. Insects 2019; 10:E185. [PMID: 31247889 PMCID: PMC6681374 DOI: 10.3390/insects10070185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Fungus-growing termites have to defend both themselves and their monoculture fungal cultivars from antagonistic microbes. One of the ways that pathogens can enter the termite colony is on the plant substrate that is collected by termite foragers. In order to understand whether foragers avoid substrate infected with antagonists, we offered sub-colonies of Macrotermes natalensis a choice between food exposed to either a mycopathogenic or an entomopathogenic fungus, and control food. Workers did not show any preference between entomopathogen-exposed and control substrate, but significantly avoided the mycopathogen-exposed substrate. This suggests that the behaviour of foraging workers is more strongly influenced by pathogens affecting their crop than those posing risks to the termite workers themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasun H Bodawatta
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark.
| | - Nick Bos
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark
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Kesäniemi J, Koskimäki JJ, Jurvansuu J. Corpse management of the invasive Argentine ant inhibits growth of pathogenic fungi. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7593. [PMID: 31110201 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44144-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A dead conspecific poses a potential pathogen risk for social animals. We have discovered that Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) prevent spread of pathogenic fungi from corpses by depositing the dead to combined toilet and refuse areas and applying pygidial gland secretion on them. The presence of a corpse in a nest increases this secretion behaviour. We identified three fungi growing on Argentine ant corpses. Growth of the Argentine ant pathogen Aspergillus nomius and the plant pathogen Fusarium solani on corpses was inhibited as long as the ants were constantly attending them as the ant anal secretion only delayed germination of their spores. In contrast, the effect of the ant anal secretion on the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus was much stronger: it prevented spore germination and, accordingly, the fungus no longer grew on the treated corpses. The Argentine ants are one of the world's worst invasive alien species as they cause ecological and economical damage in their new habitats. Our discovery points at a novel method to limit Argentine ant colonies through their natural fungal pathogens.
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Montoya QV, Martiarena MJS, Danilo Augusto Polezel, Akazu S, Rodrigues A. More pieces to a huge puzzle: Two new Escovopsis species from fungus gardens of attine ants. MycoKeys 2019:97-118. [PMID: 30814906 PMCID: PMC6389644 DOI: 10.3897/mycokeys.46.30951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Escovopsis (Ascomycota: Hypocreales, Hypocreaceae) is the only known parasite of the mutualistic fungi cultivated by fungus-growing ants (Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Attini: Attina, the "attines"). Despite its ecological role, the taxonomy and systematics of Escovopsis have been poorly addressed. Here, based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses with three molecular markers (internal transcribed spacer, large subunit ribosomal RNA and the translation elongation factor 1-alpha), we describe Escovopsisclavatus and E.multiformis as new species isolated from fungus gardens of Apterostigma ant species. Our analysis shows that E.clavatus and E.multiformis belong to the most derived Escovopsis clade, whose main character is the presence of conidiophores with vesicles. Nevertheless, the most outstanding feature of both new species is the presence of a swollen region in the central hypha of the conidiophore named swollen cell, which is absent in all previously described Escovopsis species. The less derived Escovopsis clades lack vesicles and their phylogenetic position within the Hypocreaceae still remains unclear. Considering the high genetic diversity in Escovopsis, the description of these new species adds barely two pieces to a huge taxonomic puzzle; however, this discovery is an important piece for building the systematics of this group of fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quimi Vidaurre Montoya
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, UNESP - São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil São Paulo State University Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Maria Jesus Sutta Martiarena
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, UNESP - São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil São Paulo State University Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Danilo Augusto Polezel
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, UNESP - São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil São Paulo State University Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Sérgio Akazu
- Center for the Studies of Social Insects, UNESP - São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil São Paulo State University Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Andre Rodrigues
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, UNESP - São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil São Paulo State University Rio Claro Brazil.,Center for the Studies of Social Insects, UNESP - São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil São Paulo State University Rio Claro Brazil
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49
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Sapountzis P, Nash DR, Schiøtt M, Boomsma JJ. The evolution of abdominal microbiomes in fungus-growing ants. Mol Ecol 2018; 28:879-899. [PMID: 30411820 PMCID: PMC6446810 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The attine ants are a monophyletic lineage that switched to fungus farming ca. 55-60 MYA. They have become a model for the study of complex symbioses after additional fungal and bacterial symbionts were discovered, but their abdominal endosymbiotic bacteria remain largely unknown. Here, we present a comparative microbiome analysis of endosymbiotic bacteria spanning the entire phylogenetic tree. We show that, across 17 representative sympatric species from eight genera sampled in Panama, abdominal microbiomes are dominated by Mollicutes, α- and γ-Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. Bacterial abundances increase from basal to crown branches in the phylogeny reflecting a shift towards putative specialized and abundant abdominal microbiota after the ants domesticated gongylidia-bearing cultivars, but before the origin of industrial-scale farming based on leaf-cutting herbivory. This transition coincided with the ancestral single colonization event of Central/North America ca. 20 MYA, documented in a recent phylogenomic study showing that almost the entire crown group of the higher attine ants, including the leaf-cutting ants, evolved there and not in South America. Several bacterial species are located in gut tissues or abdominal organs of the evolutionarily derived, but not the basal attine ants. The composition of abdominal microbiomes appears to be affected by the presence/absence of defensive antibiotic-producing actinobacterial biofilms on the worker ants' cuticle, but the significance of this association remains unclear. The patterns of diversity, abundance and sensitivity of the abdominal microbiomes that we obtained explore novel territory in the comparative analysis of attine fungus farming symbioses and raise new questions for further in-depth research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Sapountzis
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David R Nash
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Schiøtt
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jacobus J Boomsma
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Abstract
The complex lifestyle, evolutionary history of advanced cooperation, and disease defenses of leaf-cutting ants are well studied. Although numerous studies have described the behaviors connected with disease defense, and the associated use of chemicals and antimicrobials, no common visual reference has been made. The main aim of this study was to record short clips of behaviors involved in disease defense, both prophylactically and directly targeted towards an antagonist of the colony following infection. To do so we used an infection experiment, with sub-colonies of the leaf-cutting ant species Acromyrmex echinatior, and the most significant known pathogenic threat to the ants' fungal crop (Leucoagaricus gongylophorus), a specialized pathogenic fungus in the genus Escovopsis. We filmed and compared infected and uninfected colonies, at both early and more advanced stages of infection. We quantified key defensive behaviors across treatments and show that the behavioral response to pathogen attack likely varies between different castes of worker ants, and between early and late detection of a threat. Based on these recordings we have made a library of behavioral clips, accompanied by definitions of the main individual defensive behaviors. We anticipate that such a guide can provide a common frame of reference for other researchers working in this field, to recognize and study these behaviors, and also provide greater scope for comparing different studies to ultimately help better understand the role these behaviors play in disease defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Nilsson-Møller
- Centre for Social Evolution, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Centre for Social Evolution, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen;
| | - Tabitha M Innocent
- Centre for Social Evolution, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen
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