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Iller M, Lipczyńska-Ilczuk K, Sokół R, Borsuk G, Bancerz-Kisiel A. Phylogenetic analysis of the trypanosomatid parasite Lotmaria passim in honey bees ( Apis mellifera) in Poland. J Vet Res 2024; 68:123-127. [PMID: 38525230 PMCID: PMC10960264 DOI: 10.2478/jvetres-2024-0018] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Lotmaria passim (L. passim) is a single-celled flagellate which colonises the bee gastrointestinal tract and is highly prevalent in honey bees. This parasite is associated with colony losses. Honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies were sampled from five apiaries in the north-eastern part of Poland for the phylogenetic analysis of L. passim. Material and Methods Each apiary consisted of approximately 60 bee colonies, of which 20 were randomly selected. Samples of 60 differently aged worker bees were collected from each colony and pooled. A total of 100 bee colonies from five apiaries were examined. Protozoa of the Trypanosomatidae family were identified by PCR. L. passim was detected in 47 (47%) of the samples. The 18S ribosomal (r) RNA amplicons of L. passim were sequenced by a commercial service. Their sequences were analysed with BLASTN and noted to be compatible with the GenBank sequences of this region of the organism's genome. A sequence analysis was performed using the BioEdit Sequence Alignment Editor and Clustal W software. Results The amplicon sequences of L. passim were 100% homologous with the sequences deposited in GenBank under accession numbers KM066243.1., KJ684964.1 and KM980181.1. Conclusion This is the first study to perform a phylogenetic analysis of L. passim in Polish honey bees. The analysis demonstrated high levels of genetic similarity between isolates of L. passim colonising apiaries in the north-eastern region of Poland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Iller
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, 10-719Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Karolina Lipczyńska-Ilczuk
- Department of Epizootiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, 10-719Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Rajmund Sokół
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, 10-719Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Borsuk
- Department of Apidology, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950Lublin, Poland
| | - Agata Bancerz-Kisiel
- Department of Epizootiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, 10-719Olsztyn, Poland
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Yuan X, Sun J, Kadowaki T. Aspartyl protease in the secretome of honey bee trypanosomatid parasite contributes to infection of bees. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:60. [PMID: 38341595 PMCID: PMC10859015 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06126-7] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The exoproteome, which consists of both secreted proteins and those originating from cell surfaces and lysed cells, is a critical component of trypanosomatid parasites, facilitating interactions with host cells and gut microbiota. However, its specific roles in the insect hosts of these parasites remain poorly understood. METHODS We conducted a comprehensive characterization of the exoproteome in Lotmaria passim, a trypanosomatid parasite infecting honey bees, under culture conditions. We further investigated the functions of two conventionally secreted proteins, aspartyl protease (LpAsp) and chitinase (LpCht), as representative models to elucidate the role of the secretome in L. passim infection of honey bees. RESULTS Approximately 48% of L. passim exoproteome proteins were found to share homologs with those found in seven Leishmania spp., suggesting the existence of a core exoproteome with conserved functions in the Leishmaniinae lineage. Bioinformatics analyses suggested that the L. passim exoproteome may play a pivotal role in interactions with both the host and its microbiota. Notably, the deletion of genes encoding two secretome proteins revealed the important role of LpAsp, but not LpCht, in L. passim development under culture conditions and its efficiency in infecting the honey bee gut. CONCLUSIONS Our results highlight the exoproteome as a valuable resource for unraveling the mechanisms employed by trypanosomatid parasites to infect insect hosts by interacting with the gut environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuye Yuan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, 111 Ren'ai Road, Suzhou Dushu Lake Higher Education Town, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jianying Sun
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, 111 Ren'ai Road, Suzhou Dushu Lake Higher Education Town, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tatsuhiko Kadowaki
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, 111 Ren'ai Road, Suzhou Dushu Lake Higher Education Town, 215123, Jiangsu, China.
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Rudelli C, Isani G, Andreani G, Tedesco P, Galuppi R. Detection of Lotmaria passim in honeybees from Emilia Romagna (Italy) based on a culture method. J Invertebr Pathol 2023; 201:108007. [PMID: 37839581 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2023.108007] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Lotmaria passim is considered an emerging field of study in honeybee pathology, since it can threaten the health of the colony leading to a higher mortality rate. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the diffusion of this trypanosomatid in Italy. In this study, we highlight the presence of L. passim in the province of Bologna through its culture isolation from honeybee guts and microscopic observation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Rudelli
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, via Tolara di sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy
| | - Gloria Isani
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, via Tolara di sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giulia Andreani
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, via Tolara di sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy
| | - Perla Tedesco
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, via Tolara di sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Roberta Galuppi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, via Tolara di sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy
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Aguado-López D, Bartolomé C, Lopes AR, Henriques D, Segura SK, Maside X, Pinto MA, Higes M, Martín-Hernández R. Frequent Parasitism of Apis mellifera by Trypanosomatids in Geographically Isolated Areas with Restricted Beekeeping Movements. Microb Ecol 2023; 86:2655-2665. [PMID: 37480517 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02266-y] [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: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosomatids form a group of high prevalence protozoa that parasitise honey bees, with Lotmaria passim as the predominant species worldwide. However, the knowledge about the ecology of trypanosomatids in isolated areas is limited. The Portuguese archipelagos of Madeira and Azores provide an interesting setting to investigate these parasites because of their geographic isolation, and because they harbour honey bee populations devoid of two major enemies: Varroa destructor and Nosema ceranae. Hence, a total of 661 honey bee colonies from Madeira and the Azores were analysed using different molecular techniques, through which we found a high prevalence of trypanosomatids despite the isolation of these islands. L. passim was the predominant species and, in most colonies, was the only one found, even on islands free of V. destructor and/or N. ceranae with severe restrictions on colony movements to prevent the spread of them. However, islands with V. destructor had a significantly higher prevalence of L. passim and, conversely, islands with N. ceranae did not shown any significant correlation with the trypanosomatid. Crithidia bombi was detected in Madeira and on three islands of the Azores, almost always coincident with L. passim. By contrast, Crithidia mellificae was not detected in any sample. A high-throughput sequencing analysis distinguished two main haplotypes of L. passim, which accounted for 98% of the total sequence reads. This work suggests that L. passim and C. bombi are parasites that have been associated with honey bees predating the spread of V. destructor and N. ceranae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Aguado-López
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, IRIAF-Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Centro de Investigación Apícola Y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de La Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín S/N, 19180, Marchamalo, Spain
| | - Carolina Bartolomé
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Galicia, Spain
| | - Ana Rita Lopes
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253, Bragança, Portugal
- Laboratório Associado Para a Sustentabilidade E Tecnologia Em Regiões de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253, Bragança, Portugal
| | - Dora Henriques
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253, Bragança, Portugal
- Laboratório Associado Para a Sustentabilidade E Tecnologia Em Regiões de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253, Bragança, Portugal
| | - Sara Kafafi Segura
- Zoología Y Antropología Física, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28014, Madrid, Spain
| | - Xulio Maside
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Galicia, Spain
| | - M Alice Pinto
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253, Bragança, Portugal
- Laboratório Associado Para a Sustentabilidade E Tecnologia Em Regiões de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253, Bragança, Portugal
| | - Mariano Higes
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, IRIAF-Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Centro de Investigación Apícola Y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de La Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín S/N, 19180, Marchamalo, Spain
| | - Raquel Martín-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, IRIAF-Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Centro de Investigación Apícola Y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de La Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín S/N, 19180, Marchamalo, Spain.
- Instituto de Recursos Humanos Para La Ciencia Y La Tecnología (INCRECYT-FSE/EC-ESF), Fundación Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Castilla-La Mancha, 02006, Albacete, Spain.
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Yamamoto S, Nakamura S, Nakayama K, Kusakisako K, Watanabe K, Ikadai H, Tanabe T. Molecular detection of Lotmaria passim in honeybees in Japan. Parasitol Int 2023; 93:102711. [PMID: 36414198 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102711] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Crithidia mellificae (C. mellificae) and Lotmaria passim (L. passim) are trypanosomatids that infect Apis mellifera. We analyzed the prevalence of C. mellificae and L. passim in six regions of Japan from 2018 to 2019. The detection rate of C. mellificae was 0.0% in all regions, whereas L. passim was detected in 16.7%-66.7% of the honeybees. L. passim was detected at a significantly lower rate in the Cyugoku-Shikoku region than in other regions. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) locus of related species was performed. All the samples in this study could be assigned to the L. passim clade. This study reveals that L. passim infection is predominantly prevalent in Japan. Further epidemiological surveys are needed to clarify the prevalence of C. mellificae infection in honeybees in Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satomi Yamamoto
- Laboratory of Veterinary Microbiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori 034-8628, Japan
| | - Sakure Nakamura
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori 034-8628, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Nakayama
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori 034-8628, Japan
| | - Kodai Kusakisako
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori 034-8628, Japan
| | | | - Hiromi Ikadai
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori 034-8628, Japan.
| | - Taishi Tanabe
- Laboratory of Veterinary Microbiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori 034-8628, Japan
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Bartolomé C, Buendía-Abad M, Ornosa C, De la Rúa P, Martín-Hernández R, Higes M, Maside X. Bee Trypanosomatids: First Steps in the Analysis of the Genetic Variation and Population Structure of Lotmaria passim, Crithidia bombi and Crithidia mellificae. Microb Ecol 2022; 84:856-867. [PMID: 34609533 PMCID: PMC9622509 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01882-w] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosomatids are among the most prevalent parasites in bees but, despite the fact that their impact on the colonies can be quite important and that their infectivity may potentially depend on their genotypes, little is known about the population diversity of these pathogens. Here we cloned and sequenced three non-repetitive single copy loci (DNA topoisomerase II, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and RNA polymerase II large subunit, RPB1) to produce new genetic data from Crithidia bombi, C. mellificae and Lotmaria passim isolated from honeybees and bumblebees. These were analysed by applying population genetic tools in order to quantify and compare their variability within and between species, and to obtain information on their demography and population structure. The general pattern for the three species was that (1) they were subject to the action of purifying selection on nonsynonymous variants, (2) the levels of within species diversity were similar irrespective of the host, (3) there was evidence of recombination among haplotypes and (4) they showed no haplotype structuring according to the host. C. bombi exhibited the lowest levels of synonymous variation (πS= 0.06 ± 0.04 %) - and a mutation frequency distribution compatible with a population expansion after a bottleneck - that contrasted with the extensive polymorphism displayed by C. mellificae (πS= 2.24 ± 1.00 %), which likely has a more ancient origin. L. passim showed intermediate values (πS= 0.40 ± 0.28 %) and an excess of variants a low frequencies probably linked to the spread of this species to new geographical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Bartolomé
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain.
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS), 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain.
| | - María Buendía-Abad
- Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, 19180, Marchamalo, Spain
| | - Concepción Ornosa
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar De la Rúa
- Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Raquel Martín-Hernández
- Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, 19180, Marchamalo, Spain
- Instituto de Recursos Humanos para la Ciencia y la Tecnología, Fundación Parque Científico Tecnológico de Albacete, 02006, Albacete, Spain
| | - Mariano Higes
- Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, 19180, Marchamalo, Spain
| | - Xulio Maside
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS), 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
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Pislak Ocepek M, Toplak I, Zajc U, Bevk D. The Pathogens Spillover and Incidence Correlation in Bumblebees and Honeybees in Slovenia. Pathogens 2021; 10:884. [PMID: 34358034 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10070884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Slovenia has a long tradition of beekeeping and a high density of honeybee colonies, but less is known about bumblebees and their pathogens. Therefore, a study was conducted to define the incidence and prevalence of pathogens in bumblebees and to determine whether there are links between infections in bumblebees and honeybees. In 2017 and 2018, clinically healthy workers of bumblebees (Bombus spp.) and honeybees (Apis mellifera) were collected on flowers at four different locations in Slovenia. In addition, bumblebee queens were also collected in 2018. Several pathogens were detected in the bumblebee workers using PCR and RT-PCR methods: 8.8% on acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), 58.5% on black queen cell virus (BQCV), 6.8% on deformed wing virus (DWV), 24.5% on sacbrood bee virus (SBV), 15.6% on Lake Sinai virus (LSV), 16.3% on Nosema bombi, 8.2% on Nosema ceranae, 15.0% on Apicystis bombi and 17.0% on Crithidia bombi. In bumblebee queens, only the presence of BQCV, A. bombi and C. bombi was detected with 73.3, 26.3 and 33.3% positive samples, respectively. This study confirmed that several pathogens are regularly detected in both bumblebees and honeybees. Further studies on the pathogen transmission routes are required.
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Drummond FA, Lund J, Eitzer B. Honey Bee Health in Maine Wild Blueberry Production. Insects 2021; 12:523. [PMID: 34198744 DOI: 10.3390/insects12060523] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Wild blueberry is an important native North American crop that requires insect pollination. Migratory western honey bee colonies constitute the majority of commercial bees brought into Maine for pollination of wild blueberry. Currently, many stressors impact the western honey bee in the US. We designed a two-year monitoring study (2014 and 2015) to assess the potential health of honey bee colonies hired for pollination services in wild blueberry fields. We monitored the colony health of nine hive locations (three hives/location) in 2014 and nine locations (five hives/location) in 2015 during bloom (May–June). Queen health status, colony strength, rate of population increase, and pesticide residues on pollen, wax, and honey bee workers were measured. In addition, each hive was sampled to assess levels of mite parasites, viruses, and Microsporidian and Trypanosome pathogens. Different patterns in colony health were observed over the two years. Factors predicting colony growth rate over both years were Varroa mite infestation and risk due to pollen pesticide residues during bloom. In addition, recently discovered parasites and pathogens were already observed in most of the colonies suggesting that parasites and diseases spread rapidly and become established quickly in commercial honey bee colonies. Abstract A two-year study was conducted in Maine wild blueberry fields (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) on the health of migratory honey bee colonies in 2014 and 2015. In each year, three or five colonies were monitored at each of nine wild blueberry field locations during bloom (mid-May until mid-June). Colony health was measured by assessing colony strength during wild blueberry bloom. Potential factors that might affect colony health were queen failure or supersedure; pesticide residues on trapped pollen, wax comb, and bee bread; and parasites and pathogens. We found that Varroa mite and pesticide residues on trapped pollen were significant predictors of colony health measured as the rate of change in the amount of sealed brood during bloom. These two factors explained 71% of the variance in colony health over the two years. Pesticide exposure was different in each year as were pathogen prevalence and incidence. We detected high prevalence and abundance of two recently discovered pathogens and one recently discovered parasite, the trypanosome Lotmaria passim Schwartz, the Sinai virus, and the phorid fly, Apocephalus borealis Brues.
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Buendía-Abad M, Higes M, Martín-Hernández R, Barrios L, Meana A, Fernández Fernández A, Osuna A, De Pablos LM. Workflow of Lotmaria passim isolation: Experimental infection with a low-passage strain causes higher honeybee mortality rates than the PRA-403 reference strain. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2020; 14:68-74. [PMID: 33532238 PMCID: PMC7829110 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.12.003] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The impact of trypanosomatid parasites on honeybee health may represent a major threat to bee colonies worldwide. However, few axenic isolates have been generated to date and with no details on cell culture passages, a parameter that could influence parasite virulence. To address this question, a trypanosomatid isolation protocol was developed and a new strain was obtained, named L. passim C1. Using experimental infection of worker honeybees, we compared the virulence and mortality rates of the ATCC PRA-403 reference strain and C1 strain, the latter showing higher virulence from 10 days post-infection onward. This study highlights the impact of cell culture passages on the pathogenicity of L. passim in honeybees, providing new evidence of its negative effects on honeybee health.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Buendía-Abad
- IRIAF - Regional Institute for Agrifood and Forestry Research and Development, Laboratory of Bee Pathology, Center for Beekeeping and Agro-environmental Research (CIAPA), Community of Castilla-La Mancha, Marchamalo, Spain
| | - Mariano Higes
- IRIAF - Regional Institute for Agrifood and Forestry Research and Development, Laboratory of Bee Pathology, Center for Beekeeping and Agro-environmental Research (CIAPA), Community of Castilla-La Mancha, Marchamalo, Spain
| | - Raquel Martín-Hernández
- IRIAF - Regional Institute for Agrifood and Forestry Research and Development, Laboratory of Bee Pathology, Center for Beekeeping and Agro-environmental Research (CIAPA), Community of Castilla-La Mancha, Marchamalo, Spain.,Institute of Human Resources for Science and Technology (INCRECYT-FEDER), Science and Technology Park Foundation from Castilla - La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Laura Barrios
- Statistics Department, Computing Center SGAI-CSIC, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Aranzazu Meana
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández Fernández
- Department of Parasitology, Biochemical and Molecular Parasitology Group CTS-183, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Antonio Osuna
- Department of Parasitology, Biochemical and Molecular Parasitology Group CTS-183, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain.,Institute of Biotechnology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Luis Miguel De Pablos
- Department of Parasitology, Biochemical and Molecular Parasitology Group CTS-183, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain.,Institute of Biotechnology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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Gómez-Moracho T, Buendía-Abad M, Benito M, García-Palencia P, Barrios L, Bartolomé C, Maside X, Meana A, Jiménez-Antón MD, Olías-Molero AI, Alunda JM, Martín-Hernández R, Higes M. Experimental evidence of harmful effects of Crithidia mellificae and Lotmaria passim on honey bees. Int J Parasitol 2020; 50:1117-1124. [PMID: 32822679 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [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: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The trypanosomatids Crithidia mellificae and Lotmaria passim are very prevalent in honey bee colonies and potentially contribute to colony losses that currently represent a serious threat to honey bees. However, potential pathogenicity of these trypanosomatids remains unclear and since studies of infection are scarce, there is little information about the virulence of their different morphotypes. Hence, we first cultured C. mellificae and L. passim (ATCC reference strains) in six different culture media to analyse their growth rates and to obtain potentially infective morphotypes. Both C. mellificae and L. passim grew in five of the media tested, with the exception of M199. These trypanosomatids multiplied fastest in BHI medium, in which they reached a stationary phase after around 96 h of growth. Honey bees inoculated with either Crithidia or Lotmaria died faster than control bees and their mortality was highest when they were inoculated with 96 h cultured L. passim. Histological and Electron Microscopy analyses revealed flagellated morphotypes of Crithidia and Lotmaria in the lumen of the ileum, and adherent non-flagellated L. passim morphotypes covering the epithelium, although no lesions were evident. These data indicate that parasitic forms of these trypanosomatids obtained from the early stationary growth phase infect honey bees. Therefore, efficient infection can be achieved to study their intra-host development and to assess the potential pathogenicity of these trypanosomatids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Gómez-Moracho
- Research Centre on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), University Paul Sabatier, CNRS, UPS, France
| | - María Buendía-Abad
- IRIAF. Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Marchamalo, Spain
| | - María Benito
- IRIAF. Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Marchamalo, Spain
| | - Pilar García-Palencia
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Barrios
- Consejo Superior Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), SGAI, Departamento de Estadística, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carolina Bartolomé
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain; Grupo de Xenómica Comparada de Parásitos. Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS), 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
| | - Xulio Maside
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain; Grupo de Xenómica Comparada de Parásitos. Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS), 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
| | - Aránzazu Meana
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - María Dolores Jiménez-Antón
- Department of Animal Health, Group ICPVet, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Isabel Olías-Molero
- Department of Animal Health, Group ICPVet, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - José María Alunda
- Department of Animal Health, Group ICPVet, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel Martín-Hernández
- IRIAF. Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Marchamalo, Spain; Instituto de Recursos Humanos para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (INCRECYT-FEDER), Fundación Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Castilla - La Mancha, Spain
| | - Mariano Higes
- IRIAF. Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Marchamalo, Spain.
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11
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Ribani A, Utzeri VJ, Taurisano V, Fontanesi L. Honey as a Source of Environmental DNA for the Detection and Monitoring of Honey Bee Pathogens and Parasites. Vet Sci 2020; 7:vetsci7030113. [PMID: 32824137 PMCID: PMC7558659 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci7030113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental DNA (eDNA) has been proposed as a powerful tool to detect and monitor cryptic, elusive, or invasive organisms. We recently demonstrated that honey constitutes an easily accessible source of eDNA. In this study, we extracted DNA from 102 honey samples (74 from Italy and 28 from 17 other countries of all continents) and tested the presence of DNA of nine honey bee pathogens and parasites (Paenibacillus larvae, Melissococcus plutonius, Nosema apis, Nosema ceranae, Ascosphaera apis,Lotmaria passim, Acarapis woodi, Varroa destructor, and Tropilaelaps spp.) using qualitative PCR assays. All honey samples contained DNA from V. destructor, confirming the widespread diffusion of this mite. None of the samples gave positive amplifications for N. apis, A. woodi, and Tropilaelaps spp. M. plutonius was detected in 87% of the samples, whereas the other pathogens were detected in 43% to 57% of all samples. The frequency of Italian samples positive for P. larvae was significantly lower (49%) than in all other countries (79%). The co-occurrence of positive samples for L. passim and A. apis with N. ceranae was significant. This study demonstrated that honey eDNA can be useful to establish monitoring tools to evaluate the sanitary status of honey bee populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anisa Ribani
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy; (A.R.); (V.J.U.); (V.T.)
- GRIFFA s.r.l., Viale Giuseppe Fanin 48, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Valerio Joe Utzeri
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy; (A.R.); (V.J.U.); (V.T.)
- GRIFFA s.r.l., Viale Giuseppe Fanin 48, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Valeria Taurisano
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy; (A.R.); (V.J.U.); (V.T.)
| | - Luca Fontanesi
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy; (A.R.); (V.J.U.); (V.T.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-051-2096535
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12
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Taric E, Glavinic U, Vejnovic B, Stanojkovic A, Aleksic N, Dimitrijevic V, Stanimirovic Z. Oxidative Stress, Endoparasite Prevalence and Social Immunity in Bee Colonies Kept Traditionally vs. Those Kept for Commercial Purposes. Insects 2020; 11:E266. [PMID: 32349295 PMCID: PMC7290330 DOI: 10.3390/insects11050266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Commercially and traditionally managed bees were compared for oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and malondialdehyde (MDA)), the prevalence of parasites (Lotmaria passim, Crithidia mellificae and Nosema ceranae/apis) and social immunity (glucose oxidase gene expression). The research was conducted on Pester plateau (Serbia-the Balkan Peninsula), on seemingly healthy colonies. Significant differences in CAT, GST and SOD activities (p < 0.01), and MDA concentrations (p < 0.002) were detected between commercial and traditional colonies. In the former, the prevalence of both L. passim and N. ceranae was significantly (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively) higher. For the first time, L. passim was detected in honey bee brood. In commercial colonies, the prevalence of L. passim was significantly (p < 0.01) lower in brood than in adult bees, whilst in traditionally kept colonies the prevalence in adult bees and brood did not differ significantly. In commercially kept colonies, the GOX gene expression level was significantly (p < 0.01) higher, which probably results from their increased need to strengthen their social immunity. Commercially kept colonies were under higher oxidative stress, had higher parasite burdens and higher GOX gene transcript levels. It may be assumed that anthropogenic influence contributed to these differences, but further investigations are necessary to confirm that.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elmin Taric
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (E.T.); (Z.S.)
| | - Uros Glavinic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (E.T.); (Z.S.)
| | - Branislav Vejnovic
- Department of Economics and Statistics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Aleksandar Stanojkovic
- Department of Animal Source Foods Science and Technology, Institute for Animal Husbandry, Autoput 16, 11080 Belgrade–Zemun, Serbia;
| | - Nevenka Aleksic
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Vladimir Dimitrijevic
- Department of Animal Husbandry and Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Zoran Stanimirovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (E.T.); (Z.S.)
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13
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Lander N, Chiurillo MA. State-of-the-art CRISPR/Cas9 Technology for Genome Editing in Trypanosomatids. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2019; 66:981-991. [PMID: 31211904 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [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: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 technology has revolutionized biology. This prokaryotic defense system against foreign DNA has been repurposed for genome editing in a broad range of cell tissues and organisms. Trypanosomatids are flagellated protozoa belonging to the order Kinetoplastida. Some of its most representative members cause important human diseases affecting millions of people worldwide, such as Chagas disease, sleeping sickness and different forms of leishmaniases. Trypanosomatid infections represent an enormous burden for public health and there are no effective treatments for most of the diseases they cause. Since the emergence of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology, the genetic manipulation of these parasites has notably improved. As a consequence, genome editing is now playing a key role in the functional study of proteins, in the characterization of metabolic pathways, in the validation of alternative targets for antiparasitic interventions, and in the study of parasite biology and pathogenesis. In this work we review the different strategies that have been used to adapt the CRISPR/Cas9 system to Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, and Leishmania spp., as well as the research progress achieved using these approaches. Thereby, we will present the state-of-the-art molecular tools available for genome editing in trypanosomatids to finally point out the future perspectives in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Lander
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602
| | - Miguel A Chiurillo
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602
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14
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Liu Q, Lei J, Kadowaki T. Gene Disruption of Honey Bee Trypanosomatid Parasite, Lotmaria passim, by CRISPR/Cas9 System. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:126. [PMID: 31080782 PMCID: PMC6497781 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Two trypanosomatid species, Lotmaria passim and Crithidia mellificae, have been shown to parasitize honey bees to date. L. passim appears to be more prevalent than C. mellificae and specifically infects the honey bee hindgut. Although the genomic DNA has been sequenced, the effects of infection on honey bee health and colony are poorly understood. To identify the genes that are important for infecting honey bees and to understand their functions, we applied the CRISPR/Cas9 system to establish a method to manipulate L. passim genes. By electroporation of plasmid DNA and subsequent selection by drug, we first established an L. passim clone expressing tdTomato or Cas9. We also successfully disrupted the endogenous miltefosine transporter and tyrosine aminotransferase genes by replacement with drug (hygromycin) resistant gene using the CRISPR/Cas9-induced homology-directed repair pathway. The L. passim clone expressing fluorescent marker, as well as the simple method for editing specific genes, could become useful approaches to understand the underlying mechanisms of honey bee-trypanosomatid parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tatsuhiko Kadowaki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
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15
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Castelli L, Branchiccela B, Invernizzi C, Tomasco I, Basualdo M, Rodriguez M, Zunino P, Antúnez K. Detection of Lotmaria passim in Africanized and European honey bees from Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. J Invertebr Pathol 2019; 160:95-7. [PMID: 30448510 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2018.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosomatids affecting honey bees, Crithidia mellificae and Lotmaria passim, have been poorly studied in South America. We therefore analyzed their presence in Africanized and European honeybees from Uruguay, Argentina and Chile collected between 1990 and 2011 and assessed their association with other bee parasites and pathogens. Crithidia mellificae was not detected while L. passim was wide-spread. This report shows that L. passim has been present in this region at least since 2007 and it infects both Africanized and European honey bees. L. passim infected colonies showed high V. destructor parasitization levels, suggesting an association between them.
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16
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Hubert J, Bicianova M, Ledvinka O, Kamler M, Lester PJ, Nesvorna M, Kopecky J, Erban T. Changes in the Bacteriome of Honey Bees Associated with the Parasite Varroa destructor, and Pathogens Nosema and Lotmaria passim. Microb Ecol 2017; 73:685-698. [PMID: 27730366 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-016-0869-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [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: 07/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The honey bee, Apis mellifera, is a globally important species that suffers from a variety of pathogens and parasites. These parasites and pathogens may have sublethal effects on their bee hosts via an array of mechanisms, including through a change in symbiotic bacterial taxa. Our aim was to assess the influence of four globally widespread parasites and pathogens on the honey bee bacteriome. We examined the effects of the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor, the fungal pathogens Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae, and the trypanosome Lotmaria passim. Varroa was detected by acaricidal treatment, Nosema and L. passim by PCR, and the bacteriome using MiSeq 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Overall, the 1,858,850 obtained sequences formed 86 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at 3 % dissimilarity. Location, time of year, and degree of infestation by Varroa had significant effects on the composition of the bacteriome of honey bee workers. Based on statistical correlations, we found varroosis more important factor than N. ceranae, N. apis, and L. passim infestation influencing the honey bee bacteriome and contributing to the changes in the composition of the bacterial community in adult bees. At the population level, Varroa appeared to modify 20 OTUs. In the colonies with high Varroa infestation levels (varroosis), the relative abundance of the bacteria Bartonella apis and Lactobacillus apis decreased. In contrast, an increase in relative abundance was observed for several taxa including Lactobacillus helsingborgensis, Lactobacillus mellis, Commensalibacter intestini, and Snodgrassella alvi. The results showed that the "normal" bacterial community is altered by eukaryotic parasites as well as displaying temporal changes and changes associated with the geographical origin of the beehive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Hubert
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, CZ-161 06, Prague 6-Ruzyne, Czechia.
| | - Martina Bicianova
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, CZ-161 06, Prague 6-Ruzyne, Czechia
- Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Benatska 2, CZ-128 01, Prague 2, Czechia
| | - Ondrej Ledvinka
- Hydrological Database & Water Balance, Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, Na Sabatce 2050/17, CZ-143 06, Prague, 412, Czechia
| | - Martin Kamler
- Bee Research Institute at Dol, Maslovice-Dol 94, Libcice nad Vltavou, CZ-252 66, Czechia
| | - Philip J Lester
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - Marta Nesvorna
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, CZ-161 06, Prague 6-Ruzyne, Czechia
| | - Jan Kopecky
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, CZ-161 06, Prague 6-Ruzyne, Czechia
| | - Tomas Erban
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507/73, CZ-161 06, Prague 6-Ruzyne, Czechia
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17
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Tritschler M, Retschnig G, Yañez O, Williams GR, Neumann P. Host sharing by the honey bee parasites Lotmaria passim and Nosema ceranae. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:1850-1857. [PMID: 28331592 PMCID: PMC5355176 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [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: 08/18/2016] [Revised: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The trypanosome Lotmaria passim and the microsporidian Nosema ceranae are common parasites of the honey bee, Apis mellifera, intestine, but the nature of interactions between them is unknown. Here, we took advantage of naturally occurring infections and quantified infection loads of individual workers (N = 408) originating from three apiaries (four colonies per apiary) using PCR to test for interactions between these two parasites. For that purpose, we measured the frequency of single and double infections, estimated the parasite loads of single and double infections, and determined the type of correlation between both parasites in double infections. If interactions between both parasites are strong and antagonistic, single infections should be more frequent than double infections, double infections will have lower parasite loads than single infections, and double infections will present a negative correlation. Overall, a total of 88 workers were infected with N. ceranae, 53 with L. passim, and eight with both parasites. Although both parasites were found in all three apiaries, there were significant differences among apiaries in the proportions of infected bees. The data show no significant differences between the expected and observed frequencies of single‐ and double‐infected bees. While the infection loads of individual bees were significantly higher for L. passim compared to N. ceranae, there were no significant differences in infection loads between single‐ and double‐infected hosts for both parasites. These results suggest no strong interactions between the two parasites in honey bees, possibly due to spatial separation in the host. The significant positive correlation between L. passim and N. ceranae infection loads in double‐infected hosts therefore most likely results from differences among individual hosts rather than cooperation between parasites. Even if hosts are infected by multiple parasites, this does not necessarily imply that there are any significant interactions between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Tritschler
- Institute of Bee Health Vetsuisse Faculty University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Gina Retschnig
- Institute of Bee Health Vetsuisse Faculty University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Orlando Yañez
- Institute of Bee Health Vetsuisse Faculty University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Geoffrey R Williams
- Institute of Bee Health Vetsuisse Faculty University of Bern Bern Switzerland; Agroscope Swiss Bee Research Centre Bern Switzerland; Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology Auburn University Auburn AL USA
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health Vetsuisse Faculty University of Bern Bern Switzerland; Agroscope Swiss Bee Research Centre Bern Switzerland
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18
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Arismendi N, Bruna A, Zapata N, Vargas M. PCR-specific detection of recently described Lotmaria passim (Trypanosomatidae) in Chilean apiaries. J Invertebr Pathol 2016; 134:1-5. [PMID: 26721451 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2015.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Revised: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The recently described trypanosome Lotmaria passim is currently considered the most predominant trypanosomatid in honey bees worldwide and could be a factor in honey bee declines. For a specific and quick detection of this pathogen, we developed primers based on the SSU rRNA and gGAPDH genes for the detection of L. passim in Chilean honey beehives. PCR products amplified and sequenced for these primers shared 99-100% identity with other sequences of L. passim. The designed primers were specific and we were able to detect a high prevalence (40-90%) of L. passim in bee hives distributed throughout Chile. Our described PCR-based method offers a feasible and specific detection of L. passim in any honey bee samples.
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19
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Ravoet J, Schwarz RS, Descamps T, Yañez O, Tozkar CO, Martin-Hernandez R, Bartolomé C, De Smet L, Higes M, Wenseleers T, Schmid-Hempel R, Neumann P, Kadowaki T, Evans JD, de Graaf DC. Differential diagnosis of the honey bee trypanosomatids Crithidia mellificae and Lotmaria passim. J Invertebr Pathol 2015; 130:21-7. [PMID: 26146231 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2015.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [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: 02/27/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosomatids infecting honey bees have been poorly studied with molecular methods until recently. After the description of Crithidia mellificae (Langridge and McGhee, 1967) it took about forty years until molecular data for honey bee trypanosomatids became available and were used to identify and describe a new trypanosomatid species from honey bees, Lotmaria passim (Evans and Schwarz, 2014). However, an easy method to distinguish them without sequencing is not yet available. Research on the related bumble bee parasites Crithidia bombi and Crithidia expoeki revealed a fragment length polymorphism in the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1), which enabled species discrimination. In search of fragment length polymorphisms for differential diagnostics in honey bee trypanosomatids, we studied honey bee trypanosomatid cell cultures of C. mellificae and L. passim. This research resulted in the identification of fragment length polymorphisms in ITS1 and ITS1-2 markers, which enabled us to develop a diagnostic method to differentiate both honey bee trypanosomatid species without the need for sequencing. However, the amplification success of the ITS1 marker depends probably on the trypanosomatid infection level. Further investigation confirmed that L. passim is the dominant species in Belgium, Japan and Switzerland. We found C. mellificae only rarely in Belgian honey bee samples, but not in honey bee samples from other countries. C. mellificae was also detected in mason bees (Osmia bicornis and Osmia cornuta) besides in honey bees. Further, the characterization and comparison of additional markers from L. passim strain SF (published as C. mellificae strain SF) and a Belgian honey bee sample revealed very low divergence in the 18S rRNA, ITS1-2, 28S rRNA and cytochrome b sequences. Nevertheless, a variable stretch was observed in the gp63 virulence factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorgen Ravoet
- Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Ryan S Schwarz
- USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center - East, Beltsville, United States
| | - Tine Descamps
- Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Orlando Yañez
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Cansu Ozge Tozkar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Carolina Bartolomé
- Medicina Xenómica, CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Xenómica Comparada de Parásitos Humanos, IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Lina De Smet
- Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Mariano Higes
- Bee Pathology Laboratory, Centro Apícola Regional, Marchamalo, Spain
| | - Tom Wenseleers
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, K.U. Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Regula Schmid-Hempel
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Tatsuhiko Kadowaki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jay D Evans
- USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center - East, Beltsville, United States
| | - Dirk C de Graaf
- Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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