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Castro H, Rocha MI, Duarte M, Vilurbina J, Gomes-Alves AG, Leao T, Dias F, Morgan B, Deponte M, Tomás AM. The cytosolic hyperoxidation-sensitive and -robust Leishmania peroxiredoxins cPRX1 and cPRX2 are both dispensable for parasite infectivity. Redox Biol 2024; 71:103122. [PMID: 38490068 PMCID: PMC10955670 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2024.103122] [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: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Typical two-cysteine peroxiredoxins (2-Cys-PRXs) are H2O2-metabolizing enzymes whose activity relies on two cysteine residues. Protists of the family Trypanosomatidae invariably express one cytosolic 2-Cys-PRX (cPRX1). However, the Leishmaniinae sub-family features an additional isoform (cPRX2), almost identical to cPRX1, except for the lack of an elongated C-terminus with a Tyr-Phe (YF) motif. Previously, cytosolic PRXs were considered vital components of the trypanosomatid antioxidant machinery. Here, we shed new light on the properties, functions and relevance of cPRXs from the human pathogen Leishmania infantum. We show first that LicPRX1 is sensitive to inactivation by hyperoxidation, mirroring other YF-containing PRXs participating in redox signaling. Using genetic fusion constructs with roGFP2, we establish that LicPRX1 and LicPRX2 can act as sensors for H2O2 and oxidize protein thiols with implications for signal transduction. Third, we show that while disrupting the LicPRX-encoding genes increases susceptibility of L. infantum promastigotes to external H2O2in vitro, both enzymes are dispensable for the parasites to endure the macrophage respiratory burst, differentiate into amastigotes and initiate in vivo infections. This study introduces a novel perspective on the functions of trypanosomatid cPRXs, exposing their dual roles as both peroxidases and redox sensors. Furthermore, the discovery that Leishmania can adapt to the absence of both enzymes has significant implications for our understanding of Leishmania infections and their treatment. Importantly, it questions the conventional notion that the oxidative response of macrophages during phagocytosis is a major barrier to infection and the suitability of cPRXs as drug targets for leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Castro
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria Inês Rocha
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Margarida Duarte
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jordi Vilurbina
- Fachbereich Chemie, Abteilung Biochemie, RPTU Kaiserslautern, D-67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Ana Georgina Gomes-Alves
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Teresa Leao
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Filipa Dias
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Bruce Morgan
- Institut für Biochemie, Zentrum für Human und Molekularbiologie (ZHMB), Universität des Saarlandes, D-66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Marcel Deponte
- Fachbereich Chemie, Abteilung Biochemie, RPTU Kaiserslautern, D-67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Ana Maria Tomás
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal; ICBAS - Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.
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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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Bilheiro AB, Costa GDS, Araújo MS, Ribeiro WAR, Finamore-Araújo P, Moreira OC, Medeiros JF, Fontes G, Camargo LMA. Detection and Genotyping of Trypanosoma cruzi Samples in Species of Genus Rhodnius from Different Environments in the Brazilian Amazon. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2024; 24:95-103. [PMID: 38165392 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2023.0082] [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] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: In the Amazon region, several species of triatomines occur in the natural environments. Among them, species of the genus Rhodnius are a risk to human populations due to their high rates of infection with Trypanosoma cruzi. The aim of this study was to identify the T. cruzi genotypes in Rhodnius specimens and their relationship with sylvatic hosts from different environments in the Brazilian Amazon. Methods: A total of 492 triatomines were collected from the municipalities of Monte Negro, Rondônia state, and Humaitá, Amazonas state, 382 of them being nymphs and 110 adults. Genotyping of T. cruzi in six discrete typing units (DTUs) was performed using conventional multilocus PCR. The triatomines that were positive for T. cruzi and engorged with blood were also targeted for amplification of the cytochrome B (cytB) gene to identify bloodmeal sources. Results: Of the 162 positive samples, the identified DTUs were TcI (87.65%) and TcIV (12.35%). It was observed that 102 specimens were engorged with a variety of bloodmeals. Triatomines infected with TcI were associated with DNA of all identified vertebrates, except Plecturocebus brunneus. TcIV was detected in triatomines that fed on Coendou prehensilis, Didelphis marsupialis, Mabuya nigropunctata, P. brunneus, Pithecia irrorata, Sapajus apella, and Tamandua tetradactyla. Conclusion: Results highlight the need to understand the patterns of T. cruzi genotypes in Rhodnius spp. and their association with sylvatic hosts to better elucidate their role in the transmission of Chagas disease in the Amazon region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Benatti Bilheiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São João del Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brazil
| | - Glaucilene da Silva Costa
- Laboratório de Saúde Pública-LACEN, Núcleo de Biologia Animal e Entomologia Médica, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Maisa Silva Araújo
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
- Centro de Pesquisa em Medicina Tropical de Rondônia (CEPEM)/Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | | | - Paula Finamore-Araújo
- Laboratório de Virologia e Parasitologia Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/IOC, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Otacílio C Moreira
- Laboratório de Virologia e Parasitologia Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/IOC, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jansen Fernandes Medeiros
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz/Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Experimental, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental INCT-EPIAMO, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Gilberto Fontes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São João del Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental INCT-EPIAMO, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Luís Marcelo Aranha Camargo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São João del Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brazil
- Centro de Pesquisa em Medicina Tropical de Rondônia (CEPEM)/Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas 5, Universidade de São Paulo (ICB-5, USP), Monte Negro, RO, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental INCT-EPIAMO, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
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Reyes-Novelo E, Sauri-Arceo C, Panti-May A, Marín D, Canché-Pool EB, Chan-Espinoza DE, Marín C, Bolio-González M, Rodríguez-Vivas RI, Torres-Castro M, Escobedo-Ortegón FJ. Exposure to Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania parasites in dogs from a rural locality of Yucatan, Mexico. A serological survey. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2023; 44:100911. [PMID: 37652628 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100911] [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: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the causal agent of American trypanosomiasis, and Leishmania spp., the causal agents of Leishmaniasis, are prevalent in more than 20 American countries, including Mexico. Dogs have been reported as incidental hosts for both parasites and may be helpful as transmission sentinels. We surveyed the dog population in a rural locality of the Merida municipality in Yucatan, Mexico, to evaluate the seroreactivity against T. cruzi and Leishmania spp. using two antigens, parasite homogenate (H) and iron superoxide dismutase extract (FeSODe), with two serological techniques (ELISA and Western Blot). Our study found that 3.33% of the tested dogs were seroreactive to T. cruzi using ELISA-H, and 29.5% were seroreactive to FeSODe antigen, with a 94.4% consistency between the two tests. Similarly, for L. mexicana, 1.6% were seroreactive using ELISA-H, and 9.8% were seroreactive using ELISA-FeSODe, with an 83.3% consistency between tests. For L. braziliensis, no dogs were seroreactive using ELISA-H, but 16.4% were seroreactive using ELISA-FeSODe, with a 90% consistency between tests. Finally, for L. infantum, 4.9% were seropositive using ELISA-H, and 6.6% were seropositive using ELISA-FeSODe, with a 75% consistency between tests. These results show noticeable evidence of exposure of dogs to trypanosomatid parasites and highlight the potential disease risk for the people and their companion animals in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Reyes-Novelo
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzaes por 49 núm. 490, Centro, Merida CP. 97000, Yucatan, Mexico.
| | - Carlos Sauri-Arceo
- Departamento de Salud Animal y Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Alonso Panti-May
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzaes por 49 núm. 490, Centro, Merida CP. 97000, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Denisse Marín
- Departamento de Salud Animal y Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Elsy B Canché-Pool
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzaes por 49 núm. 490, Centro, Merida CP. 97000, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Daniel E Chan-Espinoza
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzaes por 49 núm. 490, Centro, Merida CP. 97000, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Clotilde Marín
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Manuel Bolio-González
- Departamento de Salud Animal y Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Roger I Rodríguez-Vivas
- Departamento de Salud Animal y Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Marco Torres-Castro
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzaes por 49 núm. 490, Centro, Merida CP. 97000, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Francisco J Escobedo-Ortegón
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzaes por 49 núm. 490, Centro, Merida CP. 97000, Yucatan, Mexico
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Zakharova A, Tashyreva D, Butenko A, Morales J, Saura A, Svobodová M, Poschmann G, Nandipati S, Zakharova A, Noyvert D, Gahura O, Týč J, Stühler K, Kostygov AY, Nowack ECM, Lukeš J, Yurchenko V. A neo-functionalized homolog of host transmembrane protein controls localization of bacterial endosymbionts in the trypanosomatid Novymonas esmeraldas. Curr Biol 2023:S0960-9822(23)00542-0. [PMID: 37201521 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.060] [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: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The stability of endosymbiotic associations between eukaryotes and bacteria depends on a reliable mechanism ensuring vertical inheritance of the latter. Here, we demonstrate that a host-encoded protein, located at the interface between the endoplasmic reticulum of the trypanosomatid Novymonas esmeraldas and its endosymbiotic bacterium Ca. Pandoraea novymonadis, regulates such a process. This protein, named TMP18e, is a product of duplication and neo-functionalization of the ubiquitous transmembrane protein 18 (TMEM18). Its expression level is increased at the proliferative stage of the host life cycle correlating with the confinement of bacteria to the nuclear vicinity. This is important for the proper segregation of bacteria into the daughter host cells as evidenced from the TMP18e ablation, which disrupts the nucleus-endosymbiont association and leads to greater variability of bacterial cell numbers, including an elevated proportion of aposymbiotic cells. Thus, we conclude that TMP18e is necessary for the reliable vertical inheritance of endosymbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Zakharova
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Daria Tashyreva
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Anzhelika Butenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Jorge Morales
- Institute of Microbial Cell Biology, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Andreu Saura
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Svobodová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Gereon Poschmann
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Satish Nandipati
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Alena Zakharova
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - David Noyvert
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Gahura
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Týč
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Kai Stühler
- Institute of Microbial Cell Biology, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Molecular Medicine, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alexei Y Kostygov
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic.
| | - Eva C M Nowack
- Institute of Microbial Cell Biology, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic.
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Rodríguez-Almonacid CC, Kellogg MK, Karamyshev AL, Karamysheva ZN. Ribosome Specialization in Protozoa Parasites. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087484. [PMID: 37108644 PMCID: PMC10138883 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087484] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ribosomes, in general, are viewed as constitutive macromolecular machines where protein synthesis takes place; however, this view has been recently challenged, supporting the hypothesis of ribosome specialization and opening a completely new field of research. Recent studies have demonstrated that ribosomes are heterogenous in their nature and can provide another layer of gene expression control by regulating translation. Heterogeneities in ribosomal RNA and ribosomal proteins that compose them favor the selective translation of different sub-pools of mRNAs and functional specialization. In recent years, the heterogeneity and specialization of ribosomes have been widely reported in different eukaryotic study models; however, few reports on this topic have been made on protozoa and even less on protozoa parasites of medical importance. This review analyzes heterogeneities of ribosomes in protozoa parasites highlighting the specialization in their functions and their importance in parasitism, in the transition between stages in their life cycle, in the change of host and in response to environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Morgana K Kellogg
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Andrey L Karamyshev
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
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Kwakye-Nuako G, Mosore MT, Boakye D, Bates PA. DESCRIPTION, BIOLOGY, AND MEDICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF LEISHMANIA (MUNDINIA) CHANCEI N. SP. (KINETOPLASTEA: TRYPANOSOMATIDAE) FROM GHANA AND LEISHMANIA (MUNDINIA) PROCAVIENSIS N. SP. (KINETOPLASTEA: TRYPANOSOMATIDAE) FROM NAMIBIA. J Parasitol 2023; 109:43-50. [PMID: 36848641 DOI: 10.1645/22-53] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic and phylogenetic analysis was performed on 2 isolates of Leishmania using DNA sequence data from the RNA polymerase II large subunit gene and the ribosomal protein L23a intergenic sequence. This showed the isolates to represent 2 new species within the subgenus Leishmania (Mundinia). The addition of Leishmania (Mundinia) chancei and Leishmania (Mundinia) procaviensis creates a total of 6 named species to date within this recently described subgenus of parasitic protozoa, containing both human pathogens and nonpathogens. Their widespread geographical distribution, basal phylogenetic position within the genus Leishmania, and probable non-sand fly vectors make these L. (Mundinia) species of significant medical and biological interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godwin Kwakye-Nuako
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | | | - Daniel Boakye
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Paul A Bates
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, U.K
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de Santiago-Silva KM, da Silva Gomes GF, Perez CC, da Silva Lima CH, de Lima Ferreira Bispo M. Molecular Targets for Chalcones in Antileishmanial Drug Discovery. Mini Rev Med Chem 2023; 23:1414-1434. [PMID: 36705240 DOI: 10.2174/1389557523666230127125058] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniases are infectious diseases caused by flagellated protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania that infect cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system. These parasites are transmitted to humans by biting an infected female sandfly belonging to the genera Phlebotomus in the Old World and Lutzomyia in the New World. Despite representing a major public health problem, the therapeutic options are old and have several disadvantages. Given this scenario, developing vaccines or drugs for oral administration is necessary. Therefore, integrating computational and experimental strategies into the studies on molecular targets essential for the survival and virulence of the parasite is fundamental in researching and developing new treatments for leishmaniasis. In the effort to develop new vaccines and drugs, molecular docking methods are widely used as they explore the adopted conformations of small molecules within the binding sites of macromolecular targets and estimate the free energy of target-ligand binding. Privileged structures have been widely used as an effective model in medicinal chemistry for drug discovery. Chalcones are a common simple scaffold found in many compounds of natural and synthetic origin, where studies demonstrate the great pharmacological potential in treating leishmaniasis. This review is based on scientific articles published in the last ten years on molecular docking of chalcone derivatives for essential molecular targets of Leishmania. Thus, this review emphasizes how versatile chalcone derivatives can be used in developing new inhibitors of important molecular targets involved in the survival, growth, cell differentiation, and infectivity of the parasites that cause leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaio Maciel de Santiago-Silva
- Laboratório de Síntese de Moléculas Medicinais (LaSMMed), Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Felix da Silva Gomes
- Laboratório de Síntese de Moléculas Medicinais (LaSMMed), Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil
| | - Carla Cristina Perez
- Laboratório de Síntese de Moléculas Medicinais (LaSMMed), Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil
| | - Camilo Henrique da Silva Lima
- Departamento de Química Orgânica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcelle de Lima Ferreira Bispo
- Laboratório de Síntese de Moléculas Medicinais (LaSMMed), Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil
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Kostygov AY, Malysheva MN, Ganyukova AI, Razygraev AV, Drachko DO, Yurchenko V, Agasoi VV, Frolov AO. The Roles of Mosquitoes in the Circulation of Monoxenous Trypanosomatids in Temperate Climates. Pathogens 2022; 11:1326. [PMID: 36422578 PMCID: PMC9695722 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11111326] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoxenous (insect-restricted) trypanosomatids are highly diverse and abundant in nature. While many papers focus on the taxonomy and distribution of these parasites, studies on their biology are still scarce. In particular, this concerns trypanosomatids inhabiting the ubiquitous mosquitoes. To shed light on the circulation of monoxenous trypanosomatids with the participation of mosquitoes, we performed a multifaceted study combining the examination of naturally- and experimentally-infected insects using light and electron microscopy and molecular identification of parasites. Our examination of overwintering mosquitoes (genera Culex and Culiseta) revealed that their guts contained living trypanosomatids, which can be spread during the next season. Experimental infections with Crithidia spp. demonstrated that imagines represent permissive hosts, while larvae are resistant to these parasites. We argue that for the parasites with wide specificity, mosquitoes act as facultative hosts. Other trypanosomatids may have specific adaptations for vertical transmission in these insects at the expense of their potential to infect a wider range of hosts and, consequently, abundance in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Y. Kostygov
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Marina N. Malysheva
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anna I. Ganyukova
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Alexey V. Razygraev
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Daria O. Drachko
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Vera V. Agasoi
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Alexander O. Frolov
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
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10
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Koch H, Welcome V, Kendal-Smith A, Thursfield L, Farrell IW, Langat MK, Brown MJF, Stevenson PC. Host and gut microbiome modulate the antiparasitic activity of nectar metabolites in a bumblebee pollinator. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210162. [PMID: 35491601 PMCID: PMC9058528 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [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: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial nectar secondary metabolites can support pollinator health by preventing or reducing parasite infections. To better understand the outcome of nectar metabolite-parasite interactions in pollinators, we determined whether the antiparasitic activity was altered through chemical modification by the host or resident microbiome during gut passage. We investigated this interaction with linden (Tilia spp.) and strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) nectar compounds. Unedone from A. unedo nectar inhibited the common bumblebee gut parasite Crithidia bombi in vitro and in Bombus terrestris gynes. A compound in Tilia nectar, 1-[4-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-1,3-cyclohexadiene-1-carboxylate]-6-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranose (tiliaside), showed no inhibition in vitro at naturally occurring concentrations but reduced C. bombi infections of B. terrestris workers. Independent of microbiome status, tiliaside was deglycosylated during gut passage, thereby increasing its antiparasitic activity in the hindgut, the site of C. bombi infections. Conversely, unedone was first glycosylated in the midgut without influence of the microbiome to unedone-8-O-β-d-glucoside, rendering it inactive against C. bombi, but subsequently deglycosylated by the microbiome in the hindgut, restoring its activity. We therefore show that conversion of nectar metabolites by either the host or the microbiome modulates antiparasitic activity of nectar metabolites. This article is part of the theme issue 'Natural processes influencing pollinator health: from chemistry to landscapes'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hauke Koch
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Kew Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK
| | - Vita Welcome
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Kew Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK.,Imperial College, South Kensington, London SW7 2BX, UK
| | - Amy Kendal-Smith
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Kew Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK.,Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Lucy Thursfield
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Kew Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK.,John Innes Centre, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Iain W Farrell
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Kew Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK
| | - Moses K Langat
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Kew Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK
| | - Mark J F Brown
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Philip C Stevenson
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Kew Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK.,Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Greenwich, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
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11
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Zakharova A, Saura A, Butenko A, Podešvová L, Warmusová S, Kostygov AY, Nenarokova A, Lukeš J, Opperdoes FR, Yurchenko V. A New Model Trypanosomatid, Novymonas esmeraldas: Genomic Perception of Its " Candidatus Pandoraea novymonadis" Endosymbiont. mBio 2021; 12:e0160621. [PMID: 34399629 DOI: 10.1128/mBio.01606-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [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] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The closest relative of human pathogen Leishmania, the trypanosomatid Novymonas esmeraldas, harbors a bacterial endosymbiont “Candidatus Pandoraea novymonadis.” Based on genomic data, we performed a detailed characterization of the metabolic interactions of both partners. While in many respects the metabolism of N. esmeraldas resembles that of other Leishmaniinae, the endosymbiont provides the trypanosomatid with heme, essential amino acids, purines, some coenzymes, and vitamins. In return, N. esmeraldas shares with the bacterium several nonessential amino acids and phospholipids. Moreover, it complements its carbohydrate metabolism and urea cycle with enzymes missing from the “Ca. Pandoraea novymonadis” genome. The removal of the endosymbiont from N. esmeraldas results in a significant reduction of the overall translation rate, reduced expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism and mitochondrial respiratory activity, and downregulation of several aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, enzymes involved in the synthesis of some amino acids, as well as proteins associated with autophagy. At the same time, the genes responsible for protection against reactive oxygen species and DNA repair become significantly upregulated in the aposymbiotic strain of this trypanosomatid. By knocking out a component of its flagellum, we turned N. esmeraldas into a new model trypanosomatid that is amenable to genetic manipulation using both conventional and CRISPR-Cas9-mediated approaches.
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12
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Skalický T, Alves JMP, Morais AC, Režnarová J, Butenko A, Lukeš J, Serrano MG, Buck GA, Teixeira MMG, Camargo EP, Sanders M, Cotton JA, Yurchenko V, Kostygov AY. Endosymbiont Capture, a Repeated Process of Endosymbiont Transfer with Replacement in Trypanosomatids Angomonas spp. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10060702. [PMID: 34200026 PMCID: PMC8229890 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10060702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomatids of the subfamily Strigomonadinae bear permanent intracellular bacterial symbionts acquired by the common ancestor of these flagellates. However, the cospeciation pattern inherent to such relationships was revealed to be broken upon the description of Angomonas ambiguus, which is sister to A. desouzai, but bears an endosymbiont genetically close to that of A. deanei. Based on phylogenetic inferences, it was proposed that the bacterium from A. deanei had been horizontally transferred to A. ambiguus. Here, we sequenced the bacterial genomes from two A. ambiguus isolates, including a new one from Papua New Guinea, and compared them with the published genome of the A. deanei endosymbiont, revealing differences below the interspecific level. Our phylogenetic analyses confirmed that the endosymbionts of A. ambiguus were obtained from A. deanei and, in addition, demonstrated that this occurred more than once. We propose that coinfection of the same blowfly host and the phylogenetic relatedness of the trypanosomatids facilitate such transitions, whereas the drastic difference in the occurrence of the two trypanosomatid species determines the observed direction of this process. This phenomenon is analogous to organelle (mitochondrion/plastid) capture described in multicellular organisms and, thereafter, we name it endosymbiont capture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Skalický
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; (T.S.); (A.B.); (J.L.)
| | - João M. P. Alves
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (J.M.P.A.); (A.C.M.); (M.M.G.T.); (E.P.C.)
| | - Anderson C. Morais
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (J.M.P.A.); (A.C.M.); (M.M.G.T.); (E.P.C.)
| | - Jana Režnarová
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (J.R.); (V.Y.)
| | - Anzhelika Butenko
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; (T.S.); (A.B.); (J.L.)
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (J.R.); (V.Y.)
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; (T.S.); (A.B.); (J.L.)
- Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Myrna G. Serrano
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0678, USA; (M.G.S.); (G.A.B.)
| | - Gregory A. Buck
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0678, USA; (M.G.S.); (G.A.B.)
| | - Marta M. G. Teixeira
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (J.M.P.A.); (A.C.M.); (M.M.G.T.); (E.P.C.)
| | - Erney P. Camargo
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (J.M.P.A.); (A.C.M.); (M.M.G.T.); (E.P.C.)
| | - Mandy Sanders
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK; (M.S.); (J.A.C.)
| | - James A. Cotton
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK; (M.S.); (J.A.C.)
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (J.R.); (V.Y.)
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Sechenov University, 119435 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexei Y. Kostygov
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; (J.R.); (V.Y.)
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Correspondence:
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13
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Ribani A, Utzeri VJ, Taurisano V, Galuppi R, Fontanesi L. Analysis of honey environmental DNA indicates that the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) trypanosome parasite Lotmaria passim is widespread in the apiaries of the North of Italy. J Invertebr Pathol 2021; 184:107628. [PMID: 34090931 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2021.107628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Lotmaria passim is a trypanosomatid that infects honey bees. In this study, we established an axenic culture of L. passim from Italian isolates and then used its DNA as a control in subsequent analyses that investigated environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect this trypasonosomatid. The source of eDNA was honey, which has been already demonstrated to be useful to detect honey bee parasites. DNA from a total of 164 honey samples collected in the North of Italy was amplified with three L. passim specific PCR primers and 78% of the analysed samples gave positive results. These results indicated a high prevalence rate of this trypanosomatid in the North of Italy, where it might be considered another threat to honey bee health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anisa Ribani
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Valerio Joe Utzeri
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Valeria Taurisano
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberta Galuppi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Luca Fontanesi
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
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14
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Frolov AO, Kostygov AY, Yurchenko V. Development of Monoxenous Trypanosomatids and Phytomonads in Insects. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:538-551. [PMID: 33714646 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In this review, we summarize the current data on development of monoxenous trypanosomatids and phytomonads in various insects. Of these, Diptera and Hemiptera are the main host groups, and, consequently, most available information concerns their parasites. Within the insect body, the midgut and hindgut are the predominant colonization sites; in addition, some trypanosomatids can invade the foregut, Malpighian tubules, hemolymph, and/or salivary glands. Differences in the intestinal structure and biology of the host determine the variety of parasites' developmental and transmission strategies. Meanwhile, similar mechanisms are used by unrelated trypanosomatids, reflecting the limited range of options to achieve the same goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander O Frolov
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg, Russia.
| | - Alexei Y Kostygov
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg, Russia; Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic; Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia.
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15
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da Silva Santos-Júnior PF, Schmitt M, de Araújo-Júnior JX, da Silva-Júnior EF. Sterol 14α-Demethylase from Trypanosomatidae Parasites as a Promising Target for Designing New Antiparasitic Agents. Curr Top Med Chem 2021; 21:1900-1921. [PMID: 33655860 DOI: 10.2174/1568026621666210303144448] [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] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosomatidae family belongs to the Kinetoplastida order, which consists of obligatory parasites that affect plants and all classes of vertebrates, especially humans and insects. Among the heteroxenic parasites, Leishmania spp., Trypanosoma cruzi, and T. brucei are protozoa of most significant interest for medicinal chemistry, being etiological agents of Leishmaniasis, Chagas, and Sleep Sickness diseases, respectively. Currently, inefficient pharmacotherapy, especially in chronic phases and low selectivity towards parasite/host cells, justifies the need to discover new drugs to treat them effectively. Among other targets, the sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51), an enzyme responsible for ergosterol's biosynthesis in Trypanosomatidae parasites, has received more attention in the development of new bioactive compounds. In this context, antifungal ravuconazole proved to be the most promising drug among this class against T. cruzi, being used in combined therapy with Bnz in clinic trials. Non-antifungal inhibitors, such as VFV and VNF, have shown promising results against T. cruzi and T.brucei, respectively, being tested in Bnz-combined therapies. Among the experimental studies involving azoles, compound (15) was found to be the most promising derivative, displaying an IC50 value of 0.002 µM against amastigotes from T. cruzi, in addition to being non-toxic and highly selective towards TcCYP51 (< 25 nM). Interestingly, imidazole analog (16) was active against infectious forms of these three parasites, demonstrating Ki values of 0.17, 0.02, and 0.36 nM for CYP51 from T. cruzi, T. brucei, and L. infantum. Finally, this review will address promising inhibitors targeting sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51) from Trypanosomatidae parasites, highlighting SAR studies, interactions with this target, and recent contributions and advances in the field, as well.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martine Schmitt
- Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR7200, CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch. France
| | - João Xavier de Araújo-Júnior
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970. Brazil
| | - Edeildo Ferreira da Silva-Júnior
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970. Brazil
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16
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Abstract
Telomeres are the ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes facilitating the resolution of the ‘end replication and protection’ problems, associated with linearity. At the nucleotide level, telomeres typically represent stretches of tandemly arranged telomeric repeats, which vary in length and sequence among different groups of organisms. Recently, a composition of the telomere-associated protein complex has been scrutinized in Trypanosoma brucei. In this work, we subjected proteins from that list to a more detailed bioinformatic analysis and delineated a core set of 20 conserved proteins putatively associated with telomeres in trypanosomatids. Out of these, two proteins (Ku70 and Ku80) are conspicuously missing in representatives of the genus Blastocrithidia, yet telomeres in these species do not appear to be affected. In this work, based on the analysis of a large set of trypanosomatids widely different in their phylogenetic position and life strategies, we demonstrated that telomeres of trypanosomatids are diverse in length, even within groups of closely related species. Our analysis showed that the expression of two proteins predicted to be associated with telomeres (those encoding telomerase and telomere-associated hypothetical protein orthologous to Tb927.6.4330) may directly affect and account for the differences in telomere length within the species of the Leishmania mexicana complex.
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17
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Pombi M, Giacomi A, Barlozzari G, Mendoza-Roldan J, Macrì G, Otranto D, Gabrielli S. Molecular detection of Leishmania (Sauroleishmania) tarentolae in human blood and Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum in Sergentomyia minuta: unexpected host-parasite contacts. Med Vet Entomol 2020; 34:470-475. [PMID: 32710462 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The detection of atypical Kinetoplastida in vertebrate hosts and vectors might suggest unexpected host-parasite contacts. Aside to major vectors of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum in Italy (e.g. Phlebotomus perniciosus and Phlebotomus perfiliewi), the sand fly fauna also includes Sergentomyia minuta, herpetophilic and proven vector of Leishmania (Sauroleishmania) tarentolae, in which records of blood meal on mammals and detection of L. infantum DNA are increasing. This study was conducted in Central Italy aiming to molecularly detect potential atypical Leishmania host-vector contacts. Detection of Leishmania spp. DNA was performed by polymerase chain reaction (SSU rRNA, ITS1 targets) on field-collected sand fly females (N = 344), blood samples from humans (N = 185) and dogs (N = 125). Blood meal identification was also performed on engorged sand flies. Leishmania spp. DNA was found in 13.1% sand flies, 3.7% humans and 14.4% dogs. Sequence analysis identified L. infantum in S. minuta (4.4%), P. perniciosus (9.1%), humans (2.2%) and dogs (14.4%). Leishmania tarentolae was detected in S. minuta (12.6%), P. perfiliewi (6.6%) and human (1.6%) samples. Of 28 S. minuta examined for blood meal, 3.6 and 21.4% scored positive for human and lizard DNA, respectively. These results indicate the importance of one-health approach to explore new potential routes of transmission of leishmaniasis involving S. minuta.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Pombi
- Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - A Giacomi
- Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - G Barlozzari
- Department of Direzione Operativa Sierologia, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana, Rome, Italy
| | - J Mendoza-Roldan
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | - G Macrì
- Department of Direzione Operativa Sierologia, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana, Rome, Italy
| | - D Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | - S Gabrielli
- Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
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18
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Nantes WAG, Santos FM, de Macedo GC, Barreto WTG, Gonçalves LR, Rodrigues MS, Chulli JVM, Rucco AC, Assis WDO, Porfírio GEDO, de Oliveira CE, Xavier SCDC, Herrera HM, Jansen AM. Trypanosomatid species in Didelphis albiventris from urban forest fragments. Parasitol Res 2020; 120:223-231. [PMID: 33079269 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06921-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [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: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Urbanization results in loss of natural habitats and, consequently, reduction of richness and abundance of specialist to the detriment of generalist species. We hypothesized that a greater richness of trypanosomatid in Didelphis albiventris would be found in fragments of urban forests in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, that presented a larger richness of small mammals. We used parasitological, molecular, and serological methods to detect Trypanosoma spp. infection in D. albiventris (n = 43) from forest fragments. PCR was performed with primers specific for 18S rDNA, 24Sα rDNA, mini-chromosome satellites, and mini-exon genes. IFAT was used to detect anti-Trypanosoma cruzi IgG. All hemoculture was negative. We detected trypanosomatid DNA in blood of 35% of opossum. Two opossums were seropositive for T. cruzi. The trypanosomatid species number infecting D. albiventris was higher in the areas with greater abundance, rather than richness of small mammals. We found D. albiventris parasitized by T. cruzi in single and co-infections with Leishmania spp., recently described molecular operational taxonomic unit (MOTU) named DID, and Trypanosoma lainsoni. We concluded that (i) trypanosome richness may be determined by small mammal abundance, (ii) D. albiventris confirmed to be bio-accumulators of trypanosomatids, and (iii) T. lainsoni demonstrated a higher host range than described up to the present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley Arruda Gimenes Nantes
- Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Sustentabilidade Agropecuária, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Av. Tamandaré, 6000 - Jardim Seminário, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, 79117-900, Brazil
| | - Filipe Martins Santos
- Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Sustentabilidade Agropecuária, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Av. Tamandaré, 6000 - Jardim Seminário, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, 79117-900, Brazil.
| | - Gabriel Carvalho de Macedo
- Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Sustentabilidade Agropecuária, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Av. Tamandaré, 6000 - Jardim Seminário, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, 79117-900, Brazil
| | - Wanessa Texeira Gomes Barreto
- Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Luiz Ricardo Gonçalves
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marina Silva Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Biologia de Tripanosomatídeos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Andreza Castro Rucco
- Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Sustentabilidade Agropecuária, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Av. Tamandaré, 6000 - Jardim Seminário, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, 79117-900, Brazil
| | - William de Oliveira Assis
- Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Sustentabilidade Agropecuária, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Av. Tamandaré, 6000 - Jardim Seminário, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, 79117-900, Brazil
| | | | - Carina Elisei de Oliveira
- Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Sustentabilidade Agropecuária, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Av. Tamandaré, 6000 - Jardim Seminário, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, 79117-900, Brazil.,Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Heitor Miraglia Herrera
- Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Sustentabilidade Agropecuária, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Av. Tamandaré, 6000 - Jardim Seminário, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, 79117-900, Brazil.,Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.,Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Ana Maria Jansen
- Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Sustentabilidade Agropecuária, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Av. Tamandaré, 6000 - Jardim Seminário, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, 79117-900, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biologia de Tripanosomatídeos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Kieran TJ. Ultraconserved element bait set for trypanosomatida target enrichment and phylogenetics. Exp Parasitol 2020; 219:108015. [PMID: 33031787 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2020.108015] [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: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Lack of knowledge of taxonomic biodiversity and reliable genetic markers in Trypanosomatidae limit our understanding of their phylogenetic relationships. Ultraconserved elements (UCEs) have improved phylogenetic analyses and inferences in many vertebrate and invertebrate taxa. However, it is unknown whether protozoans have these markers, their abundance, and if these could be reliably used for phylogenetics. In this study I design a target enrichment bait set for UCE loci for this group. In silico testing showed good loci recovery rates across 63 taxa and produced consistent, highly supported phylogenetic trees. This bait set adds a new resource of useful genetic markers for Trypanosomatidae phylogenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy J Kieran
- Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, 206 Environmental Health Science Building, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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20
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Malavazi PFNS, Daudt C, Melchior LAK, Meneguetti DUO, Xavier SCC, Jansen AM, Souza SF, Roque ALR. Trypanosomes of vectors and domestic dogs in Trypanosoma cruzi transmission areas from Brazilian southwestern amazon: New mammalian host for Trypanosoma janseni. Acta Trop 2020; 210:105504. [PMID: 32526167 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is a widespread protozoan in Latin America causing Chagas disease in humans and able to infect several other mammal species. The objective of this study was to investigate the T. cruzi infection in triatomine fauna as well as in dogs from distinct areas of Acre, western Brazilian Amazonia, which recently reported acute cases of human CD as well as an area that have not notify this disease recently. Triatomines were collected and the intestinal contents were evaluated for the presence of trypanosomatids by optical microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the mini-exon gene. Blood smear, hemoculture, PCR and serology were performed in the studied mammals. Fecal content of four triatomines were positive (11.6%) in the fresh examination. Molecular analysis identified Trypanosoma cruzi TCI in two specimens. Blood samples from 90 dogs were obtained. Trypanosoma sp. was observed in six blood smears (6/83, 7.22%). Seropositivity for T. cruzi was 8/89 (8.98). One dog's hemoculture was obtained and characterized as T. rangeli. PCR reactions in blood clots resulted in one positive dog (1/75, 1.3%) infected by T. janseni, providing a new mammalian host for a recently described Trypanosoma species. The results demonstrate the low exposition and prevalence for T. cruzi suggesting that dogs are not important to T. cruzi transmission cycle in the studied áreas.
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21
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d’Avila-Levy CM, Bearzatto B, Ambroise J, Helaers R, Butenko A, Yurchenko V, A. Morelli K, L. C. Santos H, Brouillard P, Grellier P, Gala JL, Vikkula M. First Draft Genome of the Trypanosomatid Herpetomonas muscarum ingenoplastis through MinION Oxford Nanopore Technology and Illumina Sequencing. Trop Med Infect Dis 2020; 5:tropicalmed5010025. [PMID: 32069939 PMCID: PMC7157233 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed5010025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we present first draft genome sequence of the trypanosomatid Herpetomonas muscarum ingenoplastis. This parasite was isolated repeatedly in the black blowfly, Phormia regina, and it forms a phylogenetically distinct clade in the Trypanosomatidae family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia M. d’Avila-Levy
- Coleção de Protozoários, Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (K.A.M.); (H.L.C.S.)
- de Duve Institute, University of Louvain, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium; (R.H.); (P.B.); (M.V.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-21-2562-1014
| | - Bertrand Bearzatto
- Centre de Technologies Moléculaires Appliquées, Université Catholique de Louvain, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium; (B.B.); (J.A.); (J.-L.G.)
| | - Jérôme Ambroise
- Centre de Technologies Moléculaires Appliquées, Université Catholique de Louvain, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium; (B.B.); (J.A.); (J.-L.G.)
| | - Raphaël Helaers
- de Duve Institute, University of Louvain, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium; (R.H.); (P.B.); (M.V.)
| | - Anzhelika Butenko
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic;
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic;
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 71000 Ostrava, Czech Republic;
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Sechenov University, 119435 Moscow, Russia
| | - Karina A. Morelli
- Coleção de Protozoários, Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (K.A.M.); (H.L.C.S.)
- Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, Brazil
| | - Helena L. C. Santos
- Coleção de Protozoários, Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (K.A.M.); (H.L.C.S.)
| | - Pascal Brouillard
- de Duve Institute, University of Louvain, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium; (R.H.); (P.B.); (M.V.)
| | - Philippe Grellier
- Unité Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganisme (UMR 7245 CNRS MCAM), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Jean-Luc Gala
- Centre de Technologies Moléculaires Appliquées, Université Catholique de Louvain, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium; (B.B.); (J.A.); (J.-L.G.)
| | - Miikka Vikkula
- de Duve Institute, University of Louvain, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium; (R.H.); (P.B.); (M.V.)
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22
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Králová J, Grybchuk-Ieremenko A, Votýpka J, Novotný V, Kment P, Lukeš J, Yurchenko V, Kostygov AY. Insect trypanosomatids in Papua New Guinea: high endemism and diversity. Int J Parasitol 2019; 49:1075-86. [PMID: 31734337 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2019.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2019] [Revised: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The extreme biological diversity of Oceanian archipelagos has long stimulated research in ecology and evolution. However, parasitic protists in this geographic area remained neglected and no molecular analyses have been carried out to understand the evolutionary patterns and relationships with their hosts. Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a biodiversity hotspot containing over 5% of the world's biodiversity in less than 0.5% of the total land area. In the current work, we examined insect heteropteran hosts collected in PNG for the presence of trypanosomatid parasites. The diversity of insect flagellates was analysed, to our knowledge for the first time, east of Wallace's Line, one of the most distinct biogeographic boundaries of the world. Out of 907 investigated specimens from 138 species and 23 families of the true bugs collected in eight localities, 135 (15%) were infected by at least one trypanosomatid species. High species diversity of captured hosts correlated with high diversity of detected trypanosomatids. Of 46 trypanosomatid Typing Units documented in PNG, only eight were known from other geographic locations, while 38 TUs (~83%) have not been previously encountered. The widespread trypanosomatid TUs were found in both widely distributed and endemic/sub-endemic insects. Approximately one-third of the endemic trypanosomatid TUs were found in widely distributed hosts, while the remaining species were confined to endemic and sub-endemic insects. The TUs from PNG form clades with conspicuous host-parasite coevolutionary patterns, as well as those with a remarkable lack of this trait. In addition, our analysis revealed new members of the subfamilies Leishmaniinae and Strigomonadinae, potentially representing new genera of trypanosomatids.
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23
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Coimbra DP, Penedo DM, Silva MOM, Abreu APM, Silva CB, Verona CE, Heliodoro GC, Massard CL, Nogueira DM. Molecular and morphometric identification of Trypanosoma (Megatrypanum) minasense in blood samples of marmosets (Callithrix: Callithrichidae) from the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Parasitol Int 2019; 75:101999. [PMID: 31669293 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2019.101999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [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: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Callithrix jacchus and C. penicillata marmosets are invasive to the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, threatening the native and vulnerable C. aurita. Both invasive species can be hosts of Trypanosoma cruzi, T. minasense, T. rangeli and T. devei. We aim to investigate the occurrence of trypanosomatids in Callithrix sp. from Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, located in a central and populous area of the city. Fifteen marmosets were captured. Blood samples were collected for light microscopy and molecular genetics analysis. Parasites morphometric values were evaluated for species identification. DNA was extracted from blood samples by phenol-chloroform method, for partial amplification of the 18S rRNA gene. PCR products were sequenced and aligned using BLAST®. A maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree was constructed to analyze the proximity between the observed sequences. By light microscopy, trypomastigotes were detected in five of the fifteen marmosets. Morphometric measurements and size polymorphism corresponded to those previously described for T. minasense. The DNA sequences of approximately 600 base pairs of the 18S rRNA gene were obtained for three samples with 99% identity with T. minasense sequence, forming a cluster in the phylogenetic tree and corroborating morphometric analysis. Trypanosoma minasense is a highly specific parasite to non-human primates considered as non-pathogenic. There is no evidence of infection in humans and these parasite findings from invasive marmosets do not support additional risks for the native species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo P Coimbra
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Animal (PPGBA), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropédica, RJ 23897-000, Brazil.
| | - Diego M Penedo
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Animal (PPGBA), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropédica, RJ 23897-000, Brazil
| | - Monique O M Silva
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Animal (PPGBA), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropédica, RJ 23897-000, Brazil
| | - Ana P M Abreu
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ 23897-000, Brazil
| | - Cláudia B Silva
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ 23897-000, Brazil
| | | | | | - Carlos L Massard
- Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Instituto de Veterinária, UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ 23897-000, Brazil
| | - Denise M Nogueira
- Departamento de Genética, ICBS, UFRRJ, Seropédica, RJ 23897-000, Brazil
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24
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Kaufer A, Stark D, Ellis J. Evolutionary Insight into the Trypanosomatidae Using Alignment-Free Phylogenomics of the Kinetoplast. Pathogens 2019; 8:E157. [PMID: 31540520 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens8030157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [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: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Advancements in next-generation sequencing techniques have led to a substantial increase in the genomic information available for analyses in evolutionary biology. As such, this data requires the exponential growth in bioinformatic methods and expertise required to understand such vast quantities of genomic data. Alignment-free phylogenomics offer an alternative approach for large-scale analyses that may have the potential to address these challenges. The evolutionary relationships between various species within the trypanosomatid family, specifically members belonging to the genera Leishmania and Trypanosoma have been extensively studies over the last 30 years. However, there is a need for a more exhaustive analysis of the Trypanosomatidae, summarising the evolutionary patterns amongst the entire family of these important protists. The mitochondrial DNA of the trypanosomatids, better known as the kinetoplast, represents a valuable taxonomic marker given its unique presence across all kinetoplastid protozoans. The aim of this study was to validate the reliability and robustness of alignment-free approaches for phylogenomic analyses and its applicability to reconstruct the evolutionary relationships between the trypanosomatid family. In the present study, alignment-free analyses demonstrated the strength of these methods, particularly when dealing with large datasets compared to the traditional phylogenetic approaches. We present a maxicircle genome phylogeny of 46 species spanning the trypanosomatid family, demonstrating the superiority of the maxicircle for the analysis and taxonomic resolution of the Trypanosomatidae.
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Abstract
In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the genomes of 40 strains, in addition to the already-reported two type strains, of two Crithidia species infecting bumblebees in Alaska and Central Europe and demonstrated that different strains of Crithidia bombi and C. expoeki vary considerably in terms of single nucleotide polymorphisms and gene copy number. Based on the genomic structure, phylogenetic analyses, and the pattern of copy number variation, we confirmed the status of C. expoeki as a separate species. The Alaskan populations appear to be clearly separated from those of Central Europe. This pattern fits a scenario of rapid host-parasite coevolution, where the selective advantage of a given parasite strain is only temporary. This study provides helpful insights into possible scenarios of selection and diversification of trypanosomatid parasites.IMPORTANCE A group of trypanosomatid flagellates includes several well-studied medically and economically important parasites of vertebrates and plants. Nevertheless, the vast majority of trypanosomatids infect only insects (mostly flies and true bugs) and, because of that, has attracted little research attention in the past. Of several hundred trypanosomatid species, only four can infect bees (honeybees and bumblebees). Because of such scarcity, these parasites are severely understudied. We analyzed whole-genome information for a total of 42 representatives of bee-infecting trypanosomatids collected in Central Europe and Alaska from a population genetics point of view. Our data shed light on the evolution, selection, and diversification in this important group of trypanosomatid parasites.
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Bianchi C, Kostygov AY, Kraeva N, Záhonová K, Horáková E, Sobotka R, Lukeš J, Yurchenko V. An enigmatic catalase of Blastocrithidia. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2019; 232:111199. [PMID: 31276694 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2019.111199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [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: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Here we report that trypanosomatid flagellates of the genus Blastocrithidia possess catalase. This enzyme is not phylogenetically related to the previously characterized catalases in other monoxenous trypanosomatids, suggesting that their genes have been acquired independently. Surprisingly, Blastocrithidia catalase is less enzymatically active, compared to its counterpart from Leptomonas pyrrhocoris, posing an intriguing biological question why this gene has been retained in the evolution of trypanosomatids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claretta Bianchi
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Alexei Yu Kostygov
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic; Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Natalya Kraeva
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Kristína Záhonová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Horáková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Roman Sobotka
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Třeboň, Czech Republic; Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic; Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia.
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Abstract
Gut symbionts can augment resistance to pathogens by stimulating host-immune responses, competing for space and nutrients, or producing antimicrobial metabolites. Gut microbiota of social bees, which pollinate many crops and wildflowers, protect hosts against diverse infections and might counteract pathogen-related bee declines. Bumble bee gut microbiota, and specifically abundance of Lactobacillus 'Firm-5' bacteria, can enhance resistance to the trypanosomatid parasite Crithidia bombi. However, the mechanism underlying this effect remains unknown. We hypothesized that the Firm-5 bacterium Lactobacillus bombicola, which produces lactic acid, inhibits C. bombi via pH-mediated effects. Consistent with our hypothesis, L. bombicola spent medium inhibited C. bombi growth via reduction in pH that was both necessary and sufficient for inhibition. Inhibition of all parasite strains occurred within the pH range documented in honey bees, though sensitivity to acidity varied among strains. Spent medium was slightly more potent than HCl, d- and l-lactic acids for a given pH, suggesting that other metabolites also contribute to inhibition. Results implicate symbiont-mediated reduction in gut pH as a key determinant of trypanosomatid infection in bees. Future investigation into in vivo effects of gut microbiota on pH and infection intensity would test the relevance of these findings for bees threatened by trypanosomatids.
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Minet C, Thévenon S, Chantal I, Solano P, Berthier D. Mini-review on CRISPR-Cas9 and its potential applications to help controlling neglected tropical diseases caused by Trypanosomatidae. Infect Genet Evol 2018; 63:326-331. [PMID: 29486366 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2018.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The CRISPR-Cas system, which was originally identified as a prokaryotic defense mechanism, is increasingly being used for the functional study of genes. This technology, which is simple, inexpensive and efficient, has aroused a lot of enthusiasm in the scientific community since its discovery, and every month many publications emanate from very different communities reporting on the use of CRISPR-Cas9. Currently, there are no vaccines to control neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) caused by Trypanosomatidae, particularly Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) and Animal African Trypanosomoses (AAT), and treatments are cumbersome and sometimes not effective enough. CRISPR-Cas9 has the potential to functionally analyze new target molecules that could be used for therapeutic and vaccine purposes. In this review, after briefly describing CRIPSR-Cas9 history and how it works, different applications on diseases, especially on parasitic diseases, are reviewed. We then focus the review on the use of CRISPR-Cas9 editing on Trypanosomatidae parasites, the causative agents of NTDs, which are still a terrible burden for human populations in tropical regions, and their vectors.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Anopheles/genetics
- Anopheles/parasitology
- CRISPR-Associated Protein 9/genetics
- CRISPR-Associated Protein 9/metabolism
- CRISPR-Cas Systems
- Cattle
- Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
- Disease Models, Animal
- Drosophila/genetics
- Drosophila/parasitology
- Gene Editing/methods
- Genome, Protozoan
- Leishmania/genetics
- Leishmania/pathogenicity
- Leishmaniasis/parasitology
- Leishmaniasis/prevention & control
- Leishmaniasis/transmission
- Neglected Diseases/parasitology
- Neglected Diseases/prevention & control
- RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems/genetics
- RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems/metabolism
- Trypanosoma/genetics
- Trypanosoma/pathogenicity
- Trypanosomiasis, African/parasitology
- Trypanosomiasis, African/prevention & control
- Trypanosomiasis, African/transmission
- Trypanosomiasis, Bovine/parasitology
- Trypanosomiasis, Bovine/prevention & control
- Trypanosomiasis, Bovine/transmission
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécile Minet
- CIRAD, UMR INTERTRYP, F-34398 Montpellier, France; INTERTRYP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier, France.
| | - Sophie Thévenon
- CIRAD, UMR INTERTRYP, F-34398 Montpellier, France; INTERTRYP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier, France.
| | - Isabelle Chantal
- CIRAD, UMR INTERTRYP, F-34398 Montpellier, France; INTERTRYP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier, France.
| | - Philippe Solano
- IRD, UMR INTERTRYP IRD, CIRAD, University of Montpellier, F-34398 Montpellier, France.
| | - David Berthier
- CIRAD, UMR INTERTRYP, F-34398 Montpellier, France; INTERTRYP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier, France.
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29
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Sereno D, Dorkeld F, Akhoundi M, Perrin P. Pathogen Species Identification from Metagenomes in Ancient Remains: The Challenge of Identifying Human Pathogenic Species of Trypanosomatidae via Bioinformatic Tools. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9080418. [PMID: 30127280 PMCID: PMC6115896 DOI: 10.3390/genes9080418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate species identification from ancient DNA samples is a difficult task that would shed light on the evolutionary history of pathogenic microorganisms. The field of palaeomicrobiology has undoubtedly benefited from the advent of untargeted metagenomic approaches that use next-generation sequencing methodologies. Nevertheless, assigning ancient DNA at the species level is a challenging process. Recently, the gut microbiome analysis of three pre-Columbian Andean mummies (Santiago-Rodriguez et al., 2016) has called into question the identification of Leishmania in South America. The accurate assignment would be important because it will provide some key elements that are linked to the evolutionary scenario for visceral leishmaniasis agents in South America. Here, we recovered the metagenomic data filed in the metagenomics RAST server (MG-RAST) to identify the different members of the Trypanosomatidae family that have infected these ancient remains. For this purpose, we used the ultrafast metagenomic sequence classifier, based on an exact alignment of k-mers (Kraken) and Bowtie2, an ultrafast and memory-efficient tool for aligning sequencing reads to long reference sequences. The analyses, which have been conducted on the most exhaustive genomic database possible on Trypanosomatidae, show that species assignments could be biased by a lack of some genomic sequences of Trypanosomatidae species (strains). Nevertheless, our work raises the issue of possible co-infections by multiple members of the Trypanosomatidae family in these three pre-Columbian mummies. In the three mummies, we show the presence of DNA that is reminiscent of a probable co-infection with Leptomonas seymouri, a parasite of insect’s gut, and Lotmaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Sereno
- IRD, Montpellier University, InterTryp, 34394 Montpellier, France.
| | - Franck Dorkeld
- INRA-UMR 1062 CBGP (INRA, IRD, CIRAD), Montpellier SupAgro, Montferrier-sur-Lez, 34988 Languedoc Roussillon, France.
| | - Mohammad Akhoundi
- Parasitology-Mycology Department, Avicenne Hospital, AP-HP, 93000 Bobigny, France.
| | - Pascale Perrin
- Montpellier University, IRD, CNRS, MIVEGEC, 34394 Montpellier, France.
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Spodareva VV, Grybchuk-Ieremenko A, Losev A, Votýpka J, Lukeš J, Yurchenko V, Kostygov AY. Diversity and evolution of anuran trypanosomes: insights from the study of European species. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:447. [PMID: 30071897 PMCID: PMC6090815 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3023-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Amphibian trypanosomes were the first ever described trypanosomatids. Nevertheless, their taxonomy remains entangled because of pleomorphism and high prevalence of mixed infections. Despite the fact that the first species in this group were described in Europe, virtually none of the trypanosomes from European anurans was analyzed using modern molecular methods. Methods In this study, we explored the diversity and phylogeny of trypanosomes in true frogs from Europe using light microscopy and molecular methods. Results A comparison of observed morphotypes with previous descriptions allowed us to reliably identify three Trypanosoma spp., whereas the remaining two strains were considered to represent novel taxa. In all cases, more than one morphotype per blood sample was observed, indicating mixed infections. One hundred and thirty obtained 18S rRNA gene sequences were unambiguously subdivided into five groups, correspondent to the previously recognized or novel taxa of anuran trypanosomes. Conclusions In this work we studied European frog trypanosomes. Even with a relatively moderate number of isolates, we were able to find not only three well-known species, but also two apparently new ones. We revealed that previous assignments of multiple isolates from distant geographical localities to one species based on superficial resemblance were unjustified. Our work also demonstrated a high prevalence of mixed trypanosome infections in frogs and proposed a plausible scenario of evolution of the genus Trypanosoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktoria V Spodareva
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.,Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | - Alexander Losev
- Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Jan Votýpka
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czechia.,Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia. .,Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia. .,Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Alexei Yu Kostygov
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.
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Grybchuk D, Akopyants NS, Kostygov AY, Konovalovas A, Lye LF, Dobson DE, Zangger H, Fasel N, Butenko A, Frolov AO, Votýpka J, d'Avila-Levy CM, Kulich P, Moravcová J, Plevka P, Rogozin IB, Serva S, Lukeš J, Beverley SM, Yurchenko V. Viral discovery and diversity in trypanosomatid protozoa with a focus on relatives of the human parasite Leishmania. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E506-15. [PMID: 29284754 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1717806115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of viral diversity is expanding greatly, but many lineages remain underexplored. We surveyed RNA viruses in 52 cultured monoxenous relatives of the human parasite Leishmania (Crithidia and Leptomonas), as well as plant-infecting PhytomonasLeptomonas pyrrhocoris was a hotbed for viral discovery, carrying a virus (Leptomonas pyrrhocoris ostravirus 1) with a highly divergent RNA-dependent RNA polymerase missed by conventional BLAST searches, an emergent clade of tombus-like viruses, and an example of viral endogenization. A deep-branching clade of trypanosomatid narnaviruses was found, notable as Leptomonas seymouri bearing Narna-like virus 1 (LepseyNLV1) have been reported in cultures recovered from patients with visceral leishmaniasis. A deep-branching trypanosomatid viral lineage showing strong affinities to bunyaviruses was termed "Leishbunyavirus" (LBV) and judged sufficiently distinct to warrant assignment within a proposed family termed "Leishbunyaviridae" Numerous relatives of trypanosomatid viruses were found in insect metatranscriptomic surveys, which likely arise from trypanosomatid microbiota. Despite extensive sampling we found no relatives of the totivirus Leishmaniavirus (LRV1/2), implying that it was acquired at about the same time the Leishmania became able to parasitize vertebrates. As viruses were found in over a quarter of isolates tested, many more are likely to be found in the >600 unsurveyed trypanosomatid species. Viral loss was occasionally observed in culture, providing potentially isogenic virus-free lines enabling studies probing the biological role of trypanosomatid viruses. These data shed important insights on the emergence of viruses within an important trypanosomatid clade relevant to human disease.
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Flores-Ferrer A, Marcou O, Waleckx E, Dumonteil E, Gourbière S. Evolutionary ecology of Chagas disease; what do we know and what do we need? Evol Appl 2017; 11:470-487. [PMID: 29636800 PMCID: PMC5891055 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [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: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The aetiological agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, is a key human pathogen afflicting most populations of Latin America. This vectorborne parasite is transmitted by haematophageous triatomines, whose control by large‐scale insecticide spraying has been the main strategy to limit the impact of the disease for over 25 years. While those international initiatives have been successful in highly endemic areas, this systematic approach is now challenged by the emergence of insecticide resistance and by its low efficacy in controlling species that are only partially adapted to human habitat. In this contribution, we review evidences that Chagas disease control shall now be entering a second stage that will rely on a better understanding of triatomines adaptive potential, which requires promoting microevolutionary studies and –omic approaches. Concomitantly, we show that our knowledge of the determinants of the evolution of T. cruzi high diversity and low virulence remains too limiting to design evolution‐proof strategies, while such attributes may be part of the future of Chagas disease control after the 2020 WHO's target of regional elimination of intradomiciliary transmission has been reached. We should then aim at developing a theory of T. cruzi virulence evolution that we anticipate to provide an interesting enrichment of the general theory according to the specificities of transmission of this very generalist stercorarian trypanosome. We stress that many ecological data required to better understand selective pressures acting on vector and parasite populations are already available as they have been meticulously accumulated in the last century of field research. Although more specific information will surely be needed, an effective research strategy would be to integrate data into the conceptual and theoretical framework of evolutionary ecology and life‐history evolution that provide the quantitative backgrounds necessary to understand and possibly anticipate adaptive responses to public health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alheli Flores-Ferrer
- UMR 228, ESPACE-DEV-IMAGES, 'Institut de Modélisation et d'Analyses en Géo-Environnement et Santé'Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France.,UMR 5096 'Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes' Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France
| | - Olivier Marcou
- UMR 228, ESPACE-DEV-IMAGES, 'Institut de Modélisation et d'Analyses en Géo-Environnement et Santé'Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France
| | - Etienne Waleckx
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi" Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán Mérida Mexico
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Tulane University New Orleans LA USA
| | - Sébastien Gourbière
- UMR 228, ESPACE-DEV-IMAGES, 'Institut de Modélisation et d'Analyses en Géo-Environnement et Santé'Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France.,UMR 5096 'Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes' Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France
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Abstract
Trypanosomes (genus Trypanosoma) are parasites of humans, and wild and domestic mammals, in which they cause several economically and socially important diseases, including sleeping sickness in Africa and Chagas disease in the Americas. Despite the development of numerous molecular diagnostics and increasing awareness of the importance of these neglected parasites, there is currently no universal genetic barcoding marker available for trypanosomes. In this review we provide an overview of the methods used for trypanosome detection and identification, discuss the potential application of different barcoding techniques and examine the requirements of the 'ideal' trypanosome genetic barcode. In addition, we explore potential alternative genetic markers for barcoding Trypanosoma species, including an analysis of phylogenetically informative nucleotide changes along the length of the 18S rRNA gene.
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34
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Kostygov AY, Butenko A, Nenarokova A, Tashyreva D, Flegontov P, Lukeš J, Yurchenko V. Genome of Ca. Pandoraea novymonadis, an Endosymbiotic Bacterium of the Trypanosomatid Novymonas esmeraldas. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1940. [PMID: 29046673 PMCID: PMC5632650 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [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: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We have sequenced, annotated, and analyzed the genome of Ca. Pandoraea novymonadis, a recently described bacterial endosymbiont of the trypanosomatid Novymonas esmeraldas. When compared with genomes of its free-living relatives, it has all the hallmarks of the endosymbionts’ genomes, such as significantly reduced size, extensive gene loss, low GC content, numerous gene rearrangements, and low codon usage bias. In addition, Ca. P. novymonadis lacks mobile elements, has a strikingly low number of pseudogenes, and almost all genes are single copied. This suggests that it already passed the intensive period of host adaptation, which still can be observed in the genome of Polynucleobacter necessarius, a certainly recent endosymbiont. Phylogenetically, Ca. P. novymonadis is more related to P. necessarius, an intracytoplasmic bacterium of free-living ciliates, than to Ca. Kinetoplastibacterium spp., the only other known endosymbionts of trypanosomatid flagellates. As judged by the extent of the overall genome reduction and the loss of particular metabolic abilities correlating with the increasing dependence of the symbiont on its host, Ca. P. novymonadis occupies an intermediate position P. necessarius and Ca. Kinetoplastibacterium spp. We conclude that the relationships between Ca. P. novymonadis and N. esmeraldas are well-established, although not as fine-tuned as in the case of Strigomonadinae and their endosymbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Y Kostygov
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.,Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anzhelika Butenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.,Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Anna Nenarokova
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia.,Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Daria Tashyreva
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Pavel Flegontov
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.,Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia.,Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia.,Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia.,Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia.,Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
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35
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Schmid-Hempel P, Puhr K, Krüger N, Reber C, Schmid-Hempel R. DYNAMIC AND GENETIC CONSEQUENCES OF VARIATION IN HORIZONTAL TRANSMISSION FOR A MICROPARASITIC INFECTION. Evolution 2017; 53:426-434. [PMID: 28565410 DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1999.tb03778.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [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: 05/06/1998] [Accepted: 10/30/1998] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Transmission to a new host is a critical step in the life cycle of a parasite. Variation in the characteristics of the transmission process, for example, due to host demography, is assumed to select for different variants of the parasite. We have experimentally tested how variation in the time to transmission (early or late after infection) and exposure to adverse conditions outside the host (immediate or delayed contact with new host) interact to determine the success of the infection in the next host, using the trypanosome Crithidia bombi infecting its bumblebee host, Bombus terrestris. These two experimentally manageable steps mimic the processes of within- and among-host selection for the parasite. We found that early transmission led to higher infection success in the next host as did immediate contact with the new host. However, there was no interaction between the two parameters as would be expected if early-transmitted variants, resulting from rapid multiplication within the host, would be less adapted to the conditions encountered during the between-host transfer or infection of the next host. Furthermore, typing the genetic variability of the parasites with microsatellites showed that the four different transmission routes of our experiment selected for different degrees of allelic diversity of the infecting parasite populations. The results support the idea that variation in the transmission process selects for different genotypic variants of the parasite. At the same time, the relationship of allelic diversity with infection intensity suggested that the coinfection model of May and Nowak (1995) may be appropriate, where each parasite is able to infect and multiply independent of others within the same host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Schmid-Hempel
- ETH Zurich, Experimental Ecology, ETH-Zentrum NW, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Katina Puhr
- School of Biological and Medical Sciences, Bute Medical Building, University of St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 9TS, Scotland
| | - Nadja Krüger
- ETH Zurich, Experimental Ecology, ETH-Zentrum NW, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christine Reber
- ETH Zurich, Experimental Ecology, ETH-Zentrum NW, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland
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36
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Arnqvist G. SPATIAL VARIATION IN SELECTIVE REGIMES: SEXUAL SELECTION IN THE WATER STRIDER, GERRIS ODONTOGASTER. Evolution 2017; 46:914-929. [PMID: 28564413 DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1992.tb00609.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [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: 04/23/1991] [Accepted: 11/18/1991] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Studies of phenotypic selection in natural populations are often concerned with simply detecting selection. In adopting a more mechanistic approach, this study compares the sexual selection regimes in natural populations of the water strider Gerris odontogaster with a priori predictions of selection, based on a number of previous field and laboratory studies of the behavioral mechanisms of selection. In this species, a general reluctance of females to mate allows for intersexual selection for ability to subdue reluctant females in males. Female reluctance to mate has been shown to decrease with increasing population density, suggesting that sexual selection should be weaker in high density populations. Three different populations with large differences in population density were studied. A number of traits including parasite load, body mass, body size and male abdominal process length were found to experience significant sexual selection. The investigated populations differed considerably with regard to the total strength of selection on the measured traits and the form of selection on single traits. In general, males in the population with the highest density experienced the weakest selection for grasping ability. This pattern is ascribed to density-related alterations of female mating behavior. Selection for male grasping ability, as reflected by selection on male abdominal process length, is reduced in high-density populations where reluctant females are more easily subdued. Further, the studied populations differed significantly in mean phenotype and phenotypic variance for male abdominal process length. It is suggested that interpopulational differences in selective regimes may generate local adaptations with respect to male abdominal process length, and that gene flow may contribute to the maintenance of the high genetic variation in this trait. It is further suggested that more empirical effort should be made in quantifying and understanding spatial and temporal variation in selection in natural populations, since this may provide information on the prevalence of local adaptations in metric traits and on the mechanisms of selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Göran Arnqvist
- Department of Animal Ecology, University of Umeå, S-901 87 Umeå, SWEDEN
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37
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Guo H, Novozhilova NM, Bandini G, Turco SJ, Ferguson MAJ, Beverley SM. Genetic metabolic complementation establishes a requirement for GDP-fucose in Leishmania. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:10696-10708. [PMID: 28465349 PMCID: PMC5481574 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.778480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
To survive in its sand fly vector, the trypanosomatid protozoan parasite Leishmania first attaches to the midgut to avoid excretion, but eventually it must detach for transmission by the next bite. In Leishmania major strain Friedlin, this is controlled by modifications of the stage-specific adhesin lipophosphoglycan (LPG). During differentiation to infective metacyclics, d-arabinopyranose (d-Arap) caps the LPG side-chain galactose residues, blocking interaction with the midgut lectin PpGalec, thereby leading to parasite detachment and transmission. Previously, we characterized two closely related L. major genes (FKP40 and AFKP80) encoding bifunctional proteins with kinase/pyrophosphorylase activities required for salvage and conversion of l-fucose and/or d-Arap into the nucleotide-sugar substrates required by glycosyltransferases. Whereas only AFKP80 yielded GDP-d-Arap from exogenous d-Arap, both proteins were able to salvage l-fucose to GDP-fucose. We now show that Δafkp80− null mutants ablated d-Arap modifications of LPG as predicted, whereas Δfkp40− null mutants resembled wild type (WT). Fucoconjugates had not been reported previously in L. major, but unexpectedly, we were unable to generate fkp40−/afkp80− double mutants, unless one of the A/FKPs was expressed ectopically. To test whether GDP-fucose itself was essential for Leishmania viability, we employed “genetic metabolite complementation.” First, the trypanosome de novo pathway enzymes GDP-mannose dehydratase (GMD) and GDP-fucose synthetase (GMER) were expressed ectopically; from these cells, the Δfkp40−/Δafkp80− double mutant was now readily obtained. As expected, the Δfkp40−/Δafkp80−/+TbGMD-GMER line lacked the capacity to generate GDP-Arap, while synthesizing abundant GDP-fucose. These results establish a requirement for GDP-fucose for L. major viability and predict the existence of an essential fucoconjugate(s).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjie Guo
- From the Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Natalia M Novozhilova
- the Department of Biochemistry, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, and
| | - Giulia Bandini
- the Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Science, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Salvatore J Turco
- the Department of Biochemistry, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, and
| | - Michael A J Ferguson
- the Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Science, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen M Beverley
- From the Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110,
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38
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Zamora-Ledesma S, Hernández-Camacho N, Villagrán-Herrera ME, Sánchez-Moreno M, Concha-Valdez FG, Jones RW, Moreno-Pérez MA, Camacho-Macías B. Presence of trypanosomatid antibodies in gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) and domestic and feral dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) in Queretaro, Mexico. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2016; 5:25-30. [PMID: 31014533 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2016.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. are vector-borne parasitic protozoa, the causative agents of Chagas and Leishmaniasis diseases, respectively. Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. have been reported in a wide variety of mammals, including canids, which play an important role in the transmission of these parasites between urban and natural environments. Currently, no studies have been conducted on trypanosomatids in wild canids in Mexico. Using a partially purified fraction of excreted Iron Superoxide dismutase (FeSODe) of T. cruzi, L. mexicana, and L. infantum as antigen for the ELISA and Western blot tests, we detected the presence of antibodies against these parasites in gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus Schreber, 1775), domestic and feral dogs (Canis lupus familiaris L.) from Queretaro. Our study provides new information regarding the potential of these carnivores as reservoirs of T. cruzi, Leishmania mexicana, and L. infantum for Latin America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvador Zamora-Ledesma
- Cuerpo Académico de Ecología y Diversidad Faunística, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Av. De las Ciencias S/N Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230, México.
| | - Norma Hernández-Camacho
- Cuerpo Académico de Ecología y Diversidad Faunística, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Av. De las Ciencias S/N Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230, México.
| | - María Elena Villagrán-Herrera
- Laboratorio de Tripanosomiasis Americana, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Clavel No. 200, Prados de La Capilla, Santiago de Querétaro, Qro 76176, México.
| | - Manuel Sánchez-Moreno
- Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Fuente Nueva, s/n, 18001 Granada, Spain.
| | - Fanny Guadalupe Concha-Valdez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzáes #490×Calle 59, Col. Centro, Mérida, Yucatán 97000, México.
| | - Robert W Jones
- Cuerpo Académico de Ecología y Diversidad Faunística, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Av. De las Ciencias S/N Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230, México.
| | - Marco Antonio Moreno-Pérez
- Cuerpo Académico de Ecología y Diversidad Faunística, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Av. De las Ciencias S/N Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230, México.
| | - Brenda Camacho-Macías
- Cuerpo Académico de Ecología y Diversidad Faunística, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Av. De las Ciencias S/N Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230, México.
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39
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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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40
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Votýpka J, Kostygov AY, Kraeva N, Grybchuk-Ieremenko A, Tesařová M, Grybchuk D, Lukeš J, Yurchenko V. Kentomonas gen. n., a new genus of endosymbiont-containing trypanosomatids of Strigomonadinae subfam. n. Protist 2014; 165:825-38. [PMID: 25460233 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2014.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [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: 08/05/2014] [Revised: 09/25/2014] [Accepted: 09/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Compared to their relatives, the diversity of endosymbiont-containing Trypanosomatidae remains under-investigated, with only two new species described in the past 25 years, bringing the total to six. The possible reasons for such a poor representation of this group are either their overall scarcity or susceptibility of their symbionts to antibiotics that are traditionally used for cultivation of flagellates. In this work we describe the isolation, cultivation, as well as morphological and molecular characterization of a novel endosymbiont-harboring trypanosomatid species, Kentomonas sorsogonicus sp. n. The newly erected genus Kentomonas gen. n. shares many common features with the genera Angomonas and Strigomonas, such as the presence of an extensive system of peripheral mitochondrial branches distorting the corset of subpellicular microtubules, large and loosely packed kinetoplast, and a rudimentary paraflagellar rod. Here we also propose to unite all endosymbiont-bearing trypanosomatids into the new subfamily Strigomonadinae subfam. n.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Votýpka
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Alexei Yu Kostygov
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic; Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Natalya Kraeva
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | | | - Martina Tesařová
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Danyil Grybchuk
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic.
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Barros JHS, Fonseca TS, Macedo-Silva RM, Côrte-Real S, Toma HK, Madeira MDF. Aflagellar epimastigote forms are found in axenic culture of Trypanosoma caninum. Acta Trop 2014; 137:147-51. [PMID: 24879930 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2014.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [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: 12/05/2013] [Revised: 04/11/2014] [Accepted: 05/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Representatives of the genus Trypanosoma have been traditionally found in epimastigote, espheromastigote and trypomastigote flagellated forms in axenic cultures. Trypanosoma caninum is a trypanosomatid that has recently been reported infecting dogs in endemic areas of canine leishmaniasis in Brazil. It presents specific biological characteristics and it is found exclusively on healthy skin. Here, we describe the evolutive forms of this parasite showing not only the forms commonly found in culture, but also epimastigote forms with no free flagellum. The study was conducted using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and, we demonstrate that typical flagellated epimastigotes originate from forms without flagellum, although the latter may remain without differentiation in the culture. Two hypotheses are considered and discussed in this paper: (i) the aflagellated epimastigotes are a typical developmental forms of T. caninum and (ii) the emergence of these aflagellated forms could be resultant from a disturbed process during cell division caused by interfering specific proteins, which leads to inability to form and regulate the flagellum length. In any case, considering that T. caninum is a parasite that is still little studied, the information brought by our study adds data which may be useful to clarify aspects on the cell cycle of this intriguing parasite that has been found in different regions of Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana H S Barros
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Pesquisa Clínica em Doenças Infecciosas, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tatiana S Fonseca
- Laboratório de Vigilância em Leishmanioses, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Roger M Macedo-Silva
- Plataforma Multiusuários Rudolf Barth, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Suzana Côrte-Real
- Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Helena K Toma
- Laboratório de Diagnóstico Molecular e Hematologia, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21491-599 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Maria de Fatima Madeira
- Laboratório de Vigilância em Leishmanioses, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Kostygov AY, Grybchuk-Ieremenko A, Malysheva MN, Frolov AO, Yurchenko V. Molecular revision of the genus Wallaceina. Protist 2014; 165:594-604. [PMID: 25113831 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2014.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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: 02/25/2014] [Revised: 07/01/2014] [Accepted: 07/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This work is focused on the molecular revision of the genus Wallaceina established in the very twilight of the classical morphotype-based approach to classification of the Trypanosomatidae. The genus was erected due to the presence of a unique variant of endomastigotes. In molecular phylogenetic studies four described species of Wallaceina were shown to be extremely close to each other and to some other undescribed isolates clustered within Leishmaniinae clade, while three recently included species formed a separate clade. Our results of morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that all Leishmaniinae-bound wallaceinas are just different isolates of the same species that we rename back to Crithidia brevicula Frolov, Malysheva, 1989. To accommodate former Wallaceina spp. phylogenetically distant from the genus Crithidia, we propose a new generic name Wallacemonas Kostygov et Yurchenko, 2014.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Yu Kostygov
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab. 1, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - Anastasiia Grybchuk-Ieremenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Marina N Malysheva
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab. 1, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - Alexander O Frolov
- Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab. 1, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic.
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Votýpka J, Suková E, Kraeva N, Ishemgulova A, Duží I, Lukeš J, Yurchenko V. Diversity of trypanosomatids (Kinetoplastea: Trypanosomatidae) parasitizing fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera) and description of a new genus Blechomonas gen. n. Protist 2013; 164:763-81. [PMID: 24113136 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2013.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2013] [Revised: 08/28/2013] [Accepted: 08/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
To further investigate the diversity of Trypanosomatidae we have examined the species present within the flea (Siphonaptera) population in the Czech Republic. Out of 1549 fleas, 239 were found to be infected by trypanosomatids. Axenic cultures were established from 90 infected specimens and 29 of them were further characterized. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the SL RNA, gGAPDH, and SSU rRNA genes revealed a striking diversity within this group and analyzed isolates were classified into 16 Typing units (TUs) of which 15 typified new species. In addition to one Trypanosoma species, two TUs grouped within the sub-family Leishmaniinae, two clustered together with Herpetomonas, wheras 11 TUs formed a novel clade branching off between Trypanosoma spp. and remaining trypanosomatids. We propose to recognize this clade as a new genus Blechomonas and a new subfamily Blechomonadinae, and provide molecular and morphological description of 11 TUs representing this genus. Our finding of such an ancient host-specific group sheds new light at the origin of Trypanosomatidae and the roots of dixenous parasitism. The strict host restriction of Blechomonas to Siphonaptera with adult fleas' dependence on blood meal may reflect passing of parasites from larvae through pupae to adults and implies potential transmission to the warm-blooded vertebrates.
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Arnqvist G, Mäki M. Infection rates and pathogenicity of trypanosomatid gut parasites in the water strider Gerris odontogaster (Zett.) (Heteroptera: Gerridae). Oecologia 1990; 84:194-8. [PMID: 28312752 DOI: 10.1007/BF00318271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/1990] [Accepted: 04/17/1990] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosomatid flagellates are common protozoan gut parasites of a wide range of insect species. Water striders (Gerridae) harbour the trypanosomatid Blastocrithidia gerridis. Three different populations of the water strider Gerris odontogaster in northern Sweden were sampled to assess the infection rate dynamics of trypanosomatids. The initially very low infection rates (0%-15%) early in the season were followed by a rapid increase during the reproductive period of the water striders, reaching very high levels (80%-90%). The pathogenic effects of trypanosomatids on G. odontogaster adults were studied in laboratory experiments. The parasites caused a general reduction of host vigour. Male skating endurance was negatively correlated with the intensity of the trypanosomatid infection. However, infection of trypanosomatids increased the mortality among adults only when the water striders were subjected to food stress. The trypanosomatids did not reduce the fecundity of females provided with food. We suggest that trypanosomatid gut parasites may be an important mortality factor in water strider populations. Since the pathogenicity of the parasites is enhanced by stress, parasitism by trypanosomatids may contribute to the regulation of host populations.
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