Dataset Information

Transcriptomic analysis of the poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, across all stages of the lifecycle.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The blood feeding poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae, causes substantial economic damage to the egg laying industry worldwide, and is a serious welfare concern for laying hens and poultry house workers. In this study we have investigated the temporal gene expression across the 6 stages/sexes (egg, larvae, protonymph and deutonymph, adult male and adult female) of this neglected parasite in order to understand the temporal expression associated with development, parasitic lifestyle, reproduction and allergen expression.

Results

RNA-seq transcript data for the 6 stages were mapped to the PRM genome creating a publicly available gene expression atlas (on the OrcAE platform in conjunction with the PRM genome). Network analysis and clustering of stage-enriched gene expression in PRM resulted in 17 superclusters with stage-specific or multi-stage expression profiles. The 6 stage specific superclusters were clearly demarked from each other and the adult female supercluster contained the most stage specific transcripts (2725), whilst the protonymph supercluster the fewest (165). Fifteen pairwise comparisons performed between the different stages resulted in a total of 6025 Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) (P > 0.99). These data were evaluated alongside a Venn/Euler analysis of the top 100 most abundant genes in each stage. An expanded set of cuticle proteins and enzymes (chitinase and metallocarboxypeptidases) were identified in larvae and underpin cuticle formation and ecdysis to the protonymph stage. Two mucin/peritrophic-A salivary proteins (DEGAL6771g00070, DEGAL6824g00220) were highly expressed in the blood-feeding stages, indicating peritrophic membrane formation during feeding. Reproduction-associated vitellogenins were the most abundant transcripts in adult females whilst, in adult males, an expanded set of serine and cysteine proteinases and an epididymal protein (DEGAL6668g00010) were highly abundant. Assessment of the expression patterns of putative homologues of 32 allergen groups from house dust mites indicated a bias in their expression towards the non-feeding larval stage of PRM.

Conclusions

This study is the first evaluation of temporal gene expression across all stages of PRM and has provided insight into developmental, feeding, reproduction and survival strategies employed by this mite. The publicly available PRM resource on OrcAE offers a valuable tool for researchers investigating the biology and novel interventions of this parasite.

SUBMITTER: Bartley K

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8028124 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundThe worldwide distributed hematophagous poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer, 1778) is one of the most important pests of poultry. Even though 35 acaricide compounds are available, control of D. gallinae remains difficult due to acaricide resistances as well as food safety regulations. The current study was carried out to identify putative excretory/secretory (pES) proteins of D. gallinae since these proteins play an important role in the host-parasite interaction and therefore represent potential targets for the development of novel intervention strategies. Additionally, putative transmembrane proteins (pTM) of D. gallinae were analyzed as representatives of this protein group also serve as promising targets for new control strategies.MethodsD. gallinae pES and pTM protein prediction was based on putative protein sequences of whole transcriptome data which was parsed to different bioinformatical servers (SignalP, SecretomeP, TMHMM and TargetP). Subsequently, pES and pTM protein sequences were functionally annotated by different computational tools.ResultsComputational analysis of the D. gallinae proteins identified 3,091 pES (5.6%) and 7,361 pTM proteins (13.4%). A significant proportion of pES proteins are considered to be involved in blood feeding and digestion such as salivary proteins, proteases, lipases and carbohydrases. The cysteine proteases cathepsin D and L as well as legumain, enzymes that cleave hemoglobin during blood digestion of the near related ticks, represented 6 of the top-30 BLASTP matches of the poultry red mite's secretome. Identified pTM proteins may be involved in many important biological processes including cell signaling, transport of membrane-impermeable molecules and cell recognition. Ninjurin-like proteins, whose functions in mites are still unknown, represent the most frequently occurring pTM.ConclusionThe current study is the first providing a mite's secretome as well as transmembranome and provides valuable insights into D. gallinae pES and pTM proteins operating in different metabolic pathways. Identifying a variety of molecules putatively involved in blood feeding may significantly contribute to the development of new therapeutic targets or vaccines against this poultry pest.

Project description:BackgroundThe poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae, is one of the most economically deleterious ectoparasites affecting egg-laying hens worldwide. It may be possible to control D. gallinae populations by manipulating lighting regimes within poultry units. However, no studies have clearly shown the effects of darkness on the population growth rate of D. gallinae.MethodsThe effect of darkness on the population growth rate of D. gallinae was investigated, together with the first description of the molecular identity of the mite from China. Mite variables under two lighting regimens (1:23 h L:D and 12:12 h L:D) were compared, including number of mites and eggs, survival and feeding rates, engorgement, oviposition, hatchability and the life-cycle of D. gallinae.ResultsThe results showed that the number of mites (13,763 ± 956) and eggs (5424 ± 317) in the rearing system with prolonged darkness of 1:23 h L:D at 4th week were 2.4- and 3.6-fold higher than those under a conventional lighting regimen of 12:12 h L:D, respectively. The feeding rates of mites under prolonged darkness ranged from 36.7 ± 1.1% to 52.0 ± 7.0%, which were significantly higher than those under conventional lighting regimen (ranging from 22.6 ± 1.9% to 37.3 ± 1.6%). The mean weight of engorged females (0.26 ± 0.01 mg) and the mean number of eggs per female (on average 5.87 ± 0.36) under prolonged darkness were significantly higher than those under conventional lighting regimen (0.22 ± 0.01 mg and 3.62 ± 0.31, respectively). However, the survival rate ranging from 98.07 ± 0.10% to 98.93 ± 0.19%, hatchability of 97.93 ± 0.01% and the life-cycle of D. gallinae (9 days) was not affected by the lighting period.ConclusionsOur findings demonstrated that prolonged darkness significantly promoted the proliferation levels of D. gallinae, resulting in increased number of mites and eggs in the rearing system. The promoted population growth of D. gallinae was found to be related to the increased feeding rate, engorgement level and oviposition level of mites under prolonged darkness. The egg hatchability, the survival rates and the duration of life-cycle of D. gallinae were not affected by the light regimes.