Penetrative and non-penetrative interaction between Laboulbeniales fungi and their arthropod hosts
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Reboleira A
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8589835 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Crucial factors influencing the epidemiology of Rickettsia felis rickettsiosis include pathogenesis and transmission. Detection of R. felis DNA in a number of arthropod species has been reported, with characterized isolates, R. felis strain LSU and strain LSU-Lb, generated from the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, and the non-hematophagous booklouse, Liposcelis bostrychophila, respectively. While it is realized that strain influence on host biology varies, the rickettsial response to these distinct host environments remained undefined. To identify a panel of potential rickettsial transmission determinants in the cat flea, the transcriptional profile for these two strains of R. felis were compared in their arthropod hosts using RNAseq. Rickettsial genes with increased transcription in the flea as compared to the booklouse were identified. Genes previously associated with bacterial virulence including LPS biosynthesis, Type IV secretion system, ABC transporters, and a toxin-antitoxin system were selected for further study. Transcription of putative virulence-associated genes was determined in a flea infection bioassay for both strains of R. felis. A host-dependent transcriptional profile during bloodfeeding, specifically, an increased expression of selected transcripts in newly infected cat fleas and flea feces was detected when compared to arthropod cell culture and incubation in vertebrate blood. Together, these studies have identified novel, host-dependent rickettsial factors that likely contribute to successful horizontal transmission by bloodfeeding arthropods.
| S-EPMC5035074 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The aim of this study was to explore the diversity of ectoparasitic fungi (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales) that use bat flies (Diptera, Hippoboscoidea) as hosts. Bat flies themselves live as ectoparasites on the fur and wing membranes of bats (Mammalia, Chiroptera); hence this is a tripartite parasite system. Here, we collected bats, bat flies, and Laboulbeniales, and conducted phylogenetic analyses of Laboulbeniales to contrast morphology with ribosomal sequence data. Parasitism of bat flies by Laboulbeniales arose at least three times independently, once in the Eastern Hemisphere (Arthrorhynchus) and twice in the Western Hemisphere (Gloeandromyces, Nycteromyces). We hypothesize that the genera Arthrorhynchus and Nycteromyces evolved independently from lineages of ectoparasites of true bugs (Hemiptera). We assessed phylogenetic diversity of the genus Gloeandromyces by considering the LSU rDNA region. Phenotypic plasticity and position-induced morphological adaptations go hand in hand. Different morphotypes belong to the same phylogenetic species. Two species, G. pageanus and G. streblae, show divergence by host utilization. In our assessment of coevolution, we only observe congruence between the Old World clades of bat flies and Laboulbeniales. The other associations are the result of the roosting ecology of the bat hosts. This study has considerably increased our knowledge about bats and their associated ectoparasites and shown the necessity of including molecular data in Laboulbeniales taxonomy.
| S-EPMC6145224 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundBat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) are obligate, blood-sucking ectoparasites of bats with specialized morphology, life-cycle and ecology. Bat flies are occasionally infected by different species of Laboulbeniales (Fungi: Ascomycota), microscopic fungal ectoparasites belonging to three genera: Arthrorynchus spp. are restricted to the Eastern Hemisphere, while species of Gloeandromyces and Nycteromyces occur on Neotropical bat flies. Little is known about the distribution and host specificity of Arthrorynchus spp. on bat flies. In this study, we focused on sampling bat flies from the cave-dwelling bat species Miniopterus schreibersii. Bat and ectoparasite collection took place in Albania, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland. Flies were inspected for Laboulbeniales infections.ResultsSix hundred sixty seven bat flies of five species were collected: Nycteribia latreillii, N. pedicularia, N. schmidlii, Penicillidia conspicua, and P. dufourii. Laboulbeniales infection was observed on 60 specimens (prevalence = 9%). Two Laboulbeniales species, Arthrorhynchus eucampsipodae and A. nycteribiae, were present on three bat fly species. All observations of A. eucampsipodae were on N. schmidlii, and A. nycteribiae was present on P. conspicua and P dufourii. Arthrorhynchus eucampsipodae is, for the first time, reported from Slovakia and Spain. Arthrorhynchus nycteribiae represents a new country record for Portugal and Slovakia. There were no significant differences among infection rates in different countries. Females of N. schmidlii showed a higher infection rate than males with an observable trend (P = 0.0502). No sex differences in infection rate for P. conspicua and P. dufourii were detected. Finally, thallus density was significantly lower in N. schmidlii compared to P. conspicua and P. dufourii.ConclusionsWith this study, we contribute to the knowledge of the geographical distribution and host specificity of Laboulbeniales fungi associated with ectoparasitic bat flies within Europe. We discuss parasite prevalence and host specificity in the light of our findings and the available literature. Penicillidia conspicua is unambiguously the main host species for A. nycteribiae based on our and previous findings. Differences in parasite intensity and sex-biased infections of the fungi are possible depending on the species.
| S-EPMC6034341 | biostudies-literature
Project description:To determine potential intermediate hosts of Oxyspirura petrowi, a common nematode eyeworm of wild gallinaceous birds, various arthropod species including red harvester ants, beetles, wood cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, katydids, and desert termites were screened for the presence of O. petrowi using specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers targeting the internal transcribed spacer 2 region (ITS2) of the eyeworm ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA). This is the first study to investigate the intermediate hosts of O. petrowi utilizing molecular techniques. We determined 38% (13/34) of the cockroaches, 27% (3/11) of the crickets, and 23% (68/289) of the grasshoppers which were positive for O. petrowi. Identifying potential intermediate hosts of O. petrowi is essential to better understanding the epizoology of the eyeworm's transmission mechanics and to controlling infections in wild gallinaceous birds.
| S-EPMC5846834 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The rust fungi (Pucciniales) are the most speciose natural group of plant pathogens, members of which possess the most complex lifecycles in Fungi. How natural selection works on the Pucciniales has been the subject of several hypotheses in mycology. This study uses molecular age estimation using sequence data from multiple loci, and cophylogeny reconciliation analyses to test hypotheses regarding how the aecial and telial stages in the lifecycle of rust fungi may have differentially impacted their diversification. Molecular age estimates show that the timing of diversification in the Pucciniales correlates with the diversification of their gymnosperm and angiosperm hosts. Host reconciliation analyses suggest that systematic relationships of hosts from the aecial stage of the Pucciniales lifecycle better reflect the systematic relationships among the Pucciniales. The results demonstrate the relative importance of this stage on the overall evolution of the Pucciniales and supports hypotheses made by Leppik over half a century ago. This study represents the first evaluation of how different life stages in the Pucciniales shape the evolution of these fungi.
| S-EPMC6002339 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundBat flies (Streblidae and Nycteribiidae) are among the most specialized families of the order Diptera. Members of these two related families have an obligate ectoparasitic lifestyle on bats, and they are known disease vectors for their hosts. However, bat flies have their own ectoparasites: fungi of the order Laboulbeniales. In Europe, members of the Nycteribiidae are parasitized by four species belonging to the genus Arthrorhynchus. We carried out a systematic survey of the distribution and fungus-bat fly associations of the genus in central Europe (Hungary, Romania).ResultsWe encountered the bat fly Nycteribia pedicularia and the fungus Arthrorhynchus eucampsipodae as new country records for Hungary. The following bat-bat fly associations are for the first time reported: Nycteribia kolenatii on Miniopterus schreibersii, Myotis blythii, Myotis capaccinii and Rhinolophus ferrumequinum; Penicillidia conspicua on Myotis daubentonii; and Phthiridium biarticulatum on Myotis capaccinii. Laboulbeniales infections were found on 45 of 1,494 screened bat flies (3.0%). We report two fungal species: Arthrorhynchus eucampsipodae on Nycteribia schmidlii, and A. nycteribiae on N. schmidlii, Penicillidia conspicua, and P. dufourii. Penicillidia conspicua was infected with Laboulbeniales most frequently (25%, n = 152), followed by N. schmidlii (3.1%, n = 159) and P. dufourii (2.0%, n = 102). Laboulbeniales seem to prefer female bat fly hosts to males. We think this might be due to a combination of factors: female bat flies have a longer life span, while during pregnancy female bat flies are significantly larger than males and accumulate an excess of fat reserves. Finally, ribosomal DNA sequences for A. nycteribiae are presented.ConclusionsWe screened ectoparasitic bat flies from Hungary and Romania for the presence of ectoparasitic Laboulbeniales fungi. Arthrorhynchus eucampsipodae and A. nycteribiae were found on three species of bat flies. This study extends geographical and host ranges of both bat flies and Laboulbeniales fungi. The sequence data generated in this work contribute to molecular phylogenetic studies of the order Laboulbeniales. Our survey shows a complex network of bats, bat flies and Laboulbeniales fungi, of which the hyperparasitic fungi are rare and species-poor. Their host insects, on the other hand, are relatively abundant and diverse.
| S-EPMC5320862 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Identifying the animal origins of RNA viruses requires years of field and laboratory studies that stall responses to emerging infectious diseases. Using large genomic and ecological datasets, we demonstrate that animal reservoirs and the existence and identity of arthropod vectors can be predicted directly from viral genome sequences via machine learning. We illustrate the ability of these models to predict the epidemiology of diverse viruses across most human-infective families of single-stranded RNA viruses, including 69 viruses with previously elusive or never-investigated reservoirs or vectors. Models such as these, which capitalize on the proliferation of low-cost genomic sequencing, can narrow the time lag between virus discovery and targeted research, surveillance, and management.
| S-EPMC6536379 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background Human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis is an emerging life-threatening zoonosis caused by obligately intracellular bacterium, Ehrlichia chaffeensis. E. chaffeensis is transmitted by the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, and replicates in mononuclear phagocytes in mammalian hosts. Differences in the E. chaffeensis transcriptome in mammalian and arthropod hosts are unknown. Thus, we determined host-specific E. chaffeensis gene expression in human monocyte (THP-1) and in Amblyomma and Ixodes tick cell lines (AAE2 and ISE6) using a whole genome microarray. Methodology/Principal Findings The majority (~80%) of E. chaffeensis genes were expressed during infection in human and tick cells. There were few differences observed in E. chaffeensis gene expression between the vector Amblyomma and non-vector Ixodes tick cells, but extensive host-specific and differential gene expression profiles were detected between human and tick cells, including higher transcriptional activity in tick cells and identification of gene subsets that were differentially expressed in the two hosts. Differentially and host-specifically expressed ehrlichial genes encoded major immunoreactive tandem repeat proteins (TRP), the outer membrane protein (OMP-1) family, and hypothetical proteins that were 30–80 amino acids in length. Consistent with previous observations, high expression of p28 and OMP-1B genes was detected in human and tick cells, respectively. Notably, E. chaffeensis genes encoding TRP32 and TRP47 were highly upregulated in the human monocytes and expressed as proteins; however, although TRP transcripts were expressed in tick cells, the proteins were not detected in whole cell lysates demonstrating that TRP expression was post transcriptionally regulated. Conclusions/Significance Ehrlichia gene expression is highly active in tick cells, and differential gene expression among a wide variety of host-pathogen associated genes occurs. Furthermore, we demonstrate that genes associated with host-pathogen interactions are differentially expressed and regulated by post transcriptional mechanisms.
2011-09-07 | GSE29109 | GEO
Project description:Mycorrhiza helper bacteria (MHB) promote the formation of ectomycorrhizae between tree roots and ectomycorrhizal fungi. Despite the high relevance of MHB for forestry and for sustainable tree production in tree nurseries, little is known about the properties of the bacteria that contribute to their helper abilities. The MHB strain Pseudomonas fluorescens BBc6R8 is used as a model to study the mechanisms of the helper effect. We took advantage of new technologies to obtain, for the first time, the whole genome sequence of an MHB. Analyses reveal an important plasticity of the genome with numerous functions acquired by horizontal gene tranfer. Genome mining was combined with transcriptomic and mutagenesis approaches to reveal molecular determinants of the helper effect. The data suggest that the production of helper molecules is likely to be constitutive in vitro. The helper effect appears to be pleiotropic and to rely, for a substantial part, on trophic interactions. Despite its helper abilities, the bacterium is also able in specific conditions to outcompete ectomycorrhizal fungi and inhibit their growth. We conclude that the helper bacterium possess a broad range of properties whose expression depending on the biotic and abiotic conditions can result in either a beneficial, neutral or antagonistic interaction between the plant, the ectomycorrhizal fungus and the bacterium. The study was performed along a kinetic with three sampling times: before contact between the bacterial colonies and the fungus (14 days after inoculation), at the time of contact (16 days after inoculation) and after an extended period of contact (21 days). For each time, three independent replicates were performed. A control treatment without the fungus was performed in triplicate and sampled at 14 days.
2014-06-12 | E-GEOD-38243 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Mycorrhiza helper bacteria (MHB) promote the formation of ectomycorrhizae between tree roots and ectomycorrhizal fungi. Despite the high relevance of MHB for forestry and for sustainable tree production in tree nurseries, little is known about the properties of the bacteria that contribute to their helper abilities. The MHB strain Pseudomonas fluorescens BBc6R8 is used as a model to study the mechanisms of the helper effect. We took advantage of new technologies to obtain, for the first time, the whole genome sequence of an MHB. Analyses reveal an important plasticity of the genome with numerous functions acquired by horizontal gene tranfer. Genome mining was combined with transcriptomic and mutagenesis approaches to reveal molecular determinants of the helper effect. The data suggest that the production of helper molecules is likely to be constitutive in vitro. The helper effect appears to be pleiotropic and to rely, for a substantial part, on trophic interactions. Despite its helper abilities, the bacterium is also able in specific conditions to outcompete ectomycorrhizal fungi and inhibit their growth. We conclude that the helper bacterium possess a broad range of properties whose expression depending on the biotic and abiotic conditions can result in either a beneficial, neutral or antagonistic interaction between the plant, the ectomycorrhizal fungus and the bacterium.
2014-06-12 | GSE38243 | GEO