Dynamics of anti-Borreliaantibodies in Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) chicks suggest a maternal educational effect

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 623-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Gasparini ◽  
Karen D. McCoy ◽  
Vincent Staszewski ◽  
Claudy Haussy ◽  
Thierry Boulinier

In the presence of parasites, mothers can transfer specific immunoglobulins to their offspring. These antibodies are typically thought to provide protection until the juvenile produces its own immune response, but they may also act to educate the developing immune system so as to prepare the individual for future parasite challenge. We examined this hypothesis in a natural host–parasite system involving the Black-legged Kittiwake ( Rissa tridactyla (L., 1758)), the seabird tick ( Ixodes ( Ceratixodes ) uriae White, 1852), and the Lyme disease bacterium ( Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. (Johnston, 1984)). We compared the dynamics of anti-Borrelia antibodies in chicks between ages 5 and 20 days that received a large amount of maternal anti-Borrelia antibodies to those that did not. The results suggest that the presence of maternal antibodies against Borrelia increases the overall production of anti-Borrelia immunoglobulins by chicks and support the existence of an adaptive maternal effect. Experimental approaches are now called for to better appraise the ecological and evolutionary consequences of the maternal transfer of antibodies in host–parasite interactions.

mSystems ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nolwenn M. Dheilly ◽  
Daniel Bolnick ◽  
Seth Bordenstein ◽  
Paul J. Brindley ◽  
Cédric Figuères ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Understanding how microbiomes affect host resistance, parasite virulence, and parasite-associated diseases requires a collaborative effort between parasitologists, microbial ecologists, virologists, and immunologists. We hereby propose the Parasite Microbiome Project to bring together researchers with complementary expertise and to study the role of microbes in host-parasite interactions. Understanding how microbiomes affect host resistance, parasite virulence, and parasite-associated diseases requires a collaborative effort between parasitologists, microbial ecologists, virologists, and immunologists. We hereby propose the Parasite Microbiome Project to bring together researchers with complementary expertise and to study the role of microbes in host-parasite interactions. Data from the Parasite Microbiome Project will help identify the mechanisms driving microbiome variation in parasites and infected hosts and how that variation is associated with the ecology and evolution of parasites and their disease outcomes. This is a call to arms to prevent fragmented research endeavors, encourage best practices in experimental approaches, and allow reliable comparative analyses across model systems. It is also an invitation to foundations and national funding agencies to propel the field of parasitology into the microbiome/metagenomic era.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulia I Corsi ◽  
Swapnil Tichkule ◽  
Anna Rosa Sannella ◽  
Paolo Vatta ◽  
Francesco Asnicar ◽  
...  

Cryptosporidium parvum is a global zoonoses and a major cause of diarrhoea in humans and ruminants. The parasite's life cycle comprises an obligatory sexual phase, during which genetic exchanges can occur between previously isolated lineages. Here, we compare 32 whole genome sequences from human- and ruminant-derived parasite isolates collected across Europe, Egypt and China. We identify three strongly supported clusters that comprise a mix of isolates from different host species, geographic origins, and subtypes. We show that: (1) recombination occurs between ruminant isolates into human isolates; (2) these recombinant regions can be passed on to other human subtypes through gene flow and population admixture; (3) there have been multiple genetic exchanges, and all are likely recent; (4) putative virulence genes are significantly enriched within these genetic exchanges, and (5) this results in an increase in their nucleotide diversity. We carefully dissect the phylogenetic sequence of two genetic exchanges, illustrating the long-term evolutionary consequences of these events. Our results suggest that increased globalisation and close human-animal contacts increase the opportunity for genetic exchanges between previously isolated parasite lineages, resulting in spillover and spillback events. We discuss how this can provide a novel substrate for natural selection at genes involved in host-parasite interactions, thereby potentially altering the dynamic coevolutionary equilibrium in the Red Queens arms race.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anaïs Portet ◽  
Eve Toulza ◽  
Ana Lokmer ◽  
Camille Huot ◽  
David Duval ◽  
...  

SummaryHost-associated microbiota cari affect the fitness of its host i η a number of ways, including the modification of host-parasite interactions and thus the outcome of disease.Biomphalaria glabratais the vector snail of the trematodeSchistosoma mansoni,the agent of human schistosomiasis, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. Here, we present the first study of the snail bacterial microbiota in response toSchistosomainfection. To examine the interplay betweenB. glabrata, S. mansoniand snail microbiota, snails were infected and the microbiota composition was analysed by massive 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing approach. We characterized theBiomphalariabacterial microbiota at the individual level in both naive and infected snails. Sympatric and allopatric strains of parasites were used for infections and re­infections to analyse the modification or dysbiosis of snail microbiota in different host-parasite co-evolutionary contexts. Concomitantly, using RNAseq data, we investigated the link between bacterial microbiota dysbiosis and snail anti-microbial peptide immune response. This work paves the way for a better understanding of snail/schistosome interaction, and would have critical consequences in terms of snail control strategies for fighting schistosomiasis disease in the field.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
V. L. Lopes ◽  
F. V. Costa ◽  
R. A. Rodrigues ◽  
É. M. Braga ◽  
M. Pichorim ◽  
...  

Abstract Host-parasite interactions represent a selective force that may reduce hosts’ lifespan, their reproductive success and survival. Environmental conditions can affect host-parasite communities, leading to distinct patterns of interactions with divergent ecological and evolutionary consequences for their persistence. Here, we tested whether climatic oscillation shapes the temporal dynamics of bird-haemosporidian associations, assessing the main mechanisms involved in the temporal dissimilarity of their interactions’ networks. For two years, we monthly sampled birds in a tropical coastal ecosystem to avian malaria molecular diagnosis. The studied networks exhibited high specialization, medium modularity, with low niche overlap among parasites lineages. Moreover, alpha and β-diversity of hosts, parasites and their interactions, as well as the structure of their networks were temporally consistent, i.e., stable under fluctuations in temperature or precipitation over seasons. The structure and temporal consistency of the studied antagonistic networks suggest a high fidelity between partners, which is likely relevant for their evolutionary persistence.


2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (9) ◽  
pp. 925-933 ◽  
Author(s):  
James A. Cotton ◽  
Jennifer K. Beatty ◽  
Andre G. Buret

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenka Ulrychová ◽  
Pavel Ostašov ◽  
Marta Chanová ◽  
Michael Mareš ◽  
Martin Horn ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The blood flukes of genus Schistosoma are the causative agent of schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease that infects more than 200 million people worldwide. Proteases of schistosomes are involved in critical steps of host–parasite interactions and are promising therapeutic targets. We recently identified and characterized a group of S1 family Schistosoma mansoni serine proteases, including SmSP1 to SmSP5. Expression levels of some SmSPs in S. mansoni are low, and by standard genome sequencing technologies they are marginally detectable at the method threshold levels. Here, we report their spatial gene expression patterns in adult S. mansoni by the high-sensitivity localization assay. Methodology Highly sensitive fluorescence in situ RNA hybridization (FISH) was modified and used for the localization of mRNAs encoding individual SmSP proteases (including low-expressed SmSPs) in tissues of adult worms. High sensitivity was obtained due to specifically prepared tissue and probes in combination with the employment of a signal amplification approach. The assay method was validated by detecting the expression patterns of a set of relevant reference genes including SmCB1, SmPOP, SmTSP-2, and Sm29 with localization formerly determined by other techniques. Results FISH analysis revealed interesting expression patterns of SmSPs distributed in multiple tissues of S. mansoni adults. The expression patterns of individual SmSPs were distinct but in part overlapping and were consistent with existing transcriptome sequencing data. The exception were genes with significantly low expression, which were also localized in tissues where they had not previously been detected by RNA sequencing methods. In general, SmSPs were found in various tissues including reproductive organs, parenchymal cells, esophagus, and the tegumental surface. Conclusions The FISH-based assay provided spatial information about the expression of five SmSPs in adult S. mansoni females and males. This highly sensitive method allowed visualization of low-abundantly expressed genes that are below the detection limits of standard in situ hybridization or by RNA sequencing. Thus, this technical approach turned out to be suitable for sensitive localization studies and may also be applicable for other trematodes. The results suggest that SmSPs may play roles in diverse processes of the parasite. Certain SmSPs expressed at the surface may be involved in host–parasite interactions. Graphic abstract


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 205
Author(s):  
Lúcio Lara Santos ◽  
Júlio Santos ◽  
Maria João Gouveia ◽  
Carina Bernardo ◽  
Carlos Lopes ◽  
...  

Schistosomiasis is the most important helminthiasis worldwide in terms of morbidity and mortality. Most of the infections occurs in Africa, which about two thirds are caused by Schistosoma haematobium. The infection with S. haematobium is considered carcinogenic leading to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder. Additionally, it is responsible for female genital schistosomiasis leading to infertility and higher risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. Remarkably, a recent outbreak in Corsica (France) drew attention to its potential re-mergence in Southern Europe. Thus far, little is known related to host-parasite interactions that trigger carcinogenesis. However, recent studies have opened new avenues to understand mechanisms on how the parasite infection can lead cancer and other associated pathologies. Here, we present a historical perspective of schistosomiasis, and review the infection-associated pathologies and studies on host–parasite interactions that unveil tentative mechanisms underlying schistosomiasis-associated carcinogenesis.


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