scholarly journals A comprehensive transcriptome and immune-gene repertoire of the lepidopteran model host Galleria mellonella

BMC Genomics ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heiko Vogel ◽  
Boran Altincicek ◽  
Gernot Glöckner ◽  
Andreas Vilcinskas
Keyword(s):  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Immune Gene ◽  
Gene Repertoire

scholarly journals Evolution and Expression of the Immune System of a Facultatively Anadromous Salmonid

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Colgan ◽  
Peter A. Moran ◽  
Louise C. Archer ◽  
Robert Wynne ◽  
Stephen A. Hutton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Brown Trout ◽  
Salmo Trutta ◽  
Whole Genome Duplication ◽  
Genome Duplication ◽  
Immune Gene ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Gene Repertoire ◽  
Immune Genes

Vertebrates have evolved a complex immune system required for the identification of and coordinated response to harmful pathogens. Migratory species spend periods of their life-cycle in more than one environment, and their immune system consequently faces a greater diversity of pathogens residing in different environments. In facultatively anadromous salmonids, individuals may spend parts of their life-cycle in freshwater and marine environments. For species such as the brown trout Salmo trutta, sexes differ in their life-histories with females more likely to migrate to sea while males are more likely to stay and complete their life-cycle in their natal river. Salmonids have also undergone a lineage-specific whole genome duplication event, which may provide novel immune innovations but our current understanding of the differences in salmonid immune expression between the sexes is limited. We characterized the brown trout immune gene repertoire, identifying a number of canonical immune genes in non-salmonid teleosts to be duplicated in S. trutta, with genes involved in innate and adaptive immunity. Through genome-wide transcriptional profiling (“RNA-seq”) of male and female livers to investigate sex differences in gene expression amplitude and alternative splicing, we identified immune genes as being generally male-biased in expression. Our study provides important insights into the evolutionary consequences of whole genome duplication events on the salmonid immune gene repertoire and how the sexes differ in constitutive immune expression.

scholarly journals Immune gene regulation in the gut during metamorphosis in a holo- versus a hemimetabolous insect

2019 ◽  
Vol 374 (1783) ◽  
pp. 20190073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul R. Johnston ◽  
Véronique Paris ◽  
Jens Rolff
Keyword(s):  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Immune Gene ◽  
Gryllus Bimaculatus ◽  
Theme Issue ◽  
Immune Effector ◽  
Rapid Induction ◽  
Effector Genes ◽  
Hemimetabolous Insect ◽  
Insect Gut ◽  
Complete Metamorphosis

During metamorphosis, holometabolous insects completely replace the larval gut and must control the microbiota to avoid septicaemia. Rapid induction of bactericidal activity in the insect gut at the onset of pupation has been described in numerous orders of the Holometabola and is best-studied in the Lepidoptera where it is under control of the 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) moulting pathway. Here, using RNAseq, we compare the expression of immune effector genes in the gut during metamorphosis in a holometabolous ( Galleria mellonella ) and a hemimetabolous insect ( Gryllus bimaculatus ). We find that in G. mellonella , the expression of numerous immune effectors and the transcription factor GmEts are upregulated, with peak expression of three antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and a lysozyme coinciding with delamination of the larval gut. By contrast, no such upregulation was detectable in the hemimetabolous Gr. bimaculatus . These findings support the idea that the upregulation of immune effectors at the onset of complete metamorphosis is an adaptive response, which controls the microbiota during gut replacement. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The evolution of complete metamorphosis’.

scholarly journals The genome of the plague-resistant great gerbil reveals species-specific duplication of an MHCII gene

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pernille Nilsson ◽  
Monica H. Solbakken ◽  
Boris V. Schmid ◽  
Russell J. S. Orr ◽  
Ruichen Lv ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Immune Response ◽  
Gene Families ◽  
Comparative Genomic ◽  
Immune Gene ◽  
Gene Repertoire ◽  
Great Gerbil ◽  
Genomic Landscape ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Natural Hosts ◽  
Species Specific

AbstractThe great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) is a social rodent living in permanent, complex burrow systems distributed throughout Central Asia, where it serves as the main host of several important vector-borne infectious diseases and is defined as a key reservoir species for plague (Yersinia pestis). Studies from the wild have shown that the great gerbil is largely resistant to plague but the genetic basis for resistance is yet to be determined. Here, we present a highly contiguous annotated genome assembly of great gerbil, covering over 96 % of the estimated 2.47 Gb genome. Comparative genomic analyses focusing on the immune gene repertoire, reveal shared gene losses within TLR gene families (i.e. TLR8, TLR10 and all members of TLR11-subfamily) for the Gerbillinae lineage, accompanied with signs of diversifying selection of TLR7 and TLR9. Most notably, we find a great gerbil-specific duplication of the MHCII DRB locus. In silico analyses suggest that the duplicated gene provides high peptide binding affinity for Yersiniae epitopes. The great gerbil genome provides new insights into the genomic landscape that confers immunological resistance towards plague. The high affinity for Yersinia epitopes could be key in our understanding of the high resistance in great gerbils, putatively conferring a faster initiation of the adaptive immune response leading to survival of the infection. Our study demonstrates the power of studying zoonosis in natural hosts through the generation of a genome resource for further comparative and experimental work on plague survival and evolution of host-pathogen interactions.

scholarly journals Comparative Genomics and Pathogenicity Analysis of Two Bacterial Symbionts of Entomopathogenic Nematodes: The Role of The GroEL Protein in Virulence

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abraham Rivera-Ramírez ◽  
Rosalba Salgado-Morales ◽  
Alfredo Jiménez-Pérez ◽  
Rebeca Pérez-Martínez ◽  
Blanca Inés García-Gómez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insecticidal Activity ◽  
Entomopathogenic Nematodes ◽  
Core Genome ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Gene Repertoire ◽  
Amino Acid Residues ◽  
Whole Cells ◽  
Close Phylogenetic Relationship ◽  
Biological Tests

Abstract Bacteria of the genera Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus are symbionts of entomopathogenic nematodes. Despite their close phylogenetic relationship, they show differences in their pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms in target insects. These differences can be explored by the analysis of the pangenome, as it provides a framework for characterizing and defining the gene repertoire. Here, we report the genome of strain SC 0516. In addition, we performed the first pangenome analysis of 91 strains of Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus, obtaining a total of 23,603 gene clusters and a core genome of 348 genes. Phylogenetic analysis performed with the core genome showed that our strain belonged to the X. nematophila group. Biological tests showed that whole cells of X. nematophila SC 0516 were more virulent than those of P. luminescens HIM3 when both were injected into Galleria mellonella larvae. In addition, we cloned and expressed the GroEL proteins of both bacteria, as this protein has been previously indicated to show insecticidal activity in the genus Xenorhabdus. Cpn60-Xn was found to be the most toxic at all concentrations tested, with an LC50 value of 102.34 ng/larva. Sequence analysis suggested that the Cpn60-Xn toxin was homologous to Cpn60-Pl; however, Cpn60-Xn contained thirty-five differentially substituted amino acid residues that could be responsible for its insecticidal activity.

scholarly journals Specific Evolution and Gene Family Expansion of Complement 3 and Regulatory Factor H in Fish

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Babak Najafpour ◽  
João C. R. Cardoso ◽  
Adelino V. M. Canário ◽  
Deborah M. Power
Keyword(s):  
Complement System ◽  
Sparus Aurata ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Gilthead Sea Bream ◽  
Sea Bream ◽  
Immune Gene ◽  
Gene Repertoire ◽  
Tandem Gene Duplication ◽  
Hepatic Expression ◽  
The Complement System

The complement system comprises a large family of plasma proteins that play a central role in innate and adaptive immunity. To better understand the evolution of the complement system in vertebrates and the contribution of complement to fish immunity comprehensive in silico and expression analysis of the gene repertoire was made. Particular attention was given to C3 and the evolutionary related proteins C4 and C5 and to one of the main regulatory factors of C3b, factor H (Cfh). Phylogenetic and gene linkage analysis confirmed the standing hypothesis that the ancestral c3/c4/c5 gene duplicated early. The duplication of C3 (C3.1 and C3.2) and C4 (C4.1 and C4.2) was likely a consequence of the (1R and 2R) genome tetraploidization events at the origin of the vertebrates. In fish, gene number was not conserved and multiple c3 and cfh sequence related genes were encountered, and phylogenetic analysis of each gene generated two main clusters. Duplication of c3 and cfh genes occurred across the teleosts in a species-specific manner. In common, with other immune gene families the c3 gene expansion in fish emerged through a process of tandem gene duplication. Gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), had nine c3 gene transcripts highly expressed in liver although as reported in other fish, extra-hepatic expression also occurs. Differences in the sequence and protein domains of the nine deduced C3 proteins in the gilthead sea bream and the presence of specific cysteine and N-glycosylation residues within each isoform was indicative of functional diversity associated with structure. The diversity of C3 and other complement proteins as well as Cfh in teleosts suggests they may have an enhanced capacity to activate complement through direct interaction of C3 isoforms with pathogenic agents.

scholarly journals Evolution of male pregnancy associated with remodeling of canonical vertebrate immunity in seahorses and pipefishes

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (17) ◽  
pp. 9431-9439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivia Roth ◽  
Monica Hongrø Solbakken ◽  
Ole Kristian Tørresen ◽  
Till Bayer ◽  
Michael Matschiner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Fundamental Problem ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Immunological Tolerance ◽  
Immune Defense ◽  
Immune Gene ◽  
Gene Repertoire ◽  
Mhc Ii ◽  
Adaptive Immune ◽  
Male Pregnancy

A fundamental problem for the evolution of pregnancy, the most specialized form of parental investment among vertebrates, is the rejection of the nonself-embryo. Mammals achieve immunological tolerance by down-regulating both major histocompatibility complex pathways (MHC I and II). Although pregnancy has evolved multiple times independently among vertebrates, knowledge of associated immune system adjustments is restricted to mammals. All of them (except monotremata) display full internal pregnancy, making evolutionary reconstructions within the class mammalia meaningless. Here, we study the seahorse and pipefish family (syngnathids) that have evolved male pregnancy across a gradient from external oviparity to internal gestation. We assess how immunological tolerance is achieved by reconstruction of the immune gene repertoire in a comprehensive sample of 12 seahorse and pipefish genomes along the “male pregnancy” gradient together with expression patterns of key immune and pregnancy genes in reproductive tissues. We found that the evolution of pregnancy coincided with a modification of the adaptive immune system. Divergent genomic rearrangements of the MHC II pathway among fully pregnant species were identified in both genera of the syngnathids: The pipefishes (Syngnathus) displayed loss of several genes of the MHC II pathway while seahorses (Hippocampus) featured a highly divergent invariant chain (CD74). Our findings suggest that a trade-off between immunological tolerance and embryo rejection accompanied the evolution of unique male pregnancy. That pipefishes survive in an ocean of microbes without one arm of the adaptive immune defense suggests a high degree of immunological flexibility among vertebrates, which may advance our understanding of immune-deficiency diseases.

scholarly journals The immune gene repertoire of an important viral reservoir, the Australian black flying fox

BMC Genomics ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony T Papenfuss ◽  
Michelle L Baker ◽  
Zhi-Ping Feng ◽  
Mary Tachedjian ◽  
Gary Crameri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Viral Reservoir ◽  
Immune Gene ◽  
Gene Repertoire ◽  
Flying Fox

scholarly journals Evidence for reduced immune gene diversity and activity during the evolution of termites

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shulin He ◽  
Thorben Sieksmeyer ◽  
Yanli Che ◽  
M. Alejandra Esparza Mora ◽  
Petr Stiblik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Family ◽  
Gene Diversity ◽  
Immune Gene ◽  
Gene Repertoire ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Social Defense ◽  
Major Transition ◽  
Species Comparisons ◽  
Organismal Complexity ◽  
Multicellular Organisms

AbstractThe evolution of biological complexity is associated with the emergence of bespoke immune systems that maintain and protect organism integrity. Unlike the well studied immunity at the cell and individual level, little is known about the origins of immunity during the transition to eusociality, a major evolutionary transition comparable to the evolution of multicellular organisms from single-celled ancestors. We tackle this by characterizing the immune gene repertoire of 18 cockroach and termite species, spanning the spectrum of solitary, subsocial and eusocial lifestyles. We identified five significant immune gene family contractions and one immune gene family expansion along the spine of a time-calibrated phylogeny, correlating with key transitions in termite sociality. In cross-species comparisons of immune gene expression, we find that termites appear to have evolved a caste-specific social defense system at the expense of individual immune protection. Our study indicates that a major transition in organismal complexity entailed a fundamental reshaping of the immune system optimized for group over individual defense.

scholarly journals Evidence for reduced immune gene diversity and activity during the evolution of termites

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1945) ◽  
pp. 20203168
Author(s):  
Shulin He ◽  
Thorben Sieksmeyer ◽  
Yanli Che ◽  
M. Alejandra Esparza Mora ◽  
Petr Stiblik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Diversity ◽  
Immune Gene ◽  
Gene Repertoire ◽  
Evolutionary Transition ◽  
Immune Systems ◽  
Immune Gene Expression ◽  
Major Transition ◽  
Species Comparisons ◽  
Organismal Complexity ◽  
Multicellular Organisms

The evolution of biological complexity is associated with the emergence of bespoke immune systems that maintain and protect organism integrity. Unlike the well-studied immune systems of cells and individuals, little is known about the origins of immunity during the transition to eusociality, a major evolutionary transition comparable to the evolution of multicellular organisms from single-celled ancestors. We aimed to tackle this by characterizing the immune gene repertoire of 18 cockroach and termite species, spanning the spectrum of solitary, subsocial and eusocial lifestyles. We find that key transitions in termite sociality are correlated with immune gene family contractions. In cross-species comparisons of immune gene expression, we find evidence for a caste-specific social defence system in termites, which appears to operate at the expense of individual immune protection. Our study indicates that a major transition in organismal complexity may have entailed a fundamental reshaping of the immune system optimized for group over individual defence.

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