Temperature and development in host-parasite relationships

Summary The effects of temperature on growth and development of the cabbage butterfly, Pieris rapae, and three wasp parasites: Apanteles rubecula, Apanteles glomeratus and Pteromalus puparum in Vancouver, Canada, and Canberra, Australia, are examined. We compare the estimates of temperature threshold for development and the number of degree-days above this threshold required to complete development for the immature stages of all species in both localities. Developmental patterns of both the host and its parasites differ between localities. Within the range of temperatures likely to be experienced during the host's breeding season, Australian parasites have longer generation times than their host at low temperatures and shorter generation times at high temperatures. Canadian parasites have shorter generation times, relative to the host, at all temperatures. This may be necessitated by the shorter breeding season available to the Canadian parasites.Besides temperature, parasite development is affected by host size and, in the gregarious species, parasite density. Host larval development is retarded by both Apanteles.All parasites are smaller at higher temperatures and males are smaller than females, but size is also affected by host size and parasite density.Although parasite size, and consequently fecundity, varies greatly, parasites experiencing similar temperatures will have closely similar developmental periods. The ecological significance of these developmental responses is discussed.     

Genetics of host-parasite interactions

The evolution of host susceptibility or resistance to parasites has important consequences for the evolution of parasite virulence, host sexual selection, population dynamics of both host and parasite populations, and programs of biological control. The general observation of a fraction of Individuals within a population that is not parasitized, and/or the variability in parasite intensity among hosts, may reflect several phenomena acting at different levels of ecological organization. Yet, host-parasite coevolution requires host susceptibility and parasite virulence to be genetically variable. In spite of evolutionary and epidemiological implications of genetic heterogeneities in host-parasite systems, evidence concerning natural populations is still scarce. Here, we wish to emphasize why we need a better knowledge of the genetics of host-parasite interaction in natural populations and to review the evidence concerning the heritability of host susceptibility or resistance to parasites in natural populations of animals.     

The surface-mosaic model in host-parasite relationships

The dynamics of protein adsorption to a microbial surface could be of significance in host-parasite relationships because non-defense proteins might interfere with the binding of defense proteins. A surface mosaic of defense and non-defense proteins formed on the microbial surface could activate one of the tissue reactivity programs via a binary code (help or silence) generated by the adsorbed proteins. Understanding the mechanisms of the mosaic formation and its evolution might help to identify evasion mechanisms used by virulent microorganisms. This also provides a conceptual framework to design new strategies to control the infectious diseases they cause.     

Chemokines in host-parasite interactions in leishmaniasis

Crucial to the defense against leishmaniasis is the ability of the host to mount a cell-mediated immune response capable of controlling and/or eliminating the parasite. Cell recruitment to the site of infection is essential to the development of the host cellular immune response. The process is controlled by chemokines, which are chemotactic cytokines produced by leukocytes and tissue cells.     

Molecular cross-talk in host-parasite relationships: the intriguing immunomodulatory role of Echinococcus antigen B in cystic echinococcosis

Cystic echinococcosis (CE), a zoonosis caused by the development of Echinococcus granulosus tapeworm larvae in the internal organs of ungulates and humans, continues to pose a major public health burden in underdeveloped and industrialised areas worldwide. Research designed to improve parasitic disease control and find out more about parasite biology has already identified a number of E. granulosus antigenic molecules. The major E. granulosus immunomodulant antigen isolated from hydatid fluid is antigen B, a 120kDa polymeric lipoprotein consisting of various 8kDa subunits. By inhibiting elastase activity and neutrophil chemotaxis and eliciting a non-protective Th2 cell response, antigen B helps the parasite evade the human response. In this review, we briefly discuss current information on the molecular characteristics and immunomodulatory properties of E. granulosus antigen B. Besides focusing on findings that provide intriguing insights into the complex interplay between host and parasite, we suggest how this information could extend the current therapeutic options in inflammatory diseases.     

Helminth C-type lectins and host-parasite interactions

C-type lectins (C-TLs) are a family of carbohydrate-binding proteins intimately involved in diverse processes including vertebrate immune cell signalling and trafficking, activation of innate immunity in both vertebrates and invertebrates, and venom-induced haemostasis. Helminth C-TLs sharing sequence and structural similarity with mammalian immune cell lectins have recently been identified from nematode parasites, suggesting clear roles for these proteins at the host-parasite interface, notably in immune evasion. Here, Alex Loukas and Rick Maizels review the status of helminth lectin research and suggest ways in which parasitic worms might utilize C-TLs during their life history.     

Growth factor receptors in helminth parasites: signalling and host-parasite relationships

Parasitic helminths remain major pathogens of both humans and animals throughout the world. The success of helminth infections depends on the capacity of the parasite to counteract host immune responses but also to exploit host-derived signal molecules for its development. Recent progress has been made in the characterization of growth factor receptors of various nematode and flatworm parasites with the demonstration that transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin receptor signalling pathways are conserved in helminth parasites and potentially implicated in the host-parasite molecular dialogue and parasite development.     

Micro-autoradiographic studies on host-parasite interactions

Tritium labeled uredospores of Uromyces phaseoli were produced be feeding the host, Phaseolus vulgaris, with ³H-orotic acid. These spores were allowed to germinate on and to penetrate into a bean leaf. 24 hrs after inoculation, the bean rust had formed the first haustorium. All fungal structures, including the fungus walls, were heavily labeled. No label could be detected in the cells that had come into contact with the hyphae. In the infected host cell, the haustorium was labeled heavily, but the sheath around the haustorium and the host cell remained free of label. These results indicate that no detectable amounts of label leach from the bean rust into the host at this stage of infection although it is known that the rust takes up many metabolites. Since the sheath remains free of label and all fungal structures are evenly labeled, it is concluded that the sheath is formed by the host.     

Oxidative stress in malaria parasite-infected erythrocytes: host-parasite interactions

Experimenta naturae, like the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, indicate that malaria parasites are highly susceptible to alterations in the redox equilibrium. This offers a great potential for the development of urgently required novel chemotherapeutic strategies. However, the relationship between the redox status of malarial parasites and that of their host is complex. In this review article we summarise the presently available knowledge on sources and detoxification pathways of reactive oxygen species in malaria parasite-infected red cells, on clinical aspects of redox metabolism and redox-related mechanisms of drug action as well as future prospects for drug development. As delineated below, alterations in redox status contribute to disease manifestation including sequestration, cerebral pathology, anaemia, respiratory distress, and placental malaria. Studying haemoglobinopathies, like thalassemias and sickle cell disease, and other red cell defects that provide protection against malaria allows insights into this fine balance of redox interactions. The host immune response to malaria involves phagocytosis as well as the production of nitric oxide and oxygen radicals that form part of the host defence system and also contribute to the pathology of the disease. Haemoglobin degradation by the malarial parasite produces the redox active by-products, free haem and H(2)O(2), conferring oxidative insult on the host cell. However, the parasite also supplies antioxidant moieties to the host and possesses an efficient enzymatic antioxidant defence system including glutathione- and thioredoxin-dependent proteins. Mechanistic and structural work on these enzymes might provide a basis for targeting the parasite. Indeed, a number of currently used drugs, especially the endoperoxide antimalarials, appear to act by increasing oxidant stress, and novel drugs such as peroxidic compounds and anthroquinones are being developed.     

Heterogeneous interspecific interactions in a host-parasite system

Macroparasites of vertebrates usually occur in multi-species communities, producing infections whose outcome in individual hosts or host populations may depend on the dynamics of interactions amongst the different component species. Within a single co-infection, competition can occur between conspecific and heterospecific parasite individuals, either directly or via the host's physiological and immune responses. We studied a natural single-host, multi-parasite model infection system (polystomes in the anuran Xenopus laevis victorianus) in which the parasite species show total interspecific competitive exclusion as adults in host individuals. Multi-species infection experiments indicated that competitive outcomes were dependent on infection species composition and strongly influenced by the intraspecific genetic identity of the interacting organisms. Our results also demonstrate the special importance of temporal heterogeneity (the sequence of infection by different species) in competition and co-existence between parasite species and predict that developmental plasticity in inferior competitors, and the induction of species-specific host resistance, will partition the within-host-individual habitat over time. We emphasise that such local (within-host) context-dependent processes are likely to be a fundamental determinant of population dynamics in multi-species parasite assemblages.     

The role of apoptosis in non-mammalian host-parasite relationships

It is clear that the roles of apoptosis in the interactions between the parasite and their non-mammalian hosts are multifaceted and highly dependent on individual associations between the two organisms involved. Whilst there are instances where both organisms appear to gain from the apoptotic mechanism induced, in the majority of cases apoptosis appears to favour only one of the parties. In the instances when the parasite benefits, the apoptosis has been related to infectivity and virulence, an interruption of the killing mechanism of the host, and liberation of the pathogen. However, there are occasions where the apoptotic process benefits the host, as controlled cell death has been associated with limiting the pathogen population, parasite migration within the host and, in some instances, actually killing the invading organism. Apoptosis thus appears to play several fundamental roles within the host-parasite relationship which is ultimately reflected in an effect on the host population either mediated through an alteration in host fecundity or reduction in host numbers. The next decade promises to be both exciting and productive with respect to our knowledge of the relationship between apoptosis in non-mammalian animals and infection. Over the last few years the information obtained from studies on the apoptotic process in mammals and invertebrates (i.e. C. elegans and Drosophila) have been effectively used to increase our understanding of the apoptotic process in other animals such as insects, fish and amphibians. Such knowledge has paved the way for extensive studies on the effect of infections to be carried out.     

Bursaphelenchus xylophilus: opportunities in comparative genomics and molecular host-parasite interactions

Most Bursaphelenchus species are fungal feeding nematodes that colonize dead or dying trees. However, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the pine wood nematode, is also a pathogen of trees and is the causal agent of pine wilt disease. B. xylophilus is native to North America and here it causes little damage to trees. Where it is introduced to new regions it causes huge damage. The most severely affected areas are found in the Far East but more recently B. xylophilus has been introduced into Portugal and the potential for damage here is also high. As incidence and severity of pine wilt disease are linked to temperature we suggest that climate change is likely to exacerbate the problems caused by B. xylophilus and, in addition, will extend (northwards in Europe) the range in which pine wilt disease can occur. Here we review what is currently known about the interactions of B. xylophilus with its hosts, including recent developments in our understanding of the molecular biology of pathogenicity in the nematode. We also examine the potential developments that could be made by more widespread use of genomics tools to understand interactions between B. xylophilus, bacterial pathogens that have been implicated in disease and host trees.     

Heads or tails: host-parasite interactions in the Drosophila-Wolbachia system

Wolbachia strains are endosymbiotic bacteria typically found in the reproductive tracts of arthropods. These bacteria manipulate host reproduction to ensure maternal transmission. They are usually transmitted vertically, so it has been predicted that they have evolved a mechanism to target the host's germ cells during development. Through cytological analysis we found that Wolbachia strains display various affinities for the germ line of Drosophila. Different Wolbachia strains show posterior, anterior, or cortical localization in Drosophila embryos, and this localization is congruent with the classification of the organisms based on the wsp (Wolbachia surface protein) gene sequence. This embryonic distribution pattern is established during early oogenesis and does not change until late stages of embryogenesis. The posterior and anterior localization of Wolbachia resembles that of oskar and bicoid mRNAs, respectively, which define the anterior-posterior axis in the Drosophila oocyte. By comparing the properties of a single Wolbachia strain in different host backgrounds and the properties of different Wolbachia strains in the same host background, we concluded that bacterial factors determine distribution, while bacterial density seems to be limited by the host. Possible implications concerning cytoplasmic incompatibility and evolution of strains are discussed.