家蚕微粒子虫分泌蛋白己糖激酶NbHK对家蚕基因表达及相关通路的调控作用

【目的】微孢子虫是一种营专性细胞内寄生的微生物,它可以感染几乎所有动物种类,包括人类和重要的经济动物。本研究对家蚕微粒子虫分泌蛋白己糖激酶(Nosema bombycis hexokinase, NbHK)在家蚕胚胎细胞中表达特征、亚细胞定位、调控作用和宿主互作蛋白质进行了系统分析,为阐明该蛋白在侵染中的作用与机理提供参考。【方法】利用原核表达蛋白免疫小鼠,制备NbHK的多克隆抗体,并利用Western blotting和间接免疫荧光法分析家蚕微粒子虫在感染的家蚕胚胎细胞(Bombyx mori embryo, BmE)中的表达和定位;通过过表达和RNA干扰实验,分析NbHK对病原增殖的作用;利用RNA-seq分析NbHK调控的家蚕基因表达和通路;利用生物素-链霉亲和素系统和质谱技术,从NbHK::APEX2转基因细胞中分离鉴定NbHK的互作蛋白。【结果】在感染家蚕微粒子虫的BmE中,NbHK持续上调表达,主要被定位于宿主细胞核内。过表达NbHK显著促进了病原增殖,而敲低NbHK则明显抑制了病原增殖,说明在NbHK感染过程中发挥关键作用。利用RNA-seq分析鉴定了94个差异表达基因(differentially expressed genes, DEGs),其中58个基因上调,36个基因下调。DEGs的富集分析显示,细胞寿命和内质网蛋白加工通路受到显著激活,而线粒体自噬途径受到明显抑制。互作蛋白鉴定分析发现,NbHK可能与宿主细胞核内的核蛋白易位启动子区(nucleoprotein translocated promoter region, NTPR)等蛋白间存在相互作用。【结论】NbHK主要被定位至家蚕细胞核中,调控家蚕细胞寿命等多个重要通路的基因表达,以利于病原增殖。本研究为深入解析NbHK在感染过程中的功能及其调控机理提供了新的参考。     

Production ofNosema marucae for biological control of cereal stem borers

In a study covering 3 years, experiments were carried out in order to determine the feasibility of producing a microsporidian pathogenNosema marucae in the spotted stalkborerChilo partellus. A maximum yield of 4.9×10⁸ spores/larva (equivalent to 3.1×10¹⁰ spores/g fresh larval body weight) was obtained in 3rd instar larvae. It is considered that the production is inexpensive and can be readily adapted for small scale pathogen propagation systems in the tropics.     

Impact of climate change on parasite infection of an important pollinator depends on host genotypes

Climate change is predicted to affect host–parasite interactions, and for some hosts, parasite infection is expected to increase with rising temperatures. Global population declines of important pollinators already have been attributed to climate change and parasitism. However, the role of climate in driving parasite infection and the genetic basis for pollinator hosts to respond often remain obscure. Based on decade-long field data, we investigated the association between climate and Nosema bombi (Microsporidia) infection of buffed-tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), and whether host genotypes play a role. For this, we genotyped 876 wild bumblebee queens and screened for N. bombi infection of those queens between 2000 and 2010. We recorded seven climate parameters during those 11 years and tested for correlations between climate and infection prevalence. Here we show that climatic factors drive N. bombi infection and that the impact of climate depends on mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I (COI) haplotypes of the host. Infection prevalence was correlated with climatic variables during the time when queens emerge from hibernation. Remarkably, COI haplotypes best predict this association between climatic factors and infection. In particular, two host haplotypes (“A” and “B”) displayed phenotypic plasticity in response to climatic variation: Temperature was positively correlated with infection of host haplotype B, but not haplotype A. The likelihood of infection of haplotype A was associated with moisture, conferring greater resistance to parasite infection during wetter years. In contrast, infection of haplotype B was unrelated to moisture. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that identifies specific host genotypes that confer differential parasite resistance under variable climatic conditions. Our results underscore the importance of mitochondrial haplotypes to ward off parasites in a changing climate. More broadly, this also suggests that COI may play a pertinent role in climate change adaptations of insect pollinators.     

Proteomic analysis of spore wall proteins and identification of two spore wall proteins from Nosema bombycis (Microsporidia)

Microsporidia are fungal-like unicellular eukaryotes which develop as obligate intracellular parasites. They differentiate into resistant spores that are protected by a thick spore wall composed of a glycoprotein-rich outer layer or exospore and a chitin-rich inner layer or endospore. In this study performed on the silkworm pathogen Nosema bombycis, we analyzed the spore wall proteins (SWPs) by proteomic-based approaches, MALDI-TOF MS and LC-MS/MS, and 14 hypothetical spore wall proteins (HSWPs) or peptides were obtained in total. Furthermore, we have examined the SWPs by SDS-PAGE and three main spore wall peptides were detected with molecular weights of 32.7 kDa (SWP32), 30.4 kDa (SWP30), and 25.3 kDa (SWP25), respectively. By N-terminal amino acid residue sequencing, and searching the genomic DNA shotgun database of N. bombycis, the complete ORFs of SWP30 and SWP32 were obtained, which encode for a 278- and a 316-amino acid peptide, respectively. Mouse polyclonal antibodies were raised against SWP30 and SWP32 recombinant proteins produced in Escherichia coli, and the results of indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) analyses indicated SWP30 to be an endosporal protein while SWP32 was shown to be an exosporal protein. Both SWP30 and SWP32 are included in the 14 HSWPs identified by MS, confirming the results of the proteomic-based approaches.     

Disruption of aggregation behaviour of oriental migratory locusts (Locusta migratoria manilensis) infected with Nosema locustae

Abstract:  The effect of Nosema locustae infection on the aggregation behaviour of the oriental migratory locust, Locusta migratoria manilensis , was studied using a two-choice arena olfactometer and electroantennography (EAG). Infected locusts had low antennal sensitivity and aggregation responses to faecal extracts and to locust body volatiles. Infected fifth instar nymphs had significantly lower aggregation index than the uninfected nymphs, although with fourth instars the effect on aggregation behaviour only occurred in infected females. With regard to antennal receptor sensitivity, infected adult locusts had significantly lower EAG amplitudes in response to extracts from faeces of the adult males. The effect was most pronounced in female locusts. In contrast, there was no significant difference in the EAG responses between the fifth instar male and female nymphs. Further analysis revealed that EAG responses of fifth instar nymphs and adults infected with N. locustae to the faecal extract and volatiles from fifth instar solitary-reared nymphs were not significantly affected. In contrast, infected nymphs and adults had remarkably low EAG amplitudes for the remaining stimuli.     

The comparison of rDNA spacer regions of Nosema ceranae isolates from different hosts and locations

Nosema ceranae is a common microsporidian pathogen, one of two Nosema species that cause "nosema disease" in honeybees, Apis cerana and Apis mellifera. Samples of N. ceranae rDNA from isolates collected in different locations were sequenced and one 5S rRNA was found to be upstream of SSUrRNA. The rDNA arrangement, 5'-5S rRNA-IGS-SSUrRNA-ITS-LSUrRNA-3', was found in all isolates. In order to better understand the distribution relationship between N. ceranae isolates from A. cerana and A. mellifera, their rRNA spacer regions were also sequenced for analysis. Results showed that there are no significant differences between the IGS sequences of the isolates and no difference in the ITS sequence with the exception of one transition found in an isolate from Martinique. These isolates showed consistency in the IGS phylogenic analysis suggesting that no transmission barrier exists between A. mellifera and A. cerana and there is no difference between isolates from geography separated areas.     

Complete sequence and gene organization of the Nosema spodopterae rRNA gene

By sequencing the entire ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene of Nosema spodopterae, we show here that its gene organization follows a pattern similar to the Nosema type species, Nosema bombycis, i.e. 5'-large subunit rRNA (2,497 bp)-internal transcribed spacer (185 bp)-small subunit rRNA (1,232 bp)-intergenic spacer (277 bp)-5S rRNA (114 bp)-3'. Gene sequences and the secondary structures of large subunit rRNA, small subunit rRNA, and 5S rRNA are compared with the known corresponding sequences and structures of closely related microsporidia. The results suggest that the Nosema genus may be heterogeneous and that the rRNA gene organization may be a useful characteristic for determining which species are closely related to the type species.     

Establishment of the new genus Paranosema based on the ultrastructure and molecular phylogeny of the type species Paranosema grylli Gen. Nov., Comb. Nov. (Sokolova, Selezniov, Dolgikh, Issi 1994), from the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus Deg

The ultrastructure of the microsporidian parasite Nosema grylli, which parasitizes primarily fat body cells and haemocytes of the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus (Orthoptera, Gryllidae) is described. All observed stages (meront, meront/sporont transitional stage ("second meront"), sporont, sporoblast, and spore) are found in direct contact with the host cell cytoplasm. Nuclei are diplokaryotic during almost all stages of the life cycle, but a brief stage with one nucleus containing an abundance of electron-dense material is observed during a "second merogony." Sporogony is disporous. Mature spores are ovocylindrical in shape and measure 4.5+/-0.16micromx2.2+/-0.07 microm (n=10) on fresh smears and 3.3+/-0.06 micromx1.4+/-0.07 microm (n=10) on ultrathin sections. Spores contain 15-18 coils of an isofilar polar filament arranged in one or two layers. Comparative phylogenetic analysis using rDNA shows N. grylli to be closely related to another orthopteran microsporidian, Nosema locustae, and to Nosema whitei from the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum. Antonospora scoticae, a parasite of the communal bee Andrena scotica, is a sister taxon to these three Nosema species. The sequence divergence and morphological traits clearly separate this group of "Nosema" parasites from the "true" Nosema clade containing Nosema bombycis. We therefore propose to change the generic name of N. grylli and its close relative N. locustae to Paranosema n. comb. We leave N. whitei in former status until more data on fine morphology of the species are obtained.