Paranosema locustae (Microsporidia) in grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acridoidea) of Argentina: field host range expanded

Detection of Paranosema locustae in three grasshopper species (Ronderosia bergi, Sinipta dalmani, Trimerotropis pallidipenis) within the establishment area of the Pampas expands the field host range of the pathogen to 20 species in the country. The newly recorded hosts might be important in the persistence and dispersal of the pathogen.     

东方蜜蜂微孢子虫传染病学分析

东方蜜蜂微孢子虫病是一种由东方蜜蜂微孢子虫(Nosema ceranae)引起的蜜蜂传染病,已经蔓延到全球。蜜蜂感染东方蜜蜂微孢子虫后会导致早衰、哺育能力下降、生产力和繁殖能力降低,严重时可直接导致蜂群瓦解。本文从传染病学角度出发,对近10年东方蜜蜂微孢子虫病原学、流行病学和防治方法等方面进行总结,以此提高对微孢子虫的认识,为微孢子虫防治提供新思路。     

SWP25, A Novel Protein Associated with the Nosema bombycis Endospore1

ABSTRACT. Microsporidia are eukaryotic, obligate intracellular, spore-forming parasites. The resistant spores, which harbor a rigid cell wall, are critical for their host-to-host transmission and persistence in the environment. The spore wall comprises two major layers: the exospore and the endospore. In Nosema bombycis, two spore wall proteins have been characterized—an endosporal protein, SWP30, and an exosporal protein, SWP32. Here, we report the identification of the third spore wall protein of N. bombycis, SWP25, the gene of which has no known homologue. SWP25 is predicted to posses a signal peptide and a heparin-binding motif. Immunoelectron microscopy analysis showed that this protein is localized to the endospore. This characterization of a new spore wall protein of N. bombycis may facilitate our investigation of the relationship between N. bombycis and its host, Bombyx mori.     

Replication of Nosema Algerae In Three Insect Cell Lines

SYNOPSIS Nosema algerae , a microsporidan parasite of anopheline mosquitoes, was successfully replicated in 3 insect cell culture lines: Trichoplusia ni (TN-368); Heliothis zea (IPLB-1075); and Mamestra brassicae (IZD-Mb-0503). Infectious spores were produced in vitro. Spores were observed at 48 h postinfection, and some cells were filled with sproes by 72 h.
The number of parasites per cell increased with time. At 72 h postinfection, the infection rates for the 3 cell lines ranged from 23 to 32%. Infected cell lines were subcultured, and by the 6th passage spore production had ceased.     

The Role of Osmotic Pressure in the Germination of Nosema algerae Spores1

ABSTRACT. Both the lag period and the time required for the filament and sporoplasm to emerge from Nosema algerae spores were prolonged when germination occurred under hyperosmotic conditions. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and sucrose inhibited germination, first by preventing eversion of the filament, and then at higher concentrations by preventing stimulation. The size of the spore cases decreased by about 21% following germination, indicating an elastic spore wall and turgor pressure in the dormant spores. Increased pressure during germination was indicated by less osmotically-induced shrinkage in stimulated than in dormant spores and by higher concentration of solutes in the homogenates of germinated than ungerminated spores. These results are consistent with the hypothesis of a pressure increase during germination that is caused by an endogenous increase in solute concentration.     

甜菜夜蛾微孢子虫研究:Ⅳ.孢子挤出器的超微结构

从甜菜夜蛾幼虫体内首次分离到一种侵染寄主脂肪体、马氏管和中肠 ,对甜菜夜蛾有很强致病力的微孢子虫 ,该微孢子虫新鲜孢子呈椭圆形 ,大小为 ( 3 98± 0 4 3 ) μm× ( 1 65± 0 3 3 ) μm (n =5 0 )。扫描电镜观察发现 ,孢子表面光滑 ,大小基本均匀一致。用透射电镜观察该微孢子虫孢子挤出器的超微结构 ,结果表明 :孢子的挤出器由极体、极丝及相关细胞器和后液泡三部分组成。极体位于孢子前端 ,约占据孢子 2 5 %～ 3 0 %的空间 ,由明暗相间、互相堆叠的片层结构所组成。纵切面上 ,极丝 11～ 13圈 ,单层螺旋状盘绕于孢子后端、孢原质的外层 ,如此典型的极丝切面在同类研究中尚未见报导。横切面上 ,可见极丝为同心管状结构 ,管壁由 6层明暗相间的同心层组成 ,极丝直径约 88 2～ 94 1nm ,极丝倾角在前端约为 5 5°～ 60° ,后端约 65°～ 70°。后液泡位于孢子后端 ,呈椭圆形 ,被一层膜结构包围 ,内含不规则颗粒状的内含体。此外 ,含有 1个极丝圈的初期孢子被发现。研究结果提示 ,在微粒子属 (Nosema)中 ,极丝的圈数、排列方式、极丝倾角的大小及微孢子虫在宿主细胞中的寄生部位等在微孢子虫种间存在着较大的差异 ,而在种内则相对稳定 ,这些超微结构水平上的形态学属性对微孢子虫种的鉴定具有重要价     

A proteomic-based approach for the characterization of some major structural proteins involved in host-parasite relationships from the silkworm parasite Nosema bombycis (Microsporidia)

Nosema bombycis is the causative agent of the silkworm Bombyx mori pebrine disease which inflicts severe worldwide economical losses in sericulture. Little is known about host-parasite interactions at the molecular level for this spore-forming obligate intracellular parasite which belongs to the fungi-related Microsporidia phylum. Major microsporidian structural proteins from the spore wall (SW) and the polar tube (PT) are known to be involved in host invasion. We developed a proteomic-based approach to identify few N. bombycis proteins belonging to these cell structures. Protein extraction protocols were optimized and four N. bombycis spore protein extracts were compared by SDS-PAGE and 2-DE to establish complementary proteomic profiles. Three proteins were shown to be located at the parasite SW. Moreover, 17 polyclonal antibodies were raised against major N. bombycis proteins from all extracts, and three spots were shown to correspond to polar tube proteins (PTPs) by immunofluorescent assay and transmission electron microscopy immunocytochemistry on cryosections. Specific patterns for each PTP were obtained by MALDI-TOF-MS and MS/MS. Peptide sequence tags were deduced by de novo sequencing using Peaks Online and DeNovoX, then evaluated by MASCOT and SEQUEST searches. Identification parameters were higher than false-positive hits, strengthening our strategy that could be enlarged to a nongenomic context.     

Multiple rRNA variants in a single spore of the microsporidian Nosema bombi

To understand the source of the multiple DNA sequence variants of Nosema bombi ribosomal RNA (rRNA) found in a single bumble bee host, we PCR amplified, cloned, and sequenced the partial rRNA gene from 125 clones, which were derived from four out of 46 spores individually isolated from a single host by laser microdissection. At least two rRNA variants, characterized by either (GTTT)(2) or (GTTT)(3) repeat units within the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, were found per spore in approximately equal proportions, variants which were also found in approximately equal proportions in 55 clones of the two DNA extracts of multiple spores from the same host. Firstly, we demonstrate for the first time that DNA sequences can be obtained from single-binucleate microsporidia. Secondly, it appears that concerted evolution has not homogenized the sequences of all rRNA copies within a single N. bombi spore or even within a single nucleus. We thereby demonstrate unequivocally that two or more rRNA sequence variants exist per N. bombi spore, and urge caution in the use of multicopy rRNA genes for population genetic and phylogenetic analysis of this and other Microsporidia unless homologous copies can be reliably typed.     

Influence of carbon dioxide on Nosema apis infection of honeybees (Apis mellifera)

Young workers of the honeybee Apis mellifera carnica were individually inoculated with Nosema apis spores subjected to carbon dioxide (CO(2)) treatment. The spores were kept in a CO(2) atmosphere for 30, 35 and 40 h. The course of the infection was evaluated on the basis of the survival rate of bee workers and the number of N. apis spores in their digestive tracts. CO(2) treatment of N. apis spores resulted in faster proliferation of the parasite as well as higher mortality among workers infected with spores kept in CO(2) for 30 and 35 h.     

Identification of NbME MITE families: Potential molecular markers in the microsporidia Nosema bombycis

Six novel families of miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs) were characterized in the microsporidia Nosema bombycis and were named NbMEs. The structural characteristics and the distribution of NbME copies in the N. bombycis genome were investigated, and it was found that portions of NbMEs are associated with gene sections. Potential molecular markers for various N. bombycis strains were identified in this study through utilization of the MITE-AFLP technique. Three distinct pathogenic isolates collected from different areas were distinguished, and polymorphisms were detected using the NbME5 marker, thereby establishing this NbME as a potential marker for studying isolate variation in N. bombycis.