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Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2024has been used for decades as an experimental model for the study of human and porcine cysticercosis. Even though, its life cycle, tissue organization, ultrastructure...
has been used for decades as an experimental model for the study of human and porcine cysticercosis. Even though, its life cycle, tissue organization, ultrastructure and immune response elicited in the host, have been extensively described, there are many other biological questions remaining to be addressed. In the present study we revisited the muscle and neural architecture of cysticerci in two of the most frequently used strains (WFU and ORF), using conventional staining and confocal microscopy imaging, aiming to assemble an updated anatomy. Differences between both strains, including polarization processes during development of the young budding larvae, are emphasized. We also performed a search for genes that have been related to peptidergic neural processes in other related flatworms. These findings can help to understand the anatomical and molecular consequences of the scolex presence or absence in both strains.
Topics: Animals; Larva; Cysticercus; Muscles; Taenia; Microscopy, Confocal; Cysticercosis; Swine; Humans; Nervous System
PubMed: 38919702
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1415162 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Malaria in eastern Indonesia remains high despite significant reduction and elimination in other parts of the country. A rapid entomological assessment was conducted in...
Malaria in eastern Indonesia remains high despite significant reduction and elimination in other parts of the country. A rapid entomological assessment was conducted in eight high malaria endemic regencies of Papua Province, Indonesia, to expedite malaria elimination efforts in this region. This study aims to characterize specific, actionable endpoints toward understanding where and when malaria transmission is happening, where interventions may function best, and identify gaps in protection that result in continued transmission. The entomological assessment included identifying potential vectors through human landing catch (HLC), indoor morning and night resting collections, identification of larval sites through surveillance of water bodies, and vector incrimination toward understanding exposure to malaria transmission. Human landing catches (HLCs) and larval collections identified 10 Anopheles species, namely Anopheles koliensis, Anopheles punctulatus, Anopheles farauti, Anopheles hinesorum, Anopheles longirostris, Anopheles peditaeniatus, Anopheles tesselatus, Anopheles vagus, Anopheles subpictus and Anopheles kochi. The most common and abundant species found overall were An. koliensis and An. punctulatus, while An. farauti was found in large numbers in the coastal areas of Mimika and Sarmi Regencies. Vector incrimination on Anopheles collected from HLCs and night indoor resting demonstrated that An. koliensis and An. punctulatus carried Plasmodium in Keerom, Jayapura, and Sarmi Regencies. Analysis of HLCs for the most common species revealed that the An. koliensis and An. punctulatus, bite indoors and outdoors at equal rates, while An. farauti predominantly bite outdoors. Larval surveillance demonstrated that most water bodies in and surrounding residential areas contained Anopheles larvae. This study demonstrated indoor and outdoor exposure to mosquito bites and gaps in protection, enabling exposure to infectious bites in all regencies. This explains why current malaria control efforts focusing on indoor protection have failed to substantially reduce malaria incidence in the region. Optimization of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), as well as installment of mosquito screens in houses, may further reduce indoor transmission. For outdoor transmission, the use of community-centric approaches to reduce or eliminate larval sources within and surrounding the village through the guidance of locally stationed entomologists, along with Social and Behavior Change mediated health education towards the local adoption of mosquito protection tools during outdoor activities, may reduce malaria transmission.
Topics: Animals; Anopheles; Malaria; Humans; Mosquito Vectors; Indonesia; Larva; Endemic Diseases
PubMed: 38918533
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64958-w -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Early-life exposure to environmental toxicants like Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is associated with several health consequences in vertebrates (i.e., impaired or altered...
Early-life exposure to environmental toxicants like Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is associated with several health consequences in vertebrates (i.e., impaired or altered neurophysiological and behavioral development). Although toxicant impacts were initially studied relative to host physiology, recent studies suggest that the gut microbiome is a possible target and/or mediator of behavioral responses to chemical exposure in organisms, via the gut-brain axis. However, the connection between BaP exposure, gut microbiota, and developmental neurotoxicity remains understudied. Using a zebrafish model, we determined whether the gut microbiome influences BaP impacts on behavior development. Embryonic zebrafish were treated with increasing concentrations of BaP and allowed to grow to the larval life stage, during which they underwent behavioral testing and intestinal dissection for gut microbiome profiling via high-throughput sequencing. We found that exposure affected larval zebrafish microbiome diversity and composition in a manner tied to behavioral development: increasing concentrations of BaP were associated with increased taxonomic diversity, exposure was associated with unweighted UniFrac distance, and microbiome diversity and exposure predicted larval behavior. Further, a gnotobiotic zebrafish experiment clarified whether microbiome presence was associated with BaP exposure response and behavioral changes. We found that gut microbiome state altered the relationship between BaP exposure concentration and behavioral response. These results support the idea that the zebrafish gut microbiome is a determinant of the developmental neurotoxicity that results from chemical exposure.
Topics: Animals; Zebrafish; Benzo(a)pyrene; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Behavior, Animal; Larva
PubMed: 38918492
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65610-3 -
PloS One 2024Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are one of the most impactful pests to human society, both as a nuisance and a potential vector of human and animal pathogens. Mosquito...
Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are one of the most impactful pests to human society, both as a nuisance and a potential vector of human and animal pathogens. Mosquito larvae develop in still aquatic environments. Eliminating these habitats near high human density or managing them to reduce the suitability for mosquitoes will reduce mosquito populations in these human environments and decrease the overall negative impact of mosquitoes on humans. One common source of standing water in urban and suburban environments is the water that pools in stormwater control measures. Previous studies have shown that some stormwater control measures generate large numbers of mosquitoes while others harbor none, and the reason for this difference remains unclear. Our study focuses on elucidating the factors that cause a stormwater control measure to be more or less suitable for mosquitoes. During the summers of 2021 and 2022, we collected and identified mosquito larvae from thirty stormwater control measures across central Ohio to assess variation in mosquito abundance and diversity among sites. Our goal was to determine if specific types of stormwater control measures (retention ponds, detention ponds, or constructed wetlands) harbored different abundances of mosquitoes or different community structures. We also assessed environmental parameters of these sites to elucidate their effects on mosquito abundance and diversity. Overall, we recorded the highest number of mosquito larvae and species in constructed wetlands. However, these sites were dominated by the innocuous species, Culex territans. Conversely, detention ponds held fewer mosquitoes but a higher proportion of known vector species, including Culex pipiens and Aedes vexans. The total number of mosquitoes across all sites was correlated with higher vegetation, more shade, lower water temperatures, and lower pH, suggesting stormwater control measures with these features may also be hotspots for mosquito proliferation.
Topics: Animals; Wetlands; Culicidae; Ponds; Ohio; Larva; Biodiversity; Mosquito Control; Ecosystem; Humans; Mosquito Vectors
PubMed: 38917214
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305399 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Jul 2024To survive adverse environments, many animals enter a dormant state such as hibernation, dauer, or diapause. Various species undergo adult reproductive diapause in...
To survive adverse environments, many animals enter a dormant state such as hibernation, dauer, or diapause. Various species undergo adult reproductive diapause in response to cool temperatures and/or short day-length. While flies are less active during diapause, it is unclear how adverse environmental conditions affect circadian rhythms and sleep. Here we show that in diapause-inducing cool temperatures, exhibit altered circadian activity profiles, including severely reduced morning activity and an advanced evening activity peak. Consequently, the flies have a single activity peak at a time similar to when nondiapausing flies take a siesta. Temperatures ≤15 °C, rather than photoperiod, primarily drive this behavior. At cool temperatures, flies rapidly enter a deep-sleep state that lacks the sleep cycles of flies at higher temperatures and require high levels of stimulation for arousal. Furthermore, we show that at 25 °C, flies prefer to siesta in the shade, a preference that is virtually eliminated at 10 °C. Resting in the shade is driven by an aversion to blue light that is sensed by Rhodopsin 7 outside of the eyes. Flies at 10 °C show neuronal markers of elevated sleep pressure, including increased expression of Bruchpilot and elevated Ca in the R5 ellipsoid body neurons. Therefore, sleep pressure might overcome blue light aversion. Thus, at the same temperatures that cause reproductive arrest, preserve germline stem cells, and extend lifespan, are prone to deep sleep and exhibit dramatically altered, yet rhythmic, daily activity patterns.
Topics: Animals; Drosophila melanogaster; Sleep; Circadian Rhythm; Rhodopsin; Drosophila Proteins; Photoperiod; Temperature; Light; Diapause, Insect
PubMed: 38917005
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2400964121 -
PloS One 2024Clanis bilineata Walker (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), a burgeoning edible insect, is experiencing rising demand in China and other regions. Despite this interest, larval...
Clanis bilineata Walker (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), a burgeoning edible insect, is experiencing rising demand in China and other regions. Despite this interest, larval production is currently constrained by the limitations of artificial production technologies, particularly the selection of optimal host plants. This study rigorously evaluated the performance of C. bilineatha larvae on four main host plants: round-leaf soybean, pointed-leaf soybean, black locust, and kudzu. Preference tests demonstrated that the larvae were most attracted to black locust (34.76 ± 4.65%), with subsequent preferences for kudzu (25.00 ± 6.12%), round-leaf soybean (23.17 ± 2.79%), and pointed-leaf soybean (14.02 ± 4.74%). No significant preference differences were noted between round-leaf soybean and either black locust or kudzu. In feeding assays, the larvae exhibited a marked preference for round-leaf soybean (37.36 ± 0.81 g, total feeding amount for larvae), followed by kudzu (37.26 ± 0.82 g), pointed-leaf soybean (35.38 ± 1.31 g), and black locust (28.53 ± 0.81 g). When the larvae were fed on round-leaf soybean, they exhibited significantly higher survival rate (39.33 ± 0.90%), body weight (9.75 ± 0.07 g), total biomass (383.43 ± 7.35 g), pupation rate (87.78 ± 1.73%), and egg production (189.80 ± 1.06 eggs/female) compared to other hosts. These findings uncovered that round-leaf soybean significantly enhances larval performance, suggesting its potential for improving C. bilineata larval production and sustainability in cultivation systems.
Topics: Animals; Larva; Glycine max; Lepidoptera; Female
PubMed: 38913673
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303017 -
PloS One 2024In Drosophila coordinated proliferation of two neural stem cells, neuroblasts (NB) and neuroepithelial (NE) cells, is pivotal for proper larval brain growth that...
Multiple isoforms of the Activin-like receptor baboon differentially regulate proliferation and conversion behaviors of neuroblasts and neuroepithelial cells in the Drosophila larval brain.
In Drosophila coordinated proliferation of two neural stem cells, neuroblasts (NB) and neuroepithelial (NE) cells, is pivotal for proper larval brain growth that ultimately determines the final size and performance of an adult brain. The larval brain growth displays two phases based on behaviors of NB and NEs: the first one in early larval stages, influenced by nutritional status and the second one in the last larval stage, promoted by ecdysone signaling after critical weight checkpoint. Mutations of the baboon (babo) gene that produces three isoforms (BaboA-C), all acting as type-I receptors of Activin-type transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling, cause a small brain phenotype due to severely reduced proliferation of the neural stem cells. In this study we show that loss of babo function severely affects proliferation of NBs and NEs as well as conversion of NEs from both phases. By analyzing babo-null and newly generated isoform-specific mutants by CRISPR mutagenesis as well as isoform-specific RNAi knockdowns in a cell- and stage-specific manner, our data support differential contributions of the isoforms for these cellular events with BaboA playing the major role. Stage-specific expression of EcR-B1 in the brain is also regulated primarily by BaboA along with function of the other isoforms. Blocking EcR function in both neural stem cells results in a small brain phenotype that is more severe than baboA-knockdown alone. In summary, our study proposes that the Babo-mediated signaling promotes proper behaviors of the neural stem cells in both phases and achieves this by acting upstream of EcR-B1 expression in the second phase.
Topics: Animals; Drosophila Proteins; Larva; Protein Isoforms; Neural Stem Cells; Cell Proliferation; Brain; Neuroepithelial Cells; Drosophila melanogaster; Signal Transduction; Activin Receptors
PubMed: 38913612
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305696 -
Virulence Dec 2024β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NagZ), a cytosolic glucosaminidase, plays a pivotal role in peptidoglycan recycling. Previous research demonstrated that NagZ knockout...
β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NagZ), a cytosolic glucosaminidase, plays a pivotal role in peptidoglycan recycling. Previous research demonstrated that NagZ knockout significantly eradicated AmpC-dependent β-lactam resistance in . However, NagZ's role in the virulence of remains unclear. Our study, incorporating data on mouse and larval mortality rates, inflammation markers, and histopathological examinations, revealed a substantial reduction in the virulence of following NagZ knockout. Transcriptome sequencing uncovered differential gene expression between NagZ knockout and wild-type strains, particularly in nucleotide metabolism pathways. Further investigation demonstrated that NagZ deletion led to a significant increase in cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) levels. Additionally, transcriptome sequencing and RT-qPCR confirmed significant differences in the expression of ECL_03795, a gene with an unknown function but speculated to be involved in c-di-GMP metabolism due to its EAL domain known for phosphodiesterase activity. Interestingly, in ECL_03795 knockout strains, a notable reduction in the virulence was observed, and virulence was rescued upon complementation with ECL_03795. Consequently, our study suggests that NagZ's function on virulence is partially mediated through the ECL_03795→c-di-GMP pathway, providing insight into the development of novel therapies and strongly supporting the interest in creating highly efficient NagZ inhibitors.
Topics: Animals; Virulence; Mice; Enterobacter cloacae; Larva; Moths; Acetylglucosaminidase; Cyclic GMP; Enterobacteriaceae Infections; Virulence Factors; Bacterial Proteins; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Gene Knockout Techniques
PubMed: 38912723
DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2024.2367652 -
PloS One 2024Anthropogenic pressures threaten biodiversity, necessitating conservation actions founded on robust ecological models. However, prevailing models inadequately capture...
Anthropogenic pressures threaten biodiversity, necessitating conservation actions founded on robust ecological models. However, prevailing models inadequately capture the spatiotemporal variation in environmental pressures faced by species with high mobility or complex life histories, as data are often aggregated across species' life histories or spatial distributions. We highlight the limitations of static models for dynamic species and incorporate life history variation and spatial distributions for species and stressors into a trait-based vulnerability and impact model. We use green sea turtles in the Greater Caribbean Region to demonstrate how vulnerability and anthropogenic impact for a dynamic species change across four life stages. By incorporating life stages into a trait-based vulnerability model, we observed life stage-specific vulnerabilities that were otherwise unnoticed when using an aggregated trait value set. Early life stages were more vulnerable to some stressors, such as inorganic pollution or marine heat waves, and less vulnerable to others, such as bycatch. Incorporating spatial distributions of stressors and life stages revealed impacts differ for each life stage across spatial areas, emphasizing the importance of stage-specific conservation measures. Our approach showcases the importance of incorporating dynamic processes into ecological models and will enable better and more targeted conservation actions for species with complex life histories and high mobility.
Topics: Animals; Turtles; Biodiversity; Conservation of Natural Resources; Caribbean Region; Models, Biological; Life History Traits; Life Cycle Stages; Ecosystem
PubMed: 38905300
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305950 -
PloS One 2024The dung beetle primarily feeds on the feces of herbivorous animals and play a crucial role in ecological processes like material cycles and soil improvement. This study...
The dung beetle primarily feeds on the feces of herbivorous animals and play a crucial role in ecological processes like material cycles and soil improvement. This study aims to explore the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota of Catharsius molossus (a renowned dung beetle originating from China and introduced to multiple countries for its ecological value) and exploring whether these gut microbes are transmitted vertically across generations. Using 16S rRNA and ITS rRNA gene sequencing techniques, we described the diversity and composition of gut microbes in C. molossus from different localities and different developmental stages (Egg, young larvae and old larvae). We discovered that the diversity of gut microbiota of dung beetles varied obviously among different geographical localities and different developmental stages, and we also discussed the potential influencing factors. Interestingly, the microbial community structure within the brood balls is more similar to male dung beetle than to that of females, which is consistent with the observation that the brood ball is constructed by the male dung beetle, with the female laying egg in it at the final step. This unique breeding method facilitates offspring in inheriting microbial communities from both the mother and the father. Initially, the larvae's gut microbiota closely mirrors that of the parental gift in these brood balls. As larvae grow, significant changes occur in their gut microbiota, including an increase in symbiotic bacteria like Lactococcus and Enterococcus. Analysis of the gut bacteria of adult dung beetles across various localities and different developmental stages identified nine core genera in adults, contributing to 67.80% of the total microbial abundance, and 11 core genera in beetles at different developmental stages, accounting for 49.13% of the total. Notably, seven genera were common between these two core groups. Our results suggest that Parental gifts can play a role in the vertical transmission of microbes, and the abundance of probiotics increases with larval development, supporting the hypothesis that "larval feeding behavior occurs in two stages: larvae first feed on parental gifts to acquire necessary microbes, then enrich symbiotic microbiota through consuming their own feces."
Topics: Animals; Coleoptera; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Female; Male; Larva; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Bacteria; Biodiversity; China; Phylogeny
PubMed: 38905245
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304908