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Animals : An Open Access Journal From... May 2023Microsporidia are unicellular eukaryotic obligate intracellular parasites with a wide range of hosts reported worldwide; however, little is known about the...
Microsporidia are unicellular eukaryotic obligate intracellular parasites with a wide range of hosts reported worldwide; however, little is known about the epidemiological data on microsporidia infection in animals from the Canary Islands. Since data on microsporidia infection in hedgehog species are scarce, the aim of this study was to analyze the presence and identity of microsporidia in a group of North African hedgehogs () using microscopic and molecular methods. From December 2020 to September 2021, a total of 36 fecal samples were collected from naturally deceased hedgehogs from Tenerife and Gran Canaria. All samples showed spore-compatible structures (100%; 36/36) under microscopic analysis, of which 61.1% (22/36) were amplified via the nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the partial sequence of the 16S rRNA gene, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, and the partial sequence of the 5.8S rRNA gene. After Sanger sequencing and ITS analysis, was detected in 47.2% (17/36) of the samples, identifying two novel genotypes (AAE1 and AAE2), followed by the detection of an undetermined species in 8.3% (3/36) and genotype I in 5.6% (2/36) of the samples. This study constitutes the first report of microsporidia species in worldwide, highlighting the high prevalence of zoonotic species.
PubMed: 37889680
DOI: 10.3390/ani13111756 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2023is a representative species of Microsporidia, and is the pathogen that causes pebrine disease in silkworms. In the process of infection, the polar tube of is injected...
is a representative species of Microsporidia, and is the pathogen that causes pebrine disease in silkworms. In the process of infection, the polar tube of is injected into the host cells. During proliferation, recruits the mitochondria of host cells. The general transcriptional corepressor Ssn6 contains six tetratricopeptide repeats (TPR) and undertakes various important functions. In this study, we isolated and characterized of the microsporidium . The gene contains a complete ORF of 1182 bp in length that encodes a 393 amino acid polypeptide. Indirect immunofluorescence assay showed that the Ssn6 protein was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm and nucleus at the proliferative phase of . We revealed the interaction of Nbssn6 with polar tube protein 2 (Nbptp2) and the transcriptional repressor for RNA polymerase II (Nbtrrp2) by Co-IP and yeast two-hybrid assays. Results from RNA interference further confirmed that the transcriptional level of and was regulated by . These results suggest that Nbssn6 impacts the infection and proliferation of via interacting with the polar tube protein and transcriptional repressor for RNA polymerase II.
PubMed: 37888246
DOI: 10.3390/jof9100990 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2023As research on gut microbes progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that a small family of microbiota--fungi, plays a crucial role in animal health. However, little is...
As research on gut microbes progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that a small family of microbiota--fungi, plays a crucial role in animal health. However, little is known about the fungal composition in the pig intestine, especially after a dietary fiber diet and hybrid genetics, and the changes in host pathogenicity-associated genes they carry. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of diet and genetics on the diversity and structure of porcine intestinal fungi and to describe, for the first time, the host pathogenicity-related genes carried by porcine intestinal fungi. Samples of colonic contents were collected for metagenomic analysis using a 3 × 2 parsing design, where three pig breeds (Taoyuan, Duroc, and crossbred Xiangcun) were fed high or low fiber diets ( = 10). In all samples, we identified a total of 281 identifiable fungal genera, with and being the most abundant fungi. Compared to Duroc pigs, Taoyuan and Xiangcun pigs had higher fungal richness. Interestingly, the fiber diet significantly reduced the abundance of the pathogenic fungus and significantly increased the abundance of the fiber digestion-associated fungus . Pathogenic fungi exert their pathogenicity through the genes they carry that are associated with host pathogenicity. Therefore, we obtained 839 pathogenicity genes carried by the spectrum of fungi in the pig intestine by comparing the PHI-base database. Our results showed that fungi in the colon of Taoyuan pigs carried the highest abundance of different classes of host pathogenicity-related genes, and the lowest in Duroc pigs. Specifically, Taoyuan pigs carried high abundance of animal pathogenicity-related genes (, , , , ), and was the key gene for Candida pathogenicity. The intestinal fungal composition of crossbred Xiangcun pigs and the abundance of host pathogenicity-associated genes they carried exhibited a mixture of characteristics of Taoyuan and Duroc pigs. In conclusion, our results provide the first comprehensive report on the effects of dietary fiber and genetics on the composition of intestinal fungi and the host-associated pathogenicity genes they carry in pigs. These findings provide a reference for subsequent pig breeding and development of anti-pathogenic fungal drugs.
PubMed: 37822749
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1192288 -
Microbiology Spectrum Dec 2023There are a few reports on the resistance of microsporidia, including . Here, the alkali-soluble germination proteins of were used as immunogens to prepare a monoclonal...
There are a few reports on the resistance of microsporidia, including . Here, the alkali-soluble germination proteins of were used as immunogens to prepare a monoclonal antibody, and its single-chain variable fragments effectively blocked microsporidia infection. Our study has provided novel strategies for microsporidiosis control and demonstrated a useful method for the potential treatment of other microsporidia diseases.
Topics: Animals; Bombyx; Nosema; Microsporidiosis; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Spores; Cell Proliferation
PubMed: 37811955
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00681-23 -
Parasite (Paris, France) 2023Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a common pathogen in humans and various animals, threatening the breeding industry and public health. However, there is limited information on...
Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a common pathogen in humans and various animals, threatening the breeding industry and public health. However, there is limited information on the molecular characteristics of E. bieneusi in yaks, an economically important animal mainly domesticated in the Qinghai Tibet Plateau in China. In the present study, nested PCR targeting the ITS gene region was applied to investigate the positive rates and genetic diversity of E. bieneusi in 223 faecal samples of yaks from three locations in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. The total positive rate of E. bieneusi was 23.8% (53/223). Significant differences in positive rates were identified among yaks from three locations (χ= 8.535, p = 0.014) and four age groups (χ = 17.259, p = 0.001), with the highest positive rates in yaks from Yajiang and aged < 6 months, respectively. Sequence analysis identified seven known (EbpC, LW1, LQ10, PigEBITS5, ESH-01, J and BEB4) and five novel (Ganzi1-5) ITS genotypes. Phylogenetic analysis showed eight genotypes (EbpC, LW1, LQ10, PigEBITS5, ESH-01, Ganzi1, Ganzi2 and Ganzi4) in group 1 and three genotypes (J, BEB4 and Ganzi3) in group 2, indicating high genotype diversity and zoonotic potential of E. bieneusi in yaks from Ganzi. Considering the increasing zoonotic genotypes in yaks in the present study compared with previous findings, interventions should be developed to reduce the potential transmission of E. bieneusi between humans and animals.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Cattle; Enterocytozoon; Phylogeny; Tibet; Plant Breeding; Genotype; China
PubMed: 37754780
DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2023044 -
Parasites & Vectors Sep 2023The demonstration that the recently discovered Anopheles symbiont Microsporidia MB blocks malaria transmission in Anopheles arabiensis and undergoes vertical and...
BACKGROUND
The demonstration that the recently discovered Anopheles symbiont Microsporidia MB blocks malaria transmission in Anopheles arabiensis and undergoes vertical and horizontal transmission suggests that it is a promising candidate for the development of a symbiont-based malaria transmission-blocking strategy. The infection prevalence and characteristics of Microsporidia MB in Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (s.s.), another primary vector species of malaria in Kenya, were investigated.
METHODS
Field-collected females were confirmed to be Microsporidia MB-positive after oviposition. Egg counts of Microsporidia MB-infected and non-infected individuals were used to infer the effects of Microsporidia MB on fecundity. The time to pupation, adult sex ratio and survival were used to determine if Microsporidia MB infection has similar characteristics in the host mosquitoes An. gambiae and An. arabiensis. The intensity of Microsporidia MB infection in tissues of the midgut and gonads, and in carcasses, was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. To investigate horizontal transmission, virgin males and females that were either Microsporidia MB-infected or non-infected were placed in standard cages for 48 h and allowed to mate; transmission was confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction targeting Microsporidia MB genes.
RESULTS
Microsporidia MB was found to naturally occur at a low prevalence in An. gambiae s.s. collected in western Kenya. Microsporidia MB shortened the development time from larva to pupa, but other fitness parameters such as fecundity, sex ratio, and adult survival did not differ between Microsporidia MB-infected and non-infected hosts. Microsporidia MB intensities were high in the male gonadal tissues. Transmission experiments indicated that Microsporidia MB undergoes both maternal and horizontal transmission in An. gambiae s.s.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings that Microsporidia MB naturally infects, undergoes maternal and horizontal transmission, and is avirulent in An. gambiae s.s. indicate that many of the characteristics of its infection in An. arabiensis hold true for the former. The results of the present study indicate that Microsporidia MB could be developed as a tool for the transmission-blocking of malaria across different Anopheles species.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Female; Male; Malaria; Anopheles; Mosquito Vectors; Microsporidia; Insect Vectors
PubMed: 37749577
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05933-8 -
Parasite (Paris, France) 2023Enterocytozoon bieneusi, the most common microsporidian species, has been detected in humans and a variety of animals worldwide. However, limited information is...
Enterocytozoon bieneusi, the most common microsporidian species, has been detected in humans and a variety of animals worldwide. However, limited information is available on the prevalence and molecular characterization of this parasite in guinea pigs. In this study, we conducted the first investigation of E. bieneusi infection in hairless guinea pigs recently introduced into China as new exotic pets. A total of 324 fecal samples were collected from hairless guinea pigs from a pet market and four breeding facilities in China. Sequence alignment of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) revealed an infection rate of 14.2% (46/324) and two known ITS genotypes, S7 and PGP. Genotype S7 was the dominant genotype in these animals (42/46, 91.3%). Due to significant ITS sequence divergence, four and two PGP isolates from hairless and regular guinea pigs, respectively were further identified by PCR and phylogenetic analysis based on the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene, as well as phylogenetic analysis of the ITS locus using E. hepatopenaei and two related genera Enterospora and Nucleospora as the outgroup. Three out of the six PGP isolates were successfully sequenced and generated the same sequences. Phylogenetic analysis of SSU rRNA and ITS loci revealed that PGP isolates formed a separate clade that was distinct and far away from E. bieneusi, suggesting that they represent a new species of Enterocytozoon. These findings indicate the dominance of zoonotic E. bieneusi genotype S7 in hairless guinea pigs and the existence of a cryptic Enterocytozoon species in guinea pigs.
Topics: Humans; Guinea Pigs; Animals; Enterocytozoon; Prevalence; Phylogeny; Plant Breeding; China
PubMed: 37728509
DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2023041 -
Journal of Tropical Medicine 2023The present study was done to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) in patients with COVID-19 in health care centers (Imam Reza and Golestan...
The present study was done to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) in patients with COVID-19 in health care centers (Imam Reza and Golestan hospitals), Tehran, capital of Iran. By designing a matched case-control study, 200 fecal samples were collected for each of the COVID-19 patients and healthy individuals. Nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swab samples were collected from all participants for the diagnosis of COVID-19. RNA extraction was performed, and then real time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assay was applied to detect viral RNA. Considering the lung complications, 25%> lung complications was detected in 49 patients, 25-49% in 42 patients, and 50%≤ in 109 patients. Fecal samples were examined using different parasitological techniques. After nested-PCR, sequencing was applied to identify spp. and microsporidia spp. A relatively lower prevalence of IPIs was detected among control group (7.5%), than in COVID-19 patients (13%), though not significant (=0.13). The most prevalent parasite among patients was sp. (6%). Also, 13.76% of IPIs were detected in inpatients with more than 50% lung complication. As well, a remarkably significant difference in IPIs was observed among diarrheic COVID-19 patients, in comparison with nondiarrheic patients ( < 0.00001). Moreover, the isolated sequences in the present study belonged to subtype IIa and genotypes D and Peru 8. In conclusion, more epidemiological and clinical research studies are needed to better understand the status and interaction of IPI in COVID-19 in Iran and other countries.
PubMed: 37719419
DOI: 10.1155/2023/5359823 -
Nature Microbiology Oct 2023Translational control is an essential process for the cell to adapt to varying physiological or environmental conditions. To survive adverse conditions such as low...
Translational control is an essential process for the cell to adapt to varying physiological or environmental conditions. To survive adverse conditions such as low nutrient levels, translation can be shut down almost entirely by inhibiting ribosomal function. Here we investigated eukaryotic hibernating ribosomes from the microsporidian parasite Spraguea lophii in situ by a combination of electron cryo-tomography and single-particle electron cryo-microscopy. We show that microsporidian spores contain hibernating ribosomes that are locked in a dimeric (100S) state, which is formed by a unique dimerization mechanism involving the beak region. The ribosomes within the dimer are fully assembled, suggesting that they are ready to be activated once the host cell is invaded. This study provides structural evidence for dimerization acting as a mechanism for ribosomal hibernation in microsporidia, and therefore demonstrates that eukaryotes utilize this mechanism in translational control.
Topics: Animals; Microsporidia; Cryoelectron Microscopy; Spores; Dimerization; Eukaryota; Ribosomes
PubMed: 37709902
DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01469-w -
Emerging Microbes & Infections Dec 2023Intestinal microsporidiosis is most often caused by , and to a lesser extent by species of the genus . Until now, was not clearly known to induce disease restricted to...
Intestinal microsporidiosis is most often caused by , and to a lesser extent by species of the genus . Until now, was not clearly known to induce disease restricted to the intestine, or rarely in HIV subjects or in tropical countries. We report here 11 cases of delineated intestinal microsporidioses due to diagnosed in France in non-HIV patients. Briefly, all patients were immunocompromised. They all suffered from diarrhoea, associated in nearly 50% of cases with weight loss. Concerning treatment, 5/11 patients had a discontinuation or a decrease of their immunosuppressive therapy, and 4/11 received albendazole. All patients recovered. Five different genotypes were identified based on the rRNA ITS sequence.
Topics: Humans; Encephalitozoon; Microsporidiosis; Enterocytozoon; Intestines; Feces
PubMed: 37706342
DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2258997