Project description:Exoproteome represents the proteome consisting of all secreted proteins and proteins derived from the cell surface and lysed cell. The exoproteome of the trypanosomatid parasite should interact with the host cells and the associated microbiota; however, the roles of infecting insect hosts are not yet understood. To uncover the functions of exoproteome, we identified the exoproteome of honey bee trypanosomatid parasite, Lotmaria passim, and found that approximately 28 % are shared with that common between Leishmania spp. It demonstrates a core exoproteome with conserved functions exists in the Leishmaniinae lineage. The bioinformatic characterization suggests that L.passim exoproteome may interact with the host and its microbiota as well as their metabolites. Deletion of genes encoding two secretome proteins revealed that an aspartyl protease but not chitinase affects the development of L. passim under the culture condition and is necessary for the efficient infection in the honey bee gut. Our results demonstrate that the exoproteome represents a resource to uncover the mechanisms of trypanosomatid parasites to infect the insect host by interacting with the gut environment.
Project description:Our aim was to identify the genes that are responsible for caste differentiation in the primitively eusocial bumble bee, Bombus terrestris. To do this we extracted RNA from both queen- and worker-destined larvae. We extracted RNA from three key stages during bumble bee development (before, during, and after their caste becomes fixed), and then sent the sequencing to the Earlham Institute. They used mRNAseq to isolate the RNA from each developmental stage and caste pathway.
2020-11-16 | GSE90751 | GEO
Project description:Bumble bee gut microbiota under glyphosate exposure
Project description:Our aims in this study were: 1) to identify the miRNAs of the bumble bees Bombus terrestris and B. impatiens; 2) to compare the total numbers of miRNAs between both bumble bee species and between them and the honey bee, Apis mellifera; and 3) to test whether the sequences and expression patterns of miRNAs were conserved between species. To investigate each of these aims we used miRNA-seq (deep sequencing of miRNA-enriched libraries) in B. terrestris, and bioinformatics prediction programs to identify miRNAs in both Bombus species. We identified 131 miRNAs in B. terrestris, and 114 in B. impatiens; of these, 17 were new miRNAs that had not previously been sequenced in any species. We found a striking level of difference in the miRNAs present between Bombus and A. mellifera, with 103 miRNAs in A. mellifera not being present in the genomes of the two bumble bees.
Project description:The gut microbiota plays an important role in host health. Microbiota dysbiosis has been implicated in the global epidemic of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and could impair host metabolism by noxious metabolites. It has been well established that the gut microbiota is shaped by host immune factors. However, the effect of T cells on the gut microbiota is yet unknown. Here, we performed a metagenomic whole-genome shotgun sequencing (mWGS) study of the microbiota of TCRb-/- mice, which lack alpha/beta T cells.
Project description:We used RNA-se to compare gene expression patterns in workers of the bumble bee Bombus impatiens in response to the queen, the brood, both or none.
Project description:Research findings of the past decade have highlighted the gut as the main site of action of the oral antihyperglycemic agent metformin despite its pharmacological role in the liver. Extensive evidence supports metformin’s modulatory effect on the composition and function of gut microbiota, nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms of the host responses remain elusive. Our study aimed to evaluate metformin-induced alterations in the intestinal transcriptome profiles at different metabolic states. The high-fat diet-induced type 2 diabetes mouse model of both sexes was developed in a randomized block experiment and bulk RNA-Seq of the ileum tissue was the method of choice for comparative transcriptional profiling after metformin intervention for ten weeks. We found a prominent transcriptional effect of the diet itself with comparatively fewer genes responding to metformin intervention. The overrepresentation of immune-related genes was observed, including pronounced metformin-induced upregulation of immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable regioncoding Ighv1-7 gene in both high-fat diet and control diet-fed animals, supporting the contribution of intestinal immunoglobulin responses. Finally, we provide evidence of the downregulation NF-kappa B signaling pathway in the small intestine of both hyperglycemic and normoglycemic animals after metformin treatment. Moreover, our data pinpoint the gut microbiota as a crucial component in the metformin-mediated downregulation of NF-kappaB signaling evidenced by a positive correlation between the Rel and Rela gene expression levels and abundances of Parabacteroides distasonis, Bacteroides spp., and Lactobacillus spp. in the gut microbiota of the same animals.
Project description:Understanding the biological mechanisms underlying extreme lifespan variation within species remains a fundamental challenge in aging research. Here, we investigated the role of gut microbiota and age in honey bee (Apis mellifera) queens combining metagenomics and transcriptomics. Analysis of 40 queen hindguts revealed that Commensalibacter melissae (Alpha 2.1) relative abundance was significantly higher in young queens compared to old queens. Using queens with the highest and lowest C. melissae relative abundance, RNA sequencing identified 1,451 differentially expressed genes associated with C. melissae abundance, twice the number associated with age alone (719 genes). Queens with high C. melissae abundance showed distinct transcriptional profiles related to stress response, protein homeostasis, and longevity-regulating pathways, particularly genes involved in oxidative stress response and cellular maintenance. Our analysis revealed complex relationships between age, C. melissae abundance, and gene expression patterns, suggesting that multiple interacting factors contribute to queen quality. These findings contribute to our understanding of host-microbe interactions in honey bee queens and highlight the intricate relationship between gut microbiota composition and host physiology in honey bees.
Project description:Diminished colonic health is associated with various age-related pathologies. In this study, we applied an integrative approach to reveal potential interactions between determinants of colonic health in aging C57BL/6J mice. Analysis of gut microbiota composition revealed an enrichment of various potential pathobionts, including Desulfovibrio spp., and a decline of the health-promoting Akkermansia spp. and Lactobacillus spp. during aging. Intraluminal concentrations of various metabolites varied between ages and we found evidence for an increased gut permeability at higher age. Colonic gene expression analysis suggested that during the early phase of aging (between 6 and 12 months), expression of genes involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and (re)organization of the extracellular matrix were increased. Differential expression of these genes was strongly correlated with Bifidobacterium spp. During the later phase of aging (between 12 and 28 months), gene expression profiles pointed towards a diminished antimicrobial defense and were correlated with an uncultured Gastranaerophilales spp. This study demonstrates that aging is associated with pronounced changes in gut microbiota composition and colonic gene expression. Furthermore, the strong correlations between specific bacterial genera and host gene expression may imply that orchestrated interactions take place in the vicinity of the colonic wall and potentially mediate colonic health during aging.