Publications

4855

Abstract Background ‘ Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ (Lso) is a phloem-limited bacterial pathogen causing significant diseases in solanaceous crops. In the United States, haplotypes A and B are transmitted by the potato psyllid Bactericera cockerelli . We previously identified differences in their acquisition and transmission between adults and nymphs. The present study characterized the dynamics of LsoA and LsoB acquisition and transmission by nymphs and examined the transcriptional responses of the nymphal gut upon their acquisition. Methods and results Nymphs were exposed to LsoA- or LsoB-infected plants for 1, 3, 5, or 7 days to measure the bacterial accumulation and for 8 days to assess the transmission efficiency following sequential inoculation of tomato plants. Quantitative PCR showed that LsoB accumulated to higher levels than LsoA after 3 days of acquisition. Following the sequential inoculation, LsoB was transmitted earlier than LsoA indicating a shorter latency period. RNA-seq analysis of the guts following a 1- and 5-day acquisition access periods revealed a greater transcriptional regulation at 5 days than at 1 day. Furthermore, the responses were haplotype-specific: LsoA primarily affected genes involved in protein translation, ER stress, and cell cycle regulation, whereas LsoB regulated genes involved in autophagy, apoptosis, and immune pathways. Conclusions This study revealed haplotype-specific gene regulation potentially leading to LsoB being transmitted more efficiently by psyllid nymphs.

Abstract Background The Toll signaling pathway is a key component of insect innate immunity, yet its role in hemipteran vectors and their interactions with plant pathogens remains poorly understood. The potato psyllid ( Bactericera cockerelli ), an important agricultural pest in the USA, transmits two haplotypes of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum ’ (LsoA and LsoB) that cause severe diseases in solanaceous crops. Methods and Results We characterized Toll pathway components in the B. cockerelli genome and examined their transcriptional responses during pathogen acquisition. Six Toll receptors and ten pathway-associated genes were identified in the psyllid genome. Gene expression was evaluated using RT-qPCR following exposure to the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bb-490) and infection with Lso haplotypes. The transcription of five Toll receptors was significantly induced in response to B. bassiana , indicating their potential role in antifungal defense. In contrast, Lso infection elicited haplotype-specific transcriptional responses: two Toll receptors (Toll like-1 and Toll-7) were up-regulated during LsoB acquisition, whereas only Toll-7 responded to LsoA. In addition, Spätzle-3 was induced by LsoB, while Spätzle was induced by LsoA. Persistent Lso infection did not significantly alter the transcriptional expression of Toll receptors. Conclusions These findings provide new insights into immune regulation in B. cockerelli and highlight the potential of targeting Toll-mediated responses and fungal biocontrol strategies for sustainable disease management.

The phloem-colonizing bacterial pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) causes the devastating citrus Huanglongbing (HLB). Despite the important roles of roots, how CLas affects roots remains largely unknown. Here we dissected host responses in leaf and root at different time points after CLas inoculation. Our data showed that CLas triggers less reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and phloem callose deposition, which are known to contribute to HLB symptom development in leaves, in roots than leaves. Increased chloroplastic ROS accumulation was detected in CLas-infected leaf compared to uninfected controls, which may explain the increased ROS levels in leaves than roots infected by CLas. qRT-PCR and RNA-seq analyses showed global induction of immune related pathways in both roots and leaves, whereas photosynthesis related pathways were only downregulated in leaves, but not in roots, by CLas infection. The differential expression pattern related to immunity and photosynthesis in the leaf and root tissues suggests that chloroplasts might be involved in the differences in ROS accumulation and callose deposition. Root cell death was observed in HLB symptomatic trees regardless of CLas infection status of roots. Significantly more starch accumulation was first observed in CLas positive leaves than healthy controls followed by starch depletion in CLas positive roots later, suggesting a causative relationship between them. Taken together, root cell death caused by CLas infection maybe caused by carbon starvation rather than via a similar mechanism as in leaves. Our data suggests chloroplasts play a critical role in the different pathogenicity mechanisms of CLas in leaf and root.

Huanglongbing (HLB), caused by ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas), poses a major threat to citrus production worldwide and has recently emerged as a serious constraint to sweet orange cultivation in Bangladesh. Despite widespread disease occurrence, information on the genetic diversity of CLas populations in the country is lacking. This study investigated the genetic structure of CLas across major sweet orange–growing regions of Bangladesh using tandem repeat number (TRN) variation at the CLIBASIA_01645 genomic locus. Field surveys were conducted in 17 districts between 2022 and 2023, and 89 HLB-symptomatic leaf samples were collected from commercial orchards. PCR and qPCR detection confirmed CLas infection in 67 (75%) and 74 (83%) samples, respectively. Thirty-seven representative isolates were sequenced and analyzed for TRN polymorphism. Ten TRN genotypes (TRN2–TRN12, excluding TRN3) were identified, with TRN6 being the most prevalent. Bangladeshi CLas isolates were further grouped into three classes based on TRN: Class I (TRN ≤ 5), Class II (5 < TRN ≤ 10), and Class III (10 < TRN ≤ 15), of which Class II was the predominant. All Bangladeshi isolates harbored the CTTGTGT repeat motif and clustered closely with Indian isolates in haplotype network and phylogenetic analyses, while isolates carrying the AGACACA motif from other countries formed a distinct clade. These results reveal intraspecific diversity of CLas in Bangladesh and suggest regional structuring and shared ancestry with neighboring Indian populations. This study provides the first population-level genetic insight into CLas in Bangladesh and establishes a foundation for improved epidemiological understanding and disease management.

Abstract Bacterial symbionts were shown to have diverse but significant impacts on the fitness of their host in insects, but little is known on the symbionts of spiders and their interactions with their hosts. Here, we assembled and investigated the circular 575 kb genome of Candidatus Argiopiplasma dusa, a novel bacterial symbiont of the wasp spider Argiope bruennichi. Phylogenomic analysis placed this species within the phylum Mycoplasmatota, in a poorly characterized clade that may represent a new order-level lineage or affiliate with the Mycoplasmatales order. With 559 predicted genes, the genome is relatively small compared to other Mycoplasmatota genomes (on average 969 genes) and has a low GC content of ∼24%. While the genome encodes genes for proteins involved in glycolysis and fermentative acetate production, it revealed minimal biosynthetic capabilities with pathways for nucleotide, amino acid and vitamin biosynthesis being absent in Ca. Argiopiplasma dusa. This suggests a metabolic dependence and an endosymbiotic lifestyle within the spider host. The symbiont was detected in A. bruennichi populations across the distribution range of the spider but appears to be absent in certain populations.

Early and accurate detection of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’ is essential for the control of X-disease in Prunus species, but this is made difficult by pathogen biology and the ability to consistently recover nucleic acids, both of which increase the likelihood of false negatives. Here we examined the latter, using high- and low-titer infected sweet cherry (P. avium) samples to compare three tissue disruption methods, four nucleic acid extraction chemistries, and four PCR chemistries. Results showed that method selection had minimal impact on high-titer samples but significantly affected low-titer detection. Bead-beating disruption consistently outperformed rotary and manual grinding, yielding lower Cq values and more reliable amplification. Among extraction methods, CTAB-based protocols provided the highest nucleic acid recovery and detection sensitivity, particularly when paired with bead beating. Column- and magnetic bead–based kits performed less consistently, especially with low-titer samples, where false negatives were frequent. PCR chemistry also influenced results, although RT-qPCR did not significantly improve sensitivity over qPCR. Importantly, commonly used host internal controls failed to reliably indicate pathogen detection success, as high-abundance targets masked poor extraction efficiency. Cumulatively these data suggest the need for optimizing diagnostic protocols to ensure capture of low-concentration pathogens to avoid false negatives.

Abstract Synthetic endosymbiosis, the deliberate introduction of bacteria into eukaryotic host cells, provides a tractable model for how endosymbiotic relationships become established, and a route to cells with new metabolic capabilities that never evolved naturally in that lineage. Current methods for introducing bacteria into mammalian cells rely on microinjection, engineered invasion, listeriolysin-mediated phagosomal escape, or naturally permissive hosts. These methods are invasive, low-throughput, or costly, and most require the prospective endosymbiont to be genetically tractable, which excludes endosymbiotic bacteria which are of great interest as potential organelle precursors. Here we describe a protocol based on polyethylene glycol (PEG), long used to fuse mammalian cells, that delivers Escherichia coli into HeLa cells without genetic modification of either partner or the use of specialised equipment. We optimised the governing parameters in two stages: first, bacterial density, gentamicin concentration, and PEG molecular weight and concentration were optimised; then, medium composition and the timing of fusion and recovery. Across four parameters screened, 10% PEG-3350 applied for 4 min to HeLa cells 12 h after seeding, followed by 4 h in gentamicin-containing medium, gave the most consistent delivery. Under these conditions, confocal microscopy and z-stack reconstruction detected mCherry-tagged E. coli inside HeLa cells. Applying the same protocol to Candidatus Kinetoplastibacterium crithidii, a naturally occurring β-proteobacterial endosymbiont of the trypanosomatid Angomonas deanei , we observed the endosymbiont inside the HeLa cells. This protocol offers an accessible entry point for constructing artificial endosymbioses.

Marine bryozoans harbor diverse microbial communities, but not much is known about specificity of bacterial symbionts towards different hosts. We identified potential symbionts and described overall microbial communities of three marine bryozoans, Aquiloniella scabra, Rhamphostomella bilaminata (Gymnolaemata: Cheilostomatida), and Patinella verrucaria (Stenolaemata: Cyclostomatida), revealing that each species maintains a distinct microbial assemblage that differs both from the surrounding environmental microbiome and from other hosts. Previously, the bryostatin-producing gammaproteobacterial genus “ Candidatus Endobugula” was known from only two bryozoan species in the family Bugulidae. Here, we report its first detection in two more cheilostome bryozoans, A. scabra and R. bilaminata , expanding its known host range to two more families.