@article {pmid40932472,
year = {2025},
author = {Alimenti, C and Jiang, Y and Di Giuseppe, G and Pedrini, B and Luporini, P and Vallesi, A},
title = {Morphology and molecular basis of cell-cell recognition in Euplotes songi sp. nov., a phylogenetically early-emerging new species of Euplotes (Ciliophora, Spirotrichea).},
journal = {International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology},
volume = {75},
number = {9},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1099/ijsem.0.006907},
pmid = {40932472},
issn = {1466-5034},
mesh = {*Euplotes/classification/genetics/cytology/isolation & purification/physiology ; *Phylogeny ; DNA, Protozoan/genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Italy ; *Seawater/parasitology ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics ; },
abstract = {Euplotes songi sp. nov. is described as a new morphospecies of Euplotes, isolated from shallow interstitial waters off the southern Italian coast of the Adriatic Sea. Its small (49×33 µm) body has a slightly asymmetric elliptical shape, contains a relatively large hook-shaped macronucleus consistently associated with a single micronucleus and harbours γ-proteobacteria as endosymbionts. Formation of resting stages was not observed, either as a result of culture ageing or in response to conditions commonly inducing encystation. The dorsal surface features a silver-line system ('dargyrome') of the double type, with two longitudinal inter-kinety rows of argentophilic polygons that are markedly unequal in width. Four prominent longitudinal ridges, each bearing one kinety of 9-12 dikinetids, run along the dorsal body side, while two shorter kineties extend along the lateral cell margins. The ventral surface bears 10 fronto-ventral, five transverse, two stiff and elongated caudal cirri and a single short, highly motile marginal cirrus. The buccal field extends nearly four-fifths of the body length and is bordered by 28-31 adoral membranelles. In the Euplotes SSU rRNA gene-based phylogenetic tree, E. songi clusters with Euplotes huizhouensis, Euplotes petzi and Euplotes sinicus, forming the earliest emerging clade. Consistent with other Euplotes species, E. songi cells grow and mate under the control of a family of waterborne, cell-type-specific protein pheromones. Native pheromones, purified from genetically distinct cultures, are active at micromolar concentrations and consist of short 33-aa sequences, which include eight cysteine residues and fold into a bundle of three antiparallel helical segments. This bundle likely represents an evolutionary forerunner of the more complex helical bundles characteristic of pheromone families synthesized by phylogenetically derived Euplotes species. A simple organization is similarly exhibited by the macronuclear pheromone-coding genes, having full-length sequences of only 728 or 732 bp and an intron-free ORF.},
}

*Euplotes/classification/genetics/cytology/isolation & purification/physiology
*Phylogeny
DNA, Protozoan/genetics
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Italy
*Seawater/parasitology
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics

@article {pmid40931264,
year = {2025},
author = {Mrabti, I and Grijja, H and Benzahra, H and Brhadda, N and Ziri, R and Kubaa, RA and Mokrini, F and Afechtal, M},
title = {Detection of Wolbachia in Natural Populations of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) Infesting Argan Fruits in Morocco.},
journal = {Neotropical entomology},
volume = {54},
number = {1},
pages = {95},
pmid = {40931264},
issn = {1678-8052},
abstract = {The argan tree (Argania spinosa L. Skeels), native to the sub-Saharan region of Morocco, is an endangered agroforestry species renowned for producing one of the world's most expensive and sought-after oils. However, this valuable resource is threatened by the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata (Wied.)), an invasive pest worldwide. Like other dipteran insects, C. capitata has developed mutualistic interactions with prokaryotic endosymbionts, including Wolbachia, a facultative intracellular bacterium that could play a role in the biology of this pest. Between 2022 and 2024, a field survey was conducted in the argan forests of Agadir, southern Morocco, to detect Wolbachia in natural populations of C. capitata and investigate its potential impact on this pest. A total of eighteen wild type specimens were captured to investigate the endosymbionts of this insect pest. Detection of Wolbachia was carried out by PCR using a primer pair targeting a specific fragment within the cox gene. Amplicons of the expected size were sequenced in both directions, and one sequence was deposited in the GenBank under accession Number PQ285444. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the obtained sequence belongs to the monophyletic clade of the Wolbachia B supergroup, known to infect a variety of insect species. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the bacterium being detected and characterized in natural populations of the Mediterranean fruit fly infesting argan fruits in the country. These findings open new perspectives for integrated biological control strategies, offering a sustainable alternative to chemical insecticides for managing this insect pest species in Morocco.},
}

@article {pmid40926678,
year = {2025},
author = {Prabhu, D and Sureshan, M and Rajamanikandan, S and Jeyakanthan, J},
title = {Harnessing the potential of phytochemicals to design anti-filarial molecules targeting the MurE enzyme of Brugia malayi: a hierarchical virtual screening and molecular dynamics simulation study.},
journal = {SAR and QSAR in environmental research},
volume = {36},
number = {8},
pages = {753-773},
doi = {10.1080/1062936X.2025.2556512},
pmid = {40926678},
issn = {1029-046X},
mesh = {*Brugia malayi/enzymology/drug effects ; Molecular Dynamics Simulation ; *Phytochemicals/pharmacology/chemistry ; Animals ; Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship ; Drug Design ; *Ligases/antagonists & inhibitors ; Wolbachia/enzymology ; *Enzyme Inhibitors/chemistry/pharmacology ; *Filaricides/pharmacology/chemistry ; },
abstract = {Brugia malayi, a causative agent of lymphatic filariasis, relies on its endosymbiont Wolbachia for survival. MurE ligase, a key enzyme in Wolbachia peptidoglycan biosynthesis, serves as a promising drug target for anti-filarial therapy. In this study, we employed a hierarchical virtual screening pipeline to identify phytochemical inhibitors targeting the MurE enzyme of the Wolbachia endosymbiont of B. malayi (wBmMurE). A validated high-quality model of wBmMurE was used to screen 17,967 phytochemicals, and the identified hits were subjected to toxicity profiling, and ADME filters to select potent drug-like candidates. Five phytochemicals such as biotin, quisqualic acid, succinic acid, 9,14-dihydroxyoctadecanoic acid, and N-isovaleroylglycine with permissible ADME profiles showed favourable binding affinities (GlideScore range: -12.86 to -10.57 kcal/mol), and stable interactions with catalytically important residues were selected from screened hits. Comparative analysis with reported MurE inhibitors validated the superior affinity and drug-like behaviour of our identified leads. Molecular dynamics simulations of 300 ns confirmed the conformational stability of ligand-bound complexes, while MM-GBSA analysis supported their favourable binding free energies. The results revealed that the identified compounds have the tendency of binding within substrate binding cavity of wBmMurE. These findings suggest that selected phytochemicals could serve as starting points for the development of novel anti-filarial agents.},
}

*Brugia malayi/enzymology/drug effects
Molecular Dynamics Simulation
*Phytochemicals/pharmacology/chemistry
Animals
Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship
Drug Design
*Ligases/antagonists & inhibitors
Wolbachia/enzymology
*Enzyme Inhibitors/chemistry/pharmacology
*Filaricides/pharmacology/chemistry

@article {pmid40924749,
year = {2025},
author = {Amoros, J and Buysse, M and Floriano, AM and Moumen, B and Vavre, F and Bouchon, D and Duron, O},
title = {Diversity and spread of cytoplasmic incompatibility genes among maternally inherited symbionts.},
journal = {PLoS genetics},
volume = {21},
number = {9},
pages = {e1011856},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pgen.1011856},
pmid = {40924749},
issn = {1553-7404},
abstract = {Cytoplasmic Incompatibility (CI) causes embryonic lethality in arthropods, resulting in a significant reduction in reproductive success. In most cases, this reproductive failure is driven by Wolbachia endosymbionts through their cifA/cifB gene pair, whose products disrupts arthropod DNA replication during embryogenesis. While a cif pair has been considered a hallmark of Wolbachia, its presence and functional significance in other bacterial lineages remains poorly investigated. Here, we conducted a comprehensive survey of 762 genomes spanning non-Wolbachia endosymbionts and their close relatives, revealing that the cif pair is far more widespread than previously recognized. We identified cif loci in 8.4% of the surveyed genomes, with a striking incidence of 17.4% in facultative symbionts. Beyond Wolbachia, cif pair occurs across eight bacterial genera spanning α-Proteobacteria, γ-Proteobacteria, Mollicutes, and Bacteroidota. Notably, cif pair has been identified in several intracellular pathogens of mammals showing high rate of transovarial transmission in their arthropod hosts, suggesting a potential role of cif pair and CI in vector-borne disease dynamics. Structural analyses further reveal that the PD(D/E)-XK nucleases and AAA-ATPase-like motifs are consistently conserved across cif pairs in all bacterial taxa. Moreover, cif pairs are frequently integrated within diverse mobile genetic elements, from transposons to large intact WO prophages in Wolbachia and RAGEs in Rickettsiaceae. Phylogenetic analyses reveal recent and potentially ongoing horizontal transfers of cif pair between distantly related bacterial lineages, a process potentially facilitated by mobile genetic elements. Indeed, the PDDEXK2 transposase exhibits a phylogenetic pattern consistent with the co-transmission of cif genes, suggesting that it may facilitate horizontal transfers of cif across bacterial lineages. Furthermore, the detection of endosymbionts harboring cif pair in arthropod groups where Wolbachia is scarce, such as ticks, suggests that CI may be more widespread than previously known, with significant implications for arthropod symbiosis, reproductive manipulation, and future biocontrol strategies.},
}

@article {pmid40923351,
year = {2025},
author = {Stensvold, CR},
title = {Aspects of Genetic Diversity, Host Specificity and Public Health Significance of Single-Celled Intestinal Parasites Commonly Observed in Humans and Mostly Referred to as 'Non-Pathogenic'.},
journal = {APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica},
volume = {133},
number = {9},
pages = {e70036},
doi = {10.1111/apm.70036},
pmid = {40923351},
issn = {1600-0463},
mesh = {Humans ; *Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/parasitology ; *Genetic Variation ; *Host Specificity ; *Public Health ; Blastocystis/genetics ; Animals ; },
abstract = {Clinical microbiology involves the detection and differentiation of primarily bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi in patients with infections. Billions of people may be colonised by one or more species of common luminal intestinal parasitic protists (CLIPPs) that are often detected in clinical microbiology laboratories; still, our knowledge on these organisms' impact on global health is very limited. The genera Blastocystis, Dientamoeba, Entamoeba, Endolimax and Iodamoeba comprise CLIPPs species, the life cycles of which, as opposed to single-celled pathogenic intestinal parasites (e.g., microsporidia and sporozoa), do probably not include gut-invasive stages that could result in pathological processes and thereby disease (except for Entamoeba histolytica). All five genera are parasites in the sense that they use a host to complete their life cycle; still, by many specialists, these are considered to be of limited clinical relevance and could possibly be referred to as 'eukaryotic endobionts' or even 'endosymbionts', in case they would have health-protective effects. The articles included in this thesis exemplify the work and the data that support the view that it might be more relevant to study these genera in a public health and gut ecology context than in a clinical microbiology context. Essential to investigating the impact of intestinal parasites on health and disease are accurate diagnostic tools, including DNA-based technology such as PCR and sequencing, plus accurate reference databases. Small subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes consistently present in both pro- and eukaryotic organisms are today avidly used as taxonomic markers. DNA-based methods have been developed for genetic characterisation of microorganisms and provided data on species/subtypes/genotypes, etc. Metagenomics and metabarcoding (the use of low-specific PCR coupled with next-generation sequencing) can provide information on co-infection/co-colonisation with other organisms and enable screening for genetic diversity, even in complex matrices. By developing and implementing sensitive and specific DNA-based diagnostic tools and typing assays primarily based on the SSU rRNA gene, we have increased insight into the diversity, distribution and significance of CLIPPs. With these tools, we have shown that the genera Blastocystis and Dientamoeba are far more common than previously thought. Only 10-15 years ago, hypotheses on their distribution typically relied on data generated by traditional parasitological diagnostic methods, such as light microscopy. Hence, we have shown that most older children in Nigeria host Blastocystis, and that most children in day-care institutions in Denmark, if not all, get colonised by Dientamoeba at some point. Single-celled non-pathogenic intestinal parasites can be hosted by patients with diarrhoea and functional or inflammatory bowel diseases. However, emerging data appear to suggest that CLIPPs are generally more common in gut-healthy individuals than in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms. The research we have carried out on associations between CLIPPs and gut bacteria suggests that colonisation with these parasites is seen primarily in individuals with a healthy 'gut flora' (eubiosis). This observation should prompt future research projects focusing on the use of CLIPPs as biomarkers, and it should be investigated to which extent manipulation with CLIPPs could lead to changes in the gut flora and thereby be used as probiotics. In the event that it makes sense to speak of 'infection' by CLIPPs, we still lack tools to differentiate between colonisation and infection. We have known for decades that morphologically similar parasites can differ in terms of clinical impact and be genetically distinct, a feature that we refer to as 'cryptic genetic diversity'. One example is E. histolytica, which cannot be differentiated from Entamoeba dispar by cyst morphological features. However, whereas E. histolytica can be invasive and give rise to amoebic dysentery and amoebiasis, E. dispar is by most specialists considered non-invasive and generally non-pathogenic. This insight led us to investigate genetic diversity among other species of Entamoeba as well as other CLIPPs genera. If we could demonstrate similar-or higher-degrees of diversity within Blastocystis, Dientamoeba, Endolimax and Iodamoeba, these differences might be key to explaining differences in parasite phenotype and thereby differences in the ability of the parasites to cause symptoms. Despite the disclosure of striking genetic diversity among some CLIPPs, we have found little support for such theories; however, more studies are needed. As for Dientamoeba, we have observed a more or less clonal expansion of one of the two genotypes known to exist, and this genotype appears to have global predominance. In contrast, extensive genetic diversity is observed between and within subtypes of Blastocystis: to date, more than 30 species, the so-called subtypes, have been acknowledged. We, and many others, have sought to identify whether one or more of these subtypes could be linked to the development of intestinal symptoms, but there is little evidence to support this hypothesis. We know that Subtypes 1-4 reflect about 95% of Blastocystis colonisation in humans, and we have shown that individuals with zoonotic subtypes (e.g., ST6, ST7 and ST8) might typically experience symptoms. We have disclosed astonishing genetic variation among other CLIPPs, which has led to the recognition of Iodamoeba bütschlii, Endolimax nana, Entamoeba coli and Entamoeba hartmanni as species complexes, where each species should be regarded as a complex of species (referred to as 'subtypes' or 'ribosomal lineages') with overlapping morphology. And where E. histolytica and E. dispar differ by only 1%-2% diversity across the SSU rRNA gene, we have observed up to at least 10% and 30% genetic difference among ribosomal lineages within E. coli and I. bütschlii, respectively, challenging species concepts currently applied. Our research has resulted in the recognition of three ribosomal lineages within both E. coli and E. hartmanni, as well as two ribosomal lineages of E. nana and I. bütschlii. Moreover, we have discovered a new lineage of Entamoeba moshkovskii. Molecular characterisation of intestinal parasites collected from different host species (humans, non-human primates, other mammals, birds, etc.) can help identify opportunity for transmission between human and non-human hosts. We have shown that pigs can host a few species/lineages that can readily colonise humans, such as Entamoeba hartmanni and I. bütschlii. Many other species of larger mammals are common hosts of Blastocystis and Entamoeba. However, for the two latter genera, the species/genetic variants observed in non-human hosts are typically different from those observed in humans, which could indicate that many species of CLIPPs have adapted to their respective hosts over a long period, resulting in relatively high host specificity. For Blastocystis, we have shown that even though a given subtype may be found in more than one host species, it is possible to demonstrate cryptic host specificity at allele level. For instance, even though both human and non-human primates can be colonised by ST3, host species-specific strains of ST3 circulate within these two host populations. With regards to E. coli, it is possible that ST1 has adapted to human hosts, while E. coli ST2 has adapted to a broader host range, including non-human primates and rodents. It has become clear that CLIPPs are common colonisers of the human background population, and even though we cannot disprove the existence of infection by any of these, it should be reasonable to consider clinical and medical intervention redundant in most cases. Perhaps it might even be so that one should try not to eradicate these organisms from the gut when first established. However, more studies are warranted to elucidate the significance of the pronounced genetic diversity observed in some CLIPPs with regards to transmission patterns and clinical significance. Future research in CLIPPs should also include studies that can elucidate those factors that favour colonisation with CLIPPs and what role CLIPPs have in host-gut ecology, metabolism and overall health condition. Finally, as human and non-human hosts share these parasitic genera, and as some protozoa possibly contribute to overall gut function in ruminants, it would be interesting to study these in domesticated and wild animals to learn more about the role of these parasites in health and disease, including investigations into whether some CLIPPs might be endosymbionts.},
}

Humans
*Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/parasitology
*Genetic Variation
*Host Specificity
*Public Health
Blastocystis/genetics
Animals

@article {pmid40920925,
year = {2025},
author = {Marks, JC and Zampini, MC and Fitzpatrick, R and Kariunga, SH and Sitati, A and Samo, TJ and Weber, PK and Thomas, S and Hungate, BA and Ramon, CE and Wulf, M and Leshyk, VO and Schwartz, E and Pett-Ridge, J and Power, ME},
title = {Ecosystem consequences of a nitrogen-fixing proto-organelle.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {122},
number = {37},
pages = {e2503108122},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.2503108122},
pmid = {40920925},
issn = {1091-6490},
support = {2125088//NSF (NSF)/ ; DE-AC52-07NA27344//US Department of Energy/ ; },
mesh = {*Nitrogen Fixation/physiology ; *Ecosystem ; *Symbiosis/physiology ; Nitrogen/metabolism ; Animals ; Food Chain ; Rivers ; *Diatoms/metabolism/physiology ; Carbon/metabolism ; Seasons ; Cyanobacteria/metabolism/physiology ; Nitrogen Isotopes ; Carbon Isotopes ; },
abstract = {Microscale symbioses can be critical to ecosystem functions, but the mechanisms of these interactions in nature are often cryptic. Here, we use a combination of stable isotope imaging and tracing to reveal carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) exchanges among three symbiotic primary producers that fuel a salmon-bearing river food web. Bulk isotope analysis, nanoSIMS (secondary ion mass spectrometry) isotope imaging, and density centrifugation for quantitative stable isotope probing enabled quantification of organism-specific C- and N-fixation rates from the subcellular scale to the ecosystem. After winters with riverbed-scouring floods, the macroalga Cladophora glomerata uses nutrients in spring runoff to grow streamers up to 10 m long. During summer flow recession, riverine N concentrations wane and Cladophora becomes densely epiphytized by three species of Epithemia, diatoms with N-fixing endosymbionts (proto-organelles) descended from a free-living Crocosphaera cyanobacterium. Over summertime epiphyte succession on Cladophora, N-fixation rates increased as Epithemia spp. became dominant, Cladophora C-fixation declined to near zero, and Epithemia C-fixation increased. Carbon transfer to caddisflies grazing on Cladophora with high densities of Epithemia was 10-fold higher than C transfer to caddisflies grazing Cladophora with low Epithemia loads. In response to demand for N, Epithemia allocates high levels of newly fixed C to its endosymbiont. Consequently, these endosymbionts have the highest rates of C and N accumulation of any taxon in this tripartite symbiosis during the biologically productive season and can produce one of the highest areal rates of N-fixation reported in any river ecosystem.},
}

*Nitrogen Fixation/physiology
*Ecosystem
*Symbiosis/physiology
Nitrogen/metabolism
Animals
Food Chain
Rivers
*Diatoms/metabolism/physiology
Carbon/metabolism
Seasons
Cyanobacteria/metabolism/physiology
Nitrogen Isotopes
Carbon Isotopes

@article {pmid40920875,
year = {2025},
author = {Chappell, L and Peguero, R and Conner, WR and Fowler, S and Cooper, BS and Pfarr, K and Hoerauf, A and Lustigman, S and Sakanari, J and Sullivan, W},
title = {Fexinidazole and corallopyronin a target Wolbachia-infected sheath cells present in filarial nematodes.},
journal = {PLoS pathogens},
volume = {21},
number = {9},
pages = {e1012929},
doi = {10.1371/journal.ppat.1012929},
pmid = {40920875},
issn = {1553-7374},
abstract = {The discovery of the endosymbiotic bacteria Wolbachia as an obligate symbiont of. filarial nematodes has led to antibiotic-based treatments for filarial diseases. While lab. and clinical studies have yielded promising results, recent animal studies revealed that Wolbachia levels rebound following treatment with the antibiotic rifampicin. Previous work revealed that a potential source of the bacterial rebound in female worms were dense clusters of Wolbachia in ovarian tissue. The number, size, and density of these Wolbachia clusters were not diminished despite antibiotic treatment. Here we define the cellular characteristics of the Wolbachia clusters in Brugia pahangi (wBp) and identify drugs that target them. We show that the Wolbachia clusters originate from newly formed sheath cells adjacent to the distal tip cell. The dramatically enlarged volume of a Wolbachia-infected sheath cell is strikingly similar to endosymbiont-induced bacteriocytes found in many insect species. Ultrastructural analysis reveals that the clustered Wolbachia present within the sheath cells have a distinct morphology from those present within the oocytes, and that the sheath cell membrane appears to have interdigitations with the adjacent oocyte membrane. This includes membrane-based channels that provide a connection between Wolbachia-infected sheath cells and oocytes. We determined that the Wolbachia within the sheath cells are either quiescent or replicating at a very low rate. Screens of 11 known antibiotics and other drugs revealed that Fexinidazole, Corallopyronin A and Rapamycin reduced the number of Wolbachia clusters infecting sheath cells but only Fexinidazole and Corallopyronin A showed a highly significant difference (p < 0.0001) compared to the control group.},
}

@article {pmid40919815,
year = {2025},
author = {VanDieren, AJ and Barrick, JE},
title = {Evolution in response to prophage activation attenuates the virulence of culturable Serratia symbiotica relatives of aphid endosymbionts.},
journal = {mBio},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0204125},
doi = {10.1128/mbio.02041-25},
pmid = {40919815},
issn = {2150-7511},
abstract = {Serratia symbiotica bacteria exhibit a range of relationships with aphids. They may be co-obligate mutualists, commensals, or even pathogens depending on the strain, aphid host species, and environment. Serratia symbiotica CWBI-2.3[T] (CWBI), a culturable member of this group, is transmitted to embryos transovarially when it is injected into pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum), the same route used by S. symbiotica strains that are vertically inherited endosymbionts. Yet, aphids colonized with CWBI die before they give birth to infected offspring. We evolved laboratory populations of CWBI through 15-30 serial passages at two different temperatures in rich media. These nutrient-replete conditions mimic aspects of environments within aphid hosts that lead to the evolution of reduced endosymbiont genomes. Unexpectedly, all S. symbiotica populations propagated at one temperature appeared to evolve slower growth after only a few days due to reactivation of a lytic prophage from the CWBI genome. Though these populations continued to reach saturating cell densities slower than cultures of the ancestor throughout the experiment, representative clones isolated from them had mutations affecting lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and were resistant to the phage. Some evolved strains exhibited less virulence when injected into aphids, and we observed instances of gene inactivation and loss mediated by insertion elements. Our results illustrate how transposons and prophages can dominate laboratory evolution of newly cultured bacteria, particularly those that are host-associated in nature and have genomes rife with selfish DNA elements. They also suggest that bacteria-phage coevolution can catalyze evolutionary paths that contribute to converting pathogens into stably inherited endosymbionts.IMPORTANCELaboratory experiments can be used to explore evolutionary innovations in how microbes associate with animal hosts. Serratia symbiotica bacteria exhibit a variety of interactions with aphids. Some strains are obligate endosymbionts. Others have facultative associations with benefits or costs depending on the environmental context. S. symbiotica CWBI-2.3[T] (CWBI) resembles aphid endosymbionts in how it can be transovarially transmitted to aphid embryos. However, adults injected with CWBI do not survive long enough to give birth to infected offspring. We evolved this aphid protosymbiont in rich media to see if this would attenuate its virulence and recapitulate genome reduction observed in endosymbionts. We observed large deletions and gene inactivation, but reactivation of a prophage from the CWBI genome and then evolution of phage resistance dominated. Some evolved strains became less virulent to aphids, suggesting that evolution driven by selfish DNA elements can contribute to the emergence of new endosymbionts from pathogen ancestors.},
}

@article {pmid40913463,
year = {2025},
author = {Mostafa, KM and Cheng, YH and Chu, LW and Nguyen, PT and Liu, CJ and Liao, CW and Posch, T and Leu, JY},
title = {Environment-dependent mutualism-parasitism transitions in the incipient symbiosis between Tetrahymena utriculariae and Micractinium tetrahymenae.},
journal = {The ISME journal},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/ismejo/wraf203},
pmid = {40913463},
issn = {1751-7370},
abstract = {Mutualistic endosymbiosis is a cornerstone of evolutionary innovation, enabling organisms to exploit diverse niches unavailable to individual species. However, our knowledge about the early evolutionary stage of this relationship remains limited. The association between the ciliate Tetrahymena utriculariae and its algal endosymbiont Micractinium tetrahymenae indicates an incipient stage of photoendosymbiosis. Although T. utriculariae cells rely on endosymbiotic algae to grow in low-oxygen conditions, they gradually lose the endosymbionts in oxic conditions. In this study, comparative phylogenomics revealed accelerated evolution in mitochondrial DNA and nucleus-encoded mitochondrial genes in T. utriculariae. Symbiotic cells displayed elongated mitochondria that interacted intimately with endosymbionts. Inhibition of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation reduced host fitness but increased the endosymbiont population. Time-series transcriptomics revealed physiological fine-tuning of the host across day-night cycles, highlighting symbiosis-associated regulatory adjustments. Endosymbiotic algae downregulated photosynthesis-related genes compared with free-living cells, which correlated with reduced chlorophyll content, suggesting a shift toward host resource exploitation to compensate for diminished photosynthetic capacity. Under oxic conditions, symbiotic T. utriculariae cells exhibited lower fitness than aposymbiotic cells. Our results demonstrate that incipient endosymbioses employ mitochondrial remodeling and endosymbiont metabolic reprogramming to actively regulate transitions between mutualistic and parasitic states, revealing how symbiotic partnerships navigate environmental pressures during their incipient stage of evolutionary establishment.},
}

@article {pmid40912681,
year = {2025},
author = {Jiang, Y and Wang, X and Zhong, L and Tian, J and Jie, R and Ma, Y and Gao, C and Zhang, B},
title = {Coxiella burnetii and Coxiella Endosymbiont in Ticks from Western China.},
journal = {Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.)},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1177/15303667251372150},
pmid = {40912681},
issn = {1557-7759},
abstract = {Background: Coxiella spp. are widespread in ticks. Coxiella burnetii, the agents of Q fever, is vectored by ticks and is well known for its veterinary and medical importance. However, reports on C. burnetii in ticks from China have been quite few compared with other tick-borne pathogens. In addition to C. burnetii, more and more Coxiella endosymbionts of ticks have been described in China. Materials, Methods, and Results: In this study, ticks were collected from domestic animals in two provinces (Chongqing and Xinjiang) in western China, and the Coxiella spp. in them were molecularly studied. In the 168 ticks (all Hyalomma asiaticum) from Xinjiang, C. burnetii was detected with an overall positive rate of 76.19%. In contrast, in 96 ticks (all Rhipicephalus microplus) from Chongqing, only Coxiella endosymbiont was identified with an extremely high prevalence (97.92%). Conclusions: We propose that there may have been a tick-animal-tick circulation of C. burnetii in Xinjiang. The high positive rate of C. burnetii suggests a high risk to public health.},
}

@article {pmid40911652,
year = {2025},
author = {Serrato-Salas, J and Epelboin, Y and Bemplidaki, D and Roger, I and Gendrin, M},
title = {Extracellular microbes are required for mosquito development even in the presence of Wolbachia.},
journal = {PLoS neglected tropical diseases},
volume = {19},
number = {9},
pages = {e0013481},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pntd.0013481},
pmid = {40911652},
issn = {1935-2735},
abstract = {Wolbachia, an endosymbiotic bacterium infecting a wide array of invertebrates, has gained attention for its potential in vector control. Its capacity to colonise host populations primarily relies on vertical transmission and reproductive manipulation in arthropods. This endosymbiont is additionally mutualistic in some hosts, across several Wolbachia supergroups; notably, in nematodes and, as recently demonstrated, in planthoppers and bedbugs, it functions as an essential nutritional symbiont by providing vitamins to its host. Since mosquito larvae require microbe-derived nutrients for development, we investigated whether Wolbachia alone can support larval development in Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. Our findings reveal that Wolbachia alone is insufficient to support larval development. Using transient colonisation with Escherichia coli, we developed a protocol to produce adult Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes harbouring Wolbachia only (germ-freeWol+). These results suggest that E. coli can support larval development in this species, which typically thrives in murky water; they also underscore the importance of extracellular microbes in larval growth. Furthermore, when Wolbachia infection was suppressed in germ-freeWol+ larvae using tetracycline treatment, we observed enhanced larval development, suggesting that Wolbachia acts as a metabolic parasite. In summary, this study opens the way for gnotobiology research in Culex quinquefasciatus and highlights the intricate interactions between Wolbachia and other members, which collectively influence mosquito development.},
}

@article {pmid40909553,
year = {2025},
author = {Pujhari, S and Heebner, J and Raumann, E and Zhong, T and Rasgon, JL and Swulius, MT and Shaffer, CL and Kaplan, M},
title = {In situ architecture of the endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis.},
journal = {bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1101/2025.08.29.673095},
pmid = {40909553},
issn = {2692-8205},
abstract = {Hidden within host cells, the endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis is the most prevalent bacterial infection in the animal kingdom. Scientific breakthroughs over the past century yielded fundamental mechanisms by which Wolbachia controls arthropod reproduction to shape dynamic ecological and evolutionary trajectories. However, the structure and spatial organization of symbiont machineries that underpin intracellular colonization and orchestrate maternal inheritance remain unknown. Here, we used cryo-electron tomography to directly image the nanoscale architecture of bacterial tools deployed for host manipulation and germline transmission. We discovered that Wolbachia assembles multiple structures at the host-endosymbiont interface including a filamentous ladder-like framework hypothesized to serve as a specialized motility mechanism that enables bacterial translocation to specific host cell compartments during embryogenesis and somatic tissue dissemination. In addition, we present the first in situ structure of the Rickettsiales vir homolog type IV secretion system (rvh T4SS). We provide evidence that the rvh T4SS nanomachine exhibits architectural similarities to the pED208-encoded T4SS apparatus including the biogenesis of rigid conjugative pili extending hundreds of nanometers beyond the bacterial cell surface. Coupled with integrative structural modeling, we demonstrate that in contrast to canonical T4SS architectures, the α-proteobacterial T4SS outer membrane complex assembles a periplasmic baseplate structure predicted to comprise VirB9 oligomers complexed with cognate VirB10 subunits that form extended antennae projections surrounding the translocation channel pore. Collectively, these studies provide an unprecedented view into Wolbachia structural cell biology and unveil the molecular blueprints for architectural paradigms that reinforce ancient host-microbe symbioses.},
}

@article {pmid40908936,
year = {2025},
author = {Oguchi, K and Munakata, M and Hiruta, C and Kakui, K},
title = {Intracellular Localization of the Bacterial Endosymbiont Cardinium in the Ostracod Heterocypris spadix.},
journal = {Zoological science},
volume = {42},
number = {4},
pages = {},
doi = {10.2108/zs250018},
pmid = {40908936},
issn = {0289-0003},
mesh = {Animals ; *Symbiosis ; *Crustacea/microbiology ; Female ; *Bacteroidetes/physiology ; },
abstract = {Symbiosis is a key driver of evolution in life-history traits and reproductive strategies. Some symbiotic microorganisms manipulate host reproduction to enhance their own transmission, a phenomenon well studied in insects but less understood in crustaceans. Among these microorganisms, Cardinium manipulates host reproductive systems, such as parthenogenesis, cytoplasmic incompatibility, and male killing in arthropods. However, its role in ostracods, small bivalve-shelled crustaceans, remains unclear. Some ostracod species reproduce via parthenogenesis, and high Cardinium infection rates in these lineages suggest a potential link between the symbiont and asexual reproduction. To investigate this relationship, we examined Cardinium localization in the parthenogenetic ostracod Heterocypris spadix from Japan. Using tissue clearing and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), we visualized Cardinium within the ovaries. FISH observations revealed a widespread infection across the germarium, nurse cells, and oocytes. In early-stage oocytes, bacteria were evenly dispersed throughout the cytoplasm, whereas in more-developed oocytes, they clustered around the nucleus. Additionally, Cardinium was also detected in the hepatopancreas, indicating infection of both the reproductive and digestive systems. The presence of Cardinium in host reproductive structures, particularly the germarium, nurse cells, and developing oocytes, suggests its role in reproductive manipulation. To our knowledge, this study provides the first detailed localization of Cardinium in ostracods, reinforcing its potential influence on reproduction. Future research using antibiotics and genomic analysis will be crucial to confirm Cardinium's role in parthenogenesis induction.},
}

Animals
*Symbiosis
*Crustacea/microbiology
Female
*Bacteroidetes/physiology

@article {pmid40908282,
year = {2025},
author = {Nishida, H and Itakura, M and Win, KT and Li, F and Kakizaki, K and Suzuki, A and Ohkubo, S and Duc, LV and Sugawara, M and Takahashi, K and Shenton, M and Masuda, S and Shibata, A and Shirasu, K and Fujisawa, Y and Tsubokura, M and Akiyama, H and Shimoda, Y and Minamisawa, K and Imaizumi-Anraku, H},
title = {Genetic design of soybean hosts and bradyrhizobial endosymbionts reduces N2O emissions from soybean rhizosphere.},
journal = {Nature communications},
volume = {16},
number = {1},
pages = {8023},
pmid = {40908282},
issn = {2041-1723},
support = {JPNP18016//New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)/ ; },
mesh = {*Glycine max/genetics/microbiology/metabolism ; *Symbiosis/genetics ; *Nitrous Oxide/metabolism ; *Rhizosphere ; *Bradyrhizobium/genetics/physiology ; Nitrogen Fixation ; Soil Microbiology ; Rhizobium/genetics ; Bacterial Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; },
abstract = {Soybeans fix atmospheric N2 through symbiosis with rhizobia. The relationship between rhizobia and soybeans, particularly those with high nitrous oxide (N2O)-reducing (N2OR) activities, can be leveraged to reduce N2O emissions from agricultural soils. However, inoculating soybeans with these rhizobia under field conditions often fails because of the competition from indigenous rhizobia that possess low or no N2OR activity. In this work, we utilize natural incompatibility systems between soybean and rhizobia to address this challenge. Specifically, Rj2 and GmNNL1 inhibit certain rhizobial infections in response to NopP, an effector protein. By combining a soybean line with a hybrid accumulation of the Rj2 and GmNNL1 genes and bradyrhizobia lacking the nopP gene, we develop a soybean-bradyrhizobial symbiosis system in which strains with high N2OR activity predominantly infect. Our optimize symbiotic system substantially reduces N2O emissions in field and laboratory tests, presenting a promising approach for sustainable agricultural practices.},
}

*Glycine max/genetics/microbiology/metabolism
*Symbiosis/genetics
*Nitrous Oxide/metabolism
*Rhizosphere
*Bradyrhizobium/genetics/physiology
Nitrogen Fixation
Soil Microbiology
Rhizobium/genetics
Bacterial Proteins/genetics/metabolism

@article {pmid40907964,
year = {2025},
author = {Egizi, A and Bezhani, F and Jordan, RA and Price, DC},
title = {Parasitism of a US traveler by a nymphal Amblyomma tapirellum Dunn, 1933 (Ixodida: Ixodidae) and review of exotic tick interceptions on humans in the United States.},
journal = {Journal of medical entomology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/jme/tjaf109},
pmid = {40907964},
issn = {1938-2928},
support = {NE2443//USDA-NIFA Multistate/ ; },
abstract = {A resident of Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States removed an engorged nymphal tick after returning from travel to Costa Rica. The tick was identified by cox1 barcoding as Amblyomma tapirellum Dunn, 1933, a Central American species whose immature stages are undescribed. This species is associated with wet, tropical forests, and most host records come from Baird's tapirs (Tapirus bairdii), though feeding on other mammalian orders and on humans has been observed. To date, no human pathogens have been detected in A. tapirellum, although very few specimens have been tested. The A. tapirellum reported here was screened for Rickettsia spp. via qPCR and additionally for bacterial pathogens via 16S amplicon sequencing, and no pathogens were detected. However, we report the presence of a Coxiella-like endosymbiont, common among -Amblyomma spp. We also briefly review 29 published records comprising 14 exotic hard tick species removed from US travelers returning from abroad, most commonly Amblyomma spp. from Africa. Due to the near-worldwide distribution of ticks and tick-borne disease as well as the growing frequency of international tourism, travelers are urged to prevent tick bites and physicians are encouraged to be mindful not only of native tick-borne diseases but potential exposure to exotic tick-borne diseases. There is also a need to improve identification resources for ixodids and for existing resources to be made more accessible.},
}

@article {pmid40907454,
year = {2025},
author = {Tillmann, U and Gottschling, M and Wietkamp, S and Peeken, I and Wolny, J and Yamada, N},
title = {Diversity of Kryptoperidinium (Peridiniales, Dinophyceae): Morphological description and molecular phylogenetics of Kryptoperidinium secundum sp. nov.},
journal = {Protist},
volume = {179},
number = {},
pages = {126120},
doi = {10.1016/j.protis.2025.126120},
pmid = {40907454},
issn = {1618-0941},
abstract = {Kryptoperidinium belongs to a group of dinophytes hosting a diatom as an endosymbiont and is currently considered to comprise a single, putatively bloom-forming and harmful species only. Molecular phylogenetics indicate the existence of a second distinct lineage and therefore species new to science, which we here formally describe as Kryptoperidinium secundum sp. nov. We studied living and fixed material of unialgal strains in detail using light and electron microscopy and gained DNA sequences of the rRNA complex (hosts and endosymbionts, from which also psbA and rbcL sequence data were obtained). In a molecular phylogeny of the Bacillariophyceae, the endosymbionts of K. secundum have a divergent position from those of Kryptoperidinium triquetrum (=K. foliaceum) and show (once more) a close relationship to free-living diatoms. The cells of K. secundum were strongly dorso-ventrally compressed and exhibited the thecal plate formula po, X, 4', 2a, 7'', 5C, 6(?)S, 5''', 2''''. The distalmost precingular plate was consistently rectangular in shape and relatively broad, and this is the key diagnostic trait to distinguish K. secundum from the known K. triquetrum, which has a characteristically L-shaped plate with a thin and elongated base. The two species are clearly divergent in molecular phylogenetics (exhibiting long branches) and constitute a monophyletic group together with Dinothrix sharing the same thecal plate formula. The diatom phylogeny favours an evolutionary scenario of repeated plastid capture rather than strict co-divergence between dinophyte hosts and their endosymbionts.},
}

@article {pmid40906125,
year = {2025},
author = {Basit, A and Haq, IU and Hyder, M and Humza, M and Younas, M and Akhtar, MR and Ghafar, MA and Liu, TX and Hou, Y},
title = {Microbial Symbiosis in Lepidoptera: Analyzing the Gut Microbiota for Sustainable Pest Management.},
journal = {Biology},
volume = {14},
number = {8},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/biology14080937},
pmid = {40906125},
issn = {2079-7737},
support = {National Natural Science Foundation of China (U22A20489; 32361143791).//National Natural Science Foundation of China (U22A20489; 32361143791)./ ; },
abstract = {Recent advances in microbiome studies have deepened our understanding of endosymbionts and gut-associated microbiota in host biology. Of those, lepidopteran systems in particular harbor a complex and diverse microbiome with various microbial taxa that are stable and transmitted between larval and adult stages, and others that are transient and context-dependent. We highlight key microorganisms-including Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium, Fusarium, Aspergillus, Saccharomyces, Bifidobacterium, and Wolbachia-that play critical roles in microbial ecology, biotechnology, and microbiome studies. The fitness implications of these microbial communities can be variable; some microbes improve host performance, while others neither positively nor negatively impact host fitness, or their impact is undetectable. This review examines the central position played by the gut microbiota in interactions of insects with plants, highlighting the functions of the microbiota in the manipulation of the behavior of herbivorous pests, modulating plant physiology, and regulating higher trophic levels in natural food webs. It also bridges microbiome ecology and applied pest management, emphasizing S. frugiperda as a model for symbiont-based intervention. As gut microbiota are central to the life history of herbivorous pests, we consider how these interactions can be exploited to drive the development of new, environmentally sound biocontrol strategies. Novel biotechnological strategies, including symbiont-based RNA interference (RNAi) and paratransgenesis, represent promising but still immature technologies with major obstacles to overcome in their practical application. However, microbiota-mediated pest control is an attractive strategy to move towards sustainable agriculture. Significantly, the gut microbiota of S. frugiperda is essential for S. frugiperda to adapt to a wide spectrum of host plants and different ecological niches. Studies have revealed that the microbiome of S. frugiperda has a close positive relationship with the fitness and susceptibility to entomopathogenic fungi; therefore, targeting the S. frugiperda microbiome may have good potential for innovative biocontrol strategies in the future.},
}

@article {pmid40906071,
year = {2025},
author = {Zeng, X and Chen, J and Liu, G and Zhou, Y and Wang, L and Zhang, Y and Liu, S and Shao, Z},
title = {Host Shaping Associated Microbiota in Hydrothermal Vent Snails from the Indian Ocean Ridge.},
journal = {Biology},
volume = {14},
number = {8},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/biology14080954},
pmid = {40906071},
issn = {2079-7737},
support = {2023YFC2812903, 2021YFF0501304, and 2018YFC0310702.//National Key R&D Program of China/ ; },
abstract = {Snails at hydrothermal vents rely on symbiotic bacteria for nutrition; however, the specifics of these associations in adapting to such extreme environments remain underexplored. This study investigated the community structure and metabolic potential of bacteria associated with two Indian Ocean vent snails, Chrysomallon squamiferum and Gigantopelta aegis. Using microscopic, phylogenetic, and metagenomic analyses, this study examines bacterial communities inhabiting the foot and gland tissues of these snails. G. aegis exhibited exceptionally low bacterial diversity (Shannon index 0.14-0.18), primarily Gammaproteobacteria (99.9%), including chemosynthetic sulfur-oxidizing Chromatiales using Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle and methane-oxidizing Methylococcales in the glands. C. squamiferum hosted significantly more diverse symbionts (Shannon indices 1.32-4.60). Its black variety scales were dominated by Campylobacterota (67.01-80.98%), such as Sulfurovum, which perform sulfur/hydrogen oxidation via the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle, with both Campylobacterota and Gammaproteobacteria prevalent in the glands. The white-scaled variety of C. squamiferum had less Campylobacterota but a higher diversity of heterotrophic bacteria, including Delta-/Alpha-Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes (classified as Desulfobacterota, Pseudomomonadota, Bacteroidota, and Bacillota in GTDB taxonomy). In C. squamiferum, Gammaproteobacteria, including Chromatiales, Thiotrichales, and a novel order "Endothiobacterales," were chemosynthetic, capable of oxidizing sulfur, hydrogen, or iron, and utilizing the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle for carbon fixation. Heterotrophic Delta- and Alpha-Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes potentially utilize organic matter from protein, starch, collagen, amino acids, thereby contributing to the holobiont community and host nutrition accessibility. The results indicate that host species and intra-species variation, rather than the immediate habitat, might shape the symbiotic microbial communities, crucial for the snails' adaptation to vent ecosystems.},
}

@article {pmid40905388,
year = {2025},
author = {Nieves-Morión, M and Romero-García, R and Bardi, S and López-Maury, L and Hagemann, M and Flores, E and Foster, RA},
title = {Retention of a SulP-family bicarbonate transporter in a periplasmic N2-fixing cyanobacterial endosymbiont of an open ocean diatom.},
journal = {The ISME journal},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/ismejo/wraf202},
pmid = {40905388},
issn = {1751-7370},
abstract = {Symbioses between diatoms and the N2-fixing, heterocyst-forming cyanobacterium Richelia spp. are widespread and contribute to primary production. Unique to these symbioses is a variation in the symbiont location: one lives in the host cytoplasm (endobiont) vs. residing between the host frustule and plasmalemma (periplasmic endobiont). Both partners are photosynthetic, yet how the partners acquire, share, or compete for bicarbonate necessary for their photosynthesis is unknown. The genomes of both endobionts (ReuHH01 and RintRC01, respectively) contain genes encoding SulP-family proteins, which are oxyanion transporters. To study the possible involvement of these transporters in bicarbonate uptake, we used complementation in a Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 mutant that is unable to grow at air levels of CO2 because all five of its inorganic carbon uptake systems have been inactivated. Of the five genes tested, only one (RintRC_3892) from the periplasmic endobiont complemented the mutant to grow with air levels of CO2 or at low bicarbonate concentrations. The complemented strain showed strong sodium-dependent and low-affinity bicarbonate uptake that was consistent with bicarbonate concentrations expected in the diatom periplasm. Additionally, all the amino acids involved in the bicarbonate binding site of BicA from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 are conserved in RintRC_3892. Finally, the importance of the RintRC_3892 protein was confirmed by the consistent detection of its transcripts in wild Richelia populations from three different oceans. Combined our results showed no evidence for a bicarbonate transporter in the cytoplasmic endobiont, whereas the periplasmic endobiont has retained a SulP-type bicarbonate transporter for its own photosynthesis.},
}

@article {pmid40904995,
year = {2025},
author = {Haque, MT and Paul, S and Herberstein, ME and Khan, MK},
title = {A parasitic or mutualistic conundrum: can symbiotic protists increase thermal tolerance in a semi-aquatic insect?.},
journal = {Royal Society open science},
volume = {12},
number = {9},
pages = {251061},
pmid = {40904995},
issn = {2054-5703},
abstract = {Rising temperatures and frequent heatwaves pose a major threat to ectotherms due to their reliance on environmental temperature for physiological processes. Thermal tolerance, the ability to withstand varying temperature, determines how effectively and efficiently individuals can survive under extreme conditions. Host-microbial symbiotic interactions can influence thermal tolerance in insects; however, we have limited information especially for some endosymbionts such as gregarines, a group of apicomplexan endoparasites, which are commonly found in the guts of many aquatic and terrestrial insects. Gregarines are often considered parasitic, while a few recent studies have shown beneficial effects on hosts. Here, we tested the impact of gregarines on thermal tolerance in Ischnura heterosticta damselflies. We found that damselflies naturally infected with gregarines had higher thermal tolerance than damselflies without gregarine infections. Our findings provide evidence in support of gregarines as an endosymbiont of I. heterosticta damselfly. Our study indicates that gregarine endosymbionts may assist damselfly and possibly other semi-aquatic insects to sustain extreme heat and highlights the importance of understanding host-symbiont interactions in the context of climate change and species conservation.},
}

@article {pmid40900750,
year = {2025},
author = {Li, Y and Zhang, S and Guo, Y and Xu, K and Zhang, X and Pan, M and Sun, Q and Zhang, Y and Fan, Y},
title = {Analysis of microbial diversity and functions in sediments and overlying water of the Shiliu River.},
journal = {PeerJ},
volume = {13},
number = {},
pages = {e19979},
pmid = {40900750},
issn = {2167-8359},
mesh = {*Rivers/microbiology ; *Geologic Sediments/microbiology ; *Bacteria/genetics/classification/isolation & purification ; *Fungi/genetics/classification/isolation & purification ; Biodiversity ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; *Water Microbiology ; *Microbiota ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: With the acceleration of urbanization, urban rivers have become a significant component of the urban ecosystem, attracting considerable attention regarding their ecological status and biodiversity. This study focuses on the Shiliu River, aiming to analyze the microbial diversity and functions present in the overlying water and sediments of severely polluted areas.

METHODS: This study investigated the Shiliu River. In August 2024, sediment and overlying water samples were collected from its severely polluted reaches. The NextSeq 2000 PE300 platform was employed for sequencing to detect bacterial and fungal taxa abundances. PICRUSt and FUNGuild predicted sample functional abundances using bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene sequences, respectively.

RESULTS: The findings demonstrate that sediments exhibit higher bacterial and fungal richness than overlying water, with significant discrepancies in bacterial and fungal community compositions. Dominant taxa differ at both phylum and genus levels: in sediments, the predominant bacterial phylum is Proteobacteria and genus norank_Anaerolineaceae, while the dominant fungal phylum is Rozellomycota and genus unclassified_Rozellomycota. In overlying water, the bacterial phylum remains Proteobacteria but the dominant genus shifts to Acinetobacter, whereas fungal phyla and genera (Rozellomycota and unclassified_Rozellomycota) are consistent with sediments. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional annotation identifies 25 metabolic pathways, with amino acid metabolism-related genes showing the highest abundance in both environments. Clusters of Orthologous Genes (COG) annotation reveals the highest abundance of [R] General function prediction in both sample groups, and FUNGuild analysis indicates that Animal Endosymbiont-Animal Pathogen-Plant Pathogen-Undefined Saprotroph is the most prevalent functional category in both sediments and overlying water. This study provides a microbiological foundation by clarifying microbial community structures (dominant phyla, functional taxa), decoding pollutant-degrading metabolic potentials (N/C cycling pathways), and identifying river health ecological indicators. This enables targeted bioremediation strategies (e.g., sediment microbial consortia for nutrient removal) and integrates microbial ecological data into urban river restoration.

CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals the microbial community structures in the sediments and overlying water of the polluted Shiliu River, finding diverse patterns with higher richness in sediments, Proteobacteria and Ascomycota as dominants. Shared taxa have different abundances, indicating niche differentiation. Sediments have enriched nitrogen/carbon cycling pathways for pollutant degradation. These results offer a microbiological basis for urban river restoration, identify bioremediation-target taxa, and stress the integration of microbial ecology into pollution management.},
}

*Rivers/microbiology
*Geologic Sediments/microbiology
*Bacteria/genetics/classification/isolation & purification
*Fungi/genetics/classification/isolation & purification
Biodiversity
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
*Water Microbiology
*Microbiota

@article {pmid40898656,
year = {2025},
author = {Saeedi, S and Karimian, F and Moosa-Kazemi, SH and Nejati, J and Bavani, MM and Koosha, M and Choubdar, N and Khosravi, G and Oshaghi, MA},
title = {Wolbachia Infection in Iranian Malaria Vectors: Prevalence and Biocontrol Implications.},
journal = {Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/tmi.70031},
pmid = {40898656},
issn = {1365-3156},
support = {41418//Tehran University of Medical Sciences/ ; },
abstract = {Wolbachia-based vector control is an emerging tool in malaria prevention research. This study evaluates Wolbachia infection in Iranian mosquitoes, focusing on seven known malaria vectors. Mosquitoes were collected from nine provinces of Iran (2016-2019), and Wolbachia infection status was analysed via PCR targeting eight genes: wsp, gatB, ftsZ, dnaA, groEL, gltA, CoxA and fbpA. We examined 1094 specimens from seven malaria vectors (Anopheles stephensi Liston, 1901; Anopheles culicifacies s.l. James, 1901; Anopheles fluviatilis s.l. James, 1902; Anopheles maculipennis s.l. Meigen, 1818; Anopheles sacharovi Favr, 1903; Anopheles dthali Patton, 1905; Anopheles superpictus s.l. Grassi, 1899), four non-malaria vectors (Anopheles mongolensis Linton, Lee and Curtis, 2005; Anopheles hyrcanus Pallas, 1771; Anopheles claviger Meigen, 1804; Anopheles turkhudi Liston, 1901) and three Culex species (Culex pipiens Linnaeus, 1758; Culex perexiguus Theobald, 1903; Culex theileri Theobald, 1903). PCR revealed Wolbachia DNA exclusively in An. dthali and Culex species, with infection rates of 73.4% for An. dthali and 77.78%-96.77% for Culex, notably higher in males. Wolbachia was detected in all regions except one in the north. Phylogenetic analysis revealed Wolbachia strains in An. dthali and Culex belong to supergroup B, closely related to strains in An. moucheti and An. demeilloni. This suggests broader applications for biocontrol strategies. The high Wolbachia prevalence in An. dthali is promising for malaria prevention. Future research should confirm cytoplasmic incompatibility and explore wAdth's potential to block malaria transmission.},
}

@article {pmid40885195,
year = {2025},
author = {Grujcic, V and Mehrshad, M and Vigil-Stenman, T and Lundin, D and Foster, RA},
title = {Stepwise genome evolution from a facultative symbiont to an endosymbiont in the N2-fixing diatom-Richelia symbioses.},
journal = {Current biology : CB},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2025.08.003},
pmid = {40885195},
issn = {1879-0445},
abstract = {A few genera of diatoms that form stable partnerships with N2-fixing filamentous cyanobacteria Richelia spp. are widespread in the open ocean. A unique feature of the diatom-Richelia symbioses is the symbiont cellular location spans a continuum of integration (epibiont, periplasmic, and endobiont) that is reflected in the symbiont genome size and content. In this study, we analyzed genomes derived from cultures and environmental metagenome-assembled genomes of Richelia symbionts, focusing on characters indicative of genome evolution. Our results show an enrichment of short-length transposases and pseudogenes in the periplasmic symbiont genomes, suggesting an active and transitionary period in genome evolution. By contrast, genomes of endobionts exhibited fewer transposases and pseudogenes, reflecting advanced stages of genome reduction. Pangenome analyses identified that endobionts streamline their genomes and retain most genes in the core genome, whereas periplasmic symbionts and epibionts maintain larger flexible genomes, indicating higher genomic plasticity compared with the genomes of endobionts. Functional gene comparisons with other N2-fixing cyanobacteria revealed that Richelia endobionts have similar patterns of metabolic loss but are distinguished by the absence of specific pathways (e.g., cytochrome bd ubiquinol oxidase and lipid A) that increase both dependency and direct interactions with their respective hosts. In conclusion, our findings underscore the dynamic nature of genome reduction in N2-fixing cyanobacterial symbionts and demonstrate the diatom-Richelia symbioses as a valuable and rare model to study genome evolution in the transitional stages from a free-living facultative symbiont to a host-dependent endobiont.},
}

@article {pmid40872788,
year = {2025},
author = {Jeon, J and Kwon, M and Lee, BC and Kil, EJ},
title = {Comparative Endosymbiont Community Structures of Nonviruliferous and Rice Stripe Virus-Viruliferous Laodelphax striatellus (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) in Korea.},
journal = {Viruses},
volume = {17},
number = {8},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/v17081074},
pmid = {40872788},
issn = {1999-4915},
support = {PJ01556601//Rural Development Administration/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Hemiptera/microbiology/virology ; *Symbiosis ; *Tenuivirus/physiology ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Insect Vectors/microbiology/virology ; Republic of Korea ; Oryza/virology ; Wolbachia/genetics ; Plant Diseases/virology ; Burkholderia/genetics ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; Microbiota ; Phylogeny ; Rickettsia/genetics/isolation & purification ; },
abstract = {Insects and their bacterial endosymbionts form intricate ecological relationships, yet their role in host-pathogen interactions are not fully elucidated. The small brown planthopper (Laodelphax striatellus), a polyphagous pest of cereal crops, acts as a key vector for rice stripe virus (RSV), a significant threat to rice production. This study aimed to compare the endosymbiont community structures of nonviruliferous and RSV-viruliferous L. striatellus populations using 16S rRNA gene sequencing with high-throughput sequencing technology. Wolbachia was highly dominant in both groups; however, the prevalence of other endosymbionts, specifically Rickettsia and Burkholderia, differed markedly depending on RSV infection. Comprehensive microbial diversity and composition analyses revealed distinct community structures between nonviruliferous and RSV-viruliferous populations, highlighting potential interactions and implications for vector competence and virus transmission dynamics. These findings contribute to understanding virus-insect-endosymbiont dynamics and could inform strategies to mitigate viral spread by targeting symbiotic bacteria.},
}

Animals
*Hemiptera/microbiology/virology
*Symbiosis
*Tenuivirus/physiology
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
Insect Vectors/microbiology/virology
Republic of Korea
Oryza/virology
Wolbachia/genetics
Plant Diseases/virology
Burkholderia/genetics
High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification
Microbiota
Phylogeny
Rickettsia/genetics/isolation & purification

@article {pmid40852124,
year = {2025},
author = {Douglas S Stuehler, and Hunter, WB and Qureshi, JA and Cano, LM},
title = {Transcriptomic characterization of Wolbachia endosymbiont from Leuronota fagarae (Hemiptera: Psylloidae).},
journal = {Microbiome research reports},
volume = {4},
number = {2},
pages = {19},
pmid = {40852124},
issn = {2771-5965},
abstract = {Aim: Wolbachia species are among the most abundant intracellular endosymbionts of insects worldwide. The extensive distribution of Gram-negative Wolbachia among insects highlights their evolutionary success and close relationship with many insect host species. This study aimed to characterize a novel Wolbachia strain from the Wild Lime Psyllid, Leuronota fagarae (L. fagarae), to understand its evolutionary relationship with Wolbachia from psyllid pests like Diaphorina citri, the vector of Huanglongbing (HLB). Methods: Wild-caught L. fagarae colonies from Florida, USA, were maintained on Zanthoxylum fagara. RNA was extracted from the salivary glands, heads, and whole bodies of male and female adult L. fagarae. Four cDNA libraries were sequenced using short read technology and de novo transcriptome assembly was performed. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of nine conserved loci and wsp gene analysis classified the strain's phylogeny, while sequence mapping and functional annotation provided insight into host-microbe interactions. Results: The new Wolbachia strain, designated Wolbachia endosymbiont of Leuronota fagarae (wLfag-FL), was assigned to supergroup B, showing relation to Wolbachia strains of other related psyllids. Transcriptome analysis identified 1,359 Wolbachia transcripts with 465 assigned functions encompassing metabolic and secretion system pathways. Ankyrin domain proteins and a partial bacterioferritin sequence were detected, suggesting nutritional provisioning roles. Conclusion: The characterization of wLfag-FL expands the known Wolbachia host range and informs HLB-related pest biology. Its phylogenetic placement and transcript annotations offer insights into symbiotic interactions, potentially guiding environmentally safe pest control strategies targeting psyllid fitness and pathogen transmission.},
}

@article {pmid40832871,
year = {2025},
author = {Fu, J and Liu, Y and Yoshioka, T and Igai, K and Mabuchi, T and Kihara, K and Murakami, T and Lo, N and Ohkuma, M and Hongoh, Y},
title = {Functional division of labor in motility, lignocellulose digestion, and nitrogen metabolism revealed for the Mixotricha paradoxa holobiont.},
journal = {The ISME journal},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/ismejo/wraf178},
pmid = {40832871},
issn = {1751-7370},
abstract = {Mixotricha paradoxa is a large, cellulolytic flagellate present in the hindgut of the termite Mastotermes darwiniensis. This parabasalid flagellate is unique in its reliance on ectosymbiotic spirochetes for motility. We analyzed the transcriptome of M. paradoxa and the genomes of the ectosymbiotic spirochete Propulsinema mixotrichae ("Treponematales"), the rod-shaped ectosymbiont Synergitannerella mixotrichae (Bacteroidales), and the endosymbiont Endomicrobiellum mixotrichae (Endomicrobiales), all of which are obligately associated with M. paradoxa and were taxonomically described in this study. Mixotricha paradoxa highly expressed genes for diverse glycoside hydrolases (GHs) and likely ferments sugars to H2, CO2, acetate, ethanol, and glycerol. Similar to the case for parasitic parabasalids such as Trichomonas vaginalis, transcripts for biosynthesis of nucleotides and many amino acids were not detected in our analyses of M. paradoxa. Propulsinema mixotrichae possesses genes encoding proteins for the assembly of flagella and for those in pathways associated with chemotaxis and dinitrogen fixation. Such genes are absent in Syn. mixotrichae, which instead possesses numerous genes encoding GH enzymes, which are largely complementary to the GH repertoire of M. paradoxa. Endomicrobiellum mixotrichae appears to provide nucleotides and nine amino acids to its host, which in turn likely supplies three amino acids, including tryptophan, to Endo. mixotrichae. Because bacterial cells, in addition to wood particles, were observed in food vacuoles of M. paradoxa, these ecto- and endosymbionts may be digested by the flagellate host. Overall, the distinct roles of each symbiont highlight the efficient functional division of labor that has evolved in this holobiont.},
}

@article {pmid40831703,
year = {2025},
author = {Su, W and Gu, H and Zheng, J and Jia, H},
title = {A novel YGGT family protein is localized in the apicoplast and is essential for the organelle inheritance.},
journal = {Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology},
volume = {15},
number = {},
pages = {1642716},
pmid = {40831703},
issn = {2235-2988},
mesh = {*Toxoplasma/genetics/growth & development/metabolism ; *Apicoplasts/metabolism/genetics ; *Protozoan Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Symbiosis ; Organelles/metabolism ; },
abstract = {Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite. Most apicomplexan parasites contain an endosymbiont-derived organelle called the apicoplast. This organelle is critical for the survival of parasites because it plays a role in several essential metabolic pathways. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in maintaining the apicoplast have not been well understood. In this study, we investigated the function of an apicoplast-residing protein called TgYCAP in the inheritance of the apicoplast. Our results showed that conditional knockdown of TgYCAP severely inhibited the growth of the parasite and disrupted the inheritance of the apicoplast. In addition, the YGGT domain is essential for its function in the apicoplast.},
}

*Toxoplasma/genetics/growth & development/metabolism
*Apicoplasts/metabolism/genetics
*Protozoan Proteins/genetics/metabolism
Gene Knockdown Techniques
Symbiosis
Organelles/metabolism

@article {pmid40831659,
year = {2025},
author = {Graham, JM and Klobusicky, J and Hague, MTJ},
title = {Stochastic Fluctuations of the Facultative Endosymbiont Wolbachia due to Finite Host Population Size.},
journal = {Ecology and evolution},
volume = {15},
number = {8},
pages = {e71989},
pmid = {40831659},
issn = {2045-7758},
abstract = {Many insects and other animals host heritable endosymbionts that alter host fitness and reproduction. The prevalence of facultative endosymbionts can fluctuate in host populations across time and geography for reasons that are poorly understood. This is particularly true for maternally transmitted Wolbachia bacteria, which infect roughly half of all insect species. For instance, the frequencies of several wMel-like Wolbachia, including wMel in host Drosophila melanogaster, fluctuate over time in certain host populations, but the specific conditions that generate temporal variation in Wolbachia prevalence are unresolved. We implemented a discrete generation model in the new R package symbiontmodeler to evaluate how finite-population stochasticity contributes to Wolbachia fluctuations over time in simulated host populations under a variety of conditions. Using empirical estimates from natural Wolbachia-Drosophila systems, we explored how stochasticity is determined by a broad range of factors, including host population size, maternal transmission rates, and Wolbachia effects on host fitness (modeled as fecundity) and reproduction (cytoplasmic incompatibility; CI). While stochasticity generally increases when host fitness benefits and CI are relaxed, we found that a decline in the maternal transmission rate had the strongest relative impact on increasing the size of fluctuations. We infer that non- or weak-CI-causing strains like wMel, which often show evidence of imperfect maternal transmission, tend to generate larger stochastic fluctuations compared to strains that cause strong CI, like wRi in D. simulans. Additional factors, such as fluctuating host fitness effects, are required to explain the largest examples of temporal variation in Wolbachia. The conditions we simulate here using symbiontmodeler serve as a jumping-off point for understanding drivers of temporal and spatial variation in the prevalence of Wolbachia, the most common endosymbionts found in nature.},
}

@article {pmid40831189,
year = {2025},
author = {Piontkivska, D and Jorge, JMP and Mil-Homens, D and Martins, TM and Crespo, P and Morales, DP and Carvalho, D and Melo-Cristino, J and Sá-Leão, R and Goldman, GH and Silva Pereira, C},
title = {Hidden Allies: Decoding the Core Endohyphal Bacteriome of Aspergillus fumigatus.},
journal = {Environmental microbiology reports},
volume = {17},
number = {4},
pages = {e70153},
doi = {10.1111/1758-2229.70153},
pmid = {40831189},
issn = {1758-2229},
support = {2023ARA0025//U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research Division,/ ; LANLF59T//U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research Division,/ ; Project N. 007317//Programa Operacional Regional de Lisboa 2020/ ; PPBI-POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022122//European Regional Development Fund/ ; LA/P/0087/2020//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; LA/P/0140/2020//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; PD/BD/138913/2018//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; PTDC/CTA-AMB/6587/2020//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; UID/BIO/04565/2020//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; UIDB/04612/2020, UIDP/04612/2020//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; },
mesh = {*Aspergillus fumigatus/genetics/drug effects/physiology ; *Bacteria/genetics/classification/isolation & purification ; Hyphae ; *Microbiota ; Symbiosis ; Virulence ; Spores, Fungal ; Phylogeny ; },
abstract = {Bacterial-fungal interactions that influence the behaviour of one or both organisms are common in nature. Well-studied systems include endosymbiotic relationships that range from transient to long-term associations. Diverse endohyphal bacteria associate with fungal hosts, emphasising the need to better comprehend the fungal bacteriome. We evaluated the hypothesis that Aspergillus fumigatus harbours an endohyphal community of bacteria that influence the host phenotype. We analysed whether 38 A. fumigatus strains show stable association with diverse endohyphal bacteria; all derived from single-conidium cultures that were subjected to antibiotic and heat treatments. The fungal bacteriome, inferred through analysis of bacterial diversity within the fungal strains (short- and long- read sequencing methods), revealed the presence of core endohyphal bacterial genera. Microscopic analysis further confirmed the presence of endohyphal bacteria. The fungal strains exhibited high genetic diversity and phenotypic heterogeneity in drug susceptibility and in vivo virulence. No correlations were observed between genomic or functional traits and bacteriome diversity, but the abundance of some bacterial genera correlated with fungal virulence or posaconazole susceptibility. The observed endobacteriome may play functional roles, for example, nitrogen fixation. Our study emphasises the existence of complex interactions between fungi and endohyphal bacteria, possibly impacting the phenotype of the fungal host, including virulence.},
}

*Aspergillus fumigatus/genetics/drug effects/physiology
*Bacteria/genetics/classification/isolation & purification
Hyphae
*Microbiota
Symbiosis
Virulence
Spores, Fungal
Phylogeny

@article {pmid40831140,
year = {2025},
author = {Renna, L and Papini, A and Mancuso, S and Brandizzi, F and Stefano, G},
title = {Plant Plastids: From Evolutionary Origins to Functional Specialization and Organelle Interactions.},
journal = {Journal of experimental botany},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/jxb/eraf378},
pmid = {40831140},
issn = {1460-2431},
abstract = {Plastids are highly diverse organelles that play critical roles in supporting life on Earth. Among them, chloroplasts enable photosynthesis, providing phototrophic capabilities to eukaryotes such as plants, algae, and photosynthetic protists. The functions of plastids are indispensable for the survival and development of life. Plastids are widely recognized as endosymbiotic organelles with a single origin. They exhibit morphological diversity, tissue specificity, and the ability to adapt to specific cellular functions. Despite this understanding, significant questions remain unanswered, such as how genetic material from the endosymbiont was transferred and integrated into the host nucleus, the timeline for the full integration of the endosymbiont into the host cell, and the processes by which plastids specialized and adapted to various cell types. While plastids have unique features and specialized roles, they are neither autonomous nor physically isolated. Instead, they interact with other subcellular compartments through yet-to-be-characterized membrane domains or specialized structures. This review explores the origin and evolution of plastids, their protein import machinery, compartmentalization, and interactions with other cellular compartments, while highlighting key unanswered questions in these areas.},
}

@article {pmid40828982,
year = {2025},
author = {Ryu, B and Avalon, NE and Cuau, M and Almaliti, J and Din, MO and Brennan, C and Glukhov, E and Knight, R and Gerwick, L and Gerwick, WH},
title = {Cyanobacteria Join the Kahalalide Conversation: Genome and Metabolite Evidence for Structurally Related Peptides.},
journal = {Journal of the American Chemical Society},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1021/jacs.5c08818},
pmid = {40828982},
issn = {1520-5126},
abstract = {Kahalalide F is a cyclic depsipeptide with notable anticancer properties, initially discovered from the green alga Bryopsis sp. and its molluscan predator Elysia rufescens. Recent studies have pinpointed a bacterial endosymbiont of the green alga, Candidatus Endobryopsis kahalalidefaciens, as the true producer of kahalalide F. In the present work, we characterize a closely related kahalalide F analog, kahalalide Z5, from the marine cyanobacterium Limnoraphis sp. collected in the Las Perlas Islands, Panama, and propose the structures of several related compounds by detailed MS analysis. To uncover novel metabolites and prioritize them for targeted isolation from this organism, we employed a robust metabolomics strategy combining LC-MS/MS with SMART NMR and DeepSAT, artificial intelligence platforms trained to infer chemical structures from [1]H-[13]C HSQC NMR data. This integrated approach annotated a compound with structural similarities to kahalalide F, which we subsequently characterized using a suite of spectroscopic techniques and chemical degradation studies. Whole-genome sequencing of the producing strain further revealed a NRPS biosynthetic gene cluster that aligns with the structural features of kahalalide Z5. This study identifies the marine cyanobacterium Limnoraphis sp. as an independent source of kahalalide F-like molecules. This work broadens the phylogenetic spectrum of organisms capable of producing these bioactive compounds, reveals marine cyanobacteria as producers of an increased repertoire of unique natural products, and illustrates the potential of AI-enhanced metabolomic and genomic analyses to streamline the discovery and characterization of complex biomedically relevant natural products.},
}

@article {pmid40827214,
year = {2025},
author = {VanDieren, AJ and Barrick, JE},
title = {UltraCAST: A Flexible All-In-One Suicide Vector for Modifying Bacterial Genomes Using a CRISPR-Associated Transposon.},
journal = {microPublication biology},
volume = {2025},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {40827214},
issn = {2578-9430},
abstract = {CRISPR-associated transposons (CASTs) are RNA-guided mobile genetic elements that are widespread in bacterial genomes. Here, we describe the UltraCAST, a suicide vector with the Vibrio cholerae Type I-F CAST system and Golden Gate assembly sites with fluorescent protein gene dropouts for guide RNA and a mini-transposon cargo cloning. We show an example of UltraCAST genome editing by disrupting a gene in the chromosome of Serratia symbiotica CWBI-2.3 [T] , a culturable relative of aphid endosymbionts. The UltraCAST can be used to flexibly insert DNA into specific genomic sites and facilitates testing this genome editing platform in non-model bacterial species that lack genetic tools.},
}

@article {pmid40822855,
year = {2025},
author = {Roman, FA and Byrne, T and Martin, RL and Mena-Aguilar, D and Smeltz, RE and Finkelstein, R and Pruden, A and Edwards, MA},
title = {Retrospective Analysis of Drinking Water Microcosm Microbiomes Reveals an Apparent Antagonistic Relationship between and.},
journal = {Environmental science & technology letters},
volume = {12},
number = {8},
pages = {990-996},
pmid = {40822855},
issn = {2328-8930},
abstract = {(Lp) can sometimes establish in drinking water microbial communities and infect individuals inhaling contaminated aerosols. The premise plumbing portion of the drinking water distribution system is often especially vulnerable to Lp growth. Innovative approaches to intentionally manipulate the microbial ecology to control Lp have been proposed but remain elusive. Here, we retrospectively analyzed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequences and droplet digital PCR data in samples derived from prior drinking water studies, wherein some inexplicable stochastic variations in the Lp occurrence were observed in replicate microcosms. We discovered an apparent antagonistic relationship between and . This relationship was noted across three water sources (Flint, Detroit, and Blacksburg) and was at least partially mediated by the presence of copper, through either copper pipes or a dosed range of 0-2000 μg/L total copper. The observations of this study, which was conducted under realistic drinking water conditions harboring mixed microbial communities, are consistent with recent pure culture studies reporting that amoebic uptake may be inhibited when are established as amoebal endosymbionts. The findings may help explain the apparent stochastic behavior of Lp in field and research settings and may open a door to new engineered ecological control strategies for Lp.},
}

@article {pmid40489578,
year = {2025},
author = {Cassens, J and Villalta, M and Aguirre, S and Ecklund, L and Stenger, T and Abdi, I and Venigalla, S and Shiffman, E and Bastug, K and Thielen, BK and Faulk, C},
title = {The genome of the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis).},
journal = {G3 (Bethesda, Md.)},
volume = {15},
number = {8},
pages = {},
pmid = {40489578},
issn = {2160-1836},
support = {T32 AR007612/AR/NIAMS NIH HHS/United States ; T32AR007612//USDA-NIFA/ ; T32AI055433//USDA-NIFA/ ; T32 AI055433/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States ; NU50CK000628//USDA-NIFA/ ; MIN-16-129//USDA-NIFA/ ; //Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Pathogen Genomics Centers of Excellence/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Dermacentor/genetics/classification ; Phylogeny ; Molecular Sequence Annotation ; *Genome ; *Genomics/methods ; Genome, Mitochondrial ; Computational Biology/methods ; },
abstract = {The American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) is a vector of zoonotic pathogens in North America that poses emerging threats to public health. Despite its medical importance, genomic resources for D. variabilis remain scarce. Leveraging long-read nanopore sequencing, we generated a high-quality genome assembly for D. variabilis with a final size of 2.15 Gb, an N50 of 445 kb, and a benchmarking universal single-copy ortholog (BUSCO) completeness score of 95.2%. Comparative BUSCO analyses revealed fewer duplicate genes in our assembly than in other Dermacentor genomes, indicating improved haplotype resolution. The mitochondrial genome, assembled as a single circular contig, clustered monophyletically with D. variabilis isolates from the Upper Midwest, corroborating regional phylogenetic relationships. Repetitive element analysis identified 61% of the genome as repetitive, dominated by long interspersed nuclear elements and long terminal repeat elements, with 24% remaining unclassified, underscoring the need for further exploration of transposable elements in tick genomes. Gene annotation predicted 21,722 putative genes, achieving a protein BUSCO completeness of 80.88%. Additionally, genome-wide methylation analysis revealed 9.9% global 5mC methylation, providing the first insights into epigenetic modifications in D. variabilis. Further, nanopore sequencing detected Rickettsia montanensis and a nonpathogenic Francisella-like endosymbiont. These findings expand our understanding of tick genomics and epigenetics, offering valuable resources for comparative studies and evolutionary analyses.},
}

Animals
*Dermacentor/genetics/classification
Phylogeny
Molecular Sequence Annotation
*Genome
*Genomics/methods
Genome, Mitochondrial
Computational Biology/methods

@article {pmid40228454,
year = {2025},
author = {Asif, A and Koner, S and Hsu, PC and He, BJ and Paul, S and Hussain, B and Hsu, BM},
title = {Synergistic interactions between AMF and MHB communities in the rhizospheric microenvironment facilitated endemic hyperaccumulator plants growth thrive under heavy metal stress in ultramafic soil.},
journal = {Journal of hazardous materials},
volume = {492},
number = {},
pages = {138233},
doi = {10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138233},
pmid = {40228454},
issn = {1873-3336},
mesh = {Rhizosphere ; *Mycorrhizae/physiology/metabolism ; *Metals, Heavy/toxicity/metabolism ; *Soil Pollutants/toxicity/metabolism ; *Soil Microbiology ; Soil/chemistry ; *Bacteria/metabolism ; Stress, Physiological ; *Plants/microbiology/metabolism ; },
abstract = {Ultramafic outcrop settings are characterized by long-term heavy metal (HM) stress and nutrient imbalances, making plant resilience highly challenging. This study investigated that how native plant types in the serpentine environment influence the variation of synergistic interactions between rhizosphere arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and mycorrhizal helper bacteria (MHB) communities under HM stress and nutrient-deficient conditions, which support native plant endemism and their HM accumulation potential. The results displayed significant enrichment of key MHB (Rhizobium_tropici, Bacillus_subtilis, Pseudomonas_parafulva, Pseudomonas_akapagensis) and AMF species (Glomus_constrictum, Glomus_aggregatum, Rhizophagus_intraradices, Rhizophagus_irregularis) in rhizosphere soils (q < 0.05). Pseudomonas_chlororaphis and Burkholderia_cepacia were strongly associated with Rhizophagus_irregularis and Glomus_mosseae in Panicum maximum Jacq (PMJ) and Bidens pilosa (BP) under chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) stress. Pseudomonas_fluorescens and Bacillus_pabuli were linked to Geosiphon_pyriformis and Glomus_aggregatum in Pueraria montana (PM) under nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and cobalt (Co) stress, while Arthrobacter_globiformis and Rhizobium_leguminosarum were associated with Glomus_intraradices under copper (Cu) stress in Leucaena leucocephala (LL). Pathways related to nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (NPK) cycling, HM detoxification, and resistance were enriched, with AMF predominantly symbiotrophic root-endophytic, except for one as lichenized nostoc endosymbiont. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed HM stress and nutrients influence MHB-AMF symbiosis, while pH moisture content (MC) and electric conductivity (EC) significantly regulate their distribution. Rhizobium_leguminosarum, Rhizobium_tropici, Nitrospira_japonica, and Rhizobium_cauense with Glomus_mosseae and Rhizophagus_irregularis drive NPK cycling in HM-stressed rhizosphere soils. This finding suggested that association between plants type and their functional rhizosphere microbiome promote an eco-friendly strategy for HM recovery from serpentine soil.},
}

Rhizosphere
*Mycorrhizae/physiology/metabolism
*Metals, Heavy/toxicity/metabolism
*Soil Pollutants/toxicity/metabolism
*Soil Microbiology
Soil/chemistry
*Bacteria/metabolism
Stress, Physiological
*Plants/microbiology/metabolism

@article {pmid40161633,
year = {2025},
author = {Cassens, J and Villalta, M and Aguirre, S and Ecklund, L and Stenger, T and Abdi, I and Venigalla, S and Shiffman, E and Bastug, K and Thielen, BK and Faulk, C},
title = {The Genome of the American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis).},
journal = {bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {40161633},
issn = {2692-8205},
support = {T32 AI055433/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States ; T32 AR007612/AR/NIAMS NIH HHS/United States ; },
abstract = {The American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) is a vector of zoonotic pathogens in North America that poses emerging threats to public health. Despite its medical importance, genomic resources for D. variabilis remain scarce. Leveraging long-read nanopore sequencing, we generated a high-quality genome assembly for D. variabilis with a final size of 2.15 Gb, an N50 of 445 kb, and a BUSCO completeness score of 95.2%. Comparative BUSCO analyses revealed fewer duplicate genes in our assembly than in other Dermacentor genomes, indicating improved haplotype resolution. The mitochondrial genome, assembled as a single circular contig, clustered monophyletically with D. variabilis isolates from the Upper Midwest, corroborating regional phylogenetic relationships. Repetitive element analysis identified 61% of the genome as repetitive, dominated by LINEs and LTR elements, with 24% remaining unclassified, underscoring the need for further exploration of transposable elements in tick genomes. Gene annotation predicted 21,722 putative genes, achieving a protein BUSCO completeness of 80.88%. Additionally, genome-wide methylation analysis revealed 9.9% global 5mC methylation, providing the first insights into epigenetic modifications in D. variabilis. Further, nanopore sequencing detected Rickettsia montanensis and a non-pathogenic Francisella-like endosymbiont. These findings expand our understanding of tick genomics and epigenetics, offering valuable resources for comparative studies and evolutionary analyses.},
}

@article {pmid36896707,
year = {2023},
author = {McKnight, KS and Gissi, F and Adams, MS and Stone, S and Jolley, D and Stauber, J},
title = {The Effects of Nickel and Copper on Tropical Marine and Freshwater Microalgae Using Single and Multispecies Tests.},
journal = {Environmental toxicology and chemistry},
volume = {42},
number = {4},
pages = {901-913},
doi = {10.1002/etc.5565},
pmid = {36896707},
issn = {1552-8618},
support = {02-231401-0414//Nickel Producers Environmental Research Association/ ; },
mesh = {Nickel/toxicity/analysis ; Copper/toxicity ; *Microalgae ; Fresh Water ; Water Quality ; *Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity/analysis ; },
abstract = {Microalgae are key components of aquatic food chains and are known to be sensitive to a range of contaminants. Much of the available data on metal toxicity to microalgae have been derived from temperate single-species tests with temperate data used to supplement tropical toxicity data sets to derive guideline values. In the present study, we used single-species and multispecies tests to investigate the toxicity of nickel and copper to tropical freshwater and marine microalgae, including the free-swimming stage of Symbiodinium sp., a worldwide coral endosymbiont. Based on the 10% effect concentration (EC10) for growth rate, copper was two to four times more toxic than nickel to all species tested. The temperate strain of Ceratoneis closterium was eight to 10 times more sensitive to nickel than the two tropical strains. Freshwater Monoraphidium arcuatum was less sensitive to copper and nickel in the multispecies tests compared with the single-species tests (EC10 values increasing from 0.45 to 1.4 µg Cu/L and from 62 to 330 µg Ni/L). The Symbiodinium sp. was sensitive to copper (EC10 of 3.1 µg Cu/L) and less sensitive to nickel (EC50 >1600 µg Ni/L). This is an important contribution of data on the chronic toxicity of nickel to Symbiodinium sp. A key result from the present study was that three microalgal species had EC10 values below the current copper water quality guideline value for 95% species protection in slightly to moderately disturbed systems in Australia and New Zealand, indicating that they may not be adequately protected by the current copper guideline value. By contrast, toxicity of nickel to microalgae is unlikely to occur at exposure concentrations typically found in fresh and marine waters. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:901-913. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.},
}

Nickel/toxicity/analysis
Copper/toxicity
*Microalgae
Fresh Water
Water Quality
*Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity/analysis

@article {pmid40822337,
year = {2025},
author = {Xin Yee Tan, K and Shigenobu, S},
title = {Targeted disruption of the cls gene in Buchnera aphidicola impairs membrane integrity and host symbiont dynamics.},
journal = {iScience},
volume = {28},
number = {8},
pages = {113178},
doi = {10.1016/j.isci.2025.113178},
pmid = {40822337},
issn = {2589-0042},
abstract = {The obligate symbiosis between pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) and Buchnera aphidicola represents metabolic interdependence between the host insect and its bacterial symbiont. Buchnera has a highly reduced genome that has lost nearly all phospholipid synthesis genes except cls, encoding a cardiolipin synthase homologue. We employed in vivo antisense, cell-penetrating peptide (CPP)-conjugated synthetic peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) to knock down cls in Buchnera. This intervention resulted in significant downregulation of cls expression, lowered Buchnera titers, pronounced morphological distortions, and reduced aphid reproduction. Notably, Buchnera cells were often detected in the aphid gut following anti-cls PNAs treatment, deviating from their typical intracellular niche within bacteriocytes. Collectively, the cls gene is critical for maintaining Buchnera integrity, proper cellular localization, and symbiont-host interactions. Given that the retention of cls is a common feature among many obligate endosymbionts despite massive gene loss, our findings offer key insights into the evolutionary principles shaping symbiotic relationships involving membrane biology.},
}

@article {pmid40817345,
year = {2025},
author = {Grillo, AC and Simancas-Giraldo, SM and Steinel, N and Longhini, CM and Soares, MO and Bejarano, S and Longo, GO},
title = {Ocean acidification and nitrate enrichment can mitigate negative effects of soft coral (Xenia) competition on hard coral (Stylophora pistillata) endosymbionts.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
pages = {29937},
pmid = {40817345},
issn = {2045-2322},
abstract = {The combination of ocean acidification (OA) and eutrophication can undermine the physiological performance of reef-building corals during competition for benthic space, leading to shifts towards non-accreting organisms like soft corals. We conducted a 28-day laboratory orthogonal experiment to test if acidification (950 µatm pCO2) and moderate to high nitrate enrichment (4 and 8 µmolL[-1]) negatively affect the hard coral Stylophora pistillata while physically competing with the soft coral Xenia spp. We measured photosynthetic efficiency (PE) in hard corals and growth rate, Symbiodiniaceae density, and chlorophyll-a concentration in both hard and soft corals as proxies for their condition and responses to competition. Competition with the soft coral reduced PE, Symbiodiniaceae and chlorophyll-a contents of S. pistillata, while acidification alone and coupled with nitrate enrichment mitigated endosymbiont responses. The growth and chlorophyll-a concentrations of Xenia spp. were decreased by competition, but the soft coral was consistently benefited under nitrate enrichment. These results highlight that competition alone has a stronger negative impact on hard corals than on soft corals. Our study provides experimental evidence on how OA and eutrophication interact and shape coral dynamics, an overlooked but urgent topic in predicting reef futures under environmental change.},
}

@article {pmid40815476,
year = {2025},
author = {Papaleo, S and Panelli, S and Bitar, I and Sterzi, L and Nodari, R and Comandatore, F},
title = {Nucleotide composition shapes gene expression in Wolbachia pipientis: a role for MidA methyltransferase?.},
journal = {mSystems},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0077925},
doi = {10.1128/msystems.00779-25},
pmid = {40815476},
issn = {2379-5077},
abstract = {UNLABELLED: Wolbachia pipientis is an obligate intracellular bacterium, associated with several arthropods and filarial nematodes. Wolbachia establishes a variety of symbiotic relationships with its hosts, with consequent genomic rearrangements, variation in gene content, and loss of regulatory regions. Despite this, experimental studies show that Wolbachia gene expression is coordinated with host developmental stages, but the mechanism is still unknown. In this work, we analyzed published RNA-seq data of four Wolbachia strains, finding a correlation between gene nucleotide composition and gene expression. The strength and direction of this phenomenon changed with the expression of the S-adenosyl-methionine-dependent methyltransferase midA. Specifically, when midA is overexpressed, there is a negative relationship between gene adenine content and gene expression, while downregulation of midA reverses this trend. MidA is known to methylate protein arginine, with potential effect on protein affinity for substrates, including nucleic acids. To expand our understanding of this poorly characterized enzyme, we investigated its ability to methylate DNA expressing it in Escherichia coli. The experiment revealed that the Wolbachia MidA can methylate both adenine and cytosine. Lastly, we found upstream the midA gene, a conserved binding site for the Ccka/CtrA signaling transduction system, and we hypothesize that this mechanism could be involved in the communication between the host and the bacterium. Overall, these findings suggest a cascade mechanism in which the host activates the bacterium Ccka/CtrA signaling system, thus inducing the expression of the midA gene, with subsequent effect on the expression of several Wolbachia genes on the basis of their nucleotide composition.

IMPORTANCE: Wolbachia pipientis is one of the most common intracellular bacteria in insects, and it is currently utilized as a tool for the control of vector-borne diseases. As for many other endosymbiont bacteria, Wolbachia experienced important genome rearrangements, gene content changes, and the loss of several regulatory sequences, affecting the integrity of operons and promoters. Nevertheless, experimental studies have shown that Wolbachia gene expression is coordinated with the host physiology (e.g., developmental stages), although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this work, based on in silico analyses and an experimental study on wOo methyltransferase, we propose that bacterial DNA methylation could be a key mechanism regulating Wolbachia gene expression. Additionally, we found evidence suggesting that the DNA methylation process in Wolbachia can be activated by the host.},
}

@article {pmid40809050,
year = {2025},
author = {Crane, YM and Crane, CF and Webb, C and Schemerhorn, BJ},
title = {Biotype and host relatedness influence the composition of bacterial microbiomes in Schizaphis graminum aphids.},
journal = {Frontiers in microbiology},
volume = {16},
number = {},
pages = {1614492},
pmid = {40809050},
issn = {1664-302X},
abstract = {INTRODUCTION: The microbiome of greenbug aphid (Schizaphis graminum (Rondani)) was investigated in regard to greenbug biotype, collection date, host species, and host cultivar.

METHODS: DNA samples were collected from biotypes E and K feeding on 17 cultivars belonging to five host plant species, namely wheat, barley, rye, sorghum, and the goatgrass Aegilops triuncialis. Samples were taken immediately before infestation and two, four, and eight days thereafter. The V5-V7 hypervariable region of 16S rDNA was PCR amplified, Illumina sequenced, and aligned to a curated database of bacterial 16S rDNA sequences.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The almost universal intracellular endosymbiont of aphids, Buchnera aphidicola, comprised 78.24 to 99.99% of the read counts among samples, largely because of its high copy number of genomes per bacteroid. Abundant non-Buchnera genera included Pseudomonas, Rhodanobacter, Massilia, and Enterobacter. Read counts of eight of 78 examined genera were more than 90% restricted to a single replicate of a single treatment. Shannon entropy was highest in biotype K and on the barley host, but it did not vary significantly among dates post infestation. Unweighted UniFrac distances most significantly varied with biotype, host plant species, infestation time, and almost all of their interactions. Weighted UniFrac and Jaccard distances varied less significantly. By counts of differentially populated genera, the factors biotype, host plant species, infestation time, and host plant resistance genes to greenbug, were consecutively less important. Functional analysis with PICRUSt2 illustrated a diminution of respiratory electron transport and long-chain fatty acids in the Buchnera endosymbiont, reflecting adaptation to an intracellular environment.},
}

@article {pmid40808305,
year = {2025},
author = {Merk, LN and Jones, TA and Eddy, SR},
title = {Presence of group II introns in phage genomes.},
journal = {Nucleic acids research},
volume = {53},
number = {15},
pages = {},
pmid = {40808305},
issn = {1362-4962},
support = {DGE 2140743//National Science Foundation/ ; R01-HG009116//National Institute of Health/ ; T32GM008313//Harvard Molecular Biophysics/ ; /HHMI/Howard Hughes Medical Institute/United States ; },
abstract = {Although bacteriophage genomes are under strong selective pressure for high coding density, they are still frequently invaded by mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Group II introns are MGEs that reduce host burden by autocatalytically splicing out of an RNA precursor. While widely known in bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic organellar genomes, group II introns have been considered absent in phage. Identifying group II introns in genome sequences has previously been challenging because of their lack of primary sequence similarity. Advances in RNA structure-based homology searches using covariance models has provided the ability to identify the conserved secondary structures of group II introns. Here, we discover that group II introns are widely found in phages from diverse phylogenetic backgrounds, from endosymbiont phage to jumbophage.},
}

@article {pmid40808288,
year = {2025},
author = {Rahimpour, H and Talebi, AA and Raz, A and Azarbad, H and Mehrabadi, M},
title = {Geographic variation and diversity of bacterial endosymbionts in Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, from Iran.},
journal = {Pest management science},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1002/ps.70100},
pmid = {40808288},
issn = {1526-4998},
support = {//Iran National Science Foundation/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: The Asian citrus psylla (ACP, Diaphorina citri), a destructive insect, poses a significant threat to citrus industries worldwide. As the primary vector of huanglongbing (HLB), ACP infestations have caused devastating economic losses and declines in citrus production across many regions. Despite the role of endosymbionts in psyllid biology and HLB transmission, their geographic distribution in Iran remains uncharacterized. In this study, the composition of bacterial endosymbiont communities associated with ACP was examined across four geographic regions in Iran (Sarbaz, Roudan, Faryab, and Jahrom).

RESULTS: Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), the presence and abundance of bacterial endosymbionts, including Carsonella, Profftella, and Wolbachia, were confirmed in both nymphal and adult stages of this insect across all populations. Other bacteria, such as Diplorickettsia, Hamiltonella, and Lactobacillus, were identified only in certain populations. Phylogenetic analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and heatmap clustering highlighted geographical variation in the abundance and diversity of endosymbionts, with the Jahrom population exhibited considerable geographical variation than other regions.

CONCLUSION: Our results revealed significant geographic variation in the prevalence of key bacterial taxa, including Wolbachia and Carsonella. In addition, we report for the first time the presence of Hamiltonella defensa and Diplorickettsia in this insect vector, offering potential targets for microbiome-based pest control strategies tailored to local ACP populations. These findings underscore the importance of understanding how endosymbionts shape ACP biology and its ability to transmit pathogens, and they highlight the potential for innovative pest control approaches, such as manipulating symbiont populations to reduce ACP fitness or disease transmission. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.},
}

@article {pmid40804622,
year = {2025},
author = {Tamuton, ACM and Mfopit, YM and Yusuf, AB and Mahbou, PY and Gouegni, EF and Amos, GA and Mamman, M and Adamu, A and Chechet, GD and Kabir, J},
title = {Spiroplasma, Wolbachia, Sodalis and trypanosome associations in Glossina Tachinoides from Yankari game reserve, Nigeria.},
journal = {BMC veterinary research},
volume = {21},
number = {1},
pages = {514},
pmid = {40804622},
issn = {1746-6148},
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Tsetse flies are vectors of African trypanosomiasis, a disease that affects both humans and animals. Trypanosomiasis remains a threat to lives and it is an impediment to socio-economic development in sub-Saharan Africa. In spite of decades of chemotherapy and vector control, the disease has not been eradicated. Parasitic drug resistance has been developed to existing drugs, while vector control strategies are expensive and unsustainable. Therefore, there is a need to explore other control approaches, such as the transformation of tsetse fly endosymbionts to render the fly refractory to trypanosome infection. This research focused on investigating the prevalence and triparty association of infection of trypanosomes with some endosymbionts of tsetse flies from Yankari Game Reserve.

METHODS: Tsetse flies were captured using biconical traps, identified morphologically, dissected and their entire guts were isolated and used for DNA extraction. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used in confirming the identity of the tsetse flies by amplifying the cytochrome C oxidase-1 gene. PCR was also used to screen for the presence of endosymbionts (Sodalis glossinidius, Wolbachia, and Spiroplasma sp.) and trypanosomes.

RESULTS: Glossina tachinoides was the only vector species identified. Trypanosome infection rate was 10.70% with Trypanosoma grayi being the most prevalent (9.78%) amongst the three trypanosome species detected. The prevalence of Wolbachia and Spiroplasma species were 2.80% and 40.8% respectively in flies. Sodalis glossinidius was not detected. There was an association between the presence of trypanosomes and Wolbachia, while no association was depicted between trypanosomes and Spiroplasma.

CONCLUSION: It has been observed from this study that the presence of Wolbachia seems to favour trypanosome infections. Investigation on the Wolbachia genetic polymorphism in tsetse could help to better understand this association.},
}

@article {pmid40804293,
year = {2025},
author = {Zhang, M and Zhai, R and Niu, G and Chen, J and Tan, B and Wu, D and Meng, G and Wei, M},
title = {Telomere-to-telomere genome assembly uncovers Wolbachia-driven recurrent male bottleneck effect and selection in a sawfly.},
journal = {Communications biology},
volume = {8},
number = {1},
pages = {1211},
pmid = {40804293},
issn = {2399-3642},
support = {20232BAB215017//Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province (Jiangxi Province Natural Science Foundation)/ ; },
abstract = {Wolbachia, a widespread endosymbiotic bacterium, profoundly impacts insect hosts by distorting reproduction and population dynamics. Despite extensive laboratory research, its long-term effects on host evolution in nature remain poorly understood, especially the genomic consequences linked to disruptions in sex determination and reproductive processes. We present the first telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome assembly of the sawfly Analcellicampa danfengensis and the complete genome of its symbiotic Wolbachia. Comparative population genomics across six Analcellicampa species revealed that Wolbachia-infected populations show starkly different demographic signals. While uninfected populations show similar demographic signals for both sexes, infected populations exhibit a lower apparent effective population size (Ne) in males, which may reflect a recurrent male bottleneck effect driven by Wolbachia-induced male scarcity. Genomic scans identified positively selected genes associated with reproductive functions, sensory perception, neural development, and longevity, suggesting that Wolbachia likely manipulates critical host pathways to promote its transmission. These findings provide direct genomic insights into Wolbachia as an evolutionary force, highlighting specific host genes and regions under selection resulting from these altered evolutionary dynamics. This work provides deeper insights into host-endosymbiont coevolution and has important implications for evolutionary theory and pest management strategies.},
}

@article {pmid40796904,
year = {2025},
author = {Nowak, KH and Hartop, E and Prus-Frankowska, M and Buczek, M and Kolasa, MR and Roslin, T and Ovaskainen, O and Łukasik, P},
title = {What lurks in the dark? An innovative framework for studying diverse wild insect microbiota.},
journal = {Microbiome},
volume = {13},
number = {1},
pages = {186},
pmid = {40796904},
issn = {2049-2618},
support = {2016-203 4.3//Swedish Taxonomy Initiative/ ; 856506//Horizon 2020/ ; 336212//Research Council of Finland/ ; PPN/PPO/2018/1/00015//Narodowa Agencja Wymiany Akademickiej/ ; 2018/31/B/NZ8/01158//Narodowe Centrum Nauki/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Symbiotic microorganisms can profoundly impact insect biology, including their life history traits, population dynamics, and evolutionary trajectories. However, microbiota remain poorly understood in natural insect communities, especially in 'dark taxa'-hyperdiverse yet understudied clades.

RESULTS: Here, we implemented a novel multi-target amplicon sequencing approach to study microbiota in complex, species-rich communities. It combines four methodological innovations: (1) To establish a host taxonomic framework, we sequenced amplicons of the host marker gene (COI) and reconstructed barcodes alongside microbiota characterisation using 16S-V4 rRNA bacterial gene amplicons. (2) To assess microbiota abundance, we incorporated spike-in-based quantification. (3) To improve the phylogenetic resolution for the dominant endosymbiont, Wolbachia, we analysed bycatch data from the COI amplicon sequencing. (4) To investigate the primary drivers of host-microbe associations in massive multi-dimensional datasets, we performed Hierarchical Modelling of Species Communities (HMSC). Applying this approach to 1842 wild-caught scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) from northern Sweden, we organised them into 480 genotypes and 186 species and gained unprecedented insights into their microbiota. We found orders-of-magnitude differences in bacterial abundance and massive within-population variation in microbiota composition. Patterns and drivers differed among microbial functional categories: the distribution and abundance of facultative endosymbionts (Wolbachia, Rickettsia, Spiroplasma) were shaped by host species, genotype, and sex. In contrast, many other bacterial taxa were broadly distributed across species and sites.

CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights facultative endosymbionts as key players in insect microbiota and reveals striking variations in distributional patterns of microbial clades. It also demonstrates the power of integrative sequencing approaches in uncovering the ecological complexity and significance of symbiotic microorganisms in multi-species natural communities. Video Abstract.},
}

@article {pmid40794833,
year = {2025},
author = {Frail, S and Steele-Ogus, M and Doenier, J and Moulin, SLY and Braukmann, T and Xu, S and Yeh, E},
title = {Genomes of nitrogen-fixing eukaryotes reveal an alternate path for organellogenesis.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {122},
number = {33},
pages = {e2507237122},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.2507237122},
pmid = {40794833},
issn = {1091-6490},
support = {T32GM007276//HHS | NIH (NIH)/ ; 5T32AI007328-32//HHS | NIH (NIH)/ ; NA//Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF)/ ; NA//Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI)/ ; },
mesh = {*Nitrogen Fixation/genetics ; Symbiosis/genetics ; *Diatoms/genetics ; Phylogeny ; *Genome ; Gene Transfer, Horizontal ; Cyanobacteria/genetics ; Evolution, Molecular ; },
abstract = {Endosymbiotic gene transfer (EGT) and import of host-encoded proteins have been considered hallmarks of organelles necessary for stable integration of two cells. However, newer endosymbiotic models have challenged the origin and timing of such genetic integration during organellogenesis. Epithemia diatoms contain diazoplasts, obligate endosymbionts derived from cyanobacteria that are closely phylogenetically related to UCYN-A, a recently described nitrogen-fixing organelle. Diazoplasts function as permanent membrane compartments in Epithemia hosts, but it is unknown if genetic integration has occurred. We report genomic analyses of two Epithemia diatom species, freshwater Epithemia clementina and marine E. pelagica, which are highly divergent but share a common ancestor at the origin of the endosymbiosis <35Mya. We find minimal evidence for genetic integration. Segments of fragmented and rearranged DNA from the diazoplast were detected integrated into the E. clementina nuclear genome, but the transfers that have occurred so far are nonfunctional. No DNA or gene transfers were detected in E. pelagica. In E. clementina, 6 host-encoded proteins of unknown function were identified in the diazoplast proteome, far fewer than detected in recently acquired endosymbiotic organelles. Overall, Epithemia diazoplasts are a valuable counterpoint to existing organelle models, demonstrating that endosymbionts can function as integral compartments-maintained over millions of years of host speciation-absent significant genetic integration. The minimal genetic integration makes diazoplasts valuable blueprints for bioengineering endosymbiotic compartments de novo.},
}

*Nitrogen Fixation/genetics
Symbiosis/genetics
*Diatoms/genetics
Phylogeny
*Genome
Gene Transfer, Horizontal
Cyanobacteria/genetics
Evolution, Molecular

@article {pmid40793793,
year = {2025},
author = {Tamre, E and Fournier, G},
title = {Recent origin of iron oxidation in extant microbial groups and low clade fidelity of iron metabolisms.},
journal = {Applied and environmental microbiology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0166224},
doi = {10.1128/aem.01662-24},
pmid = {40793793},
issn = {1098-5336},
abstract = {Reduced iron was abundant in Earth's surface environments before their oxygenation, so iron oxidation could have been a common metabolism on the early Earth. Consequently, modern microbial iron oxidation is sometimes seen as a holdover from an earlier biosphere, but the continuity of involved lineages or the metabolic process itself has not been verified. Modern neutrophilic iron oxidizers use cytochrome-porin Cyc2 as the initial electron acceptor in iron oxidation. With the protein as a proxy for the metabolism, we performed a phylogenetic analysis of Cyc2 to understand the evolutionary history of this microbial iron oxidation pathway. In addition to known iron oxidizers, we identified Cyc2 orthologs in gammaproteobacterial endosymbionts of lucinid bivalves. These bivalves have a robust fossil record and rely on seagrass meadows that only appear in the Cretaceous, providing a valuable time calibration in the evolutionary history of Cyc2. Our molecular clock analysis shows that extant sampled Cyc2 diversity has surprisingly recent common ancestry, and iron oxidation metabolisms in Gallionellaceae, Zetaproteobacteria, and photoferrotrophic Chlorobi likely originated in the Neoproterozoic or the Phanerozoic via multiple transfer events. The groups responsible for microbial iron oxidation have thus changed over Earth history, possibly reflecting the instability of niches with sufficient reduced iron. We note that frequent transfer and changing taxonomic distribution may be a general pattern for traits which are selected sporadically across space and time. Based on iron metabolism and other processes, we explore this concept of a trait's "clade fidelity" (or lack thereof) and establish its evolutionary importance.IMPORTANCEBacteria can oxidize iron to produce energy. As there was plenty of reduced iron available on the early Earth and there is only a little today, it was sometimes thought that bacteria that oxidize iron today are a small remnant of a larger group that used to do it. We studied the evolutionary history of the iron oxidation pathway that modern bacteria use, and we found that they developed that pathway relatively recently: whatever did it in the past is no longer around today. It would probably be hard for any group of organisms to keep doing iron oxidation over billions of years since iron availability is so variable: they are likely to go extinct or lose this ability at some point. We suggest this as a general trend in evolution that traits which are only sporadically useful are commonly lost-and then re-invented or re-distributed-or the trait will go extinct.},
}

@article {pmid40791505,
year = {2025},
author = {Tobiasson, V and Luo, J and Wolf, YI and Koonin, EV},
title = {Dominant contribution of Asgard archaea to eukaryogenesis.},
journal = {bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1101/2024.10.14.618318},
pmid = {40791505},
issn = {2692-8205},
abstract = {The origin of eukaryotes is one of the key problems in evolutionary biology [1,2] . The demonstration that the Last Eukaryotic Common Ancestor (LECA) already contained the mitochondrion, an endosymbiotic organelle derived from an alphaproteobacterium, and the discovery of Asgard archaea, the closest archaeal relatives of eukaryotes [3-7] , inform and constrain evolutionary scenarios of eukaryogenesis [8] . We undertook a comprehensive analysis of the origins of core eukaryotic genes tracing to the LECA within a rigorous statistical framework centered around evolutionary hypotheses testing using constrained phylogenetic trees. The results reveal dominant contributions of Asgard archaea to the origin of most of the conserved eukaryotic functional systems and pathways. A limited contribution from Alphaproteobacteria was identified, primarily relating to the energy transformation systems and Fe-S cluster biogenesis, whereas ancestry from other bacterial phyla was scattered across the eukaryotic functional landscape, without clear consistent trends. These findings suggest a model of eukaryogenesis in which key features of eukaryotic cell organization evolved in the Asgard lineage leading to the LECA, followed by the capture of the Alphaproteobacterial endosymbiont, and augmented by numerous but sporadic horizontal acquisition of genes from other bacteria both before and after endosymbiosis.},
}

@article {pmid40788126,
year = {2025},
author = {Liu, H and Li, J and Li, C and Jiang, L and Qiao, G and Chen, J},
title = {Draft genome sequence of the obligate bacterial endosymbiont Buchnera aphidicola of the aphid Uroleucon formosanum.},
journal = {Microbiology resource announcements},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e0044925},
doi = {10.1128/mra.00449-25},
pmid = {40788126},
issn = {2576-098X},
abstract = {The genome of the obligate bacterial endosymbiont Buchnera aphidicola from the aphid Uroleucon formosanum was sequenced and assembled using Illumina paired-end sequencing. Genomic functional analysis revealed that B. aphidicola can assist its host in counteracting oxidative stress induced by plant-derived sesquiterpene lactones.},
}

@article {pmid40777272,
year = {2025},
author = {Berardi, L and Colvin, A and West, M and Odorizzi, G and Starai, VJ},
title = {Wbm0152, an outer membrane lipoprotein of the Wolbachia endosymbiont of Brugia malayi , inhibits yeast ESCRT complex activity.},
journal = {bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {40777272},
issn = {2692-8205},
abstract = {UNLABELLED: Human pathogenic filarial nematodes of the family Onchocercidae, including Brugia malayi and Onchocerca volvulus, cause debilitating filarial diseases such as lymphatic filariasis and river blindness. These mosquito-borne pathogens are obligately colonized by the gram-negative intracellular alphaproteobacterium, Wolbachia pipientis, which is essential for nematode sexual reproduction, long-term survival, and pathogenicity in the mammalian host. Like many intracellular bacteria, Wolbachia likely uses numerous surface-exposed and secreted effector proteins to regulate its ability to persist and replicate within nematode host cells. However, due to the inability to cultivate Wolbachia in the laboratory and the genetic intractability of both filarial nematodes and the bacterium, the molecular underpinnings that define the bacterium:nematode relationship are almost completely unknown. In this work, we show that the expression of a Wolbachia outer membrane lipoprotein, w Bm0152, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae inhibits the activity of the conserved Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport (ESCRT) complex and strongly disrupts endosomal maturation, leading to defects in ubiquitylated protein turnover. Using in vivo bimolecular fluorescence complementation, we find that Wbm0152 interacts with the Vps2p subunit of the ESCRT-III subcomplex as well as the Vps2p ortholog (BmVps2, Bm6583b) from a Wolbachia host nematode, Brugia malayi . These data suggest a novel role of ESCRT in Wolbachia persistence providing insight into the elusive relationship between these two organisms.

AUTHOR SUMMARY: Filarial diseases of mammals, including lymphatic filariasis and canine heartworm, are caused by vector-borne filarial nematodes of the family Onchocercidae. Many of the nematodes in this family are obligately colonized by an intracellular bacterium, Wolbachia pipientis , which is essential for the nematode's long-term survival, reproduction, and pathogenicity. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms used by Wolbachia to persist and replicate within host cells could provide new molecular targets for treating filarial infections. Due to the genetic intractability of both nematode and bacterium, however, significant progress on characterizing these interactions have proven difficult. In this work, we show that a predicted outer membrane lipoprotein, Wbm0152, of the Wolbachia endosymbiont of Brugia malayi inhibits yeast Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport (ESCRT) complex activity in vivo. Wbm0152 interacts with a core subunit of the yeast ESCRT-III complex, as well as with the orthologous ESCRT-III protein from Brugia . ESCRTs are conserved across eukaryotes and are important for diverse cellular processes such as endosomal maturation, autophagy, and cellular division. As Wolbachia persists within a membrane-bound compartment within Brugia and must avoid host autophagic pathways, this study presents a potential mechanism by which Wolbachia may regulate Brugia membrane trafficking pathways to ensure its intracellular survival.},
}

@article {pmid40774611,
year = {2025},
author = {Mohammadi, MR and Moradkasani, S and Latifian, M and Esmaeili, S},
title = {Coxiella burnetii: Emerging threats, molecular insights, and advances in diagnosis and control measures.},
journal = {Journal of microbiological methods},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {107213},
doi = {10.1016/j.mimet.2025.107213},
pmid = {40774611},
issn = {1872-8359},
abstract = {Coxiella burnetii, a Gram-negative, obligate intracellular bacterium and causative agent of Q fever, is a re-emerging zoonotic pathogen with a complex transmission cycle involving livestock (cattle, sheep, and goats), diverse terrestrial and aquatic wildlife, arthropod vectors (ticks and fleas), and resilient environmental reservoirs, such as free-living amoebae. Humans are mainly infected by inhaling contaminated aerosols, especially during parturition. This review offers an integrative synthesis of current research across six key domains: ecological reservoirs, diagnostic strategies, molecular epidemiology, therapeutic challenges, vaccine development, and the One Health approach. We first examined emerging insights into host and vector diversity, including underexplored aquatic and semi-aquatic species, and environmental factors sustaining endemicity. We then assessed recent diagnostic innovations, such as multiplex and digital PCR, LAMP, metagenomic sequencing, and immunohistochemistry, alongside conventional serological tools, such as ELISA and IFA. Given the taxonomic complexity introduced by genetically related Coxiella-like endosymbionts, we highlight the necessity of high-resolution molecular typing platforms, such as MLVA, MST, and SNP analysis, for accurate strain discrimination. In clinical and environmental contexts, sample matrices now include blood, milk, feces, urine, respiratory secretions, and ectoparasites, enabling more sensitive surveillance. Despite this progress, Q fever control remains challenging because of nonspecific symptoms, diagnostic delays, chronic complications, and reliance on prolonged antibiotic therapy. Advances in antimicrobial testing and evolving vaccine strategies offer hope; however, durable cross-strain protection remains elusive. Adopting a One Health approach, this review highlights the key knowledge gaps and strategic priorities for reducing the global burden of C. burnetii across human, animal, and environmental health sectors.},
}

@article {pmid40770786,
year = {2025},
author = {Galambos, N and Parisot, N and Vallier, A and Bevilacqua, C and Balmand, S and Vincent-Monégat, C and Rebollo, R and Gillet, B and Hughes, S and Heddi, A and Zaidman-Rémy, A},
title = {Dual-transcriptomics on microdissected cells reveals functional specialisation of symbiont-bearing-cells and contrasted responses to nutritional stress in the cereal weevil.},
journal = {Microbiome},
volume = {13},
number = {1},
pages = {182},
pmid = {40770786},
issn = {2049-2618},
support = {ANR-19-CE20-0010//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; ANR-19-CE20-0010//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; ANR-19-CE20-0010//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; ANR-19-CE20-0010//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; ANR-19-CE20-0010//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; ANR-19-CE20-0010//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; ANR-19-CE20-0010//Agence Nationale de la Recherche/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Symbiosis/genetics ; *Weevils/microbiology/genetics/physiology/metabolism ; *Bacteria/genetics/classification/metabolism/isolation & purification ; Gene Expression Profiling ; *Transcriptome ; Stress, Physiological ; Laser Capture Microdissection ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Insects thriving on a nutritionally imbalanced diet often establish long-term relationships with intracellular symbiotic bacteria (endosymbionts), which complement their nutritional needs and improve their physiological performances. Endosymbionts are in host specialised cells, called the bacteriocytes, which in many insects group together to form a symbiotic organ, the bacteriome. The cereal weevil Sitophilus oryzae houses multiple bacteriomes at the adult mesenteric caeca.

RESULTS: Using microscopic cell imaging, we revealed that bacteriomes consist of several cell types, including progenitor cells, peripheral bacteriocytes, central bacteriocytes and epithelial cells. By combining laser capture microdissection and dual RNA-sequencing, we showed that both host cell types and their associated endosymbionts express distinct transcriptional profiles. The comparison between peripheral bacteriocytes and midgut cells from insects artificially deprived from endosymbionts (aposymbiotic) unravelled cellular pathways modulated by the presence of endosymbionts. The cell-specific response to endosymbionts in peripheral bacteriocytes includes a boost of fatty-acid and amino acid metabolisms. We found that central bacteriocytes overexpress transport and G-protein signalling-related genes when compared to peripheral bacteriocytes, indicating a signalling and/or transport function of these cells. Diet composition strongly impacts host and endosymbiont gene expression and reveals a molecular trade-off among metabolic pathways.

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence on how endosymbionts interfere and enhance metabolic performances of insect bacteriocytes and highlights key genes involved in the bacteriocyte differentiation and metabolic pathways. Video Abstract.},
}

Animals
*Symbiosis/genetics
*Weevils/microbiology/genetics/physiology/metabolism
*Bacteria/genetics/classification/metabolism/isolation & purification
Gene Expression Profiling
*Transcriptome
Stress, Physiological
Laser Capture Microdissection

@article {pmid40770271,
year = {2025},
author = {Otieno, FG and Barreaux, P and Belvinos, AS and Makhulu, EE and Onchuru, TO and Wairimu, AW and Omboye, SM and King'ori, CN and Sokame, BM and Nyamache, AK and Herren, JK},
title = {The dissemination potential of Microsporidia MB in Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes is modulated by temperature.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
pages = {28839},
pmid = {40770271},
issn = {2045-2322},
support = {INV0225840//Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation/ ; SYMBIOVECTOR//Open Philanthropy/ ; SMBV-FFT//Children's Investment Fund Foundation/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Anopheles/microbiology/parasitology/growth & development ; *Temperature ; *Microsporidia/physiology ; Larva/microbiology/growth & development ; *Mosquito Vectors/microbiology/parasitology ; Malaria/transmission/prevention & control ; },
abstract = {Microsporidia MB, a vertically transmitted endosymbiont of Anopheles mosquitoes, shows strong potential as a malaria control agent due to its ability to inhibit Plasmodium development within the mosquito host. To support its deployment in malaria transmission reduction strategies, it is critical to understand how environmental factors, particularly temperature, influence its infection dynamics. In this study, we investigated the impact of four temperature regimes (22 °C, 27 °C, 32 °C, and 37 °C) on Microsporidia MB prevalence and infection intensity by rearing mosquito larvae under controlled laboratory conditions. Our results demonstrate that elevated temperatures, especially 32 °C, significantly enhance both larval growth and Microsporidia MB infection rates. Population growth modeling further indicates that at 32 °C, an infected mosquito population can reach 1000 offspring within 15-35 days, representing a 4.7-, 1.3-, and 1.7-fold increase in dissemination potential compared to 22 °C, 27 °C, and 37 °C, respectively. Although mortality at 32 °C was approximately 20% higher than at 27 °C, this temperature emerged as the most favorable for mass-rearing Microsporidia MB-infected larvae. These findings provide the first insights into temperature-mediated dynamics of Microsporidia MB and support its potential for scalable implementation in malaria-endemic regions.},
}

Animals
*Anopheles/microbiology/parasitology/growth & development
*Temperature
*Microsporidia/physiology
Larva/microbiology/growth & development
*Mosquito Vectors/microbiology/parasitology
Malaria/transmission/prevention & control

@article {pmid40766464,
year = {2025},
author = {Holland, M and Ahmed, M and Young, JM and McFadyen, S and Drurey, JR and Ostrowski, EA and Levin, TC},
title = {Hypermutable hotspot enables the rapid evolution of self/non-self recognition genes in Dictyostelium.},
journal = {bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {40766464},
issn = {2692-8205},
support = {R01 GM074108/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; R35 GM150681/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; },
abstract = {Cells require highly polymorphic receptors to perform accurate self/non-self recognition. In the amoeba Dicytostelium discoideum, polymorphic TgrB1 & TgrC1 proteins are used to bind sister cells and exclude cheaters, but it remains unknown how cells continually generate this extreme genetic diversity. Here, we created a collection of chromosome-length, whole genome sequences from 10 Dictyostelium discoideum isolates and sister species to understand the evolution of the large tgr gene family. Our dataset includes AX2-214, a widely used D. discoideum lab strain, as well as complete genomes for two Chlamydia-like endosymbionts harbored within amoebae. We find that tgrB1 and C1 lie in a hypermutational hotspot, with haplotypes that undergo repeated intralocus recombination, duplications, transpositions, and inversions. These structural dynamics are highly localized adjacent to tgrB and C, resulting in the gain and loss of dozens of genes. The tgrBC genes themselves frequently duplicate and recombine, leading to the rapid generation of unique tgrBC repertoires. In the broader tgr gene family, some genes (e.g. tgrN) are single copy and syntenic across all the genomes, whereas others (e.g. tgrA) prolifically duplicate at similar rates to Dictyostelium transposons. Thus, the tgr genes are among the most rapidly evolving families genome-wide. We propose that the intense diversification within the tgrBC locus can help explain how these genes acquire such extreme levels of polymorphism, with parallels to the MHC immune genes in mammals and other allorecognition systems. This collection of amoeba genomes is also an ideal dataset for comparative genomics and molecular evolution in Amoebozoa.},
}

@article {pmid40739183,
year = {2025},
author = {Hirunkanokpun, S and Ahantarig, A and Baimai, V and Pramual, P and Rakthong, P and Trinachartvanit, W},
title = {Two novel rickettsiae (Candidatus Rickettsia isanensis and Candidatus Rickettsia ranongensis) and co-detections of bacteria and protozoa in Amblyomma ticks of reptiles from Thailand.},
journal = {BMC microbiology},
volume = {25},
number = {1},
pages = {463},
pmid = {40739183},
issn = {1471-2180},
support = {DBG6180027//Thailand Research Fund-Chinese Academy of Science Grant/ ; BDC-PG3-163005//Center of Excellence on Biodiversity, Office of Higher Education Commission/ ; BDC-PG3-163005//Center of Excellence on Biodiversity, Office of Higher Education Commission/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; Thailand ; *Rickettsia/isolation & purification/genetics/classification ; Phylogeny ; *Amblyomma/microbiology/parasitology ; *Reptiles/parasitology/microbiology ; Anaplasma/isolation & purification/genetics ; Eucoccidiida/isolation & purification/genetics/classification ; Francisella/isolation & purification/genetics/classification ; Borrelia/isolation & purification/genetics ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites of considerable medical and veterinary importance, primarily due to their role in transmitting zoonotic pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, to humans and animals. This study investigates the molecular prevalence of microorganisms in reptile-associated ticks, evaluates their potential as vectors of human pathogens, and analyzes the phylogenetic relationships of the detected microorganisms.

RESULTS: A total of 133 ticks from twelve reptile hosts in Thailand were identified as Amblyomma varanense (60.9%), A. helvolum (35.3%), and A. pattoni (3.8%). Molecular analysis detected five microorganisms: Rickettsia spp. (17.3%), Francisella sp. (4.5%), Borrelia sp. (1.5%), Anaplasma sp. (0.8%), and Hepatozoon sp. (5.3%). Two putative novel spotted fever group rickettsiae, "Candidatus Rickettsia isanensis" and "Candidatus Rickettsia ranongensis", were identified in northeastern and southern regions, respectively. Borrelia sp. in A. varanense was closely related to the reptile-associated group, and Francisella-like endosymbionts showed high similarity to strains previously found in Thai reptile ticks. Anaplasma sp. in A. varanense was genetically similar to a strain from Asian water monitor blood, while Hepatozoon sp. in A. helvolum was related to species from Indochinese rat and Asiatic water snakes. Co-detections involving two microorganisms occurred in 0.8-3.0% of ticks, with one case of triple detection.

CONCLUSIONS: We report three reptile tick species harboring microorganisms from four bacterial genera and one protozoan genus, with variable prevalence rates. Two putative novel species of spotted fever group rickettsiae (Ca. Rickettsia isanensis and Ca. Rickettsia ranongensis) were identified. Notably, A. pattoni was documented parasitizing the King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) for the first time in Thailand. These findings enhance our understanding of tick and tick-borne pathogen diversity, host-vector relationships, and offer valuable information for managing vector-borne zoonotic risks in the region.},
}

Animals
Thailand
*Rickettsia/isolation & purification/genetics/classification
Phylogeny
*Amblyomma/microbiology/parasitology
*Reptiles/parasitology/microbiology
Anaplasma/isolation & purification/genetics
Eucoccidiida/isolation & purification/genetics/classification
Francisella/isolation & purification/genetics/classification
Borrelia/isolation & purification/genetics

@article {pmid40736175,
year = {2025},
author = {Shi, Q and Wei, Z and Pang, J and Qudsi, AI and Wei, M and Zhang, Z and Zhang, Y and Wang, Z and Chen, K and Xu, X and Lu, X and Liang, Q},
title = {Achromobacter in the Conjunctival Sac Microbiota: Potential Association With Acanthamoeba Keratitis Related to Orthokeratology Lenses.},
journal = {Investigative ophthalmology & visual science},
volume = {66},
number = {9},
pages = {71},
pmid = {40736175},
issn = {1552-5783},
mesh = {Humans ; Male ; Female ; *Microbiota ; *Acanthamoeba Keratitis/microbiology/etiology ; *Conjunctiva/microbiology ; Adult ; *Achromobacter/isolation & purification/genetics/physiology ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; *Orthokeratologic Procedures/adverse effects/instrumentation ; Acanthamoeba ; *Contact Lenses/adverse effects ; Young Adult ; DNA, Bacterial/genetics/analysis ; Dysbiosis/microbiology ; Middle Aged ; },
abstract = {PURPOSE: Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a severe infection linked to orthokeratology lens use, whereas the involvement of conjunctival microbiota in AK remains poorly understood. This study investigates microbiota dysbiosis in AK pathogenesis to inform microbiota-based interventions.

METHODS: Conjunctival swabs from 14 patients with AK and 10 healthy controls underwent 16S rRNA sequencing. Microbiome analysis compared diversity, taxa, and metabolic pathways. Functional assays quantified Achromobacter-enhanced Acanthamoeba adhesion and migration. Metagenomics and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with species-specific probes confirmed endosymbiosis.

RESULTS: Patients with AK showed reduced bacterial diversity compared with the healthy controls (P < 0.001) but similar richness. Relative abundance of Achromobacter in the AK group was higher compared to the healthy control group (P < 0.001). Achromobacter dominated microbiota among the AK group, being identified as a key biomarker via the linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe). In vitro, Achromobacter increased Acanthamoeba adhesion (P = 0.007) and the migration area (P < 0.05). Metagenomic analysis and FISH further showed Achromobacter spp. as potential endosymbionts of Acanthamoeba. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) revealed upregulated phenylalanine, fatty acid, and propanoate metabolism in the AK group (all P < 0.001). MetaCyc highlighted enriched pyruvate fermentation to isobutanol, aerobic respiration I, and L-isoleucine biosynthesis II in the AK group (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: AK-associated conjunctival dysbiosis features Achromobacter dominance, reduced diversity, and altered metabolism. Achromobacter is associated with enhanced adhesion and migration of Acanthamoeba, indicating a possible symbiotic interaction and its potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target.},
}

Humans
Male
Female
*Microbiota
*Acanthamoeba Keratitis/microbiology/etiology
*Conjunctiva/microbiology
Adult
*Achromobacter/isolation & purification/genetics/physiology
In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
*Orthokeratologic Procedures/adverse effects/instrumentation
Acanthamoeba
*Contact Lenses/adverse effects
Young Adult
DNA, Bacterial/genetics/analysis
Dysbiosis/microbiology
Middle Aged

@article {pmid40731992,
year = {2025},
author = {Borza, T and Lumactud, RA and Shim, SY and Al-Mughrabi, K and Prithiviraj, B},
title = {Microbial Community Composition Associated with Potato Plants Displaying Early Dying Syndrome.},
journal = {Microorganisms},
volume = {13},
number = {7},
pages = {},
pmid = {40731992},
issn = {2076-2607},
support = {no number//New Brunswick Department Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries through Enabling Agricultural Research and Innovation program under Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership/ ; },
abstract = {Potato early dying disease complex (PED) leads to premature senescence and rapid decline in potato plants. Unlike potato wilt caused solely by Verticillium species, PED symptoms are more severe due to the synergistic effects of multiple pathogens, including root-lesion nematodes, fungi such as Colletotrichum and Fusarium, and soft-rot bacteria. To investigate the microbiome responsible for PED, soil and stem samples from healthy-looking and symptomatic plants were analyzed using amplicon-targeted next-generation sequencing (Illumina MiSeq and PacBio technologies). Samples were collected from four locations in New Brunswick, Canada from fields previously rotated with barley or oat. Comparative analysis of the bacterial, fungal, and eukaryotic diversity in soil samples showed minimal differences, with only bacterial alpha diversity influenced by the plant health status. Verticillium dahliae was abundant in all soil samples, and its abundance was significantly higher in the stems of diseased plants. Additional fungal species implicated in PED, including Plectosphaerella cucumerina, Colletotrichum coccodes, Botrytis sp., and Alternaria alternata, were also identified in the stems. This study highlights the complex, plant-associated microbial interactions underlying PED and provides a foundation for microbiome-informed disease management strategies.},
}

@article {pmid40725334,
year = {2025},
author = {Gao, H and Yin, XJ and Fan, ZH and Gu, XH and Su, ZQ and Luo, BR and Qiu, BL and Zhang, LH},
title = {Effects of Endosymbionts on the Nutritional Physiology and Biological Characteristics of Whitefly Bemisia tabaci.},
journal = {Insects},
volume = {16},
number = {7},
pages = {},
pmid = {40725334},
issn = {2075-4450},
support = {Grant No.KJQN202400533//Science and Technology Research Program of Chongqing Municipal Education Commission/ ; Grant No.23XLB031//Chongqing Normal University Foundation/ ; CSTB2024TIAD-KPX0015//Chongqing Technological Innovation and Application Development Project/ ; },
abstract = {Insects and their endosymbionts have a close mutualistic relationship. However, the precise nature of the bacterial endosymbiont-mediated interaction between host plants and whitefly Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 is still unclear. In the present study, six populations of Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 sharing the same genetic background were established by rearing insects for ten generations on different host plants, including poinsettia, cabbage, cotton, tomato, and tobacco, and an additional population was reared on cotton and treated with antibiotics. The physiological and nutritional traits of the insects were found to be dependent on the host plant on which they had been reared. Systematic analysis was conducted on the endosymbiont titers, the amino acid molecules and contents, as well as developmental and oviposition changes in the MEAM1 populations reared on each host plant tested. The results indicate that B. tabaci contained the primary symbiont Portiera and the secondary symbionts Hamiltonella and Rickettsia. In addition, the titer of endosymbiotic bacteria in females is higher than that in males. Among the MEAM1 populations reared on each host plant, the variation pattern of Portiera titer generally corresponded with changes in biological characteristics (body length, weight and fecundity) and AA contents. This suggests that changes in the amino acid contents and biological characteristics of different B. tabaci populations may be due to changes in the Portiera content and the differences in the nutrition of the host plants themselves. Our findings were further confirmed by the reduction in Portiera with antibiotic treatment. The amino acids, body size, body weight, and fecundity of B. tabaci were all reduced with the decrease in the Portiera titer after antibiotic treatment. In summary, our research revealed that host plants can affect the content of symbiotic bacteria, particularly Portiera, and subsequently affect the nutrition (i.e., the essential amino acids content) of host insects, thus changing their biological characteristics.},
}

@article {pmid40721058,
year = {2025},
author = {Gerlin, L and Gaget, K and Lapetoule, G and Quivet, Y and Baa-Puyoulet, P and Rahioui, I and Lopes, MR and Da Silva, P and Calevro, F and Charles, H},
title = {Quantifying supply and demand in the pea aphid-Buchnera symbiosis reveals the metabolic Achilles' heels of this interaction.},
journal = {Metabolic engineering},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1016/j.ymben.2025.07.011},
pmid = {40721058},
issn = {1096-7184},
abstract = {Many herbivorous insects feed on unbalanced diets and rely on bacterial endosymbionts to meet all their nutritional needs. This is the case for the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum), a plant pest whose remarkable growth and reproductive capacities cannot be sustained by its sole nutritional resource, the plant phloem sap, and which relies on a symbiotic relationship maintained over millions of years with the intracellular bacterium Buchnera aphidicola for the biosynthesis of amino acids and vitamins. Exploiting original experimental data and metabolic reconstructions, we have built a quantitative genome-scale metabolic model of B. aphidicola and used it to quantify amino acid exchanges between the bacterium and its host. We found metabolites that can rewire pathways, influencing the balance between selfish (growth-focused) and mutualist (amino acid synthesis) behavior. Among the products synthesized by Buchnera, phenylalanine, tyrosine and leucine are the main matter sinks and consume more than 60% of imported glucose and serine. Finally, we compared the predicted bacterial supply to the aphid demand in amino acids. We found that the pea aphid may efficiently regulate its symbiont population density depending on its metabolic requirements, but that embryos are quantitatively not self-sustaining, with embryonic bacteria supply falling short of demand by 50%. Overall, our study highlights candidate compounds and pathways to target for destabilizing this symbiosis or predicting its resilience to environmental or nutritional perturbations.},
}

@article {pmid40718815,
year = {2025},
author = {El Hamss, H and Ally, HM and Delatte, H and Omongo, CA and Colvin, J and Maruthi, MN},
title = {Outbreak-driven differences in the microbiome composition and diversity of two cassava whitefly Bemisia tabaci mitotypes SSA1-SG1 and SSA1-SG2.},
journal = {Frontiers in microbiology},
volume = {16},
number = {},
pages = {1597836},
pmid = {40718815},
issn = {1664-302X},
abstract = {Since the 1990s, outbreaking populations of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci species complex (Sub-Saharan Africa 1 and 2) have heavily infested cassava in Uganda and eastern Africa. These superabundant SSA1 whiteflies from outbreaking areas carry microbiomes that might influence their fitness. Nonetheless, the factors contributing to the surge of these populations and their connection to the whitefly microbiome remain uncertain. To explore microbiome structure, diversity, and potential contributions to outbreaks of B. tabaci SSA1 species, we performed 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing. Endosymbionts (excluding Portiera) and the meta-microbiome were analyzed separately across 56 SSA 1 samples identified using a partial fragment of the mtCOI gene from 8 sites (32 outbreakings and 24 non-outbreakings). Two mitochondrial profiles were obtained within the samples named here as mitotypes SSA1-SG1 and SSA1-SG2. We investigated microbiome differences at two levels: (i) between two mitochondrial mitotypes, SSA1-SG1 and SSA1-SG2, and (ii) between outbreaking and non-outbreaking whitefly populations. Our results showed that the two mitotypes exhibited significantly different endosymbiont diversity (p < 0.0001), structures (p < 0.01, determined by ADONIS and Capscale), and co-occurrence networks. At the population level, significant differences in microbiome diversity were observed between outbreaking and non-outbreaking populations (Simpson index: p = 0.007; Shannon index: p = 0.006), with outbreaking populations showing reduced microbial diversity. Community structure also differed significantly (p = 0.001), as revealed by ADONIS and Capscale analyses using Bray-Curtis metrics. Outbreaking SSA1-SG1 whiteflies showed the highest microbial richness (mean = 63 ASVs), compared to an overall average of 45 ASVs across all samples. Co-occurrence patterns were highly structured, indicating non-random microbial interactions and shifts. Overall, our findings highlight the microbiome as a key factor in local invasions and epidemic emergence. Future research should focus on identifying specific bacterial contributors to better understand their role in outbreak dynamics.},
}

@article {pmid40708668,
year = {2025},
author = {Beavers, KM and Gutierrez-Andrade, D and Van Buren, EW and Emery, MA and Brandt, ME and Apprill, A and Mydlarz, LD},
title = {Machine learning reveals distinct gene expression signatures across tissue states in stony coral tissue loss disease.},
journal = {Royal Society open science},
volume = {12},
number = {7},
pages = {241993},
pmid = {40708668},
issn = {2054-5703},
abstract = {Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has rapidly degraded Caribbean reefs, compounding climate-related stressors and threatening ecosystem stability. Effective intervention requires understanding the mechanisms driving disease progression and resistance. Here, we apply a supervised machine learning approach-support vector machine recursive feature elimination-combined with differential gene expression analysis to describe SCTLD in the reef-building coral Montastraea cavernosa and its dominant algal endosymbiont, Cladocopium goreaui. We analyse three tissue types: apparently healthy tissue on apparently healthy colonies, apparently healthy tissue on SCTLD-affected colonies and lesion tissue on SCTLD-affected colonies. This approach identifies genes with high classification accuracy and reveals processes associated with SCTLD resistance, such as immune regulation and lipid biosynthesis, as well as processes involved in disease progression, such as inflammation, cytoskeletal disruption and symbiosis breakdown. Our findings support evidence that SCTLD induces dysbiosis between the coral host and Symbiodiniaceae and describe the metabolic and immune shifts that occur as the holobiont transitions from healthy to diseased. This supervised machine learning methodology offers a novel approach to accurately assess the health states of endangered coral species, with potential applications in guiding targeted restoration efforts and informing early disease intervention strategies.},
}

@article {pmid40707698,
year = {2025},
author = {Wieczorek, K and Chłond, D and Chajec, Ł and Malik, K and Świątek, P and Jaroszewicz, J and Coulson, SJ and Jousselin, E},
title = {Integrative approach to the systematics of the endemic Svalbard aphid specis Macrosiphum calvulum (Hemiptera, Aphididae) using molecular morphological and reproductive system analysis.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
pages = {26960},
pmid = {40707698},
issn = {2045-2322},
mesh = {Animals ; *Aphids/classification/genetics/physiology/anatomy & histology/ultrastructure ; Phylogeny ; Female ; Male ; Reproduction ; Svalbard ; Electron Transport Complex IV/genetics ; Peptide Elongation Factor 1/genetics ; },
abstract = {Aphids in the Svalbard archipelago are limited to a few highly specialized species adapted to extreme Arctic conditions. Among them, the endemic species historically identified as Sitobion (Metobion) calvulum remains poorly studied. Its systematic placement has been uncertain due to the lack of fresh material, and key aspects of its reproductive biology and endosymbionts remain unknown. Here, using an integrative approach combining molecular phylogenetics, morphology, and reproductive system analysis, we clarify its taxonomy and biology. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial COI and nuclear EF-1α sequences reveal its close relationship to Nearctic Macrosiphum species, leading to the establishment of the new taxon combination Macrosiphum calvulum comb. nov. Simultaneously, morphological observations uncover several atypical traits that challenge the established boundaries within Macrosiphini. Ultrastructural studies highlight unique reproductive adaptations, including secretion patterns in male accessory glands and oviparous female spermathecae. The absence of known facultative endosymbionts aligns M. calvulum with other aphids in Svalbard. We used SEM to detail the morphology of the sexual generation and applied TEM and, for the first time in aphids, micro-CT imaging to analyze their reproductive system. Given that Svalbard is among the most climate-threatened regions globally, studying M. calvulum is essential for understanding and conserving Arctic biodiversity.},
}

Animals
*Aphids/classification/genetics/physiology/anatomy & histology/ultrastructure
Phylogeny
Female
Male
Reproduction
Svalbard
Electron Transport Complex IV/genetics
Peptide Elongation Factor 1/genetics

@article {pmid40705355,
year = {2025},
author = {Mathieson, OL and Schultz, DL and Hunter, MS and Kleiner, M and Schmitz-Esser, S and Doremus, MR},
title = {The ecology, evolution, and physiology of Cardinium: a widespread heritable endosymbiont of invertebrates.},
journal = {FEMS microbiology reviews},
volume = {49},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {40705355},
issn = {1574-6976},
support = {#2426306//National Science Foundation/ ; #2002987//National Science Foundation/ ; #2426304//National Science Foundation/ ; IOS #2426305//National Science Foundation/ ; IOS #2003107//National Science Foundation/ ; 2023-67012-39352//National Institute for Food and Agriculture-United States Department of Agriculture/ ; #2023-67013-39897//National Institute for Food and Agriculture-United States Department of Agriculture/ ; },
abstract = {Candidatus Cardinium hertigii (Cardinium) are maternally transmitted obligate intracellular bacteria found in a wide range of invertebrate hosts, including arthropods and nematodes. Infection with Cardinium has substantial consequences for host biology, with many strains manipulating host reproduction to favor symbiont transmission by (i) feminizing male hosts, (ii) altering host sex allocation, (iii) inducing parthenogenesis, or (iv) causing cytoplasmic incompatibility. Other Cardinium strains can confer benefits to their host or alter host behavior. Cardinium-modified host phenotypes can result in selective sweeps of cytological elements through host populations and potentially reinforce host speciation. Cardinium has potential for applications in controlling arthropod pest species and arthropod-vectored disease transmission, although much remains to be explored regarding Cardinium physiology and host interactions. In this review, we provide an overview of Cardinium evolution and host distribution. We describe the various host phenotypes associated with Cardinium and how biological and environmental factors influence these symbioses. We also provide an overview of Cardinium metabolism, physiology, and potential mechanisms for interactions with hosts based on recent studies using genomics and transcriptomics. Finally, we discuss new methodologies and directions for Cardinium research, including improving our understanding of Cardinium physiology, response to environmental stress, and potential for controlling arthropod pest populations.},
}

@article {pmid40696756,
year = {2025},
author = {Peretz, T and Cattan-Tsaushu, E and Conti, C and Rosental, B and Steindler, L and Avrani, S},
title = {Cyanophage Infections in a Sponge Intracellular Cyanobacterial Symbiont.},
journal = {Environmental microbiology},
volume = {27},
number = {7},
pages = {e70155},
pmid = {40696756},
issn = {1462-2920},
support = {GBMF9352//Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation/ ; 933/23//Israel Science Foundation/ ; 1386/20//Israel Science Foundation/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Symbiosis ; *Bacteriophages/genetics/isolation & purification/physiology ; *Porifera/microbiology/virology ; *Synechococcus/virology/physiology/genetics ; Prophages/genetics ; *Cyanobacteria/virology ; Genome, Viral ; },
abstract = {Sponges are sessile animals that play crucial roles in marine ecosystems by facilitating nutrient cycling, enhancing biodiversity, and structuring benthic habitats. Microbial symbionts, including cyanobacteria, are vital to sponges, aiding in nutrient cycling, metabolism, and defence. However, due to the sponge's ability to concentrate phages from seawater, extracellular sponge symbionts are particularly vulnerable to phage infection. By contrast, little is known about the susceptibility of intracellular sponge symbionts to phage predation. Here, we present evidence that Candidatus Synechococcus feldmannii, a facultative, horizontally transmitted cyanobacterial endosymbiont of the sponge Petrosia ficiformis, is susceptible to cyanophages. We analysed four Ca. S. feldmannii genomes and found evidence for phage interactions in two, including CRISPR spacers matching sipho- and T4-like cyanophages. One genome harboured a prophage region resembling freshwater cyanobacterial prophages, featuring conserved regions associated with Type VI secretion systems, similar to Wolbachia endosymbionts prophages. Additionally, we developed a method for isolating cyanophages directly from purified sponge bacteriocytes (specialised sponge cells harbouring symbionts) and identified nine T4-like cyanophages with less than 60% similarity to known relatives. Collectively, our findings indicate that Ca. S. feldmannii is susceptible to cyanophages and suggest potential functional parallels between phages infecting endosymbionts across different animal hosts.},
}

Animals
*Symbiosis
*Bacteriophages/genetics/isolation & purification/physiology
*Porifera/microbiology/virology
*Synechococcus/virology/physiology/genetics
Prophages/genetics
*Cyanobacteria/virology
Genome, Viral

@article {pmid40689037,
year = {2025},
author = {Köhler, CF and Holding, ML and Fonville, M and Dirks, RP and Jansen, HJ and Moutailler, S and Heckmann, A and Zarka, J and Matthysen, E and Sprong, H and Krawczyk, AI},
title = {Midichloria mitochondrii stimulates the sylvatic cycle of Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) in Ixodes ricinus and contributes to Lyme disease risk.},
journal = {Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases},
volume = {8},
number = {},
pages = {100290},
pmid = {40689037},
issn = {2667-114X},
abstract = {Sex and symbionts of arthropod vectors are potential modulators of infection with vector-borne pathogens. Here, we investigated the involvement of sex and presence of the bacterial symbiont Midichloria mitochondrii in immature stages of Ixodes ricinus ticks on the acquisition and abundance of the tick-borne spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato). There was no difference in the infection rate of M. mitochondrii between male and female larvae. The infection with M. mitochondrii but not tick sex increased the acquisition of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) by I. ricinus larvae feeding on naturally infected birds. The infection with B. burgdorferi (s.l.) in questing nymphs was positively associated with M. mitochondrii, but not with their sex. The infection rates of M. mitochondrii in field-collected ticks showed substantial spatial variation. In our field study, we observed that locations exhibiting higher M. mitochondrii prevalence in nymphs also have significantly higher infection rates with B. burgdorferi (s.l.). Thus, the M. mitochondrii symbiont appears to enhance the ability of immature I. ricinus ticks to acquire and/or maintain B. burgdorferi (s.l.) in nature and is therefore an additional factor that contributes to the spatial variation in Lyme disease risk.},
}

@article {pmid40678899,
year = {2025},
author = {Ren, L and Men, YJ and Bing, XL and Hoffmann, A and Hong, XY},
title = {Transovarial transmission of Wolbachia bacteria via P44/Msp2-IMP2 mediated endocytosis.},
journal = {Insect science},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/1744-7917.70129},
pmid = {40678899},
issn = {1744-7917},
support = {32020103011//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32202290//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; //Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province/ ; },
abstract = {Wolbachia is a maternally inherited endosymbiont that stably localizes in oocytes of arthropods to ensure successful transovarial transmission. However, the source of Wolbachia in oocytes is unclear. Here, we obtained a Wolbachia strain that is transovarially transmitted with complete fidelity in the agricultural pest spider mite Tetranychus truncatus. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization, we showed that Wolbachia migrate from the digestive cells to the reproductive system as a female develops. When Wolbachia from T. truncatus was transferred to Aedes albopictus cells, we demonstrated that its cell-to-cell spread was regulated by the host's endocytosis system. By assaying the proteome, we identified a bacterial surface protein P44/Msp2 from Wolbachia that interacted with the host's integral membrane protein 2 (IMP2). RNA interference of IMP2 indicated that it facilitated entry of Wolbachia. Our results show that Wolbachia from somatic cells contribute to its transovarial transmission, and that Wolbachia also utilize the surface protein to invade new host cells. This extends our understanding of how Wolbachia is transmitted between cells and facilitates artificial transfection work.},
}

@article {pmid40674775,
year = {2025},
author = {Katarzyna, Z and Katarzyna, S and Dorota, S and Iwona, K and Emilia, Ł and Adam, C},
title = {Methylobacterium oryzae as a growth biostimulant of Arabidopsis thaliana and Solanum lycopersicum.},
journal = {Journal of plant physiology},
volume = {312},
number = {},
pages = {154564},
doi = {10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154564},
pmid = {40674775},
issn = {1618-1328},
abstract = {Methylobacterium spp. bacteria occur commonly in the environment. The presence of some methylobacteria in the soil/plant have positive effect to the plants growth and can reduce or prevent the consequence of phytopathogens. We determined the effect of M. oryzae CBMB20 (rice endosymbiont) on different stages of Arabidopsis thaliana and Solanum lycopersicum development. Protective properties against phytopathogenic bacteria of M. oryzae CBMB20 lipopolysaccharide were also determined. High resolution mass spectrometry was used to confirm presence of IAA in tomato extracts. Based on the obtained results we concluded that, M. oryzae CBMB20 had no significant effect on the germination percentage of both plants but increased the number of root hairs in A. thaliana and the length of S. lycopersicum sprouts and led to an increase in the fresh weight of the plants. LPS CBMB20 was able to strengthen a defence reaction in response to the presence of the phytopathogen. S. lycopersicum, treated with CBMB20, produced more IAA than plants that were not treated with the methylobacteria, which translates into an increase in fresh mass. These findings suggest that M. oryzae CBMB20 has potential as a component of biopreparations.},
}

@article {pmid40674308,
year = {2025},
author = {Scott, CB and Schott, R and Matz, MV},
title = {Genetic clustering within massive Porites species complex is the primary driver of holobiont assembly.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {20},
number = {7},
pages = {e0328479},
pmid = {40674308},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {Animals ; *Anthozoa/genetics/microbiology ; *Symbiosis/genetics ; Coral Reefs ; *Microbiota/genetics ; Australia ; Phylogeny ; Dinoflagellida/genetics ; Climate Change ; },
abstract = {The fate of coral reefs in response to climate change depends on their ability to adapt to new environments. The coral animal is buffered from environmental stress by its algal endosymbionts and microbial partners (together, the "holobiont"). However, the flexibility of holobiont community assembly is not well understood, making it difficult to estimate its contribution to coral adaptation. To clarify these processes, we genetically profiled holobiont components (coral, algal symbiont, and microbiome) of massive Porites sampled across two size classes (small, < 30 cm and large, > 2 m) and ecologically distinct reef sites near Orpheus and Pelorus Islands, Australia. We recovered five major genetic clusters in the coral host. We estimated the relative contributions of the host genetic structure, site, and size class to holobiont community composition. Host genetic structure was the primary driver of both Symbiodiniaceae and microbial communities, indicating strong holobiont specificity in genetic clusters. In addition, the microbial community was associated with reef site and size class, unlike Symbiodiniaceae that were not significantly affected by either factor. As environmentally segregated, cryptic genetic lineages emerge as a common feature of scleractinian corals, these results emphasize that failure to assess cryptic genetic structure of the coral host may lead to dramatic overestimation of holobiont flexibility.},
}

Animals
*Anthozoa/genetics/microbiology
*Symbiosis/genetics
Coral Reefs
*Microbiota/genetics
Australia
Phylogeny
Dinoflagellida/genetics
Climate Change

@article {pmid40660128,
year = {2025},
author = {Miyata, M and Nomura, M and Kageyama, D},
title = {Elusive origin of mitochondria shared by two sister species of Eurema butterflies.},
journal = {BMC ecology and evolution},
volume = {25},
number = {1},
pages = {71},
pmid = {40660128},
issn = {2730-7182},
support = {18J21090//JSPS KAKENHI/ ; 23K26922//JSPS KAKENHI/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Butterflies/genetics/microbiology/classification ; *Wolbachia/genetics/physiology ; Phylogeny ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics ; *Mitochondria/genetics ; Haplotypes ; Japan ; Symbiosis ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Wolbachia are maternally inherited arthropod endosymbionts known for their diverse effects on host reproduction, which serve to increase their prevalence in host populations. As Wolbachia spreads, the frequency of the associated mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes tends to increase within the host population. Two distinct Wolbachia strains, wCI and wFem, are shared by two pierid butterfly sister species: Eurema mandarina and Eurema hecabe. The congruence of mtDNA phylogeny and Wolbachia infection status suggests hybrid introgression of mtDNA from E. hecabe to E. mandarina. This inference is based on the observation that uninfected E. mandarina have unique mtDNA haplotypes, distinct from the mtDNA haplotypes found in Wolbachia-infected E. mandarina and E. hecabe. In E. hecabe, Wolbachia infection has been considered fixed, with no expectation of uninfected individuals.

RESULTS: Unexpectedly, Wolbachia-free E. hecabe individuals were discovered on the Yonaguni Island of Japan. We included these individuals in the phylogenetic analyses to reassess the impact of Wolbachia infection on Eurema butterflies. The nuclear Triosephosphate isomerase gene-based phylogenetic tree formed two discrete clades corresponding to E. mandarina and E. hecabe. Contrastingly, the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene-based tree consisted of three clades, Wolbachia-free E. mandarina, Wolbachia-free E. hecabe, and a clade consisting of Wolbachia-infected E. mandarina and E. hecabe, as well as two other Eurema species, Eurema ada and Eurema lacteola.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the mitochondria shared by E. mandarina and E. hecabe likely originate from a different species of Eurema (E. ada, E. lacteola, or others). Although the origin was not identified, our results indicate that Wolbachia provides significant evolutionary advantages to the associated mtDNA haplotypes across multiple Eurema species, leading to a complex mtDNA phylogeny.},
}

Animals
*Butterflies/genetics/microbiology/classification
*Wolbachia/genetics/physiology
Phylogeny
DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics
*Mitochondria/genetics
Haplotypes
Japan
Symbiosis

@article {pmid40659090,
year = {2025},
author = {Fricke, LC and Villalta, MD and Lindsey, AR},
title = {Endosymbionts interacting with sex-determining genes and processes.},
journal = {Current opinion in insect science},
volume = {72},
number = {},
pages = {101410},
pmid = {40659090},
issn = {2214-5753},
support = {R35 GM150991/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; },
abstract = {Insects are rich in reproductive diversity and in maternally inherited symbionts. Maternal inheritance has selected for a suite of microbial mechanisms that enhance host fitness and skew sex ratios in favor of females. Recently, there has been significant progress in characterizing the genetic and cellular mechanisms that these maternally transmitted symbionts use to manipulate insect sex. Significant advances include the identification of specific microbial effector proteins that lead to male-killing, parthenogenesis, and feminization in a range of model and nonmodel insects. Many of these effectors target similar host processes, such as dosage compensation and the sex determination cascade that leads to sex-specific splicing of genes, including transformer and doublesex. The independent origins of these endosymbionts and their induced phenotypes facilitate an enhanced understanding of convergent evolution and offer opportunities to investigate the mechanisms driving insect reproductive diversity.},
}

@article {pmid40655444,
year = {2025},
author = {Zapalski, MK and Król, JJ and Denayer, J and Zatoń, M},
title = {Parasitism as a Long-Lasting Interaction-First Evidence From Paleozoic Corals.},
journal = {Ecology and evolution},
volume = {15},
number = {7},
pages = {e71804},
pmid = {40655444},
issn = {2045-7758},
abstract = {The peak of reef development in the middle Paleozoic (Silurian-Devonian) resulted in a dense network of interactions between corals and their symbionts. Due to their skeletonization, fossil corals and sponges preserved past interspecific relationships very effectively. Macrosymbionts of typical Paleozoic reef builders-corals and stromatoporoid sponges were traditionally interpreted as their commensals or parasites, despite their unclear systematic affinities. While the interpretations of parasitism were mostly based on alterations of the host's skeleton, one of the important features of parasitism, its long duration, remained unevidenced so far. Here we report on a Middle Devonian (approx. 395 Ma) alveolitid coral (Anthozoa: Tabulata), Mariusilites sp. (from Ardennes, Belgium), hosting numerous extracellular metazoan endosymbionts (Torquaysalpinx sp.) and displaying growth banding. The host (coral) growth banding allows an estimate of its growth rate as 3-4 mm per year, and as a result, the duration of the interaction appeared to be at least more than a year. The long duration of the interaction, together with the host's skeletal modification, suggests that these endosymbionts were parasites. This is the first case where the duration (longevity) of the parasitism can be determined in the hosting Paleozoic bioconstructing organisms.},
}

@article {pmid40650753,
year = {2025},
author = {Pascual, A and Calabresi, F and de la Fuente, D and Catalano, MI and Brentassi, ME},
title = {Transcriptome Analysis of the Fat Body of the Maize Pest Delphacodes kuscheli (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) Reveals Essential Roles of Fungal Endosymbionts.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {74},
pmid = {40650753},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {PICT 2021- 00914//Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CICPBA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT) (PICT 2021- 00914)./ ; PICT 2021- 00914//Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CICPBA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT) (PICT 2021- 00914)./ ; PICT 2021- 00914//Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CICPBA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT) (PICT 2021- 00914)./ ; PICT 2021- 00914//Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CICPBA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT) (PICT 2021- 00914)./ ; PICT 2021- 00914//Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CICPBA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT) (PICT 2021- 00914)./ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Symbiosis ; *Hemiptera/microbiology/genetics ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Zea mays/parasitology ; *Fat Body/microbiology/metabolism ; *Transcriptome ; *Hypocreales/genetics/physiology ; Phylogeny ; },
abstract = {The fat body of certain insects, in addition to performing essential biosynthetic and metabolic functions, harbors endosymbionts that play critical roles for their host. While knowledge of the diversity and functions of fungal endosymbionts harbored in the fat body of planthoppers is mostly limited to rice pests of Asia, our study presents a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of the fat body of Delphacodes kuscheli (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), an important agricultural pest of maize in Argentina. The dominant fungal endosymbionts, identified as yeast-like symbionts (YLS), include members of the genera Ophiocordyceps, Cordyceps, Hirsutella, and Tolypocladium (Ascomycota: Hypocreales). Transcriptomic data reveal that the fungal endosymbionts encode genes involved in vital metabolic processes for the host, such as essential amino acid biosynthesis, nitrogen recycling, and steroid biosynthesis. The genetic contribution of these endosymbionts to nutrient provision and metabolism supports a mutualistic obligate relationship with D. kuscheli. The results presented here provide insights into the evolutionary dynamics of endosymbiosis in the Delphacidae. Furthermore, this study highlights the potential of YLS as promising targets for innovative pest control strategies.},
}

Animals
*Symbiosis
*Hemiptera/microbiology/genetics
Gene Expression Profiling
Zea mays/parasitology
*Fat Body/microbiology/metabolism
*Transcriptome
*Hypocreales/genetics/physiology
Phylogeny

@article {pmid40644522,
year = {2025},
author = {Fercoq, F and Cormerais, C and Remion, E and Gal, J and Plisson, J and Fall, A and Alonso, J and Lhermitte-Vallarino, N and Hübner, MP and Kohl, L and Landmann, F and Martin, C},
title = {Host environment shapes filarial parasite fitness and Wolbachia endosymbionts dynamics.},
journal = {PLoS pathogens},
volume = {21},
number = {7},
pages = {e1013301},
pmid = {40644522},
issn = {1553-7374},
mesh = {Animals ; *Wolbachia/physiology/immunology ; *Symbiosis/immunology ; Mice ; Female ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; *Filarioidea/microbiology/immunology ; *Filariasis/immunology/parasitology/microbiology ; *Host-Parasite Interactions/immunology ; Male ; },
abstract = {Filarial nematodes, responsible for diseases like lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis, depend on symbiotic Wolbachia bacteria for reproduction and development. Using the Litomosoides sigmodontis rodent model, we investigated how host type-2 immunity influences Wolbachia dynamics and parasite development. Wild-type and type-2 immune-deficient (Il4rα[-]/[-]Il5[-]/[-]) BALB/c mice were infected with L. sigmodontis, and the distribution and abundance of Wolbachia were analyzed at different developmental stages using quantitative PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Our results show that type-2 immune environments selectively reduce germline Wolbachia in female filariae from wild-type mice, a change associated with disrupted oogenesis, embryogenesis, and microfilarial production, while somatic Wolbachia remain unaffected. Antibiotic treatments achieving systemic Wolbachia clearance result in similar reproductive impairments. Notably, Wolbachia-free microfilariae are observed shortly after Wolbachia depletion, suggesting that early-stage embryogenesis can proceed temporarily before progressive germline dysfunction ensues. Wolbachia-free microfilariae develop into infective larvae in the vector, but stall beyond the L4 stage in vertebrate hosts, showing arrested growth and reproductive organ maturation defects in both male and female larvae. These findings highlight the variable dependency on Wolbachia across life stages and provide insights into host-parasite-endosymbiont interactions shaped by environmental pressures.},
}

Animals
*Wolbachia/physiology/immunology
*Symbiosis/immunology
Mice
Female
Mice, Inbred BALB C
*Filarioidea/microbiology/immunology
*Filariasis/immunology/parasitology/microbiology
*Host-Parasite Interactions/immunology
Male

@article {pmid40637797,
year = {2025},
author = {Giani, NM and Lim, SJ and Anderson, LC and Paterson, AT and Engel, AS and Campbell, BJ},
title = {Variation in accessory and horizontal gene transfer-associated genes drives lucinid endosymbiont diversity.},
journal = {FEMS microbiology ecology},
volume = {101},
number = {8},
pages = {},
pmid = {40637797},
issn = {1574-6941},
support = {DEB-1342721//National Science Foundation/ ; DEB-1342785//National Science Foundation/ ; DEB-1342763//National Science Foundation/ ; },
mesh = {*Symbiosis/genetics ; *Gene Transfer, Horizontal ; Animals ; *Gammaproteobacteria/genetics/physiology/classification ; *Bivalvia/microbiology ; Phylogeny ; *Genetic Variation ; Metagenome ; },
abstract = {Lucinid bivalves harbor environmentally acquired endosymbionts within the class Gammaproteobacteria and genus Candidatus Thiodiazotropha. Despite recent studies focused on lucinid endosymbiont genomic and functional diversity, processes influencing species diversity have been understudied. From the analysis of 333 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from 40 host species across 8 waterbodies and 77 distinct locations, 272 were high quality MAGs of Ca. Thiodiazotropha endosymbionts that represented 11 genomospecies. Of those, two new genomospecies from lucinids collected from The Bahamas and Florida (USA) were identified, Ca. Thiodiazotropha fisheri and Ca. Thiodiazotropha grosi. Metabolic specialization was evident, such as potential adaptations to diverse carbon sources based on detection of one-carbon (C1) metabolic genes in eight genomospecies. Genes associated with defense, symbiosis/pathogenesis, and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) were also distinct across genomospecies. For instance, Ca. T. taylori exhibited lower abundances of HGT-associated genes compared to other genomospecies, particularly Ca. T. endolucinida, Ca. T. lotti, and Ca. T. weberae. HGT-associated genes were linked to previously unreported retron-type reverse transcriptases, dsDNA phages, and phage resistance. Collectively, the pangenome highlights how lucinid endosymbiont diversity has been shaped by geographic and host-specific interactions linked to gene loss and HGT through time.},
}

*Symbiosis/genetics
*Gene Transfer, Horizontal
Animals
*Gammaproteobacteria/genetics/physiology/classification
*Bivalvia/microbiology
Phylogeny
*Genetic Variation
Metagenome

@article {pmid40637783,
year = {2025},
author = {Philippe, C and Denis, LA and Fonville, M and Devriendt, B and Dufrasne, FE and Obregon, D and Maître, A and Skičková, Š and Cox, E and Sprong, H and Cruz, AC and Mori, M},
title = {Diversity of the Ixodes ricinus Microbiome Across Belgian Ecoregions and Its Association with Pathogen and Symbiont Presence.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {73},
pmid = {40637783},
issn = {1432-184X},
mesh = {*Ixodes/microbiology ; Animals ; *Microbiota ; Belgium ; *Symbiosis ; *Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Nymph/microbiology ; Anaplasma phagocytophilum/isolation & purification/genetics ; Biodiversity ; },
abstract = {Ticks are important vectors of zoonotic pathogens, and their presence can be influenced by the composition of the tick microbiome. In turn, this microbiome is shaped by environmental and ecological factors, as demonstrated in several studies conducted under controlled conditions. However, the extent of these influences under natural ecological conditions remains underexplored. In this study, we investigated the diversity of the microbiome and the prevalence of pathogens in Ixodes ricinus nymphs across three distinct Belgian ecoregions: Sandy Loam, Condroz, and Ardennes. Using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and Oxford Nanopore 16S rRNA sequencing, we assessed how geography and pathogen presence influence tick-associated microbial communities. Our results revealed significant regional differences in microbiome composition and pathogen prevalence. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) was most prevalent in the Ardennes (9% (7.4-10.9) vs 3.8% (2.8-5.2) in the Condroz and 2.1% (1.4-3.2) in Sandy Loam) while Anaplasma phagocytophilum was more common in the Sandy Loam region (21.1% (18.7-23.8) vs 4% (3-5.4) in the Condroz and 3.2% (2.2-4.4) in the Ardennes). Endosymbionts such as Midichloria mitochondrii and Spiroplasma ixodetis also exhibited distinct geographic distributions. Network analysis identified potential pathogen-microbiota interactions, with certain bacterial taxa showing positive or negative associations with specific pathogens. Moreover, microbiome composition was influenced not only by ecoregion but also by microorganisms such as Rickettsia helvetica, suggesting that its colonization may actively shape microbial community structure, potentially through competition or facilitation mechanisms. Additionally, microbiome network robustness varied across ecoregions, highlighting the role of ecological context in shaping microbial interactions within ticks. These findings underscore the complex interplay between geography, pathogen presence, and microbial diversity in ticks, highlighting the importance of integrating these interactions to inform microbiome-based strategies for vector control and disease prevention.},
}

*Ixodes/microbiology
Animals
*Microbiota
Belgium
*Symbiosis
*Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
Nymph/microbiology
Anaplasma phagocytophilum/isolation & purification/genetics
Biodiversity

@article {pmid40631325,
year = {2025},
author = {Dregni, J and Lindsey, ARI and Ferrer-Suay, M and Celis, SL and Heimpel, GE},
title = {Wolbachia-mediated parthenogenesis induction in the aphid hyperparasitoid Alloxysta brevis (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Charipinae).},
journal = {bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {40631325},
issn = {2692-8205},
support = {R35 GM150991/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; },
abstract = {Thelytokous parthenogenesis (thelytoky), in which females can produce female offspring without mating, can be caused by parthenogenesis-inducing endosymbiotic bacteria in the genus Wolbachia. This interaction is well known in hymenopteran parasitoids, where unfertilized eggs typically develop as males via haplo-diploidy in the absence of parthenogenesis-inducing bacteria. We report on a case of thelytoky in Alloxysta brevis (Thomson) (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), a globally widespread aphid hyperparasitoid. A previous study had shown that sex ratios of this species collected in Minnesota (USA) were extremely female biased, and we found here that unmated females reared from field-collected hosts produced female offspring without exposure to males. This result demonstrated thelytoky, and we tested for the role of bacterial endosymbionts by comparing offspring production of unmated females fed the antibiotic rifampicin to offspring production of control females not fed antibiotics. Antibiotic-fed females produced almost exclusively male offspring, and control females produced mainly females. This result showed that antibiotic treatment facilitated male production by unmated Alloxysta brevis females, thus implicating bacterial symbiosis in the expression of thelytoky. We then used molecular analyses to determine the identity of the symbiont. These analyses identified a Wolbachia strain from supergroup B, and excluded other bacteria known to mediate parthenogenesis induction, such as Cardinium and Rickettsia. While Wolbachia had been previously detected by molecular analysis in this species, these are the first experiments demonstrating Wolbachia-mediated parthenogenesis in the figitid subfamily Charipinae.},
}

@article {pmid40630086,
year = {2025},
author = {Han, S and Zhang, S and Ge, W and Yang, J and Peng, H and Gao, J and Zhang, M and Xiao, Y and Du, D and Kan, X},
title = {Comparative Genomics Insights Into the Evolutionary Disparities Between Nitroplast-Evolved Ecotype UCYN-A2 and Its Closest Relative UCYN-A1.},
journal = {Ecology and evolution},
volume = {15},
number = {7},
pages = {e71739},
pmid = {40630086},
issn = {2045-7758},
abstract = {UCYN-A is a phenomenal diazotrophic cyanobacterium with significant ecological importance. UCYN-A1 and UCYN-A2 are the two most abundant ecotypes. Recently, the striking discovery of nitroplast, a novel N2-fixing organelle in cultured B. bigelowii/UCYN-A2 endosymbiont, indicated the possibility that UCYN-A2 has evolved beyond endosymbiosis to an early phase of organellogenesis. This study addresses the following critical question: What evolutionary heterogeneity has emerged between UCYN-A1 and UCYN-A2? To investigate this issue, we comprehensively compared a total of seven genomes from UCYN-A2 and UCYN-A1. Under similar genome organizations, GC content, and gene composition, we still detected abundant genetic differences, including group-unique orthogroups, ANI below 85%, and 577 UCYN-A2-unique INDELs in single-copy orthologous genes (SCOGs). Moreover, we also focused on the orthologous genes of 40 metabolic-pathway genes in nitroplast. In addition to high-informative SNPs and INDELs possessing distinct interlineage differences, we traced abundant codon usage "signatures" that serve as lineage-unique molecular markers. Most notably, we successfully established a strain-level identification map for UCYN-A strains using codon aversion motifs, which represents the first case study of this approach in bacteria. In summary, all the comparative results reported here collectively indicate that UCYN-A1 and UCYN-A2 have evolved remarkable genomic heterogeneities. Furthermore, the findings of this work will definitely promote our current understanding of codon aversion and the evolution of UCYN-A.},
}

@article {pmid40629845,
year = {2025},
author = {Monnens, M and Artois, T and Briscoe, A and Diez, YL and Fraser, KPP and Leander, BS and Littlewood, DTJ and Santos, MJ and Smeets, K and Van Steenkiste, NWL and Vanhove, MPM},
title = {Signatures of Endosymbiosis in Mitochondrial Genomes of Rhabdocoel Flatworms.},
journal = {Molecular ecology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e70015},
doi = {10.1111/mec.70015},
pmid = {40629845},
issn = {1365-294X},
support = {1141817N//Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek/ ; GOH3817N//Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek/ ; NSERC 2019-03986//Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada/ ; BOF15BL09//Special Research Fund (Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds) UHasselt/ ; BOF20TT06//Special Research Fund (Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds) UHasselt/ ; //Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee/ ; //Hakai Institute/ ; UIDB/04423/2020//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; UIDP/04423/2020//Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ ; },
abstract = {The transition from a free-living lifestyle to endosymbiosis represents a large evolutionary shift, impacting various aspects of any organism's biology, including its molecular-genetic groundwork. So far, it has been impossible to generalise the impact this lifestyle shift has on genomic architecture. This study explores this phenomenon using a new model system: neodalyellid flatworms (Rhabdocoela), a diverse assemblage of free-living and independently evolved endosymbiotic lineages. A uniquely comprehensive mitochondrial genomic dataset, consisting of 50 complete or partial mitogenome sequences (47 of which are new to science), is constructed, increasing the genomic resources available for rhabdocoel flatworms over tenfold. A robust phylogenomic framework is built, enabling an in-depth exploration of the molecular-genetic signatures associated with evolutionary shifts towards endosymbiosis. To understand speciation influenced by host phylogeny, first steps are taken to unravel the host-switching history of the largest endosymbiotic group of neodalyellids. We test several hypotheses regarding the potential consequences of a symbiotic lifestyle and find marginally heightened AT content, more pronounced GC skew and relaxed selection on specific protein-coding genes in endosymbionts compared to their free-living counterparts. Numerous substitutions have accumulated in certain endosymbiotic lineages; however, the correlation with lifestyle remains uncertain. A high frequency of genetic rearrangements across all studied lineages is observed. Our findings affirm the variable nature of rhabdocoel mitogenomes and, for the first time, reveal distinct signatures of an endosymbiotic lifestyle in neodalyellid flatworms. This effort lays the groundwork for future research into the evolutionary and genomic consequences of a symbiotic lifestyle in this and other animal systems.},
}

@article {pmid40623205,
year = {2025},
author = {Liesenfelt, T and Markee, A and Demard, EP and Diepenbrock, LM and Mongue, AJ},
title = {Genome report: Genome sequence of the hibiscus mealybug, Nipaecoccus viridis (Newstead), an invasive pest of citrus.},
journal = {G3 (Bethesda, Md.)},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/g3journal/jkaf154},
pmid = {40623205},
issn = {2160-1836},
abstract = {Mealybugs are frequently known for being pest insects to both ornamental and large-scale agricultural crops. Yet despite their agricultural importance, the genomic resources for this group remain quite limited. One such species is the hibiscus mealybug, Nipaecoccus viridis (Newstead) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae). This invasive mealybug species has recently expanded throughout Florida and has spread across the state. Genomic resources would provide a new means to better understand the invasive nature of this insect, and thus, we present the de novo genome assembly for Nipaecoccus viridis. Our genome assembly is 289 Mb, in which 91.2% of this sequence assembled into 5 chromosomal scaffolds. We report 15,370 genes to be present within our genome. We found that repetitive elements in the genome accounted for 32.40% of the sequence. These statistics follow similar trends to other previously sequenced pseudococcid species.},
}

@article {pmid40619778,
year = {2025},
author = {Bhide, AJ},
title = {Redefining the nitroplast: Recent insights into the endosymbiontto- organelle transition.},
journal = {Journal of biosciences},
volume = {50},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {40619778},
issn = {0973-7138},
mesh = {*Symbiosis/genetics ; Gene Transfer, Horizontal ; Photosynthesis/genetics ; *Plastids/genetics ; Cyanobacteria/genetics ; Rhodophyta/genetics ; Mitochondria/genetics ; Chlorophyta/genetics ; Alphaproteobacteria/genetics ; Biological Evolution ; Evolution, Molecular ; Dinoflagellida/genetics ; },
abstract = {One of the most remarkable events in cellular evolution is the endosymbiosis of α-proteobacteria with a single archaean host cell, a rare evolutionary process, which eventually led to the transformation of symbionts into fully functional mitochondrial organelles in eukaryotes. Evolutionary events related to plants occurred almost 1.6 billion years ago, when eukaryotic heterotrophs acquired a β-cyanobacterium (containing 1B RUBISCO) in what is termed as primary endosymbiosis. Further, this composite cell lineage evolved into three photosynthetic lineages: green algae (plants), red algae and the glaucophytes. Thereafter, a secondary, and tertiary endosymbiosis event occurred giving rise to distinct kinds of green and red-derived photosynthetic plastids, which can be observed in a few haptophytes and dinoflagellates respectively. Eventually, these endosymbionts acquired characteristic cellular properties such as two/multiple envelope membranes and reduction of their genomes through either loss or concerted endosymbiotic gene transfer (EGT) into the nucleus, which ultimately led to the decline of more than three quarters of coding capacity and complete loss of several metabolic pathways. This loss, however, is partly compensated by import of nuclearencoded proteins as well as proteins acquired by horizontal gene transfer (HGT). For most proteins, specific transport mechanisms from nucleus/cytoplasm to organelle exist. The proteins are typically translated as a preprotein with specific signal sequences targeted to the organelle membrane. These membranes harbour receptors, in some cases soluble receptors, for recognition of these signal sequences. Proteins are then internalised using a set of translocation machineries (Gould et al. 2006).},
}

*Symbiosis/genetics
Gene Transfer, Horizontal
Photosynthesis/genetics
*Plastids/genetics
Cyanobacteria/genetics
Rhodophyta/genetics
Mitochondria/genetics
Chlorophyta/genetics
Alphaproteobacteria/genetics
Biological Evolution
Evolution, Molecular
Dinoflagellida/genetics

@article {pmid40617274,
year = {2025},
author = {Orkun, Ö and Gündoğdu, MN and Özdemir, T and Yiğit, M and Sarıkaya, E and Yılmaz, A and Yıldız, B and Bedir, H and Deniz, A and Vatansever, Z},
title = {Phylogeographic investigation of tick-borne pathogens in host-seeking Dermacentor marginatus in Anatolia: Significant correlation between population genetic structure and SFG rickettsiae.},
journal = {Acta tropica},
volume = {268},
number = {},
pages = {107730},
doi = {10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107730},
pmid = {40617274},
issn = {1873-6254},
mesh = {Animals ; *Dermacentor/microbiology ; Phylogeography ; *Rickettsia/genetics/isolation & purification/classification ; Turkey ; *Tick-Borne Diseases/microbiology/epidemiology ; Genetics, Population ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Female ; },
abstract = {Characterizing the population structure of vector ticks and their associated microorganisms in natural foci is essential for understanding of the ecology of tick-borne disease (TBD) and developing effective control strategies. Dermacentor marginatus is an important vector species in the Palearctic realm, yet its vectorial role remains poorly defined, particularly due to the lack of studies integrating population genetics with pathogen data. In this study, we performed a phylogeographic analysis of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in host-seeking D. marginatus from natural foci across Anatolia, integrating these data with the population genetic information from the same specimens. A total of 696 ticks from 151 locations were screened. PCR and sequencing revealed that 58.8 % (409/696) of ticks carried at least one causative agent, including spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae (Rickettsia slovaca and R. raoultii), Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica, Francisella-like endosymbionts, Babesia spp. (B. occultans, B. vulpes, and B. bigemina), Theileria ovis, and Hepatozoon spp. (H. canis and two unidentified species). Our findings revealed distinct phylogeographic patterns of SFG rickettsiae between Central and Northeastern populations, providing the first evidence of a population-level evolutionary association between D. marginatus and R. slovaca/raoultii. Previously unrecognized natural foci of C. burnetii and F. tularensis subsp. holarctica associated with D. marginatus were also identified. Several novel tick-pathogen associations were documented. These results indicate a high prevalence of human-pathogenic agents in D. marginatus populations in Anatolia suggest that population genetic structure may influence silent tick-pathogen interactions. By integrating population genetics with pathogen screening, this study offers new insights into the ecology and evolutionary dynamics of D. marginatus and associated TBPs.},
}

Animals
*Dermacentor/microbiology
Phylogeography
*Rickettsia/genetics/isolation & purification/classification
Turkey
*Tick-Borne Diseases/microbiology/epidemiology
Genetics, Population
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Female

@article {pmid40609307,
year = {2025},
author = {Howard, J and Ramatla, T and Mofokeng, L and Mileng, K and Lekota, K and Thekisoe, O},
title = {Molecular detection of Coxiella species from Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi infesting sheep in Potchefstroom, South Africa.},
journal = {Research in veterinary science},
volume = {193},
number = {},
pages = {105788},
doi = {10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.105788},
pmid = {40609307},
issn = {1532-2661},
mesh = {Animals ; South Africa/epidemiology ; Sheep ; *Rhipicephalus/microbiology ; *Sheep Diseases/microbiology/epidemiology/parasitology ; Female ; *Tick Infestations/veterinary/epidemiology/parasitology ; *Coxiella/isolation & purification/genetics/classification ; Male ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; },
abstract = {Coxiella species are emerging infectious bacteria of different animal hosts in South Africa, but knowledge regarding their occurrence and prevalence is limited. Hence, the aim of this study was to examine both the presence of non-pathogenic Coxiella spp. as well as its pathogenic relative Coxiella burnetti from ticks infesting sheep from small communal Matlwang village of Potchefstroom in South Africa. A total of 192 ticks (39 individual females and 38 pools of 153 males) were collected from sheep hosts. Morphologically identified ticks were confirmed by obtaining their cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene sequences and they were genetically screened for the presence of non-pathogenic Coxiella spp. as well as Coxiella burnetti by PCR and sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA and IS1111 gene fragments, respectively. Collected ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi and the phylogenetic analysis using the CO1 gene supported the respective taxon in comparison to reference sequences from the NCBI GenBank database. The overall prevalence of Coxiella species was 66.23 % (51/77) for Coxiella-like endosymbionts and 10.39 % (8/77) for C. burnetii based on 16S rRNA and IS1111 PCR results, respectively. Although the primary transmission route of Coxiella spp. is through the inhalation of contaminated aerosols, its presence in ticks may suggest a health risk among animals. Moreover, the detection of C. burnetti in this study suggests that ticks may play a significant role in maintaining the bacterium within domestic farming reservoirs and serve as a potential source of environmental contamination, thereby, potentially contributing to occupational pathogen exposure among livestock herders, owners, veterinarians and villagers through an increased risk of aerosol transmission.},
}

Animals
South Africa/epidemiology
Sheep
*Rhipicephalus/microbiology
*Sheep Diseases/microbiology/epidemiology/parasitology
Female
*Tick Infestations/veterinary/epidemiology/parasitology
*Coxiella/isolation & purification/genetics/classification
Male
Phylogeny
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary

@article {pmid40608492,
year = {2025},
author = {Ozuru, R and Yamagishi, J and Takeuchi, A and Date, Y and Fujii, T and Sugimoto, C and Nakajima, C and Suzuki, Y and Aoki, K and Fujii, J and Matsuba, T},
title = {Unification of symbiotic bacteria during larva-to-adult transition in Culicoides circumscriptus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).},
journal = {FEMS microbiology letters},
volume = {372},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/femsle/fnaf069},
pmid = {40608492},
issn = {1574-6968},
support = {24K13424//JSPS/ ; 18K16174//JSPS/ ; 21K16320//JSPS/ ; 24K10225//JSPS/ ; JP20wm0125008//Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development/ ; JP223fa62700//Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Ceratopogonidae/microbiology/growth & development ; Larva/microbiology/growth & development ; *Symbiosis ; Female ; *Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Japan ; Microbiota ; Phylogeny ; },
abstract = {Blood-sucking midges such as Leptoconops and Culicoides are of medical importance due to their role in causing skin irritation and potentially transmitting pathogens. Investigating their bacterial communities, including possible endosymbionts, may help clarify ecological adaptations and interactions with hosts. Leptoconops nipponensis Tokunaga (Lnt) and Culicoides circumscriptus (Cc), blood-sucking midges, cause severe itching and inflammation in humans. Cc was collected from a small sample of an outbreak swarm of Lnt in the peninsula area of Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. This study compared the bacterial flora of Lnt and Cc, revealing distinct bacterial diversity shifts in these insect species between life stages. We analyzed the bacterial communities of adult and larval females of Cc and Lnt using MiSeq sequencing of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. Notably, alpha diversity in Cc adults was significantly reduced to 1.5 (n = 43), indicating that Cc adults were dominated by a single bacterial genus, compared to 14.9 in Cc larvae (n = 19). BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) analysis identified this dominant genus in adult Cc as Rickettsia (Candidatus Tisiphisa), which is known for transovarial transmission in arthropod vectors. In contrast, the bacterial diversity of Lnt showed no significant difference between adults (18.1, n = 32) and larvae (n = 15). These findings suggest that the dominance of Rickettsia in Cc (Candidatus Tisiphisa) adults is linked to their emergence, potentially reflecting differences in reproductive biology and ecological adaptations between these two insect species. Further research is needed to elucidate the functional role of Rickettsia in the life cycle and physiology of Cc.},
}

Animals
*Ceratopogonidae/microbiology/growth & development
Larva/microbiology/growth & development
*Symbiosis
Female
*Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
Japan
Microbiota
Phylogeny

@article {pmid40606169,
year = {2025},
author = {Mallick, S and Pavloudi, C and Saw, J and Eleftherianos, I},
title = {Heterorhabditis bacteriophora symbiotic and axenic nematodes modify the Drosophila melanogaster larval microbiome.},
journal = {Frontiers in microbiology},
volume = {16},
number = {},
pages = {1598221},
pmid = {40606169},
issn = {1664-302X},
abstract = {The Drosophila melanogaster microbiome is crucial for regulating physiological processes, including immune system development and function. D. melanogaster offers distinct advantages over vertebrate models, allowing a detailed investigation of host-microbiota interactions and their effects on modulating host defense systems. It is an outstanding model for studying innate immune responses against parasites. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) activate immune signaling in the fly, leading to immune responses to combat infection. However, the impact of EPN infection on the host larval microbiome remains poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated whether EPN infection affects the D. melanogaster larval microbiome. We infected third-instar D. melanogaster larvae with Heterorhabditis bacteriophora symbiotic nematodes (containing Photorhabdus luminescens bacteria) and axenic nematodes (devoid of symbiotic bacteria). Drosophila melanogaster microbiome analysis revealed statistically significant differences in microbiome composition between uninfected and EPN-infected larvae. Notably, infection with axenic nematodes resulted in 68 unique species, causing a significant shift in the D. melanogaster larval microbiome and an increase in bacterial diversity compared to larvae infected with symbiotic nematodes. This suggests that the absence of the endosymbiont creates ecological niches for unique species and a more diverse microbiome in larvae infected with the axenic nematodes. This research will enhance our understanding of microbial species within the D. melanogaster microbiome that regulate homeostasis during nematode infection. These insights could be beneficial in developing innovative strategies for managing agricultural pests and disease vectors.},
}

@article {pmid40606155,
year = {2025},
author = {Fu, Q and Wang, W and Chen, B and Hu, Y and Ma, R and Zhu, E and Jin, S and Cai, H and Xiao, G and Du, G},
title = {Longitudinal dynamics of intestinal bacteria in the life cycle and their effects on growth and development of potato tuber moth.},
journal = {Frontiers in microbiology},
volume = {16},
number = {},
pages = {1542589},
pmid = {40606155},
issn = {1664-302X},
abstract = {Potato tuber moth (PTM), Phthorimaea operculella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is an oligophagous pest that damages potatoes. Intestinal microorganisms play important roles in regulating the life activities of host insects. The gut of PTM is rich in microbials, but it is unclear that the dynamics of the structure and diversity of intestinal bacteria in the different development period of potato tuber moth. In this study, the dynamics of the intestinal bacterial community across the whole life cycle of PTM were evaluated using single molecule real-time sequencing. The intestinal microbiota of PTM is predominantly composed of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, and it is different with the difference of development stages. Wolbachia endosymbionts were the dominant species of intestinal symbiotic bacteria in eggs and the first-instar larvae. Enterococcus mundtii was the dominant species of intestinal symbiotic bacteria in the second, third, and the fourth instar larvae, as well as in both male and female pupae. Moreover, the predominant species of intestinal symbiotic bacteria in female adults is Enterobacter ludwigii, while the dominant bacterial species is Serratia rubidaea in male adults. Principal component analysis and non-metric Multi-dimensional scaling analysis confirmed the differences in intestinal symbiotic bacteria structure at different developmental stages. In addition, after reintroducing the bacteria following antibiotic treatment, it was found that the antibiotics significantly inhibited the development of the potato tuber moth, whereas the gut bacteria appeared to facilitate its growth. The findings of this study will enhance our understanding of intestinal microorganisms on the development of their host insects across the life cycle. Moreover, it will establish a foundation for elucidating the physiological functions of key microorganisms in the intestinal tract of the potato tuber moth, while also offering new insights and strategy to the biological control of this pest.},
}

@article {pmid40603415,
year = {2025},
author = {Thompson, RM and Del Carmen Montero-Calasanz, M and George, D and Fox, EM},
title = {From pollution to reforestation: the hidden microbiome of Alnus glutinosa nodules over 30 years.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
pages = {23373},
pmid = {40603415},
issn = {2045-2322},
support = {NE/S007512/1//Natural Environment Research Council/ ; RYC2019-028468-I//Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MINECO)/ ; },
mesh = {*Alnus/microbiology ; *Microbiota ; *Root Nodules, Plant/microbiology ; Metals, Heavy/toxicity ; Soil Microbiology ; Soil Pollutants ; Biodegradation, Environmental ; },
abstract = {Actinorhizal plants, such as Alnus glutinosa, play a critical role in ecosystem restoration, particularly in metal-contaminated soils, yet their nodule microbiome remains largely unexplored beyond Frankiaceae endosymbionts. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of A. glutinosa root nodules under heavy metal stress, focusing on a 30-year-old chronosequence planted upon opencast coal mine spoil. Microbial diversity analysis revealed that A. glutinosa nodules harbour a distinct and conserved microbiome, dominated by Frankiaceae but also enriched with plant growth-promoting bacteria such as Bradyrhizobium, Mycobacterium, and Actinoplanes. Additionally, despite similar beta diversity between the nodules and soil, significant compositional differences were observed, reinforcing the selective nature of the nodules. However, functional profiling indicated that metabolic pathways were largely shared between nodule and soil microbiomes. Overall, this study provides new insights into the resilience and specialisation of the A. glutinosa nodule microbiome and its potential role in bioremediation within heavy metal-contaminated environments.},
}

*Alnus/microbiology
*Microbiota
*Root Nodules, Plant/microbiology
Metals, Heavy/toxicity
Soil Microbiology
Soil Pollutants
Biodegradation, Environmental

@article {pmid40602405,
year = {2025},
author = {Helmlinger, L and Arthofer, P and Cyran, N and Collingro, A and Horn, M},
title = {The adaptation of chlamydiae to facultative host multicellularity.},
journal = {Current biology : CB},
volume = {35},
number = {14},
pages = {3368-3380.e4},
doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2025.06.014},
pmid = {40602405},
issn = {1879-0445},
mesh = {*Symbiosis ; *Dictyostelium/microbiology/physiology ; },
abstract = {The phylum Chlamydiota consists of obligate intracellular bacteria comprising the human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis and a large variety of species infecting animals and protists. Despite their diversity, a feature shared by all known chlamydiae is their biphasic developmental cycle, consisting of intra- and extracellular stages with substantial differences in morphology and physiology. Here, we report the isolation of a social amoeba, Dictyostelium giganteum, naturally infected with a chlamydial symbiont. The social life cycle of dictyostelids is characterized by multicellular stages through aggregation of vegetative trophozoites, leading to the development of multicellular fruiting bodies and the formation of spores. Although dictyostelids undergo symbioses with various bacteria, chlamydiae have only recently been found to be associated with these amoebae. The chlamydial symbiont identified here represents a novel species, Reclusachlamydia socialis, and is retained in all stages of the host's social life cycle. Notably, the symbiont lacks a detectable extracellular form. Combining fluorescence microscopy and quantitative PCR, we show that transmission is entirely dependent on cell-to-cell contact during the host aggregation stage. The absence of an extracellular stage is further supported by transmission electron microscopy and the lack of genes essential for chlamydial developmental cycle regulation and extracellular survival. This variation of a highly conserved developmental feature that evolved more than a billion years ago illustrates the remarkable adaptability of chlamydiae. This study adds to our understanding of endosymbiosis in the face of facultative host multicellularity.},
}

*Symbiosis
*Dictyostelium/microbiology/physiology

@article {pmid40601071,
year = {2025},
author = {Su, J and Zhang, WB and Chen, YJ and Sun, B and Zhai, YP and Yuan, JM},
title = {Microbiome diversity in Haemaphysalis flava (life stage-host dependent) and Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks with zoonotic implications in Nantong, China.},
journal = {Acta parasitologica},
volume = {70},
number = {4},
pages = {142},
pmid = {40601071},
issn = {1896-1851},
support = {MSZ2024113//Research Project of Nantong City Science and Technology - Public Wellbeing Plan./ ; MSZ2024113//Research Project of Nantong City Science and Technology - Public Wellbeing Plan./ ; MSZ2024113//Research Project of Nantong City Science and Technology - Public Wellbeing Plan./ ; MSZ2024113//Research Project of Nantong City Science and Technology - Public Wellbeing Plan./ ; MSZ2024113//Research Project of Nantong City Science and Technology - Public Wellbeing Plan./ ; MSZ2024113//Research Project of Nantong City Science and Technology - Public Wellbeing Plan./ ; MS2023092//Research Project Foundation of the Nantong Health Commission/ ; MS2023092//Research Project Foundation of the Nantong Health Commission/ ; MS2023092//Research Project Foundation of the Nantong Health Commission/ ; MS2023092//Research Project Foundation of the Nantong Health Commission/ ; MS2023092//Research Project Foundation of the Nantong Health Commission/ ; MS2023092//Research Project Foundation of the Nantong Health Commission/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; China ; *Ixodidae/microbiology/growth & development ; *Microbiota ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Zoonoses/microbiology/transmission ; *Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; Rickettsia/isolation & purification/genetics ; Humans ; Life Cycle Stages ; Nymph/microbiology ; Female ; Phylogeny ; Biodiversity ; Haemaphysalis longicornis ; },
abstract = {PURPOSE: This study characterized the microbial communities of Haemaphysalis flava (H. flava) and Haemaphysalis longicornis (H. longicornis), in Nantong, China, and assessed the zoonotic implications.

METHODS: We collected both on-host and off-host ticks and performed 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Subsequent bioinformatic analyses included taxonomic composition assessment, community diversity evaluation, differential abundance analysis, interspecies abundance correlation and functional inference.

RESULTS: Rickettsia dominated in H. flava (77.31%), while H. longicornis exhibited higher abundances of Stenotrophomonas (10.78%), Coxiella (10.04%), and Psychrobacter (9.70%). Comparative analyses of life stages and host associations were only performed for H. flava due to limited sample sizes of H. longicornis across developmental stages. Rickettsia was enriched in on-host H. flava (90.41-90.51%) compared to off-host specimens (46.12%). α-diversity analysis showed higher microbial richness in off-host nymphs than in on-host adults. β-diversity revealed strong species-specific clustering. Network analysis demonstrated more complex microbial interactions in adult ticks. Pathogen screening detected Rickettsia japonica (R. japonica, host-specific to H. flava), Ehrlichia ewingii (E. ewingii), and Anaplasma bovis (A. bovis). Functional prediction highlighted elevated B vitamin biosynthesis pathways in nymphs, aligning with Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLEs)'s putative nutritional role.

CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the importance of enhanced tick surveillance and regular pathogen screening in domestic animals, particularly for spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia. CLEs may exhibit stage-specific abundance patterns aligned with the host's developmental nutritional requirements. These findings highlight the need for integrated One Health surveillance to mitigate tick-borne disease threats.},
}

Animals
China
*Ixodidae/microbiology/growth & development
*Microbiota
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
Zoonoses/microbiology/transmission
*Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification
Rickettsia/isolation & purification/genetics
Humans
Life Cycle Stages
Nymph/microbiology
Female
Phylogeny
Biodiversity
Haemaphysalis longicornis

@article {pmid40601059,
year = {2025},
author = {Chao, LL and Shih, CM},
title = {Molecular Survey and Genetic Identification of Wolbachia Endosymbionts in Dwelling-Caught Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquitoes from Taiwan.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {69},
pmid = {40601059},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {NSTC 113-2320-B-037-010; NSTC 114-2923-B-037-001//National Science and Technology Council/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Wolbachia/genetics/classification/isolation & purification/physiology ; *Culex/microbiology ; Taiwan ; *Symbiosis ; Phylogeny ; Female ; Male ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; DNA, Bacterial/genetics ; },
abstract = {The genetic identity of Wolbachia endosymbionts was determined in dwelling-caught Culex quinquefasciatus from Taiwan. A total of 370 Cx. quinquefasciatus (245 females and 125 males) was initially screened for Wolbachia infection targeting the universal 16S gene, and the positive samples were further identified their genogroup by a nested-polymerase chain reaction assay to amplify the group-specific Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) gene. In general, 44.59% of Cx. quinquefasciatus was detected with Wolbachia endosymbionts, and 43.2% (54/125) in male and 45.31% (111/245) in female. The group-specific detection was observed in 2.16% (8/370), 41.35% (153/370), and 1.08% (4/370) with groups A, B, and co-infection (A&B), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the genetic identities of these Taiwan strains were genetically similar to the groups A and B of Wolbachia with the high sequence homogeneity of 98.7-100% and 96.5-99.8%, respectively. Genetic relatedness is clearly discriminated using both methods of maximum likelihood (ML) and unweighted pair group with arithmetic mean (UPGMA). This study demonstrates the initial genetic identity of Wolbachia endosymbionts with a low prevalence (2.16%) of group A and a high prevalence (41.35%) of group B in dwelling-caught Cx. quinquefasciatus of Taiwan. Because the Cx. quinquefasciatus had been known as a vector for various viral pathogens, the possible impacts of Wolbachia endosymbionts on vector competence of Cx. quinquefasciatus in Taiwan need to be further identified.},
}

Animals
*Wolbachia/genetics/classification/isolation & purification/physiology
*Culex/microbiology
Taiwan
*Symbiosis
Phylogeny
Female
Male
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
DNA, Bacterial/genetics

@article {pmid40601033,
year = {2025},
author = {Nariman, N and Entling, MH and Krehenwinkel, H and Kennedy, S},
title = {The Microbiome of an Invasive Spider: Reduced Bacterial Richness, but no Indication of Microbial-Mediated Dispersal Behaviour.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {88},
number = {1},
pages = {70},
pmid = {40601033},
issn = {1432-184X},
mesh = {Animals ; *Spiders/microbiology/physiology ; *Microbiota ; *Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; Introduced Species ; Symbiosis ; Europe ; Animal Distribution ; },
abstract = {Mermessus trilobatus, an invasive North American linyphiid spider, has expanded its invasion range up to 1400 km in Europe, accelerating its dispersal speed in less than 40 years. The high heritability of dispersal behaviour and the spatial sorting of high and low dispersers indicate a genetic basis of dispersal behaviour. However, microbial endosymbionts can moderate dispersal behaviour in related species (Rickettsia in Erigone atra). Hence, dispersal behaviour in M. trilobatus might also be dictated by the activity of dispersal-mediating endosymbionts. Here, we investigated the microbiome of invasive M. trilobatus spiders extracted from (1) high- and low-dispersive individuals and (2) spiders originating from locations close to the edge and core of the expansion. We examine the microbiomes for the presence of potential dispersal- and reproduction-mediating bacterial strains and compare the microbial assemblages of spiders based on their dispersal behaviour and locations of origin. The composition of microbial assemblages was similar among spiders of different geographic origins and dispersal behaviour. However, microbial richness was lower in high- than in low-dispersive individuals. Surprisingly, none of the known dispersal- or reproduction-altering endosymbionts of arthropods was identified in any tested spider. This contrasts with published results from North America, where M. trilobatus is a known host of Rickettsia and Wolbachia. Thus, the invasive European population appears to have lost its associated endosymbionts. As endosymbionts can reduce spider mobility, it is possible that their absence facilitates the spread of the invasive spider population. The absence of endosymbionts among the analysed individuals substantiates the role of genetic mechanisms behind the variable dispersal behaviour of invasive M. trilobatus in Europe.},
}

Animals
*Spiders/microbiology/physiology
*Microbiota
*Bacteria/classification/genetics/isolation & purification
Introduced Species
Symbiosis
Europe
Animal Distribution

@article {pmid40597597,
year = {2025},
author = {Lu, S and Bland, DM and Dahlstrom, E and Redekar, N and Guizzo, MG and Barbian, K and Hinnebusch, BJ and Ribeiro, JMC},
title = {An insight into the draft genome of the Oriental rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis, together with its Wolbachia endosymbiont.},
journal = {BMC genomics},
volume = {26},
number = {1},
pages = {621},
pmid = {40597597},
issn = {1471-2164},
mesh = {Animals ; *Symbiosis/genetics ; *Xenopsylla/genetics/microbiology ; *Wolbachia/physiology/genetics ; Phylogeny ; *Genome, Insect ; Rats ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: The Oriental rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis, is a main vector of plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Transcriptomic analysis of this insect and the interaction between Yersinia and the flea digestive tract have been the subject of several studies. However, to develop more refined studies on this vector in the future, we sequence and describe a draft genome of the rat flea Xenopsylla cheopis, discuss the physiological implications of its genetic features, and compare them with the only other sequenced member of the Siphonaptera, the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis.

RESULTS: Sequencing data from both long and short reads were assembled into 7,694 contigs, from which 95,638 putative coding sequences (CDSs) were extracted and functionally annotated, providing insights into various aspects of flea physiology. This includes the identification of putative salivary proteins, such as acid phosphatases and FS-H/I, associated with blood acquisition; classification of multiple serine peptidases likely representing the primary digestive enzymes of X.cheopis; and the identification of all enzymes involved in heme biosynthesis, as well as heme oxygenases and unique heme-binding proteins potentially involved in heme detoxification. Comparison of detoxification-related genes-namely those in the cytochrome P450, carboxylesterase, and glutathione S-transferase families-with homologs from the cat flea (C. felis) revealed the presence of a platelet-activating factor (PAF) acetyl hydrolase that appears to be unique to rat fleas, cat fleas, and human head and body lice, but is absent in other blood-feeding arthropods. Additionally, we identified key components of immune-related pathways known from other arthropods, including the Toll, IMD, and JAK/STAT pathways. Finally, a contig encoding a novel bacterium was discovered within the assembled flea genome. Phylogenetic analysis of the Wolbachia endosymbiont in X. cheopis suggests it is closely related to the Wolbachia strain found in Drosophila melanogaster.

CONCLUSIONS: The disclosure of the X. cheopis genome, together with its Wolbachia symbiont, should advance research on the biology of this vector.},
}

Animals
*Symbiosis/genetics
*Xenopsylla/genetics/microbiology
*Wolbachia/physiology/genetics
Phylogeny
*Genome, Insect
Rats

@article {pmid40597572,
year = {2025},
author = {Meiring, C and Eygelaar, M and Fourie, J and Labuschagne, M},
title = {Tick genomics through a Nanopore: a low-cost approach for tick genomics.},
journal = {BMC genomics},
volume = {26},
number = {1},
pages = {591},
pmid = {40597572},
issn = {1471-2164},
support = {OPP1213344//Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Genomics/methods/economics ; *Nanopore Sequencing/economics/methods ; *Nanopores ; Molecular Sequence Annotation ; *Rhipicephalus/genetics ; Genome ; Computational Biology ; *Ticks/genetics ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: The assembly of large and complex genomes can be costly since it typically requires the utilization of multiple sequencing technologies and access to high-performance computing, while creating a dependency on external service providers. The aim of this study was to independently generate draft genomes for the cattle ticks Rhipicephalus microplus and R. appendiculatus using Oxford Nanopore sequencing technology.

RESULTS: Exclusively, Oxford Nanopore sequence data were assembled with Shasta and finalized on the Amazon Web Services cloud platform, capitalizing on the availability of up to 90% discounted Spot instances. The assembled and polished R. microplus and R. appendiculatus genomes from our study were comparable to published tick genomes where multiple sequencing technologies and costly bioinformatic resources were utilized that are not readily accessible to low-resource environments. We predicted 52,412 genes for R. appendiculatus, with 31,747 of them being functionally annotated. The R. microplus annotation consisted of 60,935 predicted genes, with 32,263 being functionally annotated in the final file. The sequence data were also used to assemble and annotate genetically distinct Coxiella-like endosymbiont genomes for each tick species. The results indicated that each of the endosymbionts exhibited genome reductions. The Nanopore Q20 + library kit and flow cell were used to sequence the > 80% AT-rich mitochondrial DNA of both tick species. The sequencing generated accurate mitochondrial genomes, encountering imperfect base calling only in homopolymer regions exceeding 10 bases.

CONCLUSION: This study presents an alternative approach for smaller laboratories with limited budgets to enter the field and participate in genomics without capital intensive investments, allowing for capacity building in a field normally exclusively accessible through collaboration and large funding opportunities.},
}

Animals
*Genomics/methods/economics
*Nanopore Sequencing/economics/methods
*Nanopores
Molecular Sequence Annotation
*Rhipicephalus/genetics
Genome
Computational Biology
*Ticks/genetics

@article {pmid40593332,
year = {2025},
author = {Flatau, R and Krawczyk, AI and Segoli, M and Barrick, JE and Hawlena, H},
title = {Continuously high Wolbachia incidence in flea populations may result from dual-strain infections with divergent effects.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
pages = {21720},
pmid = {40593332},
issn = {2045-2322},
support = {2023159//United States - Israel Binational Science Foundation/ ; 2023159//United States - Israel Binational Science Foundation/ ; 1391/15//Israel Science Foundation/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Wolbachia/genetics/physiology/classification/isolation & purification ; *Siphonaptera/microbiology ; *Symbiosis ; Female ; Male ; Reproduction ; },
abstract = {The continuously high incidence of some endosymbionts in arthropods despite potential conflicts with their hosts is often explained by obligatory relationships, in which the host is fully dependent on its endosymbiont, fitness advantages conferred on hosts by facultative endosymbionts, or reproductive manipulation of hosts by endosymbionts (typically facultative). Yet continuously endosymbiont high incidence is sometimes observed without clear evidence supporting any of these mechanisms. This situation could potentially be explained by the presence of several coinfecting strains of the same endosymbiont species, each affecting the host differently such that their effects counteract one another when studied collectively. Here, we investigated Wolbachia endosymbionts of fleas, which stably persist in high loads in all females, with no indication that any of the above mechanisms explain their continuously high incidence. We sequenced fleas and identified two Wolbachia strains, designated as wSc1 and wSc2. We then correlated the strain composition in fleas with measures of their reproductive success. We found that fleas with high wSc1 and low wSc2 loads had a higher reproductive success than fleas that had high loads of both strains, low loads of both strains, or no Wolbachia, suggesting that wSc1 may provide a direct fitness advantage to their hosts. Conversely, the number of males and total offspring was negatively correlated with wSc2 levels, supporting male killing. Our research demonstrates that endosymbionts' continuously high incidence may persist through intricate relationships in nature.},
}

Animals
*Wolbachia/genetics/physiology/classification/isolation & purification
*Siphonaptera/microbiology
*Symbiosis
Female
Male
Reproduction

@article {pmid40591018,
year = {2025},
author = {Pucciarelli, A and Cardillo, L and Viscardi, M and Picazio, G and D'Alessio, N and Sgroi, G and Rinaldi, A and Veneziano, V and Fusco, G and de Martinis, C},
title = {Development of TaqMan real-time PCR and droplet digital PCR protocols for the detection of Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii and evaluation of exposure among wildlife.},
journal = {Veterinary research communications},
volume = {49},
number = {4},
pages = {240},
pmid = {40591018},
issn = {1573-7446},
support = {grant number CUP C75E22000390001//Ministero della Salute/ ; grant number CUP C75E22000390001//Ministero della Salute/ ; grant number CUP C75E22000390001//Ministero della Salute/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary/methods ; Italy ; *Animals, Wild/microbiology ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; },
abstract = {Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii (Ca. M. mitochondrii), an endosymbiont intracellular bacterium living in the mitochondria of several tick species, especially ixodid species, has been proposed as a potential marker for monitoring tick-bite exposure. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop two different diagnostic methods, TaqMan-based real-time PCR (rt-PCR) and Droplet Digital PCR (dd-PCR), targeting the 16 S rRNA gene and gyrB gene for the detection of Ca. M. mitochondrii in different wildlife species from several areas of southern Italy. Both techniques were validated using 10-fold serial dilutions of a sequenced positive control up to reach 10[-6] final dilution. Among wildlife field samples, both the techniques identified Ca. M. mitochondrii DNA, although dd-PCR showed higher sensitivity, being able to detect the target DNA in a higher dilution and in several spleen samples scored negative by rt-PCR. Noteworthy, these molecular methods revealed for the first time the presence of Ca. M. mitochondrii DNA in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), Eurasian badgers (Meles meles), otters (Lutra lutra), porcupines (Hystrix cristata), European hares (Lepus europaeus), and alpacas (Vicugna pacos), suggesting a tick-bite exposure of these animals in the study area.},
}

Animals
*Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary/methods
Italy
*Animals, Wild/microbiology
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics

@article {pmid40588254,
year = {2025},
author = {Boyd, BM and House, N and Toloza, AC and Reed, DL},
title = {HAPLOTYPE DIVERSITY IN ENDOSYMBIOTIC BACTERIA FOLLOWING A HOST SWITCH BY PARASITIC LICE.},
journal = {The Journal of parasitology},
volume = {111},
number = {4},
pages = {412-418},
doi = {10.1645/24-148},
pmid = {40588254},
issn = {1937-2345},
mesh = {Animals ; *Symbiosis/genetics ; Haplotypes ; *Pediculus/microbiology ; *Lice Infestations/parasitology/veterinary ; Humans ; *Genetic Variation ; Genome, Bacterial ; Female ; },
abstract = {The sucking lice (Anoplura: Psocodea: Insecta) parasitize mammals, exclusively consuming blood, which does not contain sufficient quantities of B vitamins to support louse development. Lice are dependent on maternally inherited endosymbiotic bacteria, which can synthesize B vitamins and make them available to the louse. Although most louse species parasitize 1 mammal species, lice occasionally colonize a different mammal species. Despite endosymbiotic bacteria being essential for louse development, little is known about the impact, if any, of a louse colonizing a new mammal species on the louse's endosymbiotic bacteria. To address this knowledge gap, we sought to examine genomic diversity in maternally inherited and host-beneficial endosymbiotic bacteria in sucking lice following the likely colonization of a new host. Here, we examined the genomes of endosymbiotic bacteria, Candidatus Riesia pediculicola, from the human head louse, Pediculus humanus. Pediculus humanus (and their endosymbiotic bacteria) are found on humans and South American primate species. The association of P. humanus with humans predates the appearance of modern humans; however, P. humanus appears to have colonized South American primates more recently (likely following the arrival of humans in South America). We examined the genome of Candidatus Riesia from P. humanus isolated from humans (Homo sapiens) and South American black howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya). Here, we find that endosymbiont diversity in lice collected from black howler monkeys included one-half of all known haplogroups described from lice collected from humans. Furthermore, the endosymbiont haplotypes identified from lice on the black howler monkeys reflect the haplotype diversity of endosymbionts present in lice parasitizing humans in the same geographic region. It is not known if the genetic diversity in the endosymbionts of P. humanus parasitizing the black howler monkey is the result of the ongoing movement of lice from humans to black howler monkeys or from a single host switch involving a genetically diverse population of endosymbionts.},
}

Animals
*Symbiosis/genetics
Haplotypes
*Pediculus/microbiology
*Lice Infestations/parasitology/veterinary
Humans
*Genetic Variation
Genome, Bacterial
Female

@article {pmid40586794,
year = {2025},
author = {Chadd, EF and Ergunay, K and Kumsa, B and Bourke, BP and Broomfield, BS and Long, LS and Linton, YM},
title = {Nanopore sequencing reveals a diversity of microorganisms in ticks from Ethiopia.},
journal = {Parasitology research},
volume = {124},
number = {7},
pages = {73},
pmid = {40586794},
issn = {1432-1955},
support = {FY23 Award # 23-101//Deployed Warfighter Protection (DWFP) Program/ ; Award # P0031_21_WR//Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; Ethiopia ; *Nanopore Sequencing ; Metagenomics ; *Bacteria/genetics/classification/isolation & purification ; *Ticks/microbiology ; Rickettsia/genetics/isolation & purification ; *Viruses/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; Metagenome ; Phylogeny ; *Biodiversity ; },
abstract = {Ethiopia is home to a diverse group of ixodid ticks that are known to transmit disease to both animals and humans. Recent advances in metagenome sequencing show there is more microorganism diversity found in ticks than previously known. Compared to amplicon-based gene identification methods, agnostic metagenomic sequencing provides broader insights into the diversity of microorganisms in ticks, providing knowledge that will better enable public health measures in preventing the spread of zoonotic disease. In the present study, metagenomic sequencing was used to look at the microbial diversity of ticks collected from livestock in Ethiopia. This study identified six bacterial genera (Coxiella, Francisella, spotted-fever group (SFG) Rickettsia, Spiroplasma, Ehrlichia, and Borrelia), one genus of eukaryotic parasite (Babesia sp.), and one virus species (Parapoxvirus bovinestomatitis) from 154 tick pools representing 22 species of ticks among four genera (Amblyomma, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, and Rhipicephalus). We were able to differentiate between pathogenic and nonpathogenic microorganisms, highlighting concerns among traditional gene-targeted screening methods. Among all pooled samples, the predominant microorganisms included Coxiella-like endosymbionts (55.2%), SFG Rickettsia (38.3%), and nonpathogenic Francisella spp. (26.0%). Rickettsia africae was the predominant pathogenic agent detected, and phylogenetic analysis of two samples from A. gemma and A. variegatum confirmed the presence of R. africae. This study highlights the power of metagenomics applied to potential vectors of zoonotic disease, and it expands the knowledge on tick-pathogen associations in Ethiopia.},
}

Animals
Ethiopia
*Nanopore Sequencing
Metagenomics
*Bacteria/genetics/classification/isolation & purification
*Ticks/microbiology
Rickettsia/genetics/isolation & purification
*Viruses/classification/genetics/isolation & purification
Metagenome
Phylogeny
*Biodiversity

@article {pmid40581745,
year = {2025},
author = {Richter, I and Büttner, H and Hertweck, C},
title = {Endofungal bacteria as hidden facilitators of biotic interactions.},
journal = {The ISME journal},
volume = {19},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {40581745},
issn = {1751-7370},
support = {//Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/ ; 390713860//Germany's Excellence Strategy - EXC 2051/ ; 239748522//SFB 1127 ChemBioSys/ ; },
mesh = {*Symbiosis ; *Fungi/physiology ; *Bacteria/metabolism/genetics/classification ; Humans ; Plants/microbiology ; *Bacterial Physiological Phenomena ; Animals ; *Microbial Interactions ; Ecosystem ; },
abstract = {Fungi play pivotal roles in ecology and human health, driving nutrient cycling, supporting antibiotic production, and posing threats through toxin production. Less well-recognized, however, is their ability to harbour endosymbiotic bacteria. Advances in genomics and microscopy have revealed the prevalence of endofungal bacteria across diverse fungal phyla, though their functions are primarily inferred from genomic and transcriptomic studies. Recent functional research has begun to shed light on their influence on fungal pathogenicity, physiology, and ecology. These findings raise fundamental questions about the establishment and benefits of bacterial-fungal endosymbiosis, as well as the role of endosymbionts in mediating fungal interactions with other organisms. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the molecular mechanisms involved in the establishment and persistence of these symbioses. It also summarizes the current understanding of how endofungal bacteria impact fungal interactions with other organisms. For instance, endofungal bacteria contribute to the beneficial effects of fungi on plant health and fitness, protect fungal hosts from fungivorous predators, and enhance fungal virulence against plants, animals, and humans. These discoveries highlight the need for holistic investigations into bacterial-fungal endosymbiosis to fully understand their role in natural ecosystems. A deeper understanding of these multipartite partnerships offers exciting opportunities to improve ecosystem management, food safety, disease control, and crop productivity.},
}

*Symbiosis
*Fungi/physiology
*Bacteria/metabolism/genetics/classification
Humans
Plants/microbiology
*Bacterial Physiological Phenomena
Animals
*Microbial Interactions
Ecosystem

@article {pmid40577049,
year = {2025},
author = {Mathews, KO and Phalen, D and Sheehy, PA and Herbert, CA and Brandimarti, ME and Conaty, JR and Bosward, KL},
title = {Molecular detection and characterization of Coxiella burnetii in Australian native wildlife species.},
journal = {FEMS microbiology letters},
volume = {372},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {40577049},
issn = {1574-6968},
mesh = {*Coxiella burnetii/genetics/isolation & purification/classification ; Animals ; Australia/epidemiology ; *Q Fever/veterinary/microbiology/epidemiology ; *Animals, Wild/microbiology ; DNA, Bacterial/genetics ; Marsupialia/microbiology ; Genotype ; },
abstract = {Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii with domestic ruminants considered the main infection source for humans. Coxiella burnetii infection in Australian native wildlife (ANW) species has been demonstrated, however their role as reservoirs remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of C. burnetii DNA in tissues, swabs, and secretions from ANW, (primarily marsupials from eastern Australia), and further understand the pathogenesis in these species by identifying tissues infected and potential shedding routes. The study utilized an optimized multiplex quantitative PCR assay targeting three C. burnetii genes and a stringent classification system that prioritized specificity to overcome false positives known to occur due to Coxiella-like endosymbiont species. Of the 141 animals examined, one eastern gray kangaroo cloacal swab tested positive for C. burnetii DNA (at ~11 genome equivalents per reaction) in all three genes. Four animals were classified as suspect with amplification in two genes at a lower copy number. Genotyping of the definitively positive animal returned a C. burnetii genotype previously associated with human Q fever cases, which underscores the importance of Q fever vaccination where available for individuals in contact with wildlife, given the potential severity of the disease in humans.},
}

*Coxiella burnetii/genetics/isolation & purification/classification
Animals
Australia/epidemiology
*Q Fever/veterinary/microbiology/epidemiology
*Animals, Wild/microbiology
DNA, Bacterial/genetics
Marsupialia/microbiology
Genotype

@article {pmid40569657,
year = {2025},
author = {Henry, Y and Dahirel, M and Wallisch, J and Ginesi, S and Vorburger, C},
title = {A test of specific adaptation to symbiont-conferred host resistance in natural populations of a parasitoid wasp.},
journal = {Journal of evolutionary biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/jeb/voaf083},
pmid = {40569657},
issn = {1420-9101},
abstract = {Parasitoids are important natural enemies of insects, imposing strong selection for the evolution of resistance. In aphids, the heritable defensive endosymbiont Hamiltonella defensa is a key determinant of resistance, making symbiont-conferred defense a potential target for specific adaptation by parasitoids. We tested this hypothesis in the aphid parasitoid Lysiphlebus fabarum and four of its host species, Aphis fabae fabae, A. hederae, A. urticata, and A. ruborum. The parasitoids show host-associated genetic differentiation indicative of host specialization, and each of these aphid species harbors 1-3 distinct strains of H. defensa, with no shared strains. We introduced eight H. defensa strains from all four aphid species into a common host background (a laboratory strain of symbiont-free A. f. fabae) and then tested the ability of 35 field-collected L. fabarum lines from the same four hosts to parasitize the H. defensa-carrying aphids. The natural origin of symbionts was a key determinant of parasitism success, with strains from A. f. fabae and A. hederae conferring strong protection, and strains from A. urticata and A. ruborum providing virtually no protection. For one strain each from A. f. fabae and A. hederae, we found a signature of specific adaptation by parasitoids, as parasitoids able to overcome their protection mostly came from the same hosts as the symbiont strains. Two other strains were so strongly protective that they permitted very little parasitism independent of where parasitoids came from. While not fully conclusive, these results are consistent with specialized parasitoids adapting to certain defensive symbionts of their host species, supporting the notion of symbiont-mediated coevolution.},
}